Little Maggie
Little Maggie's Yearning: Love, Longing, and Departure
Lyrics
Oh, where is little Maggie
Expressing a search for someone named Maggie.
Over yonder she stands,
Maggie is located in the distance.
Rifle on her shoulder,
Describing Maggie with a rifle on her shoulder and a six-shooter in her hand, suggesting a tough or dangerous demeanor.
Six-shooter in her hand.
Continuation of Maggie's portrayal as a strong and possibly formidable person.
How can I ever stand it,
Expressing difficulty in coping with the situation.
Just to see them two blue eyes,
Highlighting the captivating nature of Maggie's blue eyes.
Shinin' like some diamonds,
Comparing Maggie's eyes to diamonds, emphasizing their brilliance.
Like some diamonds in the sky.
Reiterating the beauty of Maggie's eyes using a celestial metaphor.
Rather be in some lonely hollow
Expressing a preference for solitude where the sun doesn't shine.
Where the sun don't ever shine,
Describing a desire to avoid witnessing Maggie with another man.
Than to see you be another man's darling,
Expressing the pain of seeing Maggie with someone else.
And to know that you'll never be mine.
Acknowledging the acceptance that Maggie will never belong to the speaker.
Well, it's march me away to the station
Referring to being taken away to a station, possibly indicating a departure or separation.
With my suitcase in my hand,
Describing the speaker's departure with a suitcase in hand.
Yes, march me away to the station,
Repetition of the departure theme, emphasizing the journey to a distant place.
I'm off to some far-distant land.
Highlighting the finality of leaving for an unspecified, distant land.
Sometimes I have a nickel,
Describing the varying financial situation of the speaker.
And sometimes I have a dime,
Continuation of the financial theme, expressing fluctuating wealth.
Sometimes I have ten dollars,
Further variation in the speaker's financial state.
Just to pay for little Maggie's wine.
Connecting money to Maggie's well-being, particularly her consumption of wine.
Pretty flowers are made for blooming,
Using nature metaphors to describe the inherent qualities of pretty things, possibly comparing Maggie to flowers.
Pretty stars are made to shine,
Extending the metaphor to stars, emphasizing Maggie's inherent brilliance.
Pretty girls are made for boy's love,
Stating that pretty girls are meant for the love of boys, expressing the speaker's claim on Maggie.
Little Maggie was made for mine.
Affirming that Maggie is specifically made for the speaker.
Well, yonder stands little Maggie
Repetition of Maggie's presence, this time with a dram glass, suggesting indulgence in alcohol.
With a dram glass in her hand,
Describing Maggie's actions of drinking with a dram glass in her hand.
She's a drinkin' down her troubles
Emphasizing Maggie's troubles and her coping mechanism of drinking.
Over courtin' some other man.
Suggesting Maggie's involvement with another man, potentially contributing to her troubles.
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