Mary Queen of Arkansas
Produced by
Jan. 5, 19731 viewer10.5K views
Mary Queen of Arkansas Lyrics
[Chorus]
Mary, Queen of Arkansas, it's not too early for dreamin'
The sky is grown with cloud seed sown and a bastard's love can be redeeming
Mary, my queen, your soft hulk is reviving
No, you're not too late to desecrate, the servants are just rising
[Verse 1]
Well, I'm just a lonely acrobat, the live wire is my trade
I've been a shine boy for your acid brat and a wharf rat of your state
Mary, my queen, your blows for freedom are missing
You're not man enough for me to hate or woman enough for kissing
The big top is for dreamers, we can take the circus all the way to the border
And the gallows wait for martyrs whose papers are in order
But I was not born to live to die, and you were not born for queenin'
It's not too late to infiltrate, the servants are just leavin'
[Chorus]
Mary, Queen of Arkansas, your white skin is deceivin'
You wake and wait to lie in bait and you almost got me believin'
But on your bed, Mary, I can see the shadow of a noose
I don't understand how you can hold me so tight and love me so damn loose
[Outro]
But I know a place where we can go, Mary
Where I can get a good job and start out all over again clean
I got contacts deep in Mexico where the servants have been seen
Mary, Queen of Arkansas, it's not too early for dreamin'
The sky is grown with cloud seed sown and a bastard's love can be redeeming
Mary, my queen, your soft hulk is reviving
No, you're not too late to desecrate, the servants are just rising
[Verse 1]
Well, I'm just a lonely acrobat, the live wire is my trade
I've been a shine boy for your acid brat and a wharf rat of your state
Mary, my queen, your blows for freedom are missing
You're not man enough for me to hate or woman enough for kissing
The big top is for dreamers, we can take the circus all the way to the border
And the gallows wait for martyrs whose papers are in order
But I was not born to live to die, and you were not born for queenin'
It's not too late to infiltrate, the servants are just leavin'
[Chorus]
Mary, Queen of Arkansas, your white skin is deceivin'
You wake and wait to lie in bait and you almost got me believin'
But on your bed, Mary, I can see the shadow of a noose
I don't understand how you can hold me so tight and love me so damn loose
[Outro]
But I know a place where we can go, Mary
Where I can get a good job and start out all over again clean
I got contacts deep in Mexico where the servants have been seen
About
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Genius Annotation
“‘Mary Queen of Arkansas’ describes the first-person male narrator’s uncertain romantic relationship with a transvestite. Perhaps following in the footsteps of the 1970 hit ‘Lola’, Springsteen takes on a level of complexity and commitment not present in the Kinks’ carefree storyline of a drunken barroom frolic. Circus imagery pervades the song, implying that both the narrator and Mary have multi-layered identities.” – Beyond Blood Brothers by Rosalie Zdzienicka Fanshel
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- 2.Growin’ Up
- 3.Mary Queen of Arkansas
- 6.The Angel
- 7.For You
Credits
Produced By
Written By
Harmonica
Guitar
Recorded At
914 Sound Studios, Blauvelt, New York
Release Date
January 5, 1973
Mary Queen of Arkansas Interpolations
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