Marianne Faithfull
Lyric guide

Barbara Song

Read Barbara Song lyrics by Marianne Faithfull on LyroVerse, with linked artist context and related song paths.

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Page type: lyric reference Artist: Marianne Faithfull Canonical path: /marianne-faithfull/barbara-song Related lyric paths: 6
Lyrics

Barbara Song

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I once used to think in my innocent youth,

(And I once was as innocent as you),

That someone some day might come my way,

And then I should know what's best to do.

And if he'd got money, and seemed a nice chap,

And his workday shirts were white as snow,

And if he knew how to treat a girl with due respect,

I'd have to tell him, "No!"

That's where you must keep your head screwed on and insist on

going slow.

Sure the moon will shine throughout the night,

Sure the boat is on the river tied up tight,

That's as far as things can go.

Oh, you can't lie back, you must stay cold at heart,

Oh, you must not let your feelings show.

Oh, the moment you feel it might start,

Oh, then your only answer's, "No!"

The first one that came was a man of Kent,

And all that a man ought to be.

The second one owned three ships down at Wopping,

And the third was crazy about me.

And as they'd got money, and all seemed nice chaps,

And their workday shirts were white as snow,

And as they knew how to treat a girl with due respect,

Each time I told them, "No!"

That's when I used to get my head screwed on and I chose to take

it slow.

Sure the moon could shine throughout the night,

Sure the boat was on the river tied up tight,

That's as far as things could go.

Oh, you can't lie back, you must stay cold at heart,

Oh, you must not let your feelings show.

Oh, the moment you feel it might start,

Oh, then your only answer's, "No!"

But then one day, and the day was blue,

Came a man who didn't ask at all.

And he went and hung his hat on the nail of my little attic,

And what happened, I can't recall.

And as he'd got no money and was not a nice chap,

And his Sunday shirts were not like snow,

And as he'd no idea of treating a girl with due respect,

I could not tell him, "No!"

That's the day my head was not screwed on, and to hell with going

slow!

Oh, the moon could shine so clear and bright,

Oh, the boat kept drifting downstream that night,

That was how it simply had to go.

Oh, you can't lie back, you must stay cold at heart,

In the end you'll have to let your feelings show.

Oh, the moment you know it might start,

And there's no time for saying, "No!"

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Who performs "Barbara Song"?

Marianne Faithfull performs "Barbara Song", and this lyric page sits inside the Marianne Faithfull catalog on LyroVerse.

Are there related songs to explore after "Barbara Song"?

Yes. The related section below points to Alabama Song and Witches' Song with a short reason for opening each page next.

Where can I find more songs by Marianne Faithfull?

Use the artist link near the top of the page or the related paths section below to keep moving through Marianne Faithfull's lyric pages.

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