Elliott Smith - Pretty Mary K (Either/or demos) - with video lyrics

Elliott Smith's Pretty Mary K from the New Moon disc set.

An amazing song thats as beautiful as it is somber. You can feel the sadness in his voice and almost see the water reflecting back through the speaker's thoughts. Literally speaking, it's about a man contemplating his love for prostitute but its much more than that with its terrific themes and imagery.

It's about loving something that you're not meant to be with... something that's self-destructive and in a situation where the more you think about it, the worse you realize it is. Mary K is probably symbolism for a drug addiction (ketamine) similar to the white lady in "the white lady loves you more" or possibly his mother (?) but all that really means to the listener is that its an object of desire.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• elliott
• smith
• either/or
• pretty
• mary
• figure
• bside
• bsides
• alternate
• version
• either
• or
• demos
• cover
• unreleased
• everything's
• okay
• new
• moon
• rock
• folk

[eitheror6903]

A few people consider that it may be about his mother. Since his mother's second husband physically and emotionally abused him as a child, the mixed emotions in the song are apparent, as well as talk of a "man" coming between them. We can't be sure of it's meaning but there's a lot to think about. Lovely video btw.

[KirstyTheWeeYin]

the songs not about his mum, its about a prostitute, pretty mary k, shes got the pay from a sailor shoved down in her sock.. takes him into town.. elliott's fallen madly in love with her after well.. you know :P

RIP Elliott x

i miss you x

[acadx]

@tillyandthepoo

i know where your coming from i've been there too, isnt it nice elliott can at least make us feel something even if it hurts,

hope your doing well these days

[lah2482]

Love this song! You can feel the sadness in his voice, not just hear it but feel it.

[utarefsonmetushelac]

he's our contemporany baudelaire

[tillyandthepoo]

also landed myself in a mental hospital for four days, thats why i can relate to memory lane right now.

[tillyandthepoo]

Divorcing a sailor.. this and memory lane, are the two songs that I cannot get enough of right now. even though Ive been a fan for a long time. ITs good to know what songs to help you through tough times.

[MikeWeids]

Please upload it, I've been trying to find but I can't

[candymiser]

i heard a version a long time ago without the annoying drums in the background. [before new moon polished everything up and stuck it on a cd] i think it's a lot slower and eerier. i might have it saved on my computer somewhere. it's a lot less produced.

[radiofreeek]

exactly!

[Kelise006]

well seeing how the orignial version of this song is "Everything's Okay" not pretty mary K, and prostitutes don't wear socks, the song is taken out of context. I don't think this song is about his mom or a prostitute, just someone he loved and lost. look up the original lyrics, you'll see what I'm sayin' :)

[Transmissionwould]

How do you know that it's a machine that wasn't intended? Just curious.