New Orleans
Casey Donahew Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Well I walked on down to Bourbon Street
I'm looking for the house of New Orleans
And I sold off all my whiskey
I bummed a cigarette from a man who had no arms
And I asked him for directions
He just turned around and walked on down the road

(Chorus)

Well I remeber the night
That we danced out in the rain
I remeber the night
That she helped me thru my pain
I know there's times I feel like I could go insane
But I remeber the night that we danced in the rain

I walked on down to the waters edge
Watched the Mississippi river boats flying down that waterline
And I watched couples walking in the sand and holding hands
Well I got lost that night in the shadows of the dam

Chorus X2

Overall Meaning

The Casey Donahew Band's song New Orleans tells the story of a man walking down Bourbon Street in New Orleans, searching for a house while reminiscing about a past relationship. Throughout the song, he describes the sights and sounds of the city, including the Mississippi river boats and couples walking on the beach. The man recounts a specific memory of dancing in the rain with his former lover, which provides him with comfort during times when he feels he could go insane. Despite asking for directions, he feels lost in the shadows of the dam, embodying the feeling of being lost in life without direction.

The lyrics of New Orleans are open to interpretation, but one way to understand the song is as a representation of the search for meaning and belonging in life. The man's search for the house of New Orleans can be seen as a metaphor for finding a place or purpose in life. The memory of dancing in the rain represents a past connection that provides comfort in the present. The man's feeling of being lost in the shadows of the dam can be seen as a metaphor for feeling lost and without direction in life. Ultimately, the song represents the push and pull between finding meaning and feeling lost in one's life journey.

Line by Line Meaning

Well I walked on down to Bourbon Street
I journeyed to Bourbon Street to explore its offerings, hoping to find something new and exciting.

I'm looking for the house of New Orleans
I long to find that special place in New Orleans, a location that brings me comfort and peace.

And I sold off all my whiskey
I got rid of all my whiskey, a symbol of my past transgressions, in hopes of starting anew.

I bummed a cigarette from a man who had no arms
I requested a cigarette from a man who, despite his lack of arms, was still able to provide me with one.

And I asked him for directions
I inquired about the location of my desired destination from the man who seemed familiar with the area.

He just turned around and walked on down the road
To my surprise, he didn't provide me with directions nor any explanation, but simply turned around and continued on his path.

Well I remeber the night
I recall that specific moment in time.

That we danced out in the rain
It was a memory of dancing in the rain with someone special, a moment of pure joy and carefree abandon.

That she helped me thru my pain
That person had the ability to assist me in overcoming my emotional struggles and setbacks.

I know there's times I feel like I could go insane
There are moments where I feel as if I can't handle the weight of my current situation.

But I remeber the night that we danced in the rain
However, the memory of dancing in the rain provides me with hope and a reminder that joy is still possible in life.

I walked on down to the waters edge
I traversed to the water's edge, to admire the majestic beauty of the Mississippi River.

Watched the Mississippi river boats flying down that waterline
I gazed at the river boats traveling down the winding river path, marveling at their speed and agility.

And I watched couples walking in the sand and holding hands
I observed happy couples strolling along the sandy beach, apparently carefree and bursting with love.

Well I got lost that night in the shadows of the dam
As the night progressed, I became disoriented and lost in the shadows that loomed near the dam.

Contributed by Madison V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS