Rockin' Chair
Frankie Masters & His Orchestra Lyrics

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Old rockin' chair's got me, my cane by my side
Fetch me that gin, son, 'fore I tan your hide
Can't get from this cabin, goin' nowhere
Just set me here grabbin' at the flies round this rockin' chair

My dear old aunt Harriet, in Heaven she be
Send me sweet chariot, for the end of the trouble I see
Old rockin' chair gets it, Judgement Day is here

Chained to my rockin' chair

Old rockin' chair's got me, son, (Rocking chair got you, father)
My cane by my side, (Yes, your cane by your side)
Now fetch me a little gin, son (Ain't got no gin, father)
What? 'fore I tan your hide, now, (You're gonna tan my hide)

You know, I can't get from this old cabin (What cabin? joking)
I ain't goin' nowhere (Why ain't you goin' nowhere?)
Just sittin' me here grabbin' (Grabbin')
At the flies round this old rockin' chair (Rockin' chair)

Now you remember dear old aunt Harriet, (Aunt Harriet)
How long in Heaven she be? (She's up in Heaven)
Send me down, send me down sweet (Sweet chariot) chariot
End of this trouble I see (I see, Daddy)

Old rockