SOMETHIN' 'BOUT MARY

Written especially for the Blackstrap gig in Canada in 2007, "Somethin' 'Bout Mary" is a flight of fun. My original vision for the song was that each band member - or another artist - could join me on stage and take a verse each.  However, the artists were not so easy to pin down, and the band were not ready to become singers... What you gonna do?  There were many other verses on the cutting room floor - the barfight got axed, the under water gun battle... Still a lot of fun. Still get asked for this song a lot when I play live.

SOMETHIN' 'BOUT MARY
Words & Music: David Day
(c)(p) Studio 9 Ltd 2007. All rights reserved.

There's somethin' 'bout Mary -
She looks good to me
Maybe it's those big brown eyes, she's making them at me
Pretty as a penny, fresh as morning dew
Curvin' like a river - what's a boy to do?
Swayin' to the rhythm, groovin' 'cross the floor
And I don't see no fella on her arm -
Could it be I've found my lucky charm?

In that long red dress, and that long blonde hair
Kind of girl you'd like your folks to meet
She's awful pretty, she's awful sweet
Tonight I'm gonna sweep her off her feet -
'Cause there's somethin', somethin' 'bout Mary

And just when I was about to make my move
Her ex-boyfriend shows up...

 

There's somethin' 'bout Mary -
But let's set your record straight
If she ever was a nice girl, man, I sure arrived too late
Sure she's pretty on the outside, but man her head's not right -
All we did was argue, fret 'n' fuss 'n' fight
She's poison in your apple, venom on the tongue
If all you want is trouble by the cart
She's the sorta place you'd wanna start

In that little red dress, and that long black hair
Kinda girl could keep you up all night
She's honey for the taking, but there's a stinger in her tail -
Stole my truck and span off up that trail
There's somethin', somethin' 'bout Mary

Really?  She looks so different
And then the bar maid leans across and told me this...

There's somethin' 'bout Mary -
We used to be this close
We used to share a room and all our clothes
But I found them on the hallstairs, and neither barely dressed
Well some thing's ain't for sharin' - boyfriend's on my list!
Oh, sure she gave him back, but not before she stole his heart
My best friend and my true love?  I fell apart
If I ever chance to catch that thievin' tart

In my little black dress, and that bleach blonde hair
Kinda girl could have her pick of men
She's awful pretty but she's a rattlesnake wrapped in lace
And I'd like to wipe the smile right off her face -
There's somethin', somethin' 'bout Mary

I'd never have guessed
And then on my other side, an off duty policeman, and he says this...

There's somethin' 'bout Mary -
I knew somethin' wasn't right
Somethin' 'bout the way she ran the light
I explained that to drive without a license is an offence
But the way she bat those eyes convinced me of her innocence
I tore up that stupid ticket, let her off the fine
When the dust had settled - guess what I found?
Twenty torn up tickets on the ground

In that denim skirt, that windswept hair
Jailbait ain't never looked to sweet
She's awful pretty, and I let her get away
But there's twenty other blues are on her tail -
There's somethin', somethin' 'bout Mary 

And just when I thought it couldn't get any worse
Her ex-fiance shows up...

There's somethin' 'bout Mary - yeah
She's gonna marry me!
She's engaged, she's spoken for, and she belongs to me
She knows how much I love her, she knows that I'd be true
I know she never said as much, but I know she loves me too
So I lead to the altar, she stands me like a fool
But I know she didn't mean to treat me cruel -
So you hit on her and I'll hit you with this stool

In that long white dress, all that long brown hair
Kinda girl make such a pretty bride
She's awful shy, she just scares easily
So shotgun says she's comin' home with me -
There's somethin', somethin' 'bout Mary

About this point I think I got the message
So I leave them arguing at the bar
Because the only thing, the only thing on which they can agree
There's somethin', really somethin'
About Marie...