Holy Mary

There was always yelling at our house
And thumping against the wall;
Dad didn't like Mum very much
Mum didn't like Dad all
At night I lie awake
And listen to their marriage break
My little sister crying in the room next door
I knew I had to get away…get away

Put a thousand down on a V8 panel van
A little bit of rego and a sloppy front end
Three hours later, 120 through the main street of Tailem Bend
And I was singing…

Holy Mary, pray for me
In my hour of need

Sunshine, Melbourne, pastel morning
The autobank's running low
I got a job washing dishes in a Carlton restaurant, watching the hours go…
I met her in a rock and roll joint, where the carpet sticks to your shoes
The band was playing "I'm Beginning to Lie: I've Been Here Too Long Blues"
She said "If we travel to together, there's got to be a highway code,"
She threw her Adidas bag in the back of the van and we scooted up Sydney Road

And we were singing…
Holy Mary, pray for me
In my hour of need

If I'd thought about it, I never would have done it
I guess I would have let it slide
If you listen to others, you never know where you stand
And the words of all those songs ring true
And they try to put the blame on you
You can only play with the cards that are in your hand…

We fel apart in a roadhouse
A little out of Nelson Bay
I must have changed my mind about a thousand times before I drove away
But things always happen in circles
And the dust gets in your eyes…
The past's in the rear-vision mirror
Don't think about tomorrow twice, just keeping singing

Holy Mary, pray for me…
In my hour of need…