Down on union, a sailor on leave
Finds a tattoo parlor, rolls up his sleeve
Man takes his money, says "what's it gonna be?"
Kid says "a big red heart, and write forever Marie"
He'll probably want to change it in a year or two
But now it makes him happy so what can you do?
Hour later man says "it's all done"
Sailor takes a look and says "this ain't the one
You wrote Martha, but her name is Marie"
The man says "damn, this one's on me
Here's your money, I'm sorry 'bout it
But I've had Martha on my mind, and she just won't quit
So if you think that life is only messing with you
'Cause things ain't working out the way you want them to
Don't forget this song about Johnny and his new tattoo
'Cause things to have a way of working out somehow
Things do have a way of working out somehow
Things do have a way of working out somehow, they always do
♪
Long-distance, to his sweet Marie
Sailor says "you'll never guess what happened to me"
He tells the story, every word
Marie starts laughing at the tale she's heard
She says "that's all right, you didn't do no harm
It's what's in your heart, not the heart on your arm"
So if you think that life is only messing with you
'Cause things ain't working out the way you want them to
Don't forget this song about Johnny and his new tattoo
'Cause things to have a way of working out somehow
Things do have a way of working out somehow
Things do have a way of working out somehow, they always do
Yeah, things did work just according to plan
You see, Martha came back to the tattoo man
Standing in the doorway in a haze of smoke
She said "I had to come home 'fore you went flat broke
Been reading my name, all around
On every poor sailor brand new in town
Mmm-hmm
So if you think that life is only messing with you
'Cause things ain't working out the way you want them to
Don't forget this song about Johnny and his new tattoo
'Cause things to have a way of working out somehow
Things do have a way of working out somehow
Things do have a way of working out somehow, they always do
Things do have a way of working out somehow, they always do
Things do have a way of working out somehow, they always do