Sanborn, who suffered from polio in his youth, has been a highly regarded session player since the mid 1970s. One of his first professional gigs was as a member of Paul Butterfield's band. One of Sanborn's earliest guest recordings was on David Bowie's Young Americans. Around this time his output as a session player became prolific and over the next ten years he played with a dazzling array of artists, such as Paul Simon, James Taylor (contributing to the remake of the Marvin Gaye classic "How Sweet It Is"), The Rolling Stones, The Eagles and Stevie Wonder.
In the late 1980s he was a regular guest member of Paul Shaffer's band on Late Night with David Letterman. From 1988-89, he co-hosted a late-night TV music show on NBC with Jools Holland. The show, "Night Music", following producer Hal Willner's eclectic approach, drew Sanborn together with many famed musicians, such as Miles Davis, Lou Reed, Santana, Curtis Mayfield, and many others.
Throughout his career, Sanborn has skirted the edges of free jazz: In his youth he studied with Roscoe Mitchell and Julius Hemphill, and performed on Tim Berne's Diminutive Mysteries, dedicated to Hemphill. His 1991 album Another Hand, produced by Hal Willner, features Charlie Haden, Jack DeJohnette, Bill Frisell, Marc Ribot, and various other players not usually associated with smooth jazz.
In television, Sanborn is well-known for his sax solo in the theme song for the NBC hit drama L.A. Law. He has also dabbled in writing for film, contributing to such scores as Lethal Weapon and Scrooged.
In 2004, David Sanborn was inducted into the St. Louis Walk of Fame.
You can find photographs and additional information on David's official website, www.DavidSanborn.com.
Tequila
David Sanborn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It was me Jack Daniels and my homey Jim Bean.
We were kinda blitzed and we were trying to behave Y'all
when in walked a soldier he was from the fuzzy naval.
We were fallin, stumblin, crawlin
her come da police, Captain Tom Collins,
and the rapper said freeze
he said "hands in the air and hand over your keys"
now here came Marguarita and her friend Shirley Temple.
I asked my friend 'bout Marguarita,
he said Shirley was a virgin an I wouldn't wanna meet her.
So I talked to Marguarita, cause yoh, she was flyer.
I took her to the coast cause I wanted to Screw Driver.
Now Im not one for a speech,
but there was plenty of Tequila and Sex On The Beach, Y'all.
Tequila
Te-Te-Te - Tequila
Tequila
Here we go again and Im not fussin,
see I'm a French Mexican but I can get with White Russians,
at the bar with a drink in my hand.
In walked Jose Cuervo what was marguaritas man.
I talked to the wise man cause, yoh he's distinguished.
His name was St. Ives and he spoke in old english.
He said "you'd better think fast,
cause Jose is kinda crazy and I heard he Shot Glass".
He gave me some advice and it went like this:
"catch the night train and head up to 'cisco"
I didn't wanna stick around,
I caught the 1:51 to New York, the Grey Hound.
Now I'm at the Red Zone, everybody's stylin'.
Was sippin Ice Teas on Long Island.
I blacked out and the party came to a halt,
cause I was drinking the Tequila with the lemon assault Y'all
Tequila
Te-Te-Te - Tequila
Tequila
I woke up in the morning and felt like a Zombie,
the Tequila Gold Label had bombed me.
You see I woke up late and wasn't feelin' so great,
And Mike said there's a Bicardi party startin' at eight.
Yo we walked in the party and started playin our games,
we played tops, fuzzy quarters, with Bartles & James.
Here came Shirley Temple and they told me to chill,
because the Mickey Brothers took her up to strawberry hill.
They took her $1000 mink and she could barely think,
cause the Tequila that she drank had her tickled pink.
Now the music came on and I rocked the instrumental.
There's a groupie named Mai Tai, a fly oriental.
A groupie is a girl that jocks,
She wore the def Black Velvet and drank Scotch on the Rocks.
We had a fake marriage, now here's to honeymoon,
Ya zone vagabond and the Blue Lagoon.
Now everybody take a word from the wise,
A girly and a bottle, Tequila Sunrise.
Tequila
Te-Te-Te - Tequila
Tequila
Tequila
Te-Te-Te - Tequila
Tequila
The lyrics to David Sanborn's "Tequila" portray a night of heavy drinking and partying, with a group of friends trying to have a good time while being interrupted by various unexpected visitors, including soldiers, police officers, and crazed drinkers. The singer of the song attempts to navigate these situations while also pursuing a woman named Margarita and ultimately feeling the after-effects of too much tequila. The chorus of the song, with the repetition of the word "Tequila," acts as a sort of anthem for the night.
Throughout the song, there are many references to different types of alcohol, such as Jack Daniels, Jim Beam, Margarita, Shirley Temple, White Russians, Jose Cuervo, Tequila Gold Label, Bacardi, and Scotch on the Rocks. Each of these drinks is associated with a particular character or moment in the narrative, highlighting the role that alcohol plays in the wild night. The lyrics also reference different places, from bars to coastlines to cities, creating a sense of movement and adventure.
In addition to the playful lyrics, the instrumental components of "Tequila" are central to its appeal. The saxophone, in particular, is a standout feature of the song, allowing Sanborn's talent as a musician to be showcased. The upbeat tempo and catchy melody make it easy for listeners to get swept up in the party atmosphere of the song.
Overall, "Tequila" is a fun and lighthearted song that celebrates the joys of drinking and letting loose with friends. While the lyrics can be seen as superficial or silly, they are also rooted in a sense of camaraderie and adventure that many listeners can relate to.
