Artists
Musicians featured in this piece are:
George Harrison – guitar, lead vocals
G.E. Smith – guitar
Steve Cropper – guitar
Booker T. Jones – organ
Donald “Duck” Dunn – bass
Anton Fig – drums
Jim Keltner – drums
Written by Bob Dylan. Recorded live at Madison Square Garden, New York City, October 16, 1992, for The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration. Released on the Bob Dylan: The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration live album (Columbia Records, 1993) and accompanying home video.
Originally from 1966’s Blonde on Blonde, “Absolutely Sweet Marie” was performed here by George Harrison — a longtime friend of Dylan’s and fellow Traveling Wilbury, who had co-written “I’d Have You Anytime” with Dylan for his own All Things Must Pass.
George Harrison – Absolutely Sweet Marie Lyrics
Well, your railroad gate, you know I just can’t jump it
Sometimes it gets so hard, you see
I’m just sitting here beating on my trumpet
With all these promises you left for me
But where are you tonight, sweet Marie?
Well, I waited for you when I was half sick
Yes, I waited for you when you hated me
Well, I waited for you inside of the frozen traffic
When you knew I had some other place to be
Now, where are you tonight, sweet Marie?
Well, anybody can be just like me, obviously
But then, now again, not too many can be like you, fortunately.
Well, six white horses that you did promise
Were fin’lly delivered down to the penitentiary
But to live outside the law, you must be honest
I know you always say that you agree
But where are you tonight, sweet Marie?
Well, I don’t know how it happened
But the river-boat captain, he knows my fate
But ev’rybody else, even yourself
They’re just gonna have to wait.
Well, I got the fever down in my pockets
The Persian drunkard, he follows me
Yes, I can take him to your house but I can’t unlock it
You see, you forgot to leave me with the key
Oh, where are you tonight, sweet Marie?
Now, I been in jail when all my mail showed
That a man can’t give his address out to bad company
And now I stand here lookin’ at your yellow railroad
In the ruins of your balcony
Wond’ring where you are tonight, sweet Marie.
To listen to other songs from the Teleskop 11 program and the full program, click here.