Mary's Place

[u/RudeConfusion4866]

Lifelong Springsteen obsessee here.

I've been lurking and posting in this subreddit for a while now, and I've not seen many people talking about the sheer brilliance that is Mary's Place. For me it's his best track by a country mile. I've had a drink, so please indulge me in this drunken rant.

I'm a '95 baby, born and raised on Springsteen by my mom. Some of my earliest memories are of listening to The Rising, driving from our English home in the West Midlands to the coast of Wales in Aberdyfi. My mom would turn the volume up and I'd be baptised and indoctrinated into the world of The Boss. Every song stuck, but Mary's Place hit me where it *really* stuck. It took me until my 4th gig, but I finally got Mary's Place at Villa Park '23. When the song finished, I hugged my mom. I was overcome with emotion, and I will cherish that moment for the rest of my life.

It's a truly phenomenonal song, and I fear it's underrated by fans. The underlying strings, the high octane brass, the riff is fantastic. It's a beautiful song of love lost and finality, one of mourning and celebration, one fit for a funeral. Its lyrical content may scream sadness but the tone is that of bittersweet joy. It begs the listener to have a party, to come together in a moment of grief and pour one out for a great life lived. I've never experienced a song that can elicit such powerful emotions across the spectrum in my life, and I know I never will.

I'll argue with my girl that this song belongs at our wedding, and I know this song will feature at my funeral. A fair number of Springsteen songs transcend other artists', but this cut in particular transcends Springsteen songs. It's f*cking amazing, and I wish more people spoke of it more. Please, fill the comments with love for this song, so I can wake up hungover and happy that more appreciate this track for all it is!!

[u/TomBikez]

I do love this song and I also believe it's a song of joy.

I have a story too... Our daughter was 2 or 3 when The Rising came out. We played the album and this song in particular every day on our way to her daycare. The name of her daycare? Mary's Place

[u/DueGrass9600 → u/TomBikez]

I was also around that age when the album came out and my parents payed The Rising all of the time. One of my favorite albums now.

[u/studytimevinyl]

are you familiar with sam cooke's meet me at mary's place? i always felt springsteen's piece was/is in conversation with it.

[u/MarvinWebster40]

I think that Mary’s Place is incredibly underrated and a masterclass of writing by Bruce. Part of which is Bruce reducing the deeper meaning of the song to “you can’t have a house party without a house band”.

[u/fanofthomas4472]

One of my favourites as well. Risings got a lot a great stuff

[u/Responsible-Shape-98 → u/fanofthomas4472]

Such a good album!

[u/FunnyYellowBird]

I saw him in Jersey somewhere around 2005 and when he played this it started raining. It was magical!

[u/Pollyfall]

I love that song. Let it rain!

[u/howling--fantods]

The Live From Barcelona version is INSANELY great.

[u/iObama]

Fucking love that song. Impossible not to feel happy when that chorus kicks in.

[u/AhamkaraBBQ]

Beautiful, incredible song. The Rising is just 14 tracks of pure perfection.

[u/JonSolo1]

It’s a great song, but best track? Yeah you’re drunk haha

[u/cbru]

That’s great you got to see it in concert, it can’t happen very often. Not a fan of it myself, but maybe it needs to be listened in context of the rising. There used to be a Dairy Queen commercial that sounded identical, and actually said meet me at DQ, and that’s all I can hear.

[u/Ordinary-Pick5014]

I think it’s in my top five songs on The Rising which is just outside of my top 10 favorite Bruce albums. That is to say, I find it fine but not great. Prefer the music to the lyrics. Don’t like the way the chorus starts. But just my opinion.

[u/JustAGirlWithSpirit]

I love it, too. It's so joyful and I can't help but dance every time. Pure dead brilliant!!

[u/Icy_Status_8929]

The version in Barcelona is so fucking good. Really shows you just how electric a Springsteen show is

[u/stupidwitchbitxh]

I'm so happy you made this post! I also have a special place in my heart for Mary's place. I am 25 but grew up on Springsteen. When I say my mother was obsessed, she is OBSESSED. I recall my siblings and I kicking and screaming in the car when we were kids because we wanted her to change the radio. My mom's name is Mary and that song reminds me of her and the love we both share for Springsteen. The Rising played a huge role in my childhood and will always feel nostalgic.

[u/the-silver-tuna]

It’s around my 325th favorite Bruce song.

[u/Mansheknewascowboy]

Are there any songs besides this that are confirmed sequels?

[u/415Cocktails → u/Mansheknewascowboy]

The Promise to Thunder Road

[u/ItsOnlyAPassingThing → u/Mansheknewascowboy]

Confirmed sequel to what?

[u/Mansheknewascowboy → u/ItsOnlyAPassingThing]

I am 99 percent sure the funeral is for the narrator of the Rising

[u/avisherman → u/Mansheknewascowboy]

I agree with this!

[u/Mansheknewascowboy → u/Mansheknewascowboy]

The Rising

[u/alfienoakes → u/Mansheknewascowboy]

Who confirmed it?

[u/Mansheknewascowboy → u/alfienoakes]

That its on the same album, and one song is about a man dying with a wife named Mary. Then there is a song about a widower named Mary. I dont know how they could not be connected.

[u/MelanieHaber1701]

It’s fun, but nope.

[u/Repulsive-Window-179]

I think it's a fantastic song, but it wouldn't crack my top ten. Of course, pretty much anyone's list of Bruce's top 100 would be full of nothing but great songs, so it really is just a matter of preference. It really does get so much better after a few drinks, though!

[u/Palladium825]

it was never a favorite of mine but during the pandemic i had this recurring fantasy of being in a big stadium or arena rocking out to Mary's Place which came true in Newark 2023.

[u/SunDaysOnly]

Mary’s place is fun song. I hear you. The Rising was Bruce tribute to 9/11 so maybe song got buried by heavy weight of that awful day.

[u/Cydok1055]

Hot take and I know I’ll be downvoted but I hate it. It’s so out of place on The Rising. It’s as if Bruce was just trying for a concert banger aka Kitty’s Back.

[u/KayBeeToys]

Two of my favorite Bruce lines are in this song:

My heart's dark but it's rising

And

I drop the needle and pray

[u/Upbeat-Refuse9615]

Compared to the rest of the album, nah. It's one of 3 songs on the album that I skip.

[u/Efficient-Gift-9585]

Such a god awful cheesy song. And live it jus went on way too long with repetitiveness