Spill the Wine
Eric Burdon's i Band Lyrics

Spill the wine and take that pearl, Spill the wine and take that pearl
The repeated phrase is a command to let go of inhibitions and indulge in the pleasures of the moment.

I was once out strolling one very hot summer's day
The singer sets the scene for the surreal dream that he will describe.

When I thought I'd lay myself down to rest
The singer is looking for a place to relax and escape the heat.

in a big field of tall grass
The artist finds a comfortable spot in nature.

I lay there in the sun and felt it caressing my face
The artist enjoys the warm sun and the sensory experience of nature.

And I fell asleep and dreamed
The singer drifts off into a vivid dream world.

I dreamed I was in a Hollywood movie
The singer imagines himself as a movie star, a symbol of celebrity and glamour.

And that I was the star of the movie
The artist takes on a role of great importance in his dream.

This really blew my mind, the fact that me,
The artist is surprised that he has become the center of attention.

an overfed, long-haired leaping gnome
The artist's self-deprecating humor suggests that he doesn't take himself too seriously.

should be the star of a Hollywood movie
The singer is still amazed by his own importance in the dream.

But there I was, I was taken to a place, the hall of the mountain kings
The dream world takes the artist to an exotic and mysterious location.

I stood high upon a mountain top, naked to the world
The singer is vulnerable and exposed in this surreal setting.

In front of every kind of girl, there was
The singer is surrounded by a diverse group of women.

black ones, round ones, big ones, crazy ones...
The singer playfully describes the variety of women he sees in his dream.

Out of the middle came a lady
A mysterious woman appears in the dream.

She whispered in my ear something crazy
The woman speaks enigmatically, confusing the artist.

Spill the wine and take that pearl, Spill the wine and take that pearl
The woman urges the singer to let go of his inhibitions and enjoy life's pleasures.

I thought to myself what could that mean
The singer is puzzled by the woman's cryptic message.

Am I going crazy or is this just a dream
The artist questions his own sanity and the reality of his dream world.

Now, wait a minute
The artist tries to regain his composure and think logically about his situation.

I know I'm lying in a field of grass somewhere
The artist reminds himself of the real world outside of his dream.

so it's all in my head
The singer acknowledges that his dream is a product of his own imagination.

and then.. I heard her say one more time:
The artist is drawn back into the dream world by the woman's voice.

I could feel hot flames of fire roaring at my back
The dream world becomes more intense and fiery.

As she disappeared, but soon she returned
The woman in the dream appears and disappears, adding to the singer's confusion.

In her hand was a bottle of wine, in the other, a glass
The woman appears with props that symbolize enjoyment and pleasure.

She poured some of the wine from the bottle into the glass
The woman begins to indulge in the pleasures of life by pouring wine for herself and the artist.

And raised it to her lips
The woman celebrates life's pleasures by taking a sip of wine.

And just before she drank it, she said:
The woman continues to urge the singer to join her in enjoying life's pleasures.