Even though my favorite Lady Gaga song changes day to day, Bloody Mary has always been one that remains at the top of the list. Gaga’s classic electro style is met with harrowing vocals and dark Catholic imagery, making it possibly the best ballad on Born this Way and maybe one of her best ballads ever. Despite being released 11 years ago, the song is only picking up traction outside of Gaga’s fan base now due to its use in Tiktok edits for the hit Netflix show Wednesday. So who is the infamous Bloody Mary Gaga warned us about 11 years ago, and why is the song so good?
Bloody Mary is a reference to Mary Magdalene, a disciple of Jesus who may have been his girlfriend and was a witness to Jesus’s crucifixion. Bloody Mary is about just that. In the song Mary (Gaga) is singing about witnessing the execution of her friend and possible lover and her promise to protect his legacy. Throughout the song, Gaga/Mary talks about what she is willing to do to protect him and her frustrations about their portrayal throughout history.
“Love is just a history that they may prove
And when you’re gone
I’ll tell them my religion’s you
When Punktious comes to kill the king upon his throne
I’m ready for their stones.”
In the first verse, Mary is aware her love for Jesus is somewhat controversial. How could the son of God fall in love with a measly mortal? She knows her relationship with Jesus will be friend-zoned for the rest of history. Categorizing her as just a follower and a disciple. This is why Mary/Gaga is so willing for “their stones” because she wants any opportunity to show her devotion. Mary is heavily frustrated by this fact though, as she expresses later in the song.
“We are not just art for Michelangelo to carve
He can’t rewrite the aggro of my furied heart.”
Mary is pissed at the way she is going to be portrayed. She is nothing but a footnote in biblical history and that angers her. But as the song continues, that anger turns into fear.
“I’ll wait on mountain tops in Paris, cold
J’veux pas mourir toute seule (Translation: I don’t want to die alone)”
“Líberate, mi amor (Translation: Free yourself, my love)”
She knows she will never be able to fall in love again, thus another reason why she was so willing to protect Jesus even after death. The more you learn about the song the sadder it becomes. It is a young woman’s last plea to her lover.
“I won’t cry for you
I won’t crucify the things you do, do, do
I won’t cry for you
See (see), when you’re gone, I’ll still be Bloody Mary.”
Intensely Cursed Thoughts 