Shovels & Rope – Mary Ann & One Eyed Dan lyrics

Mary Ann was a waitress at the circus
Dan was a writer for the Delaware Locale Observer

Just 21 and just two months out of the service
Missing half an eyelid so he had to wear a patch

Mary Ann introduced herself to Dan
She said, "do you like the menu
Or do you need me to read it to you?"

Half way angry half turned on and half confused
He took her by the arm and went out back to make a match
And he said....

"So long to my former life
To a worried life so long
So long to a harder life
To a troubled life so long."

Lying there under the soft glow of the sunrise
The moon was still awake and all the generators lowly humming
She picked a flower and fastened it on to his bad eye
She said, "Come on let's get married
I think we might get along."
And she said...


"So long to my former life
To a selfish life so long
So long to a bitter life
To a troubled life so long."

Dan he was no poet
Couldn't dance he never slept
He had nightmares every night
Of rain and fire on those bloody beaches

Just then the dew dropped
From the flower and he wept
Mary Ann you are a melody
I think I wrote a song
It goes like...

"So long to my worried life
To a lonesome life so long
So long to a wandering life
To a wounded life so long."
And we all said...

"So long to those memories
To everything we can't let go so long
So long to our former selves
To our selfish selves so long."