Bad Bad Leroy Brown
Croce Jim Lyrics


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Well the South side of Chicago
Is the baddest part of town
And if you go down there
You better just beware
Of a man named Leroy Brown

Now Leroy more than trouble
You see he stand about six foot four
All those downtown ladies call him "Treetop Lover"
All the men just call him "Sir"

And it's bad, bad Leroy Brown
The baddest man in the whole damned town
Badder than old King Kong
And meaner than a junkyard dog

Now Leroy he a gambler
And he like his fancy clothes
And he like to wave his diamond rings
In front of everybody's nose
He got a custom Continental
He got a Eldorado too
He got a thirty two gun in his pocket for fun
He got a razor in his shoe

And it's bad, bad Leroy Brown
The baddest man in the whole damned town
Badder than old King Kong
And meaner than a junkyard dog

Well Friday 'bout a week ago
Leroy shootin' dice
And at the edge of the bar
Sat a girl named a Doris
And ooh that girl looked nice
Well he cast his eyes upon her
And the trouble soon began
And Leroy Brown he learned a lesson
'Bout messin' with the wife of a jealous man

And it's bad, bad Leroy Brown
The baddest man in the whole damned town
Badder than old King Kong
And meaner than a junkyard dog

Well the two men took to fighting
And when they pulled them from the floor
Leroy looked like a jigsaw puzzle
With a couple of pieces gone

And it's bad, bad Leroy Brown
The baddest man in the whole damned town
Badder than old King Kong
Meaner than a junkyard dog

And he's bad, bad Leroy Brown
The baddest man in the whole damned town
Badder than old King Kong
And meaner than a junkyard dog





Yeah, he was badder than old King Kong
Meaner than a junkyard dog

Overall Meaning

The song Bad Bad Leroy Brown by Jim Croce tells the story of a notorious and violent man named Leroy Brown from the south side of Chicago. The lyrics describe Leroy's imposing physical presence and his reputation as a ladies' man, referred to as "Treetop Lover" by women and "Sir" by men. Additionally, the song portrays Leroy as a gambler who likes to flaunt his wealth and expensive possessions, such as his custom Continental car and diamond rings. However, the lyrics also suggest that Leroy's arrogance and violent tendencies have consequences, as he learns a lesson about "messing with the wife of a jealous man."


The song's upbeat, catchy melody and Croce's distinctive voice make it a classic, but the lyrics themselves offer a nuanced and complex portrayal of a character who is simultaneously admirable and despicable. Leroy Brown is a larger-than-life figure, with his imposing stature and flashy style, but he is also a dangerous and violent man who ultimately comes to a bad end. The song suggests that there is something alluring about such a character, but there is also a warning to be heeded.


Line by Line Meaning

Well the South side of Chicago
The South side of Chicago is known to be a dangerous part of the town.


Is the baddest part of town
It is the worst and most unruly part of the town.


And if you go down there
If you ever go there, be very careful.


You better just beware
You have to be cautious.


Of a man named Leroy Brown
Leroy Brown is a well-known and feared person in the South side of Chicago.


Now Leroy more than trouble
Leroy is not just any regular troublemaker.


You see he stand about six foot four
He is tall with an imposing figure.


All those downtown ladies call him "Treetop Lover"
Leroy is famous with the ladies whom he impresses even with his height.


All the men just call him "Sir"
But for the men, they respect him and address him with respect.


And it's bad, bad Leroy Brown
People refer to him as bad because of his notorious acts.


The baddest man in the whole damned town
He is the worst and most feared person in the entire town.


Badder than old King Kong
He is worse than old King Kong.


And meaner than a junkyard dog
Describing him to be exceptionally cruel like a junkyard dog.


Now Leroy he a gambler
Leroy is a passionate gambler.


And he like his fancy clothes
He has a taste for expensive clothes.


And he like to wave his diamond rings
He exhibits his diamond rings to show off his wealth.


In front of everybody's nose
He does this to earn attention and admiration.


He got a custom Continental
He owns a customized car named Continental.


He got a Eldorado too
He also owns a car named Eldorado.


He got a thirty-two gun in his pocket for fun
He carries a loaded gun in his pocket for his safety and entertainment.


He got a razor in his shoe
He is ready to fight and has a razor blade hidden in his shoe.


Well Friday 'bout a week ago
One Friday, a week ago, a specific event took place.


Leroy shootin' dice
Leroy was participating in a dice game.


And at the edge of the bar
There was a girl named Doris seated beside the bar.


Sat a girl named a Doris
He saw a girl named Doris near the bar.


And ooh that girl looked nice
Leroy found Doris very attractive.


Well he cast his eyes upon her
Leroy gazed at her unexpectedly.


And the trouble soon began
There was immediate trouble between Leroy and someone else.


And Leroy Brown he learned a lesson
Leroy had to learn a valuable lesson from that incident.


'Bout messin' with the wife of a jealous man
He learned not to mess around with the wife of someone who is overprotective and jealous.


Well the two men took to fighting
Two men got into a fight.


And when they pulled them from the floor
When both were dragged out of the fight, something was off.


Leroy looked like a jigsaw puzzle
His face was all messed up and looked like a puzzle with missing pieces.


With a couple of pieces gone
His face had physical injuries and some parts of his face were missing.


Yeah, he was badder than old King Kong
Reemphasizing that he is worse than old King Kong.


Meaner than a junkyard dog
Stressing that Leroy is crueler than a junkyard dog.


And he's bad, bad Leroy Brown
Reiterating that Leroy is indeed a bad person.


The baddest man in the whole damned town
Confirming that Leroy is indeed the most notorious and feared man in the entire town.


Badder than old King Kong
Comparing him again to old King Kong and emphasizing that he is worse.


And meaner than a junkyard dog
Again emphasizing his extreme cruelty like a junkyard dog.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: James Croce

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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