Yankee Doodle Never Went To Town
Billie Holiday; Teddy Wilson & His Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I just discovered the story was phony
Let me give you all the real low-down
He didn't even own a pony
He was really very short and fat
While in the story so skinny and moany
And so hungry that he ate his hat
And called the felt macaroni
He and the blacksmith would sip that tea
Then he'd bring out his uniform down
That's how he went to town
Yankee Doodle tried to leave one day
Took his belongings and mounted his saddle
But he never got it on his way
Cause he didn't have a pony
And the fairy tale is phony
How could Yankee Doodle go to town?
The lyrics to "Yankee Doodle Never Went to Town" by Billie Holiday and Teddy Wilson & His Orchestra might initially appear to be a lighthearted take on the classic American tune "Yankee Doodle Dandy," but they actually subvert the traditional image of Yankee Doodle as a hero of the Revolutionary War. Rather than celebrating his bravery, the lyrics reveal him to be a somewhat comical figure who never even owned a pony and was so hungry that he resorted to eating his own hat. The song suggests that the story of Yankee Doodle's exploits is little more than a "phony" fairy tale, and that the real Yankee Doodle was a short, fat, and perhaps somewhat hapless individual.
Line by Line Meaning
Yankee Doodle never went to town
The story of Yankee Doodle going to town is false
I just discovered the story was phony
I have just uncovered the truth about the phony story
Let me give you all the real low-down
Let me tell you the actual facts
He didn't even own a pony
Yankee Doodle did not possess any ponies
He was really very short and fat
In fact, he was a short and plump individual
While in the story so skinny and moany
Contrary to the story's claims, he was not skinny or whiny
And so hungry that he ate his hat
He was extremely famished that he consumed his hat
And called the felt macaroni
He referred to the felt material as macaroni
Underneath the chestnut tree
He and the blacksmith would drink tea beneath the chestnut tree
He and the blacksmith would sip that tea
He and the blacksmith would enjoy their tea together
Then he'd bring out his uniform down
After finishing his tea, he would retrieve his uniform
That's how he went to town
By bringing out his uniform, he was ready to go to town
Yankee Doodle tried to leave one day
Yankee Doodle attempted to depart one day
Took his belongings and mounted his saddle
He gathered his things and prepared to ride his steed
But he never got it on his way
Unfortunately, he encountered issues and never made it far
Cause he didn't have a pony
The cause was that he lacked a pony
And the fairy tale is phony
Therefore, the fairy tale is a falsity
How could Yankee Doodle go to town?
If Yankee Doodle did not own a pony, how could he travel to town?
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@sumthingwickedly
I was born in 73 n cried when i heard her n louis n wish I'd been born in the speakeasy times
@gabreallec.jacques9281
I love that song it's about pop history in songs. She sang some cool songs in her dat.
@M0lew0man
My grandmother used to sing this to us.
@tasheba2700
I KNEW IT!
@sidneygribetz1621
Chu Berry tenor sax, Benny Morton trombone, Roy Eldridge trumpet, Teddy Wilson piano
@monicabella7894
BILLIE 💖
@islezeus
love it
@stefanhammel192
Didn't even own a pony!
@jas026able
then he'd bring out his xylliphone (sic) - all low down; got the correction from WKCR
@r.severn7479
😁