The meaning of the lyrics of the song "Clockwork Mary" by the artist "W.A.S.P."

In W.A.S.P.'s "Clockwork Mary," the protagonist, Jesse, grapples with profound inner turmoil stemming from a deeply troubled relationship with his mother. The lyrics overflow with bitterness, resentment, and despair, interwoven with religious imagery.

Addressing the "Congregation," perhaps symbolizing a judgmental and uncomprehending society, Jesse implores them to recognize his hidden suffering. He feels betrayed and abandoned by his own mother, as evident in his plea: "Oh, momma, where did you go?". He yearns for her love and validation, longing to be "the only one" for her.

Jesse is torn between faith ("Am I born in sin?") and doubt ("Or is Mary lyin'?"), possibly hinting at his mother's hypocrisy, hiding her true nature behind a façade of piety.

The sense of abandonment and pain drives Jesse to rebellion. He compares himself to a "clockwork orange," stripped of free will and genuine emotions. The only way out he sees is through "a blood sacrifice for freedom" – an act of violence intended to bring him liberation from suffering and satiate his thirst for revenge.

The song concludes with Jesse's bitter realization that all he ever craved was love and acceptance, which were cruelly withheld from him.