Nadine
Chuck Berry [The Roxy 1982] Lyrics
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I thought I saw my future bride walking up the street,
I shouted to the driver hey conductor, you must slow down
I think I see her please let me off this bus
Nadine, honey is that you?
Oh, Nadine
Honey, is that you?
Darling you got something else to do
I saw her from the corner when she turned and doubled back
And started walkin' toward a coffee colored Cadillac
I was pushin' through the crowd to get to where she's at
And I was campaign shouting like a southern diplomat
Nadine, honey is that you?
Oh, Nadine
Honey, where are you?
Seems like every time I catch up with you
You are up to something new
Downtown searching for 'er, looking all around
Saw her getting in a yellow cab heading up town
I caught a loaded taxi, paid up everybody's tab
Flipped a twenty dollar bill, told him 'catch that yellow cab
Nadine, honey is that you?
Oh, Nadine
Honey, is that you?
Seems like every time I catch up with you
You are up to something new
She move around like a wave of summer breeze,
Go, driver, go go, catch 'er for me please
Moving through the traffic like a mounted cavalier
Leaning out the taxi window trying to make her hear
Nadine, honey is that you?
Oh, Nadine
Honey, is that you?
Seems like every time I see you
Darling are up to something new
Chuck Berry's song Nadine tells the humorous story of a man desperately trying to catch up with a woman named Nadine. The lyrics detail his various attempts to reach her as she moves around the city, always seeming to be up to something new. The song opens with the singer on a city bus, where he spots what he thinks is his future bride walking up the street. He begs the conductor to let him off the bus so he can attempt to catch up with her. The chorus repeats the rhetorical question of whether the woman he sees is Nadine.
The singer pursues Nadine through the streets, pushing through crowds and into taxi cabs in a desperate attempt to catch up with her. The lyrics describe her movements as elusive, like a "wave of summer breeze," and the singer pleads with the driver to "catch 'er for me please." Throughout the song, Nadine remains just out of reach, leading the singer to wonder if she is up to something new every time he catches up with her.
Line by Line Meaning
As I got on a city bus and found a vacant seat,
I boarded a city bus and found an empty place to sit.
I thought I saw my future bride walking up the street,
I believed I recognized the woman who would be my future wife walking nearby.
I shouted to the driver hey conductor, you must slow down
I raised my voice and called out to the bus driver to reduce speed.
I think I see her please let me off this bus
I believed I spotted the woman I was looking for and asked the driver to let me off the bus.
Nadine, honey is that you?
The woman I believe I saw walking nearby, is her name Nadine?
Seems like every time I see you
Darling you got something else to do
Whenever I encounter you, it appears that you have something else on your mind and cannot stay put.
I saw her from the corner when she turned and doubled back
And started walkin' toward a coffee colored Cadillac
I caught a glimpse of her from afar as she walked back and headed towards a brownish coffee-colored Cadillac.
I was pushin' through the crowd to get to where she's at
And I was campaign shouting like a southern diplomat
I made my way through a sizable group of people to reach her location and yelled loudly, like a political figure trying to motivate voters.
Downtown searching for 'er, looking all around
Saw her getting in a yellow cab heading up town
I continued to search for her in downtown area and finally spotted her entering a yellow taxi heading uptown.
I caught a loaded taxi, paid up everybody's tab
Flipped a twenty dollar bill, told him 'catch that yellow cab
I quickly grabbed a taxi cab that was available, paid the fare for everyone, and handed the driver $20 to chase after the yellow taxi Nadine had taken.
She move around like a wave of summer breeze,
Go, driver, go go, catch 'er for me please
Moving through the traffic like a mounted cavalier
Leaning out the taxi window trying to make her hear
She moved quickly like a gentle summer breeze, urging the taxi driver to go after her, and making her way skillfully through traffic, while I leaned out of the window trying to get her attention.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: CHUCK BERRY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind