Album: Best Of The B'Sides (2002)

Cross-Eyed Mary


[I. Anderson]
[Originally by Jethro Tull]
[The Trooper Single 1983]

Who would be a poor man a beggerman, a thief
If he had a rich man in his hand
Who would steal the candy from a laughing baby's mouth
If he could take it from the money man
Cross-eyed Mary goes jumping in again
She signs no contract but she always plays the game
She dines in Hampstead village on expense accounted gruel
And the jack knife barber drops her off at school
Laughing in the playground gets no kicks from little boys
Would rather make it with a letching gray
Or maybe her attention is drawn by Aqualung
Who watches through the railings as they play
Cross-eyed Mary finds it hard to get along.
She's a poor man's rich girl and she'll do it for a song
She's a rich man's stealer but her favour's good and strong
She's the Robin Hood of Highgate helps the poor man get along