Absolutely Sweet Marie
Encyclopedia
"Absolutely Sweet Marie" is a song written by Bob Dylan
, released on his 1966 double album Blonde on Blonde
. An exuberantly up-tempo number, "Sweet Marie" is full of diverse, often hardly disguised sexual imagery.
The song contains the phrase "To live outside the law you must be honest." Jonathan Lethem points to a very similar line in the 1958 film The Lineup
: "When you live outside the law, you have to eliminate dishonesty" and that Dylan "heard it…, cleaned it up a little, and inserted it into" this song.
Dylan did not perform "Sweet Marie" live until 1988, and has intermittently played it since, including during a session for his MTV Unplugged appearance.
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
, released on his 1966 double album Blonde on Blonde
Blonde on Blonde
Blonde on Blonde is American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan's seventh studio album, released in May or June 1966 on Columbia Records and produced by Bob Johnston. Recording sessions commenced in New York in October 1965, with a plethora of backing musicians, including members of Dylan's live backing...
. An exuberantly up-tempo number, "Sweet Marie" is full of diverse, often hardly disguised sexual imagery.
Song and background
During a 1991 interview published in Paul Zollo's book Songwriters on Songwriting, Expanded Fourth Edition (New York: Da Capo Press, 1997), Dylan gives an idea of how he sees the song in his explanation of a line about a "yellow railroad":-
-
- That's about as complete as you can be. Every single letter in that line. It's all true. On a literal and on an escapist level.... Getting back to the yellow railroad, that could be from looking someplace. Being a performer, you travel the world. You're not just looking out of the same window everyday. You're not just walking down the same old street. So you must make yourself observe whatever. But most of the time it hits you. You don't have to observe. It hits you. Like, "yellow railroad" could have been a blinding day when the sun was so bright on a railroad someplace and it stayed on my mind.... These aren't contrived images. These are images which are just in there and have got to come out.
-
The song contains the phrase "To live outside the law you must be honest." Jonathan Lethem points to a very similar line in the 1958 film The Lineup
The Lineup (film)
The Lineup is a 1958 American film version of the police procedural series that ran on CBS radio from 1950 through 1953 and on CBS television from 1954 through 1960, directed by Don Siegel...
: "When you live outside the law, you have to eliminate dishonesty" and that Dylan "heard it…, cleaned it up a little, and inserted it into" this song.
Dylan did not perform "Sweet Marie" live until 1988, and has intermittently played it since, including during a session for his MTV Unplugged appearance.
Covers
- C. J. ChenierC. J. ChenierC. J. Chenier C. J. Chenier C. J. Chenier (born Clayton Joseph Thompson, September 28, 1957, Port Arthur, Texas, is the Creole son of the Grammy Award winning "King of Zydeco", Louisiana musician, Clifton Chenier. In 1987, Chenier followed in his father's footsteps, and led his father's band as an...
: Blues on Blonde on Blonde (2003) - Ducks DeluxeDucks DeluxeDucks Deluxe were an English pub rock band of the 1970s, who have recently reformed. Usually called "The Ducks" by their fans, they were known for up-tempo, energetic performances, and the successful careers of their members, after they disbanded.-History:...
: Side Tracks & Smokers (2010) - The Everly BrothersThe Everly BrothersThe Everly Brothers are country-influenced rock and roll performers, known for steel-string guitar playing and close harmony singing...
: Picks And Pens (ep) (1986) - Flamin' Groovies: Jumpin' in the Night (1979)
- Les FradkinLes FradkinLes Fradkin is a guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter, composer and record producer. He is best known for being a member of the original cast of the hit Broadway show Beatlemania...
: If Your Memory Serves You Well (2006) - Benjamin Gibbard and Jay FarrarJay FarrarJay Farrar is an American songwriter and musician currently based in St. Louis, Missouri. A veteran of two critically acclaimed music groups, Uncle Tupelo and Son Volt, he began his solo music career in 2001...
: One Fast Move or I'm GoneOne Fast Move or I'm GoneOne Fast Move or I'm Gone: Kerouac's Big Sur is an album by Ben Gibbard and Jay Farrar . The lyrics are based on the prose of Jack Kerouac's novel Big Sur...
(2009) - Steve Gibbons: The Dylan Project (1998)
- George HarrisonGeorge HarrisonGeorge Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
: The 30th Anniversary Concert CelebrationThe 30th Anniversary Concert CelebrationThe 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration is a live double-album release in recognition of Bob Dylan's 30 years as a recording artist. Recorded on October 16, 1992 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, it captures most of the concert, which featured many artists performing classic Dylan songs,...
(1993) - Jason & the ScorchersJason & the ScorchersJason & the Scorchers, originally Jason & the Nashville Scorchers, are a Cowpunk / Country rock band formed in 1981 and led by singer/songwriter Jason Ringenberg....
: Fervor (1984); Midnight Roads and Stages Seen (1998); Wildfires & Misfits: Two Decades of Outtakes & Rarities (2002) - Rich Lerner: Cover Down (2000)
- Ola MagnellOla MagnellOla Magnell is a Swedish pop-rock singer and guitarist. His works were first put out by Metronome Records in the 1970s.- External links :*...
: Gaia (1983) - David Nelson Band: Visions Under the Moon (1999)
- Robin WilliamsonRobin WilliamsonRobin Williamson is a Scottish multi-instrumentalist musician, singer, songwriter and storyteller, who first made his name as a founder member of The Incredible String Band.-Career:...
: Just Like The River And Other Songs For GuitarJust Like The River And Other Songs For GuitarJust Like The River And Other Songs For Guitar is a folk album released in 2008 by Robin Williamson. The song "Through The Horned Clouds" is originally from the 1972 album Myrrh, "The Man In The Van" is from the 1978 album American Stonehenge and "Wild Horses" is from The Rolling Stones 1971 album...
(2008)