Dave Alvin and the Guilty Women – “Marie Marie”
Posted on | October 21, 2009 | No Comments
1. Though Dave Alvin once said he would never cover this song again (because his brother sang it best), he finds himself returning to the simple plea of “Marie Marie” on his most recent record Dave Alvin and the Guilty Women. The song, which rocks and rolls (roots and roll?) like a Chuck Berry song on a trip through Louisiana, is a great example of a simple blast of emotion, revved up by his female all-star band that turns into a down-home party.
2. Opening with the late Amy Ferris’ wailing violin and Lisa Pankratz’ steady Cajun beat, Alvin’s baritone quickly takes over, accompanied by Christy McWilson. His story of a woman sitting on the back porch that he tries to convince to “come downtown” with him. When Alvin and McWilson get to the chorus, ably supported by Cindy Cashdollar’s rising steel, he expresses his desire to “be her man” in a simple, universal way. For Alvin, like many who have unrequited love, sometimes words fail and the desire must be expressed in raw terms. Alvin allows the band to shine on this song, and between Ferris’ fiddle and Cashdollar’s steel, they manage to embody the longing of his simple lyrics.
3. Though Alvin has proven to be able to write a song with plot twists and turns (see King of California), he also understands the simple, primal blast (no pun intended) that desire sometimes takes. Like Chuck Berry’s “Nadine”, he doesn’t need a lot of words to express the force of his attraction, and lets the song work itself into a frenzy that mirrors what he feels inside. Though the Blasters made this song famous, Dave’s more acoustic take on it lacks none of the energy, and again marks his place in the American roots landscape.
Dave Alvin and the Guilty Women – Marie Marie