Hampshire-raised Marling wrote “Salinas” after reading about the life of John Steinbeck. Steinbeck is an American author perhaps most famous for Of Mice and Men, East of Eden, and The Grapes of Wrath. In 1902, Steinbeck was born in Salinas, California.
[Verse]
I am from Salinas where the women go forever
And they never ever stop to ask why
My mother was a saviour of six foot of bad behaviour
With long blonde curly hair down to her thigh
[Chorus]
Oh, my mother
Oh, my friends
Ask the angels, "Will I ever see heaven again?"
[Verse]
Late into the evening, they would take each other screaming
Looking darkly to the back of her eye
A careless beast was bleating that the air behind was breathing
That they mustn't ever look up to the sky
[Chorus]
There, no answers
There, are found
Ask the angels, "Am I heaven bound?
[Verse]
Put it down to me
I, who speak awkwardly
Any word if it is heard is not intended to be
Not for him, not for her
And not for them and not for me
Oh, and that gun will turn before the sun starts to burn
Understand?
[Bridge]
When the clouds roll in
We start payin' for our sins
With a gun in my hand and my son at my shoulder
Believe, I will run before that boy gets older
Oh, and that gun will turn before the sun starts to burn
Understand?
Oh, and that gun will turn before the sun starts to burn
Understand?
[Verse]
I am from Salinas where the women go forever
And they never ever stop to ask why
Oh, my mother, she's a saviour of six foot of bad behaviour
With long blonde curly hair down to her thighs
[Chorus]
Oh, my mother
Oh, my friends
Ask the angels, "Will I ever see heaven again?"
Will I ever see heaven again?
Will I ever see heaven again?
[Outro]
Punish them all, for they speak too much
Hate the world for what it did to us
Will I ever see heaven again?
Salinas was written by Laura Marling.
Salinas was produced by Ethan Johns.
Laura Marling released Salinas on Sat Jan 01 2011.