Marie Laveau (song)
"Marie Laveau" is a 1974 live recording by Bobby Bare.[1] His 34th single to hit the country charts, it was his only number one and final top ten country hit. It was written by Shel Silverstein and Baxter Taylor. "Marie Laveau" went to number one for a single week and spent a total of 18 weeks on the country charts.[2]
| "Marie Laveau" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Bobby Bare | ||||
| from the album Bobby Bare Sings Lullabys, Legends and Lies | ||||
| B-side | "The Mermaid" | |||
| Released | April 1974 | |||
| Format | 7" single | |||
| Genre | Country | |||
| Length | 3:09 | |||
| Label | RCA | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Shel Silverstein, Baxter Taylor | |||
| Producer(s) | Bobby Bare Bill Rice | |||
| Bobby Bare singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
The song is about a fictitious and ugly witch who lived in the Louisiana bayous in a hollow log with a one-eyed snake and a three-legged dog, having the same name as the famous New Orleans voodoo priestess, and who could make men disappear with a horrific screech. On the night of a new moon, Handsome Jack arrives and offers her a deal: if she conjures up $1,000,000 for him, he will marry her. After he receives the money, he backs out of the deal claiming that she is too ugly for a rich man like him; in retaliation, she screeches and Jack disappears.
The first released recording is by Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show on their 1971 album Doctor Hook. Another version is by Girl Trouble, released on Thrillsphere (1990) and Blue Dogs (Music for Dog People, 1991). Earlier recordings of the song exist. In 1954, Oscar "Papa" Celestin sang a different composition titled "Marie Laveau" in one of his last recordings.
Chart performance
| Chart (1974) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles | 1 |
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 1 |
References
- Bobby Bare – Marie Laveau Discogs.
- Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 40.