margaret in the morning
sleeping on her side
tossin' men like nickles
into an ever-rising tide

I guess she was a dentist
before she fell in love
freezin' leaden smiles
just to give 'em up

oh oh oh
margaret downe

margaret at the office
margaret at eighteen
she said sit right down a minute
she said lemme clean your teeth
so we settled down in bozeman
in the corner of the world
and we raised a couple children
but we lost a little girl

oh oh oh
margaret downe

heartsick in montana we slowly grew apart
the grocery clerk in moncton
as you were dancing in the bar
you rushed him to the courtroom
before the bed was cold
and defrosted out my windshield
when you smile then lemme know

oh oh oh
oh oh oh
margaret downe

many cavities pulling
at our marriage's tender mouth
and at the root of all the problems
was a man across the canal
margaret left the practice
late in '86
and I left behind the midwest
and forgot we ever kissed

oh oh oh
oh oh oh
oh oh oh
margaret downe

I knew she changed her number
but couldn't shake the cough
the doctor gave her 6 weeks
which only made her shrug it off
resting in her 5th week
I brought her buttercups
there was too much to say between us
and I'd only fuck it up
so I stared up at the ceiling
and I held her little hands
and you knew that I forgave you
for making other plans

oh oh oh
oh oh oh
oh oh oh
margaret downe

margaret in the morning
sleeping on her side
strolled into the waves
of an ever-rising tide


Lyrics submitted by Amandolin, edited by tpeverett1

Margaret Downe song meanings
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2 Comments

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  • 0
    Lyric Correction

    I'm pretty sure it's "Late in '86" The last verse is "Margaret in the morning, Sleeping on her side, Strolled into the waves, of an ever rising tide."

    xasqwon January 02, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This is one of the saddest songs I've ever heard. It details a love that burns incredibly bright before tragedy strikes. He falls in love with her even though he knows she leaves broken hearts behind. They get married and have children, only to lose one of them, and the grief of the loss causes their relationship to wither and they grow apart, she leaves him for another man.

    Many years later, after she is given 6 weeks to live, he returns to her and they forgive each other for moving on and losing their love, before she ultimately passes.

    tobiinon April 11, 2016   Link

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