Download   I’ve never walked into a calypso bar without hearing this song. It can be played a thousand different ways and the rhythm makes the Bahama MaMas go down a lot faster – and that is the point, after all.  We’ve always done it with a combination rock/calypso beat just to make it danceable.  It’s a happy tune and we love doing it, but it has its dark side.

“Mary Ann” was written in the 1940’s by a Calypso musician who called himself “Roaring Lion” – real name Raphael de Leon (close enough).  It immediately became popular with steel bands and revelers – especially during Carnival celebrations.  I had thought the lyrics were pretty innocuous, but now they tell me the words refer to Mary Ann’s rather dubious occupation: “All day, all night, Mary Ann – down by the seaside, sifting sand”.  I always had a vision of her sitting down at the water’s edge with a pail and shovel, but apparently that’s not the case.  My illusions are shattered forever.

You want a lot of rhythm in this one, which is why the extra guitar syncopation.  The backups are on the Pop/Rock list since I don’t have a Latin category – I have to work on that.  Now that I think about it, we did throw in a verse that said: “All day, all night, Mary Ann – who do you think I am, Superman?”  So deep down I must have known she wasn’t as pure as the driven snow.  My, my… the things you learn about yourself when you sit down to write something.  Pure magic…