Hazard

by Richard Marx

1.) My mother came to Hazard when I was just seven
Even then the folks in town said with prejudiced eyes
That boy's not right
Three years ago when I came to know Mary
First time that someone looked beyond the rumors and the lies
And saw the man inside

Chorus 1:
We used to walk down by the river
She loved to watch the sun go down
We used to walk along the river
And dream our way out of this town

2.) No one understood what I felt for Mary
No one cared until the night she went out walking alone
And never came home
Man with a badge came knocking next morning
Here was I surrounded by a thousand fingers suddenly
Pointed right at me

Chorus 2:
I swear I left her by the river
I swear I left her safe and sound
I need to make it to the river
And leave this old Nebraska town

Bridge:
I think about my life gone by
How it's done me wrong
There's no escape for me this time
All of my rescues are gone, long gone

Chorus 2:
I swear I left her by the river
I swear I left her safe and sound
I need to make it to the river
And leave this old Nebraska town

           ©Copyright 1999 Richard Marx

Vocabulary Aids

Glückssache (Risiko/Gefahr/Glücksspiel)

von Richard Marx

Deutsche Übersetzung © von Volker Pöhls

1.) Meine Mutter kam nach Hazard, als ich gerade mal sieben war
Schon damals sagten die Leute in der Stadt mit Vorurteilen in ihren Augen:
"Mit dem Jungen stimmt was nicht!"
Vor drei Jahren, als ich Mary kennen lernte,
war es das erste Mal, dass jemand über die Gerüchte und die Lügen hinweg sah
und den Menschen in meinem Inneren entdeckte.

Refrain 1:
Wir gingen immer unten am Fluss entlang
Sie liebte es zuzusehen, wie die Sonne unterging
Wir gingen immer unten am Fluss spazieren
und träumten von einem Weg aus dieser Stadt

2.) Keiner verstand, was ich für Mary fühlte
Keiner interessierte sich dafür - bis zu der Nacht, in der sie alleine wegging
und nie wieder nach Hause kam.
Ein Mann mit einem Abzeichen klopfte am nächsten Morgen an der Tür
Im Nu war ich umzingelt von Tausend Fingern,
die plötzlich alle auf mich zeigten.

Refrain  2:
Ich schwöre, ich habe sie am Fluss alleingelassen
Ich schwöre, als ich wegging, war sie gesund und munter
Ich muss es zum Fluss schaffen
und dieses alte Kaff in Nebraska verlassen.

Abwechslung:
Ich denke nach, wie mein Leben vergangen ist,
wie es mir Unrecht getan hat.
Dieses Mal gibt es keinen Ausweg für mich
Alle meine Fluchtwege sind verstellt, lange verstellt.

Talking Points

1. Find out all that you can about a) Richard Marx and b) his song "Hazard"!
2. Describe the town Hazard and its inhabitants! [prejudiced, rumors, lies, old Nebraska town]
3. How come it is called "Hazard"?
4. Describe the "I" and his family! [illegitimate child]
5. Describe the relationship between the first person narrator and Mary!
6. Show that the lyrics are full of secrets!
7. What happened to Mary?
   1. Did she leave Hazard alive?
   2. Was she killed?
   • Was it murder?
   • Was it an accident?
   • Did she commit suicide?
   Look for evidence!
8. The boy is accused of being responsible for her disappearance. Why?
9. What did he really have to do with her disappearance?
10. What might be the significance of the river? [means of escape (cf. Huck Finn), boundary towards freedom, purity, change, you can drown yourself in a river, drown by accident, push someone else into the river]
11. What does the river symbolize?
12. The man wants to leave Hazard. Why?
13. What is the meaning of the break "I think..."?
14. Compare "three years ago" to "my life gone by"!
15. Is there a way out for the older man?
16. Try to find out the chords for "Hazard" and sing the song accompanied by the guitar and other instruments!
    
    • Instrumental: e-h-G-a-G-e
    • Stanza: e-D-A
    • Chorus: C-G-C-e C-G-e-D-C-e
    • Break: D-C-G D-C-G-D-e
17. Compare these lyrics to "The River" by Bruce Springsteen! [Mary, river]
18. Do you know other works of art about a) small towns [Harper Valley P.T.A., Film and novel "Chocolat" starring Juliette Binoche, Thornton Wilder's "Our Town"] b) rivers [film and novel "Deliverance" (James Dickey), song "The River" by Bruce Springsteen] c) outsiders [Film and novel "Chocolat" starring Juliette Binoche]?