Down in Mexico
10. The Coasters Lyrics
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There's a crazy little place that I know
Where the drinks are hotter than the chili sauce
And the boss is a cat named Joe
He wears a red bandana, plays a blues pi-anna
(In a honky-tonk, down in Mexico)
He wears a purple sash, and a black moustache
Well, the first time that I saw him
He was sittin' on a piano stool
I said "a-tell me dad, when does the fun begin?"
He just winked his eye and said "man, be cool"
He wears a red bandana, plays a blues p-ianna
(In a honky-tonk, down in Mexico)
He wears a purple sash, and a black moustache
(In a honky-tonk, down in Mexico, in Mexico)
All of a sudden in walks this chick (in Mexico)
Joe starts playing on a Latin kick (in Mexico)
Around her waist she wore three fishnets (in Mexico)
She started dancin' with the castanets (in Mexico)
I didn't know just what to expect (in Mexico)
She threw her arms around my neck (in Mexico)
We started dancin' all around the floor
And then she did a dance I never saw before
So if you're south of the border
I mean down in a-Mexico
And you want to get straight, man
Don't hesitate
Just look up a cat named Joe
He wears a red bandana, plays a blues pi-anna
(In a honky-tonk, down in Mexico)
He wears a purple sash, and a black moustache
(In a honky-tonk, down in Mexico)
The Coasters’ song “Down in Mexico” tells the story of a crazy little place in Mexicali where the drinks are hotter than the chili sauce, and the boss is a cool cat named Joe. The song is upbeat and it is easy to visualize the honky-tonk in Mexico where Joe works. The singer first met Joe while sitting on a piano stool and asked when the fun would begin. Joe replied with a cheeky “man, be cool.” Later on in the song, a woman walks into the bar wearing fishnets and starts to dance with castanets. The singer ends up falling for her and dances with her in a way he’s never seen before. The song ends by suggesting that if anyone is south of the border and wants to have a good time, they should look up Joe and his honky-tonk.
The lyrics of "Down in Mexico" are a fun and playful look at a night spent in the iconic honky-tonks of Mexicali. However, the song touches on deeper themes, such as the idea that Mexico is a place where people can go to let loose and forget their worries. The song also describes a woman who is confident and skilled, which was not always the message conveyed about women in popular music in the 1960s.
Line by Line Meaning
Down in the Mexicali
There's a place called Mexicali.
There's a crazy little place that I know
It's a unique and wild place that I've been to.
Where the drinks are hotter than the chili sauce
The drinks there are really spicy.
And the boss is a cat named Joe
The one in charge is a man called Joe.
He wears a red bandana, plays a blues pi-anna
He wears a red bandana and plays a blues piano.
(In a honky-tonk, down in Mexico)
He does that in a honky-tonk in Mexico.
He wears a purple sash, and a black moustache
He also wears a purple sash and a black mustache.
Well, the first time that I saw him
When I first saw him.
He was sittin' on a piano stool
He was sitting on a piano chair.
I said 'a-tell me dad, when does the fun begin?'
I asked him when the fun would start.
He just winked his eye and said 'man, be cool'
He gave me a hint and said to be cool.
All of a sudden in walks this chick (in Mexico)
Suddenly a girl came in (in Mexico).
Joe starts playing on a Latin kick (in Mexico)
Joe played a Latin style of music (in Mexico).
Around her waist she wore three fishnets (in Mexico)
The girl had three fishnets around her waist (in Mexico).
She started dancin' with the castanets (in Mexico)
She danced with castanets (in Mexico).
I didn't know just what to expect (in Mexico)
I didn't know what would happen next (in Mexico).
She threw her arms around my neck (in Mexico)
She hugged me tight around my neck (in Mexico).
We started dancin' all around the floor
We danced around the entire floor.
And then she did a dance I never saw before
She did a new dance that I'd never seen.
So if you're south of the border
If you're south of the United States border.
I mean down in a-Mexico
I mean in Mexico.
And you want to get straight, man
If you want to have a good time.
Don't hesitate
Don't be afraid.
Just look up a cat named Joe
Find the man named Joe.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, RALEIGH MUSIC PUBLISHING, BELINDA ABERBACH STEVENSON AGAR REVOCABLE TRUST
Written by: JERRY LEIBER, MIKE STOLLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind