For the sake of Mary I kicked the reds
Junked the juice, I drink coffee instead
Straightened my teeth, bent my back
Cut my friends dead from the old rat-pack
For Mary

She bought me this silk suit, watch and chain
She put the rhythm in my stride again
She showed me the way to make her feel good
If I could do more then I surely would
For Mary. Ah, for Mary.

For the sake of Mary I played my hand
She still don't trust me to be her man
I say the right thing but my timing's bad
She thinks I'm like the rest, but I'm the best she's ever had
For the sake of Mary
For the sake of Mary

Oh I was cook first class on the Belfast B
But when she sailed she sailed without me
In Needle Pete's I got my last tatoo
In bleeding letters of red and blue
For Mary
Ah, for Mary

For the sake of Mary I changed my drift
I got a good job on the graveyard shift
She set her heart on a pretty little place
I want to see the tears of joy on her face, oh-oh
For the sake of Mary

For the sake of Mary I keep the flame
I don't want to be a villain again
She had her bad times and it shook her about
I don't want to take the easy way out, no, no
For the sake of Mary
For the sake of Mary
For the sake of Mary
For the sake of Mary
For the sake of Mary