She is known for her sense of humor, which is expressed in both her music and her onstage performances. Many of her songs alternate between emotional reflections on romance and outright comedy. Two of her more famous songs include "Sensitive New Age Guys" and "Bald Headed Men".
Sweet Irene The Disco Queen
Christine Lavin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She can Hustle and frug, tango and boogaloo
Whoa the girl knows how to shake it up.
From Coconut Grove to Fort Lauderdale everybody clears off the floor
'Cause when she's got her dancing shoes on- gyratin' along
They all cry out for more, more, more,
Of Sweet Irene the Disco Queen of Miami, Florida
He's fat and got two left feet
His eyes, they are crossed, he is constantly lost
And oh, that boy can't keep a beat
He's got a crush on Irene, if you know what I mean,
But he don't stand a chance
Cause even if a fella is nice she don't look twice
Unless the guy can dance, dance, dance
With Sweet Irene, the Disco Queen of Miami, Florida
But one day Buddy walked into an Arthur Murrays
(side, together, step, side, side, together, step, side)
10 weeks later he come struttin' out
He called Irene up in a hurry
You know, she was wondering
What Buddy Brown could be callin' her about.
But now Sweet Irene the Disco Queen
She got herself quite a man
He ain't much to look at, he's crosseyed and fat,
But oh, that boy can dance, dance, dance.
Watch him Shimmy and shake, boogaloo and skate,
Throw a little rhumba in
When he lifts her up high, dips her down low
Oh Buddy Brown is in heaven
With Sweet Irene the Disco Queen of Miami, Florida
Irene the Disco Queen of Miami, Florida
Irene the Disco Queen of Miami, Florida.
The song "Sweet Irene The Disco Queen" by Christine Lavin narrates the story of the titular character, Irene, who is known throughout Miami as the most talented disco dancer. She is renowned for her ability to Hustle, frug, tango and boogaloo with grace and poise, capturing the attention of everyone in the room. The lyrics emphasize Irene's skill in dance and her popularity with the crowds, who are always eager for more of her performance. Throughout the song, the lyricist contrasts Irene with Buddy Brown, a man who is often described as having two left feet and no sense of rhythm. Despite Brown's apparent feelings for Irene, he is unable to win her affection, since Irene only admires men who can dance well.
However, the story takes a turn when Buddy decides to take dance lessons at Arthur Murrays, the prominent dance school. He spends ten weeks learning dance moves and improves his dancing abilities substantially. When Buddy calls Irene, she is surprised by his newfound talent and agrees to go out with him. The two of them bond over their shared love of dancing, and Irene finds herself attracted to Buddy's rhythm and energy. The song's conclusion sees Buddy and Irene dancing together, with Buddy impressing Irene with his moves and taking their relationship to even greater heights.
In sum, the lyrics of Christine Lavin's "Sweet Irene The Disco Queen" celebrate the power of rhythm and dance to bring two people together. The song is a lighthearted and fun homage to the disco era and a testament to the ability of dance to bridge divides of age, culture, and background.
Line by Line Meaning
Sweet Irene is the Disco Queen of Miami, Florida
Irene is a renowned dancer who rules the Disco scene in Miami, Florida.
She can Hustle and frug, tango and boogaloo
Irene is a versatile dancer who can effortlessly perform various dance styles such as Hustle, Frug, Tango, and Boogaloo.
Whoa the girl knows how to shake it up.
Irene is a skilled dancer who knows how to bring energy to the dance floor with her moves.
From Coconut Grove to Fort Lauderdale everybody clears off the floor
Irene's performances are so captivating that everyone leaves the dance floor to watch her dance.
'Cause when she's got her dancing shoes on- gyratin' along
When Irene puts on her dancing shoes and starts to dance, she moves her body with grace, rhythm and style.
They all cry out for more, more, more,
Irene's performances are so impressive that people always want more of her dance moves.
Old Buddy Brown lives on the outskirts of town
Buddy Brown is a local resident who lives outside the city.
He's fat and got two left feet
Buddy Brown is overweight and is not a good dancer.
His eyes, they are crossed, he is constantly lost
Buddy Brown has cross-eyed and has trouble seeing things clearly.
And oh, that boy can't keep a beat
Buddy Brown has no sense of rhythm and can't dance well.
He's got a crush on Irene, if you know what I mean,
Buddy Brown has a secret admirer for Irene.
But he don't stand a chance
Buddy Brown knows that he doesn't have any chance with Irene, as he is not a good dancer.
Cause even if a fella is nice she don't look twice
Irene is only interested in men who can dance well and looks her best.
Unless the guy can dance, dance, dance
Irene is attracted to men who can dance and perform with style and rhythm.
But one day Buddy walked into an Arthur Murrays
Buddy decides to take dance lessons from Arthur Murrays Dance Studio.
(side, together, step, side, side, together, step, side)
The steps Buddy learned in Arthur Murrays Dance Studio that will help him perform on the dance floor.
10 weeks later he come struttin' out
After ten weeks of training, Buddy feels more confident on the dance floor.
He called Irene up in a hurry
Buddy, feeling more confident, decides to ask Irene out to dance.
You know, she was wondering what Buddy Brown could be callin' her about.
Irene is curious as to why Buddy is calling her, as she is not interested in him and knows he is not a good dancer.
But now Sweet Irene the Disco Queen/She got herself quite a man
After Buddy completes his dance training, he becomes a better dancer and gets the attention of Irene.
He ain't much to look at, he's crosseyed and fat,/But oh, that boy can dance, dance, dance.
Buddy's appearance is not impressive, but his dancing skills have improved significantly, which catches Irene's attention.
Watch him Shimmy and shake, boogaloo and skate/Throw a little rhumba in
Buddy's dancing skills now include performing well-loved styles such as Shimmy, Shake, Boogaloo, and Skate, and can throw in a little Rhumba.
When he lifts her up high, dips her down low/Oh Buddy Brown is in heaven
As Buddy is now a better dancer, he can perform lifts and dips with Irene, which fills him up with joy and happiness.
With Sweet Irene the Disco Queen of Miami, Florida/Irene the Disco Queen of Miami, Florida/Irene the Disco Queen of Miami, Florida.
Irene is and will always remain the Disco Queen of Miami, Florida, and Buddy's new partner on the dance floor.
Contributed by Grace E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.