So, Mountain's classic of cowbell rock Mississippi Queen popped up on the iPod last night, as it will, and once again I was reminded that while I comprehend what the song is "about," I still can't make head or tail of most of it. These are the words that I hear:
Mississippi queen
If you know what I mean.
Mississippi queen
She taught me everything.
Way down around Pittsburgh
Around da weezy anna way
Lived a Cajun lady
Call the Mississippi queen.
You know she was a Cancer.
She moved better on wine.
While da rest of dem Jews was a-gettin’ their kids,
Burgher beg your pardon I was gettin’ mine.
Mississippi queen
If you know what I mean.
Mississippi queen
She taught me everything.
This lady, she’d hate me
If I would be a man!
You know dat I told her
I’d do what I can.
To keep her lookin’ pretty
By her gentry black shine
While da rest of dem Jews was a-makin’ their prayers
Burgher beg your pardon I was losin’ mine!
[Awesome guitar solo]
You know she was a gangster!
She moved better on vine.
Why da rest of dem dudes was a getting’ dair kicks
Burgher beg your pardon I was getting’ mine!
Hey, Mississippi queen….
According to someone who was there, when King Crimson toured the US in ’71, someone called out “Mississippi Queen!” whereupon Robert Fripp stepped to the mic and announced they were going to play “Mississippi Prune”. He proceeded to play a jig that Ian Wallace danced to in a considerably animated fashion. I’d much rather see/hear that than Mountain, ever.
Heh! There’s a great cover of this by an obscure Wisconsin band Couch Flambeau. Some of the lyrics are a bit more intelligible. “While the rest of those dudes was makin’ their bread/….beg your pardon I was SPENDIN’ MINE!”
*lightbulb* Is this “An Education” thing?
If you’re taking requests, I’d like to hear the Stones, “Heart breaker, with your bowling ball…”
@ Joseph: I love Couch Flambeau, but damn, it is hard to find their stuff/keep up with them. I will look for their “M. Queen” cover for sure.
@ J.M.: ROTFLMAO.
You, sir, have clearly never played Rock Band! Otherwise you’d instantly know all the correct lyrics to Mississippi Queen.
Love that song. I’ve always been stumped on most of the lyrics, too, but it never keeps me from singing along. One part I think I can help you with though:
“Way down around Vicksburg
Around Louisiana way…”
Good stuff.
“While da rest of dem Jews was a-gettin’ their kids,
Burgher beg your pardon I was gettin’ mine”.
Leslie West never sounded so good.
Next up, on the cowbell hit parade, Blue Oyster Cult, “The Reaper”
Reminds me of my brother-in-law’s interpretation of the last line in the chorus of an old Creedence tune:
“There’s a bathroom on the right.”
Also: back in the late seventies, my eight-year old little brother cracked everyone one up by singing along with the radio to one of the Bee Gees songs from Saturday Night Fever (he was dead serious):
“Bald-headed woman…bald-headed woman for me.”
A great, recondite rocker, though I like the equally verbiage-y “Nantucket Sleigride” myself:
Fly your willow branches
Wrap your body round my soul
Lay down your reeds and drums on my soft sheets
There are years behind us reaching
To the place where hearts are beating
And I know you’re the last true love I’ll ever meet…
I used to work in a record store, and the best request I had ever had was “Ya’ll got that song, ‘Cheese Tray’?” I was stumped till the lady sung a few bars for me, to the unmistakable melody of “Freeze Frame” by the J. Geils Band.
Almost 30 years later, we still haven’t had a good pop song about a cheese tray.
As they say, “Close enough for jazz”. And I’m the guy who only heard “Secret Asian Man” and loved the song.