Lake Marie

Song Lake Marie
Artist John Prine
Album Austin City Limits 2005 Music Festival

Lyrics

We were standing
Standing by peaceful waters
Standing by peaceful waters
Whoa, wah, oh wha, oh
Whoa, wah, oh wha, oh
Many years ago along the
Illinois-Wisconsin border
There was this
Indian tribe
They found two babies in the woods
White babies
One of them was named
ElizabethShe was the fairer of the two
While the smaller and more fragile one was named
MarieHaving never seen white girls before
And living on the two lakes known as the
Twin Lakes
They named the larger and more beautiful lake,
Lake Elizabeth
And thus the smaller lake that was hidden from the highway
Became known forever as
Lake Marie
We were standing
Standing by peaceful waters
Standing by peaceful waters
Whoa, wah, oh wha, oh
Whoa, wah, oh wha, oh
Many years later
I found myself talking to this girl
Who was standing there with her back turned to
Lake Marie
The wind was blowing especially through her hair
There was four
Italian sausages cooking on the outdoor grill
And man, they was sizzlin'
Many years later we found ourselves in
CanadaTrying to save our marriage and perhaps catch a few fish
Whatever seemed easier, that night she fell asleep in my arms
Humming the tune to, "Louie Louie"
Aah baby, we gotta go now
We were standing
Standing by peaceful waters
Standing by peaceful waters
Whoa, wah, oh wha, oh
Whoa, wah, oh wha, oh
The dogs were barking as the cars were parking
The loan sharks were sharking, the narcs were narcing
Practically everyone was there
In the parking lot by the forest preserve
The police had found two bodies in the woods
Nay, naked bodies
Their faces had been horribly disfigured by some sharp object
Saw it on the news, on the
TV news, in a black and white video
You know what blood looks like in a black and white video?
Shadows, shadows, that's exactly what it looks like
All the love we shared between her and me was slammed
Slammed up against the banks of
Old Lake Marie,
MarieWe were standing
Standing by peaceful waters
Standing by peaceful waters
Whoa, wah, oh wha, oh
Whoa, wah, oh wha, oh
Whoa, wah, oh wha, oh
Whoa, wah, oh wha, oh
Standing by peaceful waters
Peaceful waters
Standing by peaceful waters
Peaceful waters
Standing by peaceful waters
Peaceful waters
Standing by peaceful waters
Peaceful waters
Aah baby, we gotta go now