Lady Gaga Once Revealed Who ‘Bloody Mary’ Is About

Lady Gaga‘s “Bloody Mary” has become popular again thanks to TikTok. During an interview, Gaga revealed the song is about a famous woman from ancient times. She said the song related to her views on spirituality.

Lady Gaga’s ‘Bloody Mary’ is not about the historical figure Bloody Mary

“Bloody Mary” debuted on Gaga’s 2011 album Born This Way. One might assume “Bloody Mary” is about the historical figure Bloody Mary, also known as Mary I of England, who was known for killing Protestants. During a 2011 interview with Popjustice, Gaga said the song is actually about Mary Magdalene, Jesus’ most prominent female follower. 

The New Testament says Jesus exorcised demons from Mary Magdalene. Subsequently, she was present during the crucifixion and was one of the first people to see Jesus after his resurrection. Pop culture such as Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code promoted the idea that Jesus and Mary had a relationship even though the Bible does not say anything to that effect.

Lady Gaga believes Mary Magdalene loved Jesus and knew what was going to happen to him

In her Popjustice interview, Gaga said she grew up praying to female figures such as Mary Magdalene, the Virgin Mary, and her father’s deceased sister, Joanne. She revealed she always worshiped a feminine force. Subsequently, she explained the meaning of “Bloody Mary.”

“So the lyrics are Mary sort of talking,” she said. “If you listen to the lyrics and the way the cadence goes, the way I’m actually singing, I start quite sweetly then I go into these quite demonic tones, then I come back to sweetness, and then the chorus is me ultimately, publicly singing, ‘I won’t cry for you, I won’t crucify the things you do, I won’t cry for you when you’re gone I’ll still be Bloody Mary,'” she said. 

“I’ll still bleed, is what I’m trying to say. I guess I’m fascinated by her — like I said, I worshiped women in my religion as a young girl — and in my belief Mary was in it all along,” she added. “I think she knew what was going to happen. But I also believe that she loved him, and I believe there was a moment when she cried.”

How Tim Burton’s ‘Wednesday Addams’ brought ‘Bloody Mary’ into the limelight

According to Billboard, “Bloody Mary” gained renewed attention after the release of Tim Burton’s series Wednesday (2022). In it, Wednesday Addams dances to “Goo Goo Muck” by The Cramps. TikTok users started recreating the dance to “Bloody Mary” instead of “Goo Goo Muck.” The viral success of the song is an example of how TikTok can elevate a song long after its release.

One might not associate Mary Magdalene with The Addams Family franchise but both are part of the fascinating history of “Bloody Mary.”