MARIA'S BED^©

Album's version

One, two, three, four

Been on a barbed wire highway 40 days and nights
I ain't complainin', that's my job and it suits me right
I got a sweet soft fever rushin' around my head
I'm gonna sleep tonight in Maria's bed

Got on a dead man's suit and smilin' skull ring*
Lucky graveyard boots and a song to sing*
I keep my heart in my work, my troubles in my head
And I keep my soul in Maria's bed

Hey hey!
(La la la la la...)
Hey hey!
(La la la la la...)

I been up on sugar mountain, 'cross the sweet blue seas
I walked the valley of love and tears and mystery
I got run out'a luck and gave myself up for dead
Then I drank the cool clear waters from Maria's bed

Hey hey!
(La la la la la...)
Hey hey!
(La la la la la...)

She give me candy stick kisses 'neath a wolf dog moon
One sweet breath and she'll take you, mister, to the upper room
I was burned by the angels, sold wings of lead
Then I fell in the roses and sweet salvation of Maria's bed

I been out in the desert, yeah doin' my time
Siftin' through the dust for fools gold, lookin' for a sign
Holy man said, "Hold on, brother, there's a light up ahead."
Ain't nothin' like the light that shines on me in Maria's bed

Well I take my blessings at the riverhead
I'm living in the light of Maria's bed

(La la la la la...)
Hey hey!
(La la la la la...)
Hey hey!
(La la la la la...)
Hey hey!
(La la la la la...)
La la la la la...
Whoaaa...
Whoa!
(Whoaaa...)
(La la la la la...)

From the Devils & Dust album. Reported to be rehearsed on 10 Mar and 11 Apr 2005 at the Paramount Theatre, Asbury Park. Played during the warm-up shows for the Devils & Dust tour on 21 and 22 Apr 2005 at the Paramount Theatre, Asbury Park, NJ. Played during 16 of the first 33 shows of the tour till now (the last update of this page).

The above lyrics refer to the album's version. Check also the live 21 Apr 2005 version.

* These lines appear in FURTHER ON (UP THE ROAD).

Track credits:
vocals, guitar, keyboards - Bruce Springsteen
bass, hurdy gurdy, tambora - Brendan O'Brien
drums - Steve Jordan
violin - Soozie Tyrell
background vocals - Patti Scialfa, Soozie Tyrell

The Devils & Dust album track listing is:
01- DEVILS AND DUST (known from previous rehearsals)
02- ALL THE WAY HOME (Bruce wrote if for Southside Johnny's album Better Days)
03- RENO (previously unknown track)
04- LONG TIME COMIN' (known from The Ghost Of Tom Joad tour)
05- BLACK COWBOYS (previously unknown track)
06- MARIA'S BED (previously unknown track)
07- SILVER PALOMINO (previously unknown track)
08- JESUS WAS AN ONLY SON (previously unknown track)
09- LEAH (previously unknown track)
10- THE HITTER (known from The Ghost Of Tom Joad tour)
11- ALL I'M THINKIN' ABOUT (previously unknown track)
12- MATAMOROS BANKS (previously unknown track)

Mr.Outside at Live Daily wrote about the song preview on 19 Mar 2005 at Waterloo Records, Austin, TX:

It Kicks in after a little bit with sort of a hoe-down flavor to it...
I was enjoying this song but a little kid started crying to go home and I moved to another spot.
A day after, I would compare it to one of the takes of Don't Back Down off Lost Masters. The kind of fast version of it. But the organ drives it early.

Texas2PTs at BTX wrote about the song preview on 19 Mar 2005 at Waterloo Records, Austin, TX:

Next, was Maria's Bed which sounded really pretty. It was slower, with guitar, slide, and organ. I'm guessing bass, too. The whole song was unusual because he sang in a falsetto voice that was really beautiful. Not weird, and not used for emphasis as I recall from the past. Just really, really pretty. It gets faster and felt more fun.