Synopsis

The "Soundtrack to Mary" video presents Soul Coughing in a deliberately off-kilter performance setting, using stark staging, quick visual changes, and an understated sense of absurdity rather than a conventional storyline. Mike Doughty and the band perform as the imagery reflects the song's restless mood: a hazy stretch of waiting, isolation, and readiness to leave at a moment's notice. Its low-key surrealism matches the track's unusual blend of groove, spoken phrasing, and enigmatic lyrics.

Factoids & Trivia

• "Soundtrack to Mary" appeared on Soul Coughing's 1996 album *Irresistible Bliss* and became one of the band's minor alternative-radio hits.

• The single reached No. 37 on Billboard's Alternative Songs chart.

• In a 1996 interview, Mike Doughty described the song as an ode to lying in bed until a phone call signals that it is time to hit the road.

• The video was part of Soul Coughing's early MTV presence and appeared in the programming orbit of *120 Minutes*, which helped introduce the band to alternative-rock audiences.

• The song was followed as a single by "Super Bon Bon," the track that became Soul Coughing's more widely recognized signature song.