Satin Doll
Ella Fitzgerald & The Count Basie Orchestra Lyrics


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Cigarette holder which wigs me
Over her shoulder she digs me
Out cattin' that satin doll
Baby, shall we go out skippin'?

Careful, amigo, you're flippin'
Speaks Latin that satin doll
She's nobody's fool so I'm playing it cool as can be
I'll give it a whirl but I ain't for no girl catching me

Swich-e-rooney
Telephone numbers well you know




Doing my rhumbas with uno
And that's my satin doll

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Satin Doll by Ella Fitzgerald are about a man who is in love with a woman who he describes as a "satin doll." The woman is sophisticated, elegant, and glamorous, and the man is completely smitten with her. The first stanza of the song introduces the woman and her style. The man describes her as having a cigarette holder which wigs him and being someone who digs him over her shoulder. He is enchanted by her and loves to see her out on the town.


In the second stanza, the man asks the woman to go out with him, but she warns him to be careful. She speaks Latin and is nobody's fool, which suggests that she is intelligent and possibly hard to impress. The man is playing it cool, but he wants to win her over. He ends the stanza by saying that he will give it his best shot but that he is not willing to be caught by any girl.


Overall, the lyrics of Satin Doll are about a man who is captivated by a beautiful and sophisticated woman. He is willing to do whatever it takes to impress her, but he is also cautious and does not want to get his heart broken.


Line by Line Meaning

Cigarette holder which wigs me
The sight of her holding a cigarette holder is so captivating, it elevates my mood


Over her shoulder she digs me
She was aware of my presence behind her and showed interest towards me


Out cattin' that satin doll
She was out and about, enjoying herself in her finest attire


Baby, shall we go out skippin'?
Would you like to go out and have some fun?


Careful, amigo, you're flippin'
Be cautious, my friend, you seem to be losing control


Speaks Latin that satin doll
She has clever and witty ways of communicating with others


She's nobody's fool so I'm playing it cool as can be
She is smart and won't be taken advantage of, so I need to act composed around her


I'll give it a whirl but I ain't for no girl catching me
I will try my best to impress her, but I won't let myself be trapped in a relationship


Swich-e-rooney
A playful interjection with no real meaning


Telephone numbers well you know
I have many phone numbers from previous encounters with women


Doing my rhumbas with uno
I am dancing the rhumba with one woman in particular


And that's my satin doll
She is the woman I am referring to throughout the song, my special 'satin doll'




Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Songtrust Ave, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: Duke Ellington, Johnny Mercer, Billy Strayhorn

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@gwaithwyr

Brilliant. 

@counciwillagray1797

Forever ""THE FIRST LADY OF SONG" and what can anyone say about the "COUNT BASIE?"

@deborahgeorgieva644

Cigarette holder which wigs me
Over her shoulder, he digs me.
Out cattin' that satin doll.
Baby, shall we go out skippin ?
Careful, amigo, you're flippin',
Speaks Latin that satin doll.
He's nobody's fool so I'm playing it cool as can be.
I'll give it a whirl but I ain't for no boy catching me,
Swich-e-rooney.
Telephone numbers well you know,
Doing my rhumbas with uno
And that'n my satin doll.

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