A Girl In Port Lyrics
Let fall your shoes
Let fall your shirt
I'm not the lady-killing sort
Enough to hurt
A girl in port
And lost a stone
She lay on her lawn
Spun and alone
And when the morning sun, it rose
Upon Marie
In her lacy clothes
And she walked around
The winding streets
Camden Town
Well, she don't know who
She wants to be
And if I knew
I'd tell Marie
Let fall your shoes
Let fall your shirt
I'm not the lady-killing sort
Enough to hurt
A girl in port
Sitting back stage
Someone's plus one
Up in her room
The records spin
Needle in the grooves
That she's worn thin
And she sees a name
And she's got a smile on her face
And she's got a story you can't see
Well, that's just between that name and Cindy
Over the sea
And far away
She's telling me
Inside her car
Driving us back
From the Crystal Corner bar
I fell from health
Cut some fresh pieces from myself
Then for a second
Something in me
Said 'Leave today
It's time, Holly'
It's time"
Though I'm not sailing just for sport
I've come to feel
Out on the sea
These urgent lives
Press against me
I'm just a guest
I'm not a part
With my tender head
With my easy heart
These several years out on the sea
Made me empty, cold, and clear
Pour yourself into me
Let fall your shoes
Let fall your shirt
I'm not the lady-killing sort
Enough to hurt
A girl in port
I think this song might be about something altogether different. I think maybe he's referring to himself as the person who's being used, like he's trying to find the right girl but can't for some reason or another. Take Marie: "She lay on her lawn Spun and alone" "and she don't know who she wants to be and if I knew I'd tell Marie" this seems to imply that he can't have a relationship with Marie because she's too busy trying to find herself.
Then you have Cindy who's "someone's plus one" and "And she's got a story you can't see Well, that's just between that name and Cindy" seems to mean that he can't have a relationship with Cindy because she's already in love with someone else.
And then you have Holly. It seems that Holly is leaving him, and she's telling him in the car and he says "i lost her then, i fell from (high?)".
Last you have him singing how he's "just a (guest*?) I'm not a part" and that "these several years out on the sea made me empty cold and clear pour yourself into me" seems to mean that he has lost all individuality and is only meant to be used by other people. He's alone.
i like percepirme's take on this song. I relate to this song, even to the name holly being used in that 2nd last verse.
i like percepirme's take on this song. I relate to this song, even to the name holly being used in that 2nd last verse.
this is the best i could get from the two live recordings i have...amazing song!
pretty song.
i love the new album.
pretty song.
i love the new album.
Marie's gone blonde And lost a stone She lay on her lung
i think it's lawn instead of lung
Marie's gone blonde And lost a stone She lay on her lung
i think it's lawn instead of lung
guh, the tone of this song is so gorgeous. I love the imagery "Let fall your shoes.. etc." It's so, lonely and touching. And am I the only person who thinks of Doctor Who ("The Doctor plus one. I'm the Doctor. This is Rose Tyler. She's my plus one.")? Probably.
I think this song is the singer confessing to sleeping with women while on the road. He's imagining what they're lives are like now and apologizing for using them. Lines like:
"These several years out on the sea Made me empty, cold, and clear"
and
"I'm not the ladykilling sort Enough to hurt A girl in port"
sounds like he's not normally someone who has quick flings and one-night stands, but that the loneliness of the road is enough to push him to these types of relationships.
Great song. My favorite off the new album. :-)
"Someone's plus one" refers to being the unknown counterpart to someone who's well known -- the latter makes reservations to an event saying "[my name] plus one". Just thought I'd share.
I think "I'm just aghast/I'm not a part" should instead be "I'm just a guest/I'm not a part"