While ARS would never reach the commercial success of Lynyrd Skynyrd or the Marshall Tucker Band, the group had a strong following in the south and charted a number of hits such as "Imaginary Lover," "I'm Not Going to Let it Bother Me Tonight," "Champagne Jam," "So Into You," and a remake of a Classics IV hit, "Spooky."
The band also influenced a number of rock and country artists, notably Travis Tritt, who recorded a cover of the ARS songs, "Back Up Against the Wall" and "Homesick." The group Shudder to Think covered "So Into You."
Boogie Smoogie
Atlanta Rhythm Section Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
in jacksonville.
stay away from rainbow grill
its a juke joint
its a dive
poeple there aint nothin but jive.
its a haven for the hookers yeah,
its a redneck paradise.
one night i was horney, horney as hellas hell, so i ended up down at the grill,
a redheaded woman poured in her pants,
said she was ready ready to dance,
lord that woman loved to boogey, boogey all night long,(and im talking bout romance)
solo...
(lord i miss her so)
turnin green by the shades
i got morning after sour bellyache
feelin blue, half dead
ooo ooo ooo my head
i went to sleep with an angel
woke up with a devil in my bed
(time change)
alright...
we played the coolest places
Atlanta Rhythm Section's song "Boogie Smoogie" is an upbeat and entertaining song that tells the story of the Rainbow Grill, a notorious juke joint and dive that attracts all sorts of shady characters. While the singer warns listeners to stay away from this haven for hookers and rednecks, he finds himself drawn to the place and ends up spending a wild night there with a redheaded woman who loves to boogie. The singer wakes up the next morning feeling the aftermath of his night of debauchery, including a sour bellyache and the realization that his angelic bedmate had turned out to be a devil in disguise.
The song's lyrics are full of playful humor and vivid imagery, recounting the singer's experiences at the Rainbow Grill with a wry sense of wit. The Rainbow Grill becomes a character in its own right, with its seedy reputation and colorful cast of characters contributing to the song's lively and entertaining tone. Through it all, the singer's voice is engaging and insightful, providing a window into a world that is both dangerous and alluring.
Overall, "Boogie Smoogie" is a fun and engaging song that showcases Atlanta Rhythm Section's talent for storytelling and their ability to weave together catchy music and clever lyrics into a memorable whole.
Line by Line Meaning
if your down.
If you're feeling low.
in jacksonville.
In the city of Jacksonville, Florida.
stay away from rainbow grill
Avoid going to Rainbow Grill.
its a juke joint
Rainbow Grill is a place with a jukebox and where people dance.
its a dive
Rainbow Grill is a cheap and dirty establishment.
poeple there aint nothin but jive.
People at Rainbow Grill are not genuine and just pretend to be cool.
its a haven for the hookers yeah,
Rainbow Grill is a place where sex workers hang out.
its a redneck paradise.
Rainbow Grill is an ideal location for people from rural areas.
(and porple thete ste so nice)
(And the people there are so nice.)
one night i was horney, horney as hellas hell, so i ended up down at the grill,
One night, I was really horny and ended up at Rainbow Grill.
a redheaded woman poured in her pants,
A woman with red hair was very attracted to me.
said she was ready ready to dance,
She told me she was ready to dance with me.
lord that woman loved to boogey, boogey all night long,(and im talking bout romance)
That woman loved to dance intimately all night long.
solo...
Musical solo.
(lord i miss her so)
(I miss that woman so much.)
turnin green by the shades
My face turned pale green due to my regretful choices.
i got morning after sour bellyache
I got a stomach ache as a result of drinking too much.
feelin blue, half dead
I feel down and exhausted.
ooo ooo ooo my head
My head hurts.
i went to sleep with an angel
I went to bed with a person who seemed perfect (the woman with red hair).
woke up with a devil in my bed
I woke up next to a person who was not what they seemed.
(time change)
(A change in time and perhaps a change in perspective.)
alright...
Okay...
we played the coolest places
We performed at all the hippest venues.
Contributed by Amelia C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
steve ashworth
We played a gig down at Cooley's Ballroom
Back when we were breakin' in
We tried to play pretty for the people
But people kept hollerin' - "Boogie!"
We like reggae and we dig country
Classical music's a gas
We played the blues in three quarter time
But they don't wanna hear that jazz
They want boogie!
So we boogied!
79steelymatt
Dog Days may be the best example of ARS and the different styles they could play.One of the best slow to jamming songs I have ever heard-Nix and Goddard freaking smoke it on this jam and of course Barry and JR's epic guitar work.Dang this band was awesome !!
Bumbles_Bounce13
ARS was in a class by themselves. Rock, Blues, Soft Rock, hell they could do it all if they wanted too. What a bass player Goddard was, RIP my man. When you got a long road trip, put these guys on, smoke one, and cruise.
Mike Battle
that's right roll and smoke
Armand Nadeau
Thanks for posting this! It is one of my favorites...Barry Bailey doesn't "shred," but boy, does he bring the tone and FEEL with ALL his solos!! He's definitely one of my favorite blues-based guitar players!
steve ashworth
We played a gig down at Cooley's Ballroom
Back when we were breakin' in
We tried to play pretty for the people
But people kept hollerin' - "Boogie!"
We like reggae and we dig country
Classical music's a gas
We played the blues in three quarter time
But they don't wanna hear that jazz
They want boogie!
So we boogied!
James Whitney
God, I haven't heard this one for decades. Great, great stuff. Bluesy intro, kick ass finale, good vocals throughout. Loved this band!
Magnus Wettermark
So freakin good !!
Joel Steinmetz
Wish I could have seen them in concert,these guys are sooo underated, Dog Days is a Fantastic album!!!
Bug Barn
still got this album on vinyl would never part with it.
jeffrey simon
I still have it in vinyl along with Red Tape one of the best Southern Rock albums I ever heard. RIP Ronnie and Paul and I think Barry and Dean might have passed away.