Randy Newman is a songwriter who has never been afraid to write from the perspective of those who are hard to admire and even harder to trust. This kind of protagonist is the one doing the lovey-dovey stuff in “Marie,” one of the classics off Newman’s acclaimed 1973 album Good Old Boys.
Videos by American Songwriter
The song, featuring a gorgeous melody that’s embellished by a lovely orchestral arrangement, contains moments of what seem like earnest sentiment. But as “Marie” progresses, it gets tricky to tell what’s honest and what’s just drunken bravado.
Newman’s Narrator
Randy Newman was watching The Dick Cavett Show one night in 1970 when he saw the host interviewing Lester Maddox, the segregationist governor of the state of Georgia. He was inspired to write a song about the experience, but in typical Newman fashion, he came at the topic in somewhat unexpected fashion.
He decided to embody a Southern man watching the show who might have been on Maddox’s side. That song, “Rednecks,” sparked in Newman the interest in doing a kind of concept album. All the songs would depict the life of this character.
Newman decided to imagine what a love song would be like coming from this guy. That’s when he wrote “Marie.” How would this guy unleash his feelings for her, and what might be the circumstances that he might consider doing such a thing?
As Newman began to write more songs about this guy, he decided he might want to take a broader look at the South. Thus, the original idea about all the songs pertaining to this one guy was scrapped. But he kept “Marie” in the mix.
Behind the Lyrics of “Marie”
“Marie” is one of those Randy Newman songs whose meaning remains as slippery as the character that tells the story. There’s no way of telling just how sincere this guy is being, in large part because he reveals that he’s inebriated. Is he just telling this girl nice things because he wants to get himself out of trouble, or does he need the drink to finally reveal the contents of his heart.
He begins by looking back to their beginnings: You looked like a princess the night we met / With your hair piled up high, I will never forget. That’s when the façade drops, and we start to see his true colors: I’m drunk now right now baby / But I’ve got to be / Or I never could tell you / What you mean to me.
From that point forward, it’s hard to latch onto anything he says with any kind of confidence, even as the loveliness of the music tries to sway us. The second verse gives us another taste of this dichotomy. On the one hand, this guy has a little bit of a poetic streak: You’re a flower, you’re a river, you’re a rainbow.
But then again, he’s also a bit of a mess: And I’m weak and I’m lazy / And I’ve hurt you so / And I don’t listen to a word you say / When you’re in trouble I just turn away. Newman captures the unpredictable nature of someone who’s slurring through a stupor, his mind veering in all directions.
This guy ends with his romantic side showing once again: I loved you the first time I saw you / And I always will love you, Marie. Randy Newman makes it impossible to tell if we should believe this guy. Just imagine how poor “Marie” feels.
Photo by Michael Gold/Getty Images
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.