He was born in Spring Gulley, SC, USA, and raised in South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and attended South Philadelphia High School with Frankie Avalon and Fabian. The wife of American Bandstand's host Dick Clark suggested the name "Chubby Checker" to Evans as a take-off on then-popular singer Fats Domino. In 1964, he married Catharina Lodders, a Dutch girl who had been Miss World in 1962.
His material during his 1960s heyday was recorded for Cameo-Parkway Records and along with the label's other material, became unavailable after the early 1970s because of the company's internal legal disputes. For decades, almost all compilations of Checker's hits consisted of re-recordings.
Misirlou
Chubby Checker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Natives kneel in prayer by their caravans.
There, silhouetted under and eastern star,
I see my long lost blossom of shalimar
You, Misirlou, Are the moon and the sun, fairest one.
We'll find our Kismet, answering love's command.
You, Misirlou, are a dream of delight in the night.
To an oasis, sprinkled by stars above,
Heaven will guide us, Allah will bless our love.
The lyrics of Chubby Checker's song Misirlou speak of a love that transcends borders and cultures. The verses describe a scene in the desert, where shadows slowly stretch across the sand, and the natives kneel in prayer by their caravans. Amidst this exotic ambience, the singer catches a glimpse of his long lost love, the "blossom of shalimar," silhouetted under an eastern star. The chorus praises Misirlou, addressing her as the moon and the sun, a dream of delight in the night.
The second verse describes the sound of old temple bells ringing across the sand, as the couple embarks on their journey guided by fate and Allah's blessings. The final verse speaks of an oasis sprinkled by stars above, where their love will find its heavenly abode. The entire song thus exudes a sense of romance and adventure, set against the backdrop of the timeless deserts and their mystical cultures.
Line by Line Meaning
Desert shadows creep across purple sands.
The sun is setting in the desert and casting long shadows on the sandy terrain.
Natives kneel in prayer by their caravans.
The locals are taking a moment to pray by their caravans before settling in for the night.
There, silhouetted under an eastern star,
In the distance, there is the outline of a person standing under a bright star in the east.
I see my long lost blossom of shalimar
The person under the star is someone the singer has been looking for and believes is their lost love from Shalimar.
You, Misirlou, Are the moon and the sun, fairest one.
The singer is talking to Misirlou, describing them as the most beautiful and radiant person who is like both the moon and sun shining at the same time.
Old temple bells are calling across the sand.
The sound of bells from an old temple can be heard ringing through the desert.
We'll find our Kismet, answering love's command.
The singer and Misirlou will follow the call of the bells and find their fate or destiny, guided by love.
You, Misirlou, are a dream of delight in the night.
Misirlou is like a beautiful dream in the dark night sky, bringing happiness and joy to the singer.
To an oasis, sprinkled by stars above,
The couple will journey to an oasis, surrounded by stars shining above.
Heaven will guide us, Allah will bless our love.
The couple believes that their love is blessed by Allah and guided by heaven.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: MILTON LEEDS, N ROUBANIS, BOB RUSSELL, FRED WISE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Daniel Jędrzej Zagórowski
Desert shadows creep across purple sands.
Natives kneel in prayer by their caravans.
There, silhouetted under and eastern star,
I see my long lost blossom of shalimar
You, Misirlou, Are the moon and the sun, fairest one.
Old temple bells are calling across the sand.
We'll find our Kismet, answering love's command.
You, Misirlou, are a dream of delight in the night.
To an oasis, sprinkled by stars above,
Heaven will guide us, Allah will bless our love.
Daniel Jędrzej Zagórowski
Desert shadows creep across purple sands.
Natives kneel in prayer by their caravans.
There, silhouetted under and eastern star,
I see my long lost blossom of shalimar
You, Misirlou, Are the moon and the sun, fairest one.
Old temple bells are calling across the sand.
We'll find our Kismet, answering love's command.
You, Misirlou, are a dream of delight in the night.
To an oasis, sprinkled by stars above,
Heaven will guide us, Allah will bless our love.
ralphyboy25
@shiradotnet Thank you for the link! You have compiled a tremendous amount of research information in an easily digestable format. Excellent job.
shiradotnet
And here are the original Greek lyrics:
http://shira.net/music/lyrics/misirlou-greek.htm
Vou Girac
I love this singer... what a voice, deep and sensible... fascinating
Qrayon
Chubby Checker was a top selling vocalist around 1960 with songs about the Twist.
Theodore D. Whitus
Tremendous rendition of this great haunting love song.
neko plays
I love his version what a voice ^^
CN S
THANK YOU for posting this unusual version! A gem! I know about the Greek origins, but Chubby Checker... who knew!
version. I
Omar Hourani
you should listen to the old arabic one. its on a next level
Jenny & Craig Adventures
You know about the Dick Dale and Black Eyed Peas versions, right?