By the old Moulmein Pagoda lookin' eastward to the sea
There's a Burma broad a settin and I know she thinks of me
For the wind is in those palm trees and the temple bells, they say
Come you back, you British soldier
Come you back to Mandalay
Come you back to Mandalay

Come you back to Mandalay where the old flotilla lay
Can't ya hear their paddles chunkin' from Rangoon to Mandalay?
On the road to Mandalay where the flyin' fishes play
And the dawn comes up like thunder out of China 'cross the bay

Ship me somewhere east of Suez where the best is like the worst
Where there ain't no Ten Commandments and a cat can raise a thirst
'Cause those crazy bells are callin' and it's there that I would be
By the old Moulmein Pagoda lookin' lazy at the sea
Lookin' lazy at the sea

Come you back to Mandalay where the old flotilla lay
Can't ya hear their paddles chunkin' from Rangoon to Mandalay?
On the road to Mandalay where the flyin' fishes play
And the dawn comes up like thunder

Overall Meaning

The song "On the Road to Mandalay" by Frank Sinatra is a nostalgic reflection on the experiences of soldiers during the time of British colonialism in Burma, now known as Myanmar. The opening verse paints a vivid picture of the scenery around the Moulmein Pagoda, where the singer envisions a woman thinking of him with inquisitive thoughts. In the next verse, he recalls the sounds of the flotilla moving as paddles chunked along the sea from Rangoon to Mandalay, as if he were still there.

However, the nostalgia cannot hide the reality that there were deep inequalities and prejudices during the times of British colonization, and this song is not immune from such implications. The lyrics are ultimately a reflection of a Western imperialist gaze that silences the voices of the colonized Burmese people who had their rights denied by British rule. As the singer expresses a desire to return to Mandalay, he is only drawn to the exotic imagery without giving consideration to the impact of colonialism on the Burmese people. Nonetheless, the song evokes a sense of longing and wistfulness, leaving listeners to ponder the complex layers of identity and history that lie beneath.

Line by Line Meaning

By the old Moulmein Pagoda lookin' eastward to the sea
Looking towards the sea from the Old Moulmein Pagoda, there's a girl from Burma who constantly thinks about the singer.

There's a Burma broad a settin and I know she thinks of me
The singer knows that a woman from Burma is waiting for him and he is always on her mind.

For the wind is in those palm trees and the temple bells, they say
The singer can hear the wind rustling through the palm trees and the sound of temple bells ringing in the distance.

Come you back, you British soldier
The artist hears the voice of the temple bells calling him back to Mandalay like a British soldier.

Come you back to Mandalay
The artist is being beckoned to return to Mandalay.

Come you back to Mandalay where the old flotilla lay
The singer is being urged to return to Mandalay where the old flotilla once stood.

Can't ya hear their paddles chunkin' from Rangoon to Mandalay?
The sound of paddles can be heard moving from Rangoon to Mandalay.

On the road to Mandalay where the flyin' fishes play
The artist is on the road to Mandalay where the flying fishes can be seen playing.

And the dawn comes up like thunder out of China 'cross the bay
The artist watches as the sun rises over the bay and the dawn comes up like thunder across China.

Ship me somewhere east of Suez where the best is like the worst
The artist wants to be sent somewhere east of Suez where the best is no different than the worst.

Where there ain't no Ten Commandments and a cat can raise a thirst
The place the singer wants to be in has no Ten Commandments and even a cat can get thirsty there.

'Cause those crazy bells are callin' and it's there that I would be
The insane sound of the temple bells are calling the artist and it's that place where he wants to be.

By the old Moulmein Pagoda lookin' lazy at the sea
The singer wants to be by the Old Moulmein Pagoda, gazing lazily at the sea.

Come you back to Mandalay where the old flotilla lay
The singer is still being urged to return to Mandalay where the old flotilla once stood.

Can't ya hear their paddles chunkin' from Rangoon to Mandalay?
The sound of the paddles can again be heard moving from Rangoon to Mandalay.

On the road to Mandalay where the flyin' fishes play
The artist is still on the road to Mandalay where the flying fishes can be seen playing.

And the dawn comes up like thunder
The dawn comes up suddenly and loudly, like thunder.

Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION
Written by: OLEY SPEAKS, RUDYARD KIPLING

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Mike

on The Lady Is A Champ

eight

She gets too hungry for dinner at eight
She can't eat late and stay up all night, because unlike society types, she has to get up in the morning.

She likes the theatre and never comes late
She cares more about seeing the play than being seen making an entrance.

She never bothers with people she'd hate
Her friends are friends, not social trophies.

Doesn't like crap games with barons or earls
While barrns and earls probably don't play craps, she associates with friends, not people to be seen with.

Won't go to Harlem in ermine and pearls
She doesn't "slum", the practice of the rich in the 30's, when the song was written, of touring poor neighborhoods dressed in rich clothes to "tut, tut" about the deplorable conditions, and congratulate each other for "caring about the poor"

Won't dish the dirt with the rest of the girls
Doesn't trade gossip for acceptance among an in-crowd

She likes the free, fresh wind in her hair
She cares more about how her hair feels than conforming with current hair fashions

Hates California, it's cold and it's damp
Since most of California is noticeably warmer and / or drier than New York, where the play the song was written for is set, this is probably a facetious excuse to like what she likes.

And she won't go to Harlem in Lincoln's or Ford's
Another reference to slumming, but facetious, since Lincolns and Fords were middle-class, not luxury brands when the lyric was written

Anonymous

on Try a Little Tenderness

Here are the correct lyrics

Try A Little Tenderness - Frank Sinatra - Lyrics

Oh she may be weary
Women do get wearied
Wearing that same old shabby dress
And when she’s weary
You try a little tenderness

You know she’s waiting
Just anticipating things she’ll may never possess
While she is without them
Try just a little bit of tenderness

It’s not just sentimental
She has her grieve and her care
And the words that soft and gentle
Makes it easier to bear
You wont regret it
Women don't forget it
Love is their whole happiness
And it’s all so easy
Try a little tenderness

Musical Interlude

And, it’s all so easy
Try a little tenderness