On 29 March 2015, the duo reformed and released You And I Alone, their first single release in 15 years. Their second album Daphne & Celeste Save the World was released in 2018.
Never Been To Memphis
Daphne & Celeste Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Keep those cowboys offa my radio
Dancin' in line -
What are ya sheep? (BAAA)
Do you need to be told how to move to the beat
Country and Western - gI'mmie my stetson banjo -
Washboard - Red neck overload - Yea I'm right behind
Their idea of a good time sure ain't mine!
For a New York Yankies baseball cap
Don't want Rhinestones on our microphones
'cause we ain't never been to Memphis
No - we ain't never been to Memphis
Don't sing to me 'bout no wanderin' star
Or standin' by ya man an' his slide guitar
That chicken weres' supposed to keep ya there
But I'm lookin' around an' you's everywhere
I see you an' Garth sittin' up a tree
K.I.S.S.I.N.G.
Ain't gonna happen
Listen to me
I've an allergy to mullet-heads - see!
Swap that there - ten gallon hat
For a New York Yankies baseball cap
Don't want Rhinestones on our microphones
'cause we ain't never been to Memphis
Don't brainwash me from Tennesse
No - 'cause we ain't never been to Memphis
Don't want Rhinestones on our microphones
'cause we ain't never been to Memphis
No - we ain't never been to Memphis
Mid 8 step to the left
Jump to the right
Now jump off a cliff
That'd be a beautiful sight
Clap your hands
Rattle those spurs
Yeeha baby most sincerely
From me and her
Rawhide! Yea that's my backside
Here on the prairie the gals are real hairy
These cowboy boots are no substitute
Jeepers creepers gimmie my sneekers
The lyrics to Daphne & Celeste's song Never Been To Memphis critique the stereotype of country music and the idea of the American West in general, as understood by outsiders or those unfamiliar with the genre. The lyrics refer to cowboy hats, rodeo events, Rhinestones, "red neck overload," and "washboard," all of which are typical tropes of country music. However, the duo contrasts these tropes with references to baseball caps, New York Yankees, and an allergy to "mullet-heads" or people with mullet haircuts.
The tale seems to express the idea that Daphne & Celeste are critiquing the narrow-minded predictability of artists that are firmly entrenched in one genre of music. They're asking themselves why they should be fitted into a box when they can imagine a broader range of music beyond the country music stereotyping that they're dealing with at this particular moment in time.
In the song, Daphne and Celeste use satire to comment on how country music singers always sing passionately about the country and their relationships. They see those people as not having enough imagination and vision to see that there's more beyond the country. The significant aspect of the song is that the duo deviates from country music and advocates for diversity in the music industry.
Line by Line Meaning
Keep ya rib - eyes an' ya rodeo
Keep your rare steaks and rodeo events to yourself
Keep those cowboys offa my radio
I don't want to hear country music or anything related to cowboy culture on my radio
Dancin' in line -
Line dancing is not enjoyable
What are ya sheep? (BAAA)
Don't blindly follow what others do, have your own mind
Do you need to be told how to move to the beat
Don't copy others, dance in your own style
Country and Western - gI'mmie my stetson banjo -
I don't want cowboy hats or banjos, it's not my type of music
Washboard - Red neck overload - Yea I'm right behind
I don't like the image of a redneck washing clothes
Their idea of a good time sure ain't mine!
Cowboy culture is not appealing to the singer
Swap that there - ten gallon hat
Trade your cowboy hat for a New York Yankees baseball cap
For a New York Yankies baseball cap
The singer prefers a sports cap over a cowboy hat
Don't want Rhinestones on our microphones
The singer doesn't want flashy decorations on their microphones
'cause we ain't never been to Memphis
The singer hasn't been to Memphis and doesn't want to be associated with country music culture
No - we ain't never been to Memphis
The singer wants to make it clear that they have never been to Memphis
Don't sing to me 'bout no wanderin' star
The singer doesn't want to hear songs about wandering stars or anything related to cowboys
Or standin' by ya man an' his slide guitar
The singer doesn't want to be part of cowboy culture or follow a man with a slide guitar
That chicken weres' supposed to keep ya there
The singer acknowledges that traditionally, chicken was meant to keep people in Memphis but doesn't want that for herself
But I'm lookin' around an' you's everywhere
The singer sees cowboy culture and people associated with it everywhere
I see you an' Garth sittin' up a tree
The singer imagines cowboys like Garth Brooks hanging out with others
K.I.S.S.I.N.G.
The singer is mocking the idea of cowboys kissing
Ain't gonna happen
The singer doesn't want to be associated with cowboys or cowboy culture
Listen to me
The singer wants to be heard and taken seriously about her preferences
I've an allergy to mullet-heads - see!
The singer doesn't like mullet haircuts
Don't brainwash me from Tennesse
The singer doesn't want to be influenced or brainwashed by Tennessee, known for its country music culture
No - 'cause we ain't never been to Memphis
The singer hasn't been to Memphis and doesn't want to be associated with its cowboy culture
Mid 8 step to the left
A dance instruction to step to the left
Jump to the right
A dance instruction to jump to the right
Now jump off a cliff
Sarcasm implying that the previous dance instructions were unreasonable
That'd be a beautiful sight
Sarcasm implying that the previous instruction would be amusing to watch
Clap your hands
Dance instruction to clap hands
Rattle those spurs
Dance instruction to make noise with cowboy spurs
Yeeha baby most sincerely
Sarcasm implying that the singer doesn't want to participate in cowboy culture
From me and her
The singers are both expressing their disinterest in cowboy culture
Rawhide! Yea that's my backside
The singer doesn't like the look or feel of rawhide, a cowboy accessory
Here on the prairie the gals are real hairy
A humorous line implying that prairie women are supposed to have body hair
These cowboy boots are no substitute
The singer doesn't like cowboy boots and prefers her own shoes
Jeepers creepers gimmie my sneekers
The singer wants her sneakers instead of cowboy boots
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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