Dr. John began making his own idiosyncratic music in the 1960s. Along with Professor Longhair, Dr. John is heir to the rich New Orleans tradition. He is perhaps best known for "Right Place, Wrong Time", an international hit in 1973, reissued and used on soundtracks many times since.
Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, his professional musical career began as a session musician in New Orleans in the 1950s. Early on he also played guitar and was often known as Mac Rebennack. He switched to the bass ("the lowest time of my life"), and then the piano after his index finger was nearly shot off protecting his bandmate and longtime friend Ronnie Barron. He gained fame beginning in the late 1960s and early 1970s, with music that combined New Orleans-style rhythm and blues with psychedelic rock and stage shows that bordered on voodoo religious ceremonies, including elaborate costumes and headdress. For a time he was billed as Dr. John, The Night Tripper. The name "Dr. John" came from a legendary Louisiana voodoo practitioner from the start of the 19th century.
Dr. John has also done vocals for Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits' "Luv dat chicken..." jingle, as well as the theme song ("My Opinionation") for the early-1990s television sitcom Blossom. His movie credits include Martin Scorsese's documentary The Last Waltz (in which he joins The Band for a performance of his song "Such a Night") and Blues Brothers 2000 (in which he joins the fictional band The Louisiana Gator Boys to perform the song "New Orleans"). In the 2009 Disney film The Princess and the Frog, Dr. John sings the opening tune, "Down in New Orleans".
In January 2008 Mac Rebennack, Dr. John, was inducted into The Louisiana Music Hall Of Fame.
I'm An Old Cow Hand
Dr. John Lyrics
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But my legs ain't bowed and my cheeks ain't tan
I'm a cowboy who never saw a cow
Never roped a steer cause I don't know how
Sure ain't a fixin to start in now
Yippie yi yo kayah
I'm an old cowhand and I come down from the Rio Grande
I'm a riding fool who is up to date
I know every trail in the Lone Star State
Cause I ride the range in a Ford V-8
Yippie yi yo kayah
We're old cowhands from the Rio Grande
And we come to town just to hear the band
We know all the songs that the cowboys know
'Bout the big corral where the doggies go
We learned them all on the radio
Yippie yi yo kayah
I'm an old cowhand
Oh yes, Mr. Bing.
Too hot for you, Uncle Fudd?
Down from the Rio Grande
Oh where the west is wild all around the borderland
Where the buffalo roam around the zoo
and the Injuns run up a rug or two
and the old Bar X is just a barbecue, yeah
Yippie yi yo kayah
I'm a pioneer who began from scratch
I don't bat an eye in a shootin' match.
They don't call me Elmer, they call me Satch.
Yippie yi yo kayah
Yippie yi yo kayah
Get along little horsy
Get along little horsy
Yippie yi yo kayah, oh!
The lyrics of Dr. John's song "I'm an Old Cow Hand" tells the story of a cowboy from the Rio Grande who boasts about his cowboy persona, despite not having actual experience in cowboying. The first verse describes how the cowboy has never actually had to rope a steer and is not keen on starting now, but still presents himself as an old cowhand. The second verse talks about how he has learned to ride before he could stand, knows all the trails in the Lone Star State, and how he rides in a Ford V-8. The third verse is about how the old cowhands are now too old to do the things they used to, but they still come to town to listen to cowboy songs and reminisce about the old times.
The song reveals the irony of the cowboy persona, one that is built on toughness and ruggedness but often lacking in true experience. The cowboy attempts to maintain his reputation through his attire and behavior, which implies his status as a cowboy, like his boots and hat, and his exaggerated yells (yippie yi yo kayah) that are synonymous with western movies. However, his lack of real cowboy experience lessens the validity of his identity.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm an old cowhand from the Rio Grande
I am a seasoned cowboy from the region around the Rio Grande
But my legs ain't bowed and my cheeks ain't tan
Despite my experience, my legs are not curved, and my face is not tanned
I'm a cowboy who never saw a cow
Although I call myself a cowboy, I have never seen a cow
Never roped a steer cause I don't know how
I have not roped a steer because I have never learned the technique
Sure ain't a fixin to start in now
I have no intentions of starting to learn now
Yippie yi yo kayah
An exclamation of enthusiasm or excitement
I come down from the Rio Grande
I hail from the region around the Rio Grande
And I learned to ride, ride, ride 'fore I learned to stand
I have been riding horses since I was very young
I'm a riding fool who is up to date
I am a skilled horseman who keeps up with the latest trends
I know every trail in the Lone Star State
I am familiar with every path in Texas
Cause I ride the range in a Ford V-8
I use a Ford V-8 to explore the open spaces
We're old cowhands from the Rio Grande
We are experienced cowboys from the region around the Rio Grande
And we come to town just to hear the band
We visit town only to enjoy the local music
We know all the songs that the cowboys know
We are familiar with every cowboy song
'Bout the big corral where the doggies go
We know about the large enclosures where livestock are held
We learned them all on the radio
We heard all the songs on the radio
Oh where the west is wild all around the borderland
The border region is where the western part of the United States is at its wildest
Where the buffalo roam around the zoo
The buffalo roam in a zoo, not in the wild
and the Injuns run up a rug or two
The Native Americans dance at the local dances
and the old Bar X is just a barbecue, yeah
The Bar X ranch, which was previously a cattle ranch, is now only used for barbecues
I'm a pioneer who began from scratch
I am a self-made man who started with nothing
I don't bat an eye in a shootin' match
I am not rattled during a gunfight
They don't call me Elmer, they call me Satch
My name is Satch, not Elmer
Get along little horsy
An expression encouraging the horse to keep going
Yippie yi yo kayah, oh!
An exclamation of enthusiasm or excitement
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHNNY MERCER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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