Line by Line Meaning
I was at the bar with my drinkin team,
I was at the bar with my friends, drinking together.
It was me Jack Daniels and my homey Jim Bean.
My friends are named after whiskey brands - Jack Daniels and Jim Beam.
We were kinda blitzed and we were trying to behave Y'all
We were pretty drunk but trying our best to stay in control.
when in walked a soldier he was from the fuzzy naval.
A soldier walked in who was part of a drinking group called the Fuzzy Naval.
We were fallin, stumblin, crawlin
We were so drunk that we were having trouble walking and moving around.
her come da police, Captain Tom Collins,
The police arrived and the captain's name was a reference to a popular cocktail called Tom Collins.
and the rapper said freeze
The police officer told us to stop with a command usually associated with a rapper's lyrics.
he said "hands in the air and hand over your keys"
The police officer wanted us to surrender our car keys and put our hands up.
now we did, and that was kinda simple,
We followed the instructions and it wasn't too difficult.
now here came Marguarita and her friend Shirley Temple.
Two women named after popular cocktails arrived - Margarita and Shirley Temple.
I asked my friend 'bout Marguarita,
I asked my friend about the woman named Margarita.
he said Shirley was a virgin an I wouldn't wanna meet her.
My friend told me that Shirley Temple was a virgin and therefore not interesting to pursue.
So I talked to Marguarita, cause yoh, she was flyer.
I spoke to Margarita because I was more attracted to her and thought she was more interesting.
I took her to the coast cause I wanted to Screw Driver.
I took Margarita to the coast because I wanted to have a cocktail called Screwdriver with her.
Now Im not one for a speech,
I'm not one to give a long talk.
but there was plenty of Tequila and Sex On The Beach, Y'all.
There was a lot of Tequila and a cocktail called Sex on the Beach, which we enjoyed drinking.
Here we go again and Im not fussin,
We started drinking again and I didn't complain about it.
see I'm a French Mexican but I can get with White Russians,
I'm a person with French and Mexican heritage but I can also enjoy a cocktail called White Russian.
In walked Jose Cuervo what was marguaritas man.
The tequila brand, Jose Cuervo, arrived and was associated with Margarita.
He said "you'd better think fast,
An old man named St. Ives warned me to be careful.
cause Jose is kinda crazy and I heard he Shot Glass".
St. Ives told me that Jose Cuervo was known to drink tequila quickly in shot glasses and become wild.
He gave me some advice and it went like this:
St. Ives proceeded to give me some guidance.
"catch the night train and head up to 'cisco"
The advice was to leave and take a train to San Francisco.
I didn't wanna stick around,
I didn't want to stay any longer.
I caught the 1:51 to New York, the Grey Hound.
I took a Greyhound bus to New York at 1:51 am.
Now I'm at the Red Zone, everybody's stylin'.
I arrived at a club called the Red Zone and everyone was dressed in stylish clothes.
Was sippin Ice Teas on Long Island.
We were drinking a cocktail called Long Island Iced Tea.
I blacked out and the party came to a halt,
I drank too much and passed out, causing the party to end.
cause I was drinking the Tequila with the lemon assault Y'all
I drank too much Tequila mixed with sour lemon juice, which caused me harm.
I woke up in the morning and felt like a Zombie,
The next morning, I felt terrible and exhausted like a zombie.
the Tequila Gold Label had bombed me.
The high-quality tequila I consumed gave me a hangover.
You see I woke up late and wasn't feelin' so great,
I woke up late and didn't feel good.
And Mike said there's a Bicardi party startin' at eight.
My friend Mike informed me that a party featuring Bacardi rum was starting at 8 pm.
Yo we walked in the party and started playin our games,
We arrived at the party and started to play drinking games.
we played tops, fuzzy quarters, with Bartles & James.
We played various drinking games using items like spinning tops and quarters, and drinks from a popular brand called Bartles & James.
Here came Shirley Temple and they told me to chill,
Shirley Temple arrived at the party and someone suggested I relax.
because the Mickey Brothers took her up to strawberry hill.
The Mickey Brothers took Shirley Temple away to do something else at Strawberry Hill.
They took her $1000 mink and she could barely think,
The Mickey Brothers took Shirley Temple's expensive fur coat and she was too drunk to react properly.
cause the Tequila that she drank had her tickled pink.
She drank too much Tequila and was feeling overwhelmed with emotions.
Now the music came on and I rocked the instrumental.
When the music started playing, I enjoyed the instrumental part of it.
There's a groupie named Mai Tai, a fly oriental.
There was a woman at the party named after a cocktail, Mai Tai, who was an attractive Asian person.
A groupie is a girl that jocks,
A groupie is a person who tries to get close to famous people or musicians.
She wore the def Black Velvet and drank Scotch on the Rocks.
Mai Tai was wearing a stylish outfit and drinking Scotch on the Rocks.
We had a fake marriage, now here's to honeymoon,
We pretended to get married as a playful joke, and now we are starting our honeymoon phase.
Ya zone vagabond and the Blue Lagoon.
We were traveling aimlessly without a plan and drinking a cocktail called Blue Lagoon.
Now everybody take a word from the wise,
Now is a good time to listen to some advice.
A girly and a bottle, Tequila Sunrise.
The advice is to enjoy a cocktail called Tequila Sunrise with a woman, which can make for a great time.
Tequila
Tequila.
Te-Te-Te - Tequila
Saying 'Tequila' rhythmically.
Tequila
Tequila.
Tequila
Tequila.
Te-Te-Te - Tequila
Saying 'Tequila' rhythmically.
Tequila
Tequila.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: RIO, CHUCK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind