Milkcow Blues Boogie
Elvis Presley Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Well, I woke up this morning
And I looked out the door
I can tell that old milk cow
By the way she lowed

Hold it fellows, that don't move me
Let's get real, real gone for a change
Well, I woke up this morning
And I looked out the door
I can tell that, that old milk cow
I can tell the way she lowed

Well, if you've seen my milk cow
Please ride her on home
I ain't had no milk or butter
Since that cow's been gone

Well, I tried to treat you right
Day by day
Get out your little prayer book
Get down on your knees and pray

For you're gonna need
You're gonna need
Your loving daddy's help someday
Well, you're gonna be sorry
For treating me this way

Well, believe me, don't that sun
Look good going down?
Well, believe me, don't that sun
Look good going down?
But, don't that old moon look lonesome




When your baby's not around

Well, I tried everything to
Get along with you
I'm gonna tell you what I'm going do
I'm gonna quit my crying
I'm gonna leave you alone
If you don't believe I'm leaving
You can count the days I'm gone

I'm gonna leave
You're gonna need your
Loving daddy's help someday
Well, you're gonna be sorry
You treated me this way

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Elvis Presley's song Milkcow Blues Boogie depict a story of a man who wakes up one morning to find that his milk cow is missing. He can tell the cow by the way she lowed, and he has not had any milk or butter since she disappeared. The man then asks for help looking for his milk cow and warns his lover that they may need his help someday, indicating that he feels wronged by them. He tries to get along with his lover but decides to leave them in the end. The song ends with the man saying that his lover will be sorry for the way they treated him, and he is going to leave.


One interesting interpretation of the song's lyrics is that the milk cow represents the man's lover, and her disappearance is a metaphor for her leaving him. This interpretation is supported by the man's warnings to his lover that they will need his help someday, implying that he feels they have wronged him in some way. Another interpretation suggests that the milk cow represents a source of comfort and familiarity in the man's life, which has disappeared, leaving him feeling lost and alone.


Line by Line Meaning

Well, I woke up this morning
The singer began his day


And I looked out the door
He looked outside


I can tell that old milk cow
He could identify his milk cow


By the way she lowed
He recognized the cow's sound


Hold it fellows, that don't move me
The singer was unimpressed


Let's get real, real gone for a change
He wants to make a change to the music


Well, if you've seen my milk cow
He asks if anyone has seen his cow


Please ride her on home
He requests that someone bring the cow back


I ain't had no milk or butter
He has not had any dairy products


Since that cow's been gone
Since the cow has been missing


Well, I tried to treat you right
The singer tried to be good to his partner


Day by day
On a daily basis


Get out your little prayer book
The singer tells his partner to pray


Get down on your knees and pray
He recommends a specific prayer position


For you're gonna need
The partner will require assistance


Your loving daddy's help someday
The singer will have to help his partner


Well, you're gonna be sorry
The partner will regret their actions


For treating me this way
Their treatment of the singer will cause them remorse


Well, believe me, don't that sun
The singer is making an observation


Look good going down?
He thinks the setting sun is beautiful


But, don't that old moon look lonesome
The full moon appears lonely


When your baby's not around
The moon looks lonely without a partner


Well, I tried everything to
The singer attempted various solutions


Get along with you
To have a healthy relationship with the partner


I'm gonna tell you what I'm gonna do
The singer is about to reveal his plan


I'm gonna quit my crying
The singer will stop crying


I'm gonna leave you alone
He will give his partner space


If you don't believe I'm leaving
The singer questions his partner's belief


You can count the days I'm gone
His absence will be measurable


You're gonna need your
The partner will require assistance


Loving daddy's help someday
The singer will need to help his partner


Well, you're gonna be sorry
The partner will regret their actions


You treated me this way
They mistreated the singer




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: KOKOMO ARNOLD

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@anY-bf9ud

Young Elvis, raw, ready, raunchy, and rebel rousing all at the same time wow just wow.

You can almost here his body gyrating here haha, he ain't holding back with this he's feeling every beat, those knees are a knocking and those feet a tapping, and lets just say the rest of him ain't keeping still either haha.

Elvis had a tremendous vocal range even at such a young age, he's got his growl, yelp and whine well tuned here, the bluesy rhythm rippling through his veins, he,s mean and moody singing from his gut.

Elvis with Scotty Bill and DJ from the Sun days, before fame ate him up and spat him out.

I never knew that The Col was the one split hem up, I heard Scotty say it in an interview.

Col was not the right manager for Elvis, he stifled his musical and artistic talents, he used him as a commodity, very sad. Elvis had no control over his own destiny, just listen to this recording, does that sound a performer who wants constraints on him, I don't think so.

Elvis had so much more to give and was never given the opportunity, very sad.



@TheBlueMoonBoy

Well, I woke up this morning
And I looked out the door
I can tell that old milk cow
By the way she lowed

Hold it, fellows, that don't move me
Let's get real, real gone for a change

Well, I woke up this morning
And I looked out the door
I can tell that that old milk cow
I can tell the way she lowed

Well, if you've seen my milk cow
Please, ride her on home
I ain't had no milk or butter
Since that cow's been gone

Well, I tried to treat you right
Day by day
Get out your little prayer book
Get down on your knees and pray

For you're gonna need
You're gonna need your loving daddy's help someday
Well, then you're gonna be sorry
For treating me this way
(Oh let's milk it)

Well, believe me, don't that sun
Look good going down?
Well, believe me, don't that sun
Look good going down?
Well, don't that old moon look lonesome
When your baby's not around

Well, I tried everything to get along with you
I'm gonna tell you what I'm going do
I'm gonna quit my crying
I'm gonna leave you alone
If you don't believe I'm leaving
You can count the days I'm gone

I'm gonna leave
You're gonna need your loving daddy's help someday
Well, you're gonna be sorry
You treated me this way



All comments from YouTube:

@nitasheehan2704

I was a kid of 12 or 13 when this came out, and I was hooked. Now, at 79, it was better than I thought. Love to you, Elvis, for the joy you brought to all the senses, but especially to our hearts.

@par2552

I'm agree whit you Nita.

@paulorlando5877

Nothing like Elvis's original Sun recordings.

@Force4949

This is one of hidden gem elvis songs. He was really really rockabilly here on this track.

@bradhuskers

Folks?
What you are listening to here is REVELATORY!
This is pure perfection and brilliance at a level rarely seen, if ever.

@CherylCowtan-PASNorth

A great example of how a singer can bring their own unique style, energy, vision and vocals to a song. Elvis trusted his instincts and a music genre was born.

@leonorajustice2733

Wow.. 1955 I was four years old . 1957 I remember his song was popular … love me tender… he’s still the greatest king 🙏❤️

@tadams2108

This man really loved what he did from beginning to the end. He deserves all the admiration and fans that he has.

@ajtstvandmusicarchivechann1585

Nope. He doesn't. He isn't the king of rock. He don't make it simply sang others songs. He's wonderful and helped rock become more popular but he isn't a king nor should he be treated as such.

@tadams2108

@@ajtstvandmusicarchivechann1585 Wow, what an idiot. Who else is having movies made about them when they have been gone 45 years. HE IS THE KING OF ROCK AND ROLL, ALWAYS WILL BE, AND EVERYONE, INCLUDING MUSICIANS AND ENTERTAINERS AND SINGERS GIVE HIM THAT CREDIT. Please clean your English up when you post. "He don't make it simply sang others songs."????? He was an entertainer, never claimed to be a song writer as many singers aren't, just like many song writers can't sing. Sound like a bit of jealousy to me.

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