You know I’m interested in songs and song lyrics and one particular genre of song is the story song about a particularly “bad” girl in which the male vocalist is either singing to said girl, usually something along the lines of “I’m on to you and I’m not putting up with any more of your nonsense“, or singing about the girl; possibly as a warning to others – “watch out, she’s nothing but trouble!”
First let’s look at Ronnie Hawkins’ Mary Lou, in which Ronnie is telling the story of a particularly nasty bad girl, Mary Lou:
I’m gonna tell you a story
‘Bout ol’ Mary Lou
I mean the kind of girl
That make a fool of you
She make a young man old
And an old man pay
The way she took my money
Was a crying shame
Mary Lou, Mary Lou
She took my watch and chain
Mary Lou, Mary Lou
She took my diamond ring
She took the keys to my Cadillac car
Jumped in my Caddy and she drove afar
Put a detective
On her trail
The Post Office thought
They’d chase her by the mail
She got picked up
And then was put in jail
Stroked the judge
Just to go her bail
Mary Lou, Mary Lou
She took my watch and chain
Mary Lou, Mary Lou
She took my diamond ring
She took the keys to my Cadillac car
Jumped in my Caddy and she drove afar
She left Detroit
To go to Kalamazoo
Made her a fortune
Out of fools like you
Met her a rich man
Who was married and had some kids
Stroked that cat
Until he flipped his lid
Mary Lou, Mary Lou
She took my watch and chain
Mary Lou, Mary Lou
She took my diamond ring
She took the keys to my Cadillac car
Jumped in my Caddy and she drove afar
She came back to town
About a week ago
Told me she’s sorry
She had had hurt me so
I had a ’65 Ford
And a two dollar bill
The way she looked at them
Lord, it gave me a chill
Mary Lou, Mary Lou
She took my watch and chain
Mary Lou, Mary Lou
She took my diamond ring
She took the keys to my Cadillac car
Jumped in my Caddy and she drove afar
I actually like the Steve Miller Band version too:
And here’s a classic “I’m onto you and I’m not putting up with anymore of your nonsense!”
I’ve Got News For You
You said before we met
That your life was awful tame
Well, I took you to a night club
And the whole band knew your name
Oh well, baby, baby, baby
I’ve got news for you
Oh, somehow your story don’t ring true
Well, I’ve got news for you
Well, you phoned me you’d be late
‘Cause you took the wrong express
And then you walked in smiling
With your lipstick all a mess
Oh, let me say to you little mama
Wo, I’ve got news for you
Ah, your story don’t ring true lil’ girl
Yeah, I’ve got news for you, baby
Oh, you wore a diamond watch
Claimed it was from Uncle Joe
When I looked at the inscription
It said, “Love from Daddy-o”
Oh, well baby, wo lil’ girl
I wanna say I’ve got news for you
Ah, if you think that jive will do
Let me tell you, oh, I’ve got news for you
Well, somehow your story don’t ring true
Wo, I’ve got news for you, oh, oh
Songwriters
ALFRED, ROY
Published by
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Alan Olee Book Report 