Origin of Jenkins Stage Name--------- Jenkins felt that his real name wasn't marketable, and he changed his show business name in 1957. (Harold Lloyd Jenkins would always remain his legal name, however). Looking at a road map, he spotted Conway, Arkansas and Twitty, Texas. Thus, he went with the professional name of "Conway Twitty".[citation needed]
Alternatively, Jenkins met a Richmond, VA, man named W. Conway Twitty Jr. through Jenkins' manager in a New York City restaurant. The manager served in the army with the real Conway Twitty. Later, the manager suggested to Jenkins that he take the name as his stage name because it had a ring to it. The Richmond Conway Twitty subsequently recorded the song, "What's in a Name But Trouble," in the mid-1960s, lamenting the loss of his name to Jenkins. The flip side of the 45 RPM record was "The Purple, Purple People Eater, Eater." (The more well known version of Purple People Eater, however, now having sold over 100,000,000 copies, was recorded by Sheb Wooley.)
Blue Suede Shoes
Conway Twitty Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Three to get ready, now go, cat, go
But don't you step on my blue suede shoes
Well, you can do anything but get off of my blue suede shoes
Well, you can knock me down, step in my face
Slander my name all over the place
Do anything you want to do, but uhh baby, get off of my shoes
Well, you can do anything but get off of my blue suede shoes
Well, you can burn my house, steal my car
Drink my liquor from an old fruit jar
Do anything you want to do, but uhh baby, lay off of my shoes
And don't you step on my blue suede shoes
Well, you can do anything but get off of my blue suede shoes
Well, it's one for the money, two for the show
Three to get ready, now go, cat, go, yeah
Well, blue, blue, blue suede shoes, baby
Blue, blue, blue suede shoes, yeah
Blue, blue, blue suede shoes, honey
Blue, blue, blue suede shoes
Well, you can do anything but get off of my blue suede shoes
The lyrics to Conway Twitty's song Blue Suede Shoes are an iconic warning to anyone who dares to get too close to the singer's prized possession - his blue suede shoes. The first verse sets the tone with a countdown, encouraging the listener to get ready to move with a playful "now go, cat, go." However, the tone then takes a serious turn in the following verses as the singer warns anyone who steps on his shoes that there will be consequences. He lists off various scenarios that would normally be considered serious offenses such as knocking him down or stealing his car, but the ultimate offense is still stepping on his precious shoes.
While the lyrics are playful and catchy, there is a deeper meaning behind this warning. Some interpretations suggest that the blue suede shoes symbolize something much more than just a pair of shoes - they represent the singer's identity, reputation, and self-worth. In a world where people can easily be judged or labeled based on their appearance, the shoes serve as a way for the singer to assert his unique identity and demand respect. Beyond just being a fun rockabilly tune, the song speaks to something more universal about the need to protect oneself in the face of threats both real and perceived.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, it's one for the money, two for the show
The singer knows that people are waiting and watching him and he has something to prove. He needs to earn his money and give a good performance.
Three to get ready, now go, cat, go
The singer is telling his band to get ready to start playing and to start playing energetically.
But don't you step on my blue suede shoes
The singer is telling someone to not damage his prized blue suede shoes.
Well, you can do anything but get off of my blue suede shoes
The singer is telling someone that they can do anything except step on or damage his blue suede shoes.
Well, you can knock me down, step in my face
The singer is telling someone that they can physically harm him, but they cannot harm his blue suede shoes.
Slander my name all over the place
The singer doesn't care if his reputation is tarnished or if people talk about him negatively.
Do anything you want to do, but uhh baby, get off of my shoes
The singer is telling someone that they can do anything they want, except harm his blue suede shoes.
And don't you step on my blue suede shoes
The singer is warning someone again to not step on his blue suede shoes.
Well, you can burn my house, steal my car
The singer doesn't care if someone destroys his house or steals his car.
Drink my liquor from an old fruit jar
The singer doesn't mind if someone drinks his alcohol from a makeshift container.
Do anything you want to do, but uhh baby, lay off of my shoes
The singer doesn't care about anything else, as long as his blue suede shoes are kept safe.
Well, it's one for the money, two for the show
The singer repeats the opening lines, driving home the importance of his performance.
Three to get ready, now go, cat, go, yeah
The singer reiterates that his band needs to be ready and active.
Well, blue, blue, blue suede shoes, baby
The singer reiterates the importance of his blue suede shoes.
Blue, blue, blue suede shoes, yeah
The singer continues to emphasize the importance of his blue suede shoes.
Blue, blue, blue suede shoes, honey
The singer sweetly emphasizes the importance of his blue suede shoes.
Blue, blue, blue suede shoes
Once again, the singer emphasizes the importance of his blue suede shoes.
Well, you can do anything but get off of my blue suede shoes
The singer repeats the warning, stressing the importance of his blue suede shoes.
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Carl Perkins
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind