Jemima Surrender
The Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ain't no pretender gonna ride in my canoe
If I were a barker in a girly show
Tell ya what I'd do, I'd lock the door
Tear my shirt and let my river flow
Oh, oh, Sweet Jemima won't ya come out tonight?
The ground is so warm and the moon is so bright
Jemima Surrender, that's all you have to do
I'll bring over my Fender
And I'll play all night for you
There's a bird on my head
And his mouth won't talk (won't talk, he's in shock)
You know he laughs just like a goose
But he looks like a hawk
Jemima, you know what I'm try'n to say
Meet me in front and we'll fly away
You can change your name
You can find a new walk
You can change your lock, it's all the same
You don't have to give out
If you'll only give in
You can jump and shout
But can't you see girl, that I'm bound to win
Jemima Surrender, I'm gonna give it to you
Ain't no pretender gonna see my tattoo
I hand you my rod and you hand me that line
That's what you do, now, we ain't doing much fishin'
Or drinkin' any wine
Sweet Jemima, if I were king
I'd fix you up with a diamond ring
The Band's song "Jemima Surrender" includes clever wordplay as well as sexual innuendos. The singer is expressing his desire for a woman named Jemima, but he's doing so in a roundabout way. He sings that he's not a "pretender" and that he won't allow anyone else to "ride in his canoe," which implies that he's the real deal and that he's the only man Jemima needs in her life. He makes a joke about working in a girly show and suggests that he would be happy to rip off his shirt and let his "river flow" for her. The imagery of the flowing river is a symbol for sexual desire and passion.
The chorus of the song is an invitation for Jemima to come out and play. The singer describes how beautiful the night is, with a warm ground and a bright moon. He promises to bring his Fender guitar and play all night for her. The verse about the bird on his head is a strange aside, but it adds to the quirky nature of the song. The singer suggests that Jemima can change her name, her walk or her lock, but it won't make a difference because he will still pursue her. He compares their relationship to fishing, saying that he'll hand her his fishing rod if she hands him the "line," which is another metaphor for sexual intimacy.
Overall, "Jemima Surrender" is a playful, witty song that uses creative metaphors and wordplay to express desire and lust. It has a catchy melody and a lively rhythm that makes it a classic rock and roll tune.
Line by Line Meaning
Jemima Surrender, I'm gonna give it to you
I am going to give you what you want, Jemima
Ain't no pretender gonna ride in my canoe
I won't let anyone fake or phony join me
If I were a barker in a girly show, Tell ya what I'd do, I'd lock the door
If I were a performer in an adult show, I would make sure to keep it private
Tear my shirt and let my river flow
I would let myself go passionately and freely
Oh, oh, Sweet Jemima won't ya come out tonight?
Jemima, will you go out with me tonight?
The ground is so warm and the moon is so bright
Tonight is perfect for being outside
Jemima Surrender, that's all you have to do
Just give in to me, Jemima
I'll bring over my Fender, And I'll play all night for you
I'll bring my guitar and play music for you all night long
There's a bird on my head, And his mouth won't talk (won't talk, he's in shock)
There's a bird on my head and it seems to be stunned into silence
You know he laughs just like a goose, But he looks like a hawk
Despite sounding like a goose, he looks fierce like a hawk
Jemima, you know what I'm try'n to say
Jemima, understand what I'm trying to tell you
Meet me in front and we'll fly away
Come with me and we'll leave from the front
You can change your name,You can find a new walk,You can change your lock, it's all the same
You can change various things about yourself, but it's all irrelevant
You don't have to give out,If you'll only give in,You can jump and shout,But can't you see girl, that I'm bound to win
You don't have to put on an act, just surrender to me and you'll see I'm the one for you
Jemima Surrender, I'm gonna give it to you,Ain't no pretender gonna see my tattoo
I will give you what you want and won't let any fakes see my tattoo
I hand you my rod and you hand me that line,That's what you do, now, we ain't doing much fishin',Or drinkin' any wine
I give you my fishing rod and you give me your attention, though we're not actually fishing or drinking wine
Sweet Jemima, if I were king,I'd fix you up with a diamond ring
Jemima, if I were in power, I would buy you an expensive engagement ring
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Levon Helm, Robbie Robertson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind