Bobby Bare - Marie Laveau

Marie Laveau

"Marie Laveau" is a 1974 live recording by Bobby Bare.His thirty-fourth single to hit the country charts, it was his only number one and final top ten country hit. It was written by Shel Silverstein and Baxter Taylor. "Marie Laveau" went to number one for a single week and spent a total of eighteen weeks on the country charts.

The song is about a fictitious witch who lived in a Louisiana bayou swamp, having the same name as the famous New Orleans voodoo priestess who is approached by a scoundrel, "Handsome Jack". Jack asks Marie to conjure up $1,000,000; in exchange, Jack will then marry Marie. Marie conjures up the money, but Jack backs out on his end of the deal, resulting in Marie casting a spell on Jack in revenge.

Bobby Bare - Marie Laveau Lyrics

Marie Laveau

The most famous of the voodoo queens that ever existed

Is Marie Laveau, down in Louisiana

There's a lot of weird, ungodly tales about Marie,

She's supposed to have a lot of magic potions, spells and curses...

Down in Louisiana, where the black trees grow

Lives a voodoo lady named Marie Laveau

Got a black cat's tooth and a Mojo bone

And anyone who wouldn't leave her alone

She'd go (growl) another man done gone.

She lives in a swamp in a hollow log

With a one-eyed snake and a three-legged dog

She's got a bent, bony body and stringy hair

If she ever seen y'all messin' 'round there

She'd go (growl) another man done gone.

And then one night when the moon was black

Into the swamp come handsome Jack

A no good man like you all know

(Talk) He was lookin' around for Marie Laveau.

He said Marie Laveau, you lovely witch

Gimme a little a little charm that'll make me rich

Gimme a million dollars and I tell you what I'll do

This very night, I'm gonna marry you

Then It'll be (growl) another man done gone.

So Marie done some magic, and she shook a little sand

Made a million dollars and she put it in his hand

Then she giggled and she wiggled, and she said Hey, Hey

I'm gettin' ready for my weddin' day.

But old handsome Jack he said goodbye Marie

You're too damned ugly for a rich man like me

Then Marie started mumblin', her fangs started gnashin'

Her body started tremblin', and her eyes started flashin'

And she went (growl) another man done gone.

So if you ever git down where the black trees grow

And meet a voodoo lady named Marie Laveau

If she ever asks you to make her your wife

Man, you better stay with her for the rest of your life

Or it'll be (growl) another man done gone.