The first thing about Mary, I'll tell you cause you asked
Is she don't like when people are always livin' in the past
You know, talkin' 'bout the good old days and how things might have been
If some folks had been different how things might be better now for them
That's what you learn when you've known Mary long as I have

You see, when I met Mary Campbell, that's what her name was then
It was a party in the woods with a fire in a garbage can
Everyone stood and watched the embers risin' in the sky
I was askin' about the little girl with the big brown eyes
But no one knew the first thing about Mary

C H O R U S:
But I ain't worried about it no I know it'll all be OK
She's gonna come on back to me someday
'Cause he don't know the first thing about Mary
She could never love a man that way

You see, the first thing about Mary is that she don't ever lie
And she can tell if you are just by looking in your eyes
She'll say that she forgives you and you'll try to make amends
But once her trust is gone she can't really give it back again
That's what you learn when you've known Mary long as I have

C H O R U S

Pray that they don't dust your life for the little fingerprints
I can't recall my life before her and there ain't been nothin since
And they can build great buildings full of stuff I'll never learn
But I understand the reason for the fire and how it burns

You see, one thing about Mary not alot of people know
Is she can't stay in small towns if she thinks she needs to grow
And you may think its just a phase and she'll soon give in
And she won't ever leave you, boy, you better think again
'Cause you can't throw a rope around my Mary