Marie
Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark Lyrics

I stood in line and left my name
I waited in line for my turn and gave my name

Took about six hours or so
I waited for about six hours

Well, the man just grinned like it was all a game
The man in charge seemed to find it amusing

Said they'd let me know
He promised to inform me later

I put in my time till the Pocono line
I worked for a while at the Pocono line

Shut down two years ago
It closed down two years back

I was staying at the mission till I met Marie
I was living at a mission till I met Marie

Now I can't stay there no more
I can't stay there anymore

Fella 'cross town said he's lookin' for a man
A man in another part of town claimed to need help

To move some old cars around
He wanted someone to help him relocate old cars

Maybe me and Marie could find a burned-out
Perhaps Marie and I could find a car that's been ruined by fire

Van and do a little settlin' down
And settle down together in that car

Aw, but I'm just dreamin', I ain't got no ride
But it's just a fantasy, as I don't have a vehicle

And the junkyard's a pretty good ways
Besides, the scrapyard is located far away

That job's about a half week old besides
Plus, that job opened up about half a week ago

It'd be gone now anyway
And would likely be gone by now

Unemployment said I got no more checks
Unemployment informed me that I don't qualify for any more aid

And they showed me to the hall
And directed me towards the employment office

My brother died in Georgia some time ago
My brother passed away in Georgia some time before

I got no one left to call
I have nobody else to contact

Summer wasn't bad below the bridge
I spent a decent summer sleeping under a bridge

A little short on food that's all
I was slightly lacking in food, but that's all

Now I gotta get Marie some kind of coat
But now, I need to get Marie a coat of some sort

We're headed down into fall
As we approach the fall season

I used to play the mouth harp pretty good
I used to be pretty good at playing the harmonica

Hustled up a little dough
I earned a bit of money

But I got drunk and I woke up rolled
But I got drunk and got robbed while unconscious

A couple of months ago
It happened a few months back

They got my harp and they got my dollar
The thieves took my harmonica and my money

Them low life so and so's
Those lowlifes who did it

Harps cost money and I ain't got it
Harmonicas aren't cheap, and I don't have the cash

It's my own fault I suppose
I guess I have only myself to blame

The Pocono's down but the Chesapeak's runnin'
The Pocono line is closed, but the Chesapeake line is still operating

Two freights everyday
Two freight trains run every day

If it was just me I'd be headed south
If it were just me, I'd be heading south

But Marie can't catch no train
But Marie can't travel by train

She's got some pain and she thinks it's a baby,
She's experiencing some discomfort and suspects she's pregnant

Says we gotta wait and see
She says we need to wait and find out

In my heart I know it's a little boy
I have a strong feeling that it's a baby boy

Hope he don't end up like me
I hope he doesn't grow up to be like me

Well, the man's still grinnin' says he lost my file
But the man in charge is still smiling and claims to have misplaced my record

I gotta stand in line again
So now I have to wait in line again

I want to kill him but I just say no
I feel angry enough to harm him, but I resist the urge

I had enough of that line my friend
I've had enough of waiting in lines for today

I head back to the bridge, its getting kinda cold
I return to the bridge, where it's getting chilly

I'm feelin' too low down to lie
I'm feeling too sad to fake a happy demeanor

I guess I'll just tell Marie the truth
I suppose I'll just tell Marie what really happened

Hope she don't break down and cry
I hope she doesn't become upset and start crying

Marie she didn't wake up this morning
Marie didn't wake up this morning

She didn't even try
She didn't make any effort to wake up

She just rolled over and went to heaven
She simply passed away and went to heaven

My little boy safe inside
But my little boy was unharmed

I laid them in the sun where somebody'd find them
I placed them in the sun where someone would see them

Caught a Chesapeak on the fly
I hopped on a Chesapeake train in a hurry

Marie will know I'm headed south
Marie will know that I'm heading south

So's to meet me by and by
So that we can reunite later