Analysis of Lady Gaga bloody Mary

This is yet another controversial song from the artist Lady Gaga.  However, just like the previous songs I’ve analyzed, this one is religiously symbolic as well. It was also  tough to interpret so you need to have an open mind.

The title of the song is Bloody Mary  and the entire message is a kind of riddle. It is not entirely straight forward but contains allusions between Mary Magdaline and Bloody Mary  that must be decoded.  But first you must know what a bloody Mary is. According to Wikipedia, “bloody Mary is a ‘ghost’ or witch featured in modern American folklore”. In essence it is a folklore illusion tale that is played as a sort of game in front of a mirror where she is said to appear when you call her name three times. According to research, bloody Mary was also a name given to an English queen,  Mary Tudor, who lived in the 16th century that was said to have restored Catholicism to England through persecution of dissenters. But I dont believe the song has anything to do with this queen.

So bloody Mary is folklore. Folklore is a mythical story that is traditionally passed down from generation to generation through word of mouth. Now what I am about to discuss are the lyrics of the artist and my opinion on them.

The artist is implying that there is more to the story of Jesus than is seen or understood and that you must look behind what she calls bloody Mary- the illusion of it all, and see the reality.

Firstly, the song mentions prominent figures like Pontius Pilate (when Pontius comes), Jesus Christ (to kill the king upon his throne), Mary Magdalene (I’m ready for their stones). Gaga is singing from a Mary Magdalene perspective, one of the followers of Jesus that was not talked about much.  

Basically, Mary Magdalene is singing about her relationship with Jesus Christ not as a mere disciple but on an intimate level, not sexually but spiritually. The innocence, playfulness, kindness and purity of Jesus touched Magdaline soul. She says in the songs opening lines, “love is just a history that they may prove and, when your gone ill tell them my religions you”. She continues, “I’m ready for their stones”, Mary Magdalene was a prostitute who was condemned by society because of her immoral lifestyle just like a sinner is condemned for breaking the law. However, when she met Jesus things changed because she received forgiveness and he did not condemn her. This is important to note.

The next few lines are difficult to decode because they imply many things.  She says, "Ill dance dance with my hands above my head like Jesus said..im gonna dance, dance together". It could be symbolic of her happiness and joy because of the pardon and grace she received. In addition,the dancing and playfull communion would be symbolic of the freedom of the relationship she had with the Master. This is also symbolic of the kind of love expressed for her, as the only woman she felt special.

She also says, “I won’t cry for you, I won’t crucify the things you do, when you’re gone ill still be bloody Mary”. It appears that Mary Magdaline came to accept the fact that Jesus was going to die and she was ready. I believe she was able to appreciate the prophetically designed destiny of Jesus more than the other disciples. In other words she accepted Jesus as the savior through the time spent in her relationship with him because of what he did for her.

Furthermore, she says she won’t deny or persecute (crucify) his good works. This simply means she has accepted forgiveness from Jesus

She also mentions, “Forgive him before he’s dead”. I take this to mean, as a former sinner, she was able to see the value of Jesus immediately before it was too late. However, she refers to Pilate as a PUNK because he didnt have the guts to stand up for Jesus even though he knew Jesus was innocent.


The interpretation of the song is actually about the feminine energy that is important in the cycle of life. In actuality the whole song is about the value of women, women  are  more resembling of life than they are given credit for. In another verse she mentions of women, as saying, “We are not just art for Michelangelo to carve. He can’t rewrite the agro of my furied heart”. This implies the treatment of women as more than physical objects of possession

History says Michelangelo is known for his paintings of women in nude. The only thing is that he portrayed women as having masculine features all the time which aroused suspicion as to his sexual preference. He was also labeled anti- feminist, homosexual, pro-masculine and that he believed in male superiority.

The song is deep and I like it because the message is good. In a sentence the song is saying that men should treat women as not just fantasy, but with respect, and their opinion counts because men and women are equal.

Mythical_Poet
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