Formed around the partnership of Lowe with Edmunds, the two musicians inspired by melodic 50s and 60s rock n roll, the band took its name from the title of a 1972 album by Edmunds. Rockpile was primarily known as a backup group to those two artists' solo projects. However, the band did release one official album, titled 'Seconds of Pleasure' in 1980, which spawned the minor hit "Teacher Teacher" while also receiving strong critical praise. In August of that year, the guys played the noted Heatwave festival near Toronto, and the group additionally made their only American television appearance on the ABC variety program 'Fridays'. The band broke up in 1981.
Take a Message to Mary
Rockpile Lyrics
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Who lost his love when he turned bad.
Take a message to Mary
But don't tell here where I am
Take a message to Mary
But don't say I'm in a jam
You can tell her that I had to see the world
You can say she'd better not wait for me
But don't tell her I'm in jail, oh don't tell her I'm in jail.
Take a message to Mary
But don't tell her what I've done
Please, don't mention the stage coach
And the shot from a carried gun
You better tell her that I had to change my plans
And cancel out the wedding-day
But please, don't mention the lonely cell
Where I'm gonna pine away, until my dying-day.
Take a message to Mary
But don't tell her all you know
My heart is aching for Mary
Lord know I miss her so
Just tell her that I went to Timbukto
Tell her I'm searching for gold
You can say she better find someone new
To cherish and to hold, oh Lord, this cell is so cold.
Rockpile's song "Take a Message to Mary" discusses a man who's lost his love due to his bad choices. The lyrics outline his plea to send a message to Mary about his current situation without divulging specific details. The lyrics seem to embody the idea that actions have consequences, and the singer is now paying for the mistakes he made.
The song talks about a man who's lost his way and feels lost and alone, uncertain if he'll ever be able to return to Mary. The lyrics suggest that he's made some serious missteps that hurt Mary and is now regretting that he can't be with her after she's been hurt. He feels pangs of regret and wishes he could have done things differently.
In the end, his only wish is to be reunited with Mary, even if it's not possible, and that she finds someone who will cherish and hold her. Overall, the song is a poignant plea from a lost soul who regrets the choices he's made in life.
Line by Line Meaning
These are the words of a frontier man
The singer is introducing himself as someone who has lived a rough life in a new place
Who lost his love when he turned bad.
The singer's actions caused him to lose the love of his life
Take a message to Mary
The singer is asking someone to deliver a message to Mary
But don't tell here where I am
The artist wants the messenger to keep his location a secret from Mary
Take a message to Mary
The artist repeats his request for the messenger to deliver a message to Mary
But don't say I'm in a jam
The singer doesn't want Mary to know that he's in trouble
You can tell her that I had to see the world
The singer left to explore and experience new things
Tell her that my ship set sail
The artist left on a ship to travel somewhere
You can say she'd better not wait for me
The artist doesn't want Mary to wait for him
But don't tell her I'm in jail, oh don't tell her I'm in jail.
The artist doesn't want Mary to know that he's in prison
Take a message to Mary
The singer repeats his request again
But don't tell her what I've done
The artist doesn't want Mary to know about his actions
Please, don't mention the stage coach
The messenger shouldn't mention anything related to the singer's crime
And the shot from a carried gun
The singer used a gun to commit a crime
You better tell her that I had to change my plans
The singer's plans changed unexpectedly
And cancel out the wedding-day
The artist won't be able to marry Mary
But please, don't mention the lonely cell
The messenger shouldn't mention the artist's current location
Where I'm gonna pine away, until my dying-day.
The singer will remain imprisoned and unhappy for the rest of his life
Take a message to Mary
The singer repeats his request once more
But don't tell her all you know
The messenger shouldn't reveal everything to Mary
My heart is aching for Mary
The artist misses Mary deeply
Lord know I miss her so
The artist emphasizes how much he misses Mary
Just tell her that I went to Timbukto
The singer wants Mary to think that he's traveling somewhere
Tell her I'm searching for gold
The artist wants Mary to believe that he's looking for wealth
You can say she better find someone new
The singer thinks Mary should move on and find a new partner
To cherish and to hold, oh Lord, this cell is so cold.
The singer expresses his sadness and desperation as he remains in his prison cell
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BOUDLEAUX BRYANT, FELICE BRYANT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind