Take a Message to Mary

Rick Nelson, The Everly Brothers

About Take a Message to Mary

"Take a Message to Mary" is a song released in 1959 by The Everly Brothers. The song spent 13 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at No. 16, while reaching No. 8 on Canada's CHUM Hit Parade, and No. 20 on the United Kingdom's New Musical Express chart. In the lyrics of the song, a man is thrown in jail for committing a crime, and not wanting to experience suffering, he asks a friend of his to deliver a message to his sweetheart, Mary, and tell her that he has gone to see the world, has to cancel their wedding day, and encourages her to find someone new. The song ends with a lament from the imprisoned man that his "cell is cold", implying that because of his crime, he loses what he cherishes the most. 


Year:
2006
46 

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These are the words of a frontier lad
Who lost his love when he turned bad

Take a message to Mary but don't tell her where I am
Take a message to Mary but don't say I'm in a jam
You can tell her I had to see the world or tell her that my ship set sail
You can say she'd better not wait for me but don't tell her I'm in jail
Oh, don't tell her I'm in jail

Take a message to Mary but don't tell her what I've done
Please don't mention the stagecoach and the shot from a careless gun
You can tell her I had to change my plans and cancel out the wedding day
But please don't mention my lonely cell where I'm gonna pine away
Until my dying day

Take a message to Mary but don't tell her all you know
My heart's achin' for Mary, Lord knows I miss her so
Just tell her I went to Timbuktu, tell her I'm searchin' for gold
You can say she'd better find someone new to cherish and to hold
Oh, Lord, this cell is cold

Mary, Mary
Oh, Lord this cell is cold

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The Everly Brothers

Isaac Donald "Don" Everly (born February 1, 1937) and Phillip "Phil" Everly (born January 19, 1939), together known as the Everly Brothers, are country-influenced rock and roll performers, known for steel-string guitar playing and close harmony singing. The duo was elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986. more »

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Written by: BOUDLEAUX BRYANT, FELICE BRYANT

Lyrics © HOUSE OF BRYANT PUBLICATIONS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


12 facts about this song

Song Release
"Take a Message to Mary" was released by The Everly Brothers in 1959.
Songwriting Duo
The song was penned by Felice and Boudleaux Bryant, a husband-wife team responsible for many of the Everly Brothers' hits.
Genre
"Take a Message to Mary" is classified under the genre of Country, Pop, Oldies, and Rock and Roll.
Chart Performance
The song reached number seven on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart.
B-Side
"Take a Message to Mary" was released as the B-side to "Poor Jenny" in the US, making it one of the few times an Everly Brothers B-side achieved such chart success.
Cover Versions
Various artists have covered "Take a Message to Mary," including Bob Dylan on his 2009 album "Together Through Life."
Storytelling
The song is known for its storytelling narrative, portraying a man who is asking a friend to relay a message to his love interest, Mary, after being arrested.
Musical Style
Typical to the Everly Brothers' style, the song features driving acoustic guitar and close, two-part harmony singing.
Album Feature
The song was included in the compilation album "Cathy's Clown/When Will I Be Loved," which was released in 1965.
International Success
"Take a Message to Mary" also had significant chart success in other countries, including reaching number two in the United Kingdom.
Pop Culture Reference
The song was featured in the 2012 British film "Now is Good" starring Dakota Fanning.
Synchronization License
The song "Take a Message to Mary" by The Everly Brothers has been used in commercials and television series due to its synchronization license.

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    Take a Message to Mary

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    Top Hot 100 Songs 1959

    Billboard #16


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