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"Marian" by The Sisters of Mercy (from the album "First And Last And Always")
=============================================================================
transcribed by jonas-ol@dsv.su.se
riff #1a
G ------------------------------------------------------------------
D ------------------------------------------------------------------
A ------------------------------------------------------------------
E -0-----------3---2-----------3---5-----------7-5-2-----------3----
riff #1b
G ------------------------------------------------------------------
D ------------------------------------------------------------------
A ------------------------------------------------------------------
E -0000000000003333222222222222333355555555555577552222222222223333-
riff #2a
G ---------------------------------- (not sure about this...)
D ----------------------------------
A ----------------------------------
E -33333333000000005555555522222222-
riff #2b
G -------------------------
D -------------------------
A -------------------------
E -33333333000000005-555-5-
riff #3
G ----------------------------------
D ----------------------------------
A ----------------------------------
E -00000000222222223333333355555555-
How to play:
riff #1a x2
#1b x4
#2a x2
#1a x2
#1b x2
#2a x2
#3 x2
#1a x2
#1b x2
#2a x11
#2b
corrections, comments and corrections to: jonas-ol@dsv.su.se
Taken from BASSMASTA.NET - http://www.bassmasta.net
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No Picture
Maverick Average |
#1 by Maverick at Feb 10, 1971 at 3:48 AM EST |
| marian tries to phone him from overseas, he doesnt answer for various reasons, he is not doing well in life, money is tight, he has problems but no-one understands because theyre all fools as he walks around his local streets in a sea of faces unknown to him, he feels alone and will possibly drown in this sea and become cold like the rest, but maybe marian can help save him from the grave or death of his soul, well, i had a go! | |
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No Picture
LeZombi Wanna Be |
#2 by LeZombi at Jan 29, 1972 at 11:23 AM EST |
| D: Peter Murphy had nothing to do with the Sisters... | |
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Pleather Wanna Be |
#3 by Pleather Face at Jan 27, 1977 at 8:41 AM EST |
| Apparently written for a German girl Eldritch was into, one who didn't necessarily speak English that well - hence the German part of the lyrics. Other members of the band were quoted as saying things became rather awkward when another woman that he was seeing understood the English part of the song all too well. | |
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Chris (a.k.a. " Wanna Be |
#4 by Chris (a.k.a. "Spikes") Muhler at Feb 3, 1977 at 8:19 AM EST |
| It is obviosly that MARIAN is other form to say MARIA "the chosen one" I think SOM try to be sarcastic in a depressive world "save me, save me from the grave" I love this song. | |
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Felix Average |
#5 by Felix at Sep 30, 1980 at 8:42 PM EST |
| A: Peter Murphy\'s songs mostly have a hidden meaning, often a sartirical one. B: Even were this to be taken at surface value, the \'narrator\' talks about drowning, not suicide. C: Not every *damned* goth song is about freaks or suicide or self harm. | |
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Chris Rhythm Player |
#6 by Chris Marcoux at Jan 7, 1983 at 3:15 PM EST |
| this is the most beloved and most important som's song. his voice, his meanings, his melody............... | |
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Adam Wanna Be |
#7 by Adam Martinez at May 24, 1983 at 7:38 PM EST |
| Maybe he is singing about depression and he fears that he will commit a suicide if he is not helped by this Marian. | |
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jakadict Average |
#8 by jakadict the brave at Jan 11, 1987 at 8:36 AM EST |
| "C: Not every *damned* goth song is about freaks or suicide or self harm." Well... most of them are. ;D | |
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Zane Rhythm Player |
#9 by Zane Haight at Jun 15, 1987 at 10:59 PM EST |
| I knew a girl in Germany named Marian! In any case, this is my favorite song by a "gothic" band ... because SOM uses German! I think he feels stuck between a rock and a hard place in his life, and he's looking to this girl Marian as a comfort for his weary emotional state. | |
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joe Average |
#10 by joe at Aug 22, 1989 at 1:14 PM EST |
| i watched a lecture series by leonard bernstein. he talked about how poetry can have many meanings and it would be truly impossible to guess them. we are limited by not being in the poets world. we can only guess at what the words might refer to. in the end what a song means to you is what matters. who really cares what it means to others. you can relate what you hear to your own world. it is wonderful however to read other interpretations and to try to understand the poet. | |
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Kitana Average |
#11 by Kitana at Dec 22, 1995 at 6:13 AM EST |
| Or it could obviously be that the song is about a girl called Marian. | |
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Mike Wanna Be |
#12 by Mike Manning at Jan 8, 1999 at 4:16 AM EST |
| The part in german goes saying: what i can do and what i could do, I dont know anymore give me something beautiful again, pull me from the sea i hear you calling, Marian, you can hear me crying, i am here alone... I hear you calling, Marian, without your help i’m losing myslef in this place I always believed the song is about someone who is desperate and full of trouble, and without exit, and is calling out to his last good beacon, Marian... the only person he can relate to in the troubled times, someone who probably represents something pure for him and that is what he needs to be safe. It's how i've always looked at it. | |
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ivan Professional |
#13 by ivan mateo at May 14, 1999 at 1:19 PM EST |
| Is Marian a specific person or does she represent the idealised notion we all secretly have that, there is someone out there who will save us from the world and ultimately ourselves? Is it referring to the need to find them, thus freeing ourselves from personal responsibility for our own happiness? What ever the truth is, it's one of the greatest songs ever written... | |
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Belian Average |
#14 by Belian Carter at Nov 8, 2004 at 9:10 PM EST |
| Damnit, damn you Andrew Eldritch. Well I feel like a complete and utter idiot. That's what you get for not having sleep, listening to lots of music, then going on a mini-rant. My point still stands though, just switch the names. Personally I think this song is about mangoes and teacloths, and the joys of both. | |
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AHMED Wanna Be |
#15 by AHMED at Feb 18, 2005 at 6:37 AM EST |
| The first verse seems like it could refer to some of Eldritch's many problems at the time, including tension between band members ("ship of fools"?) and general disdain for many elements of their audience - "sea of faces"? | |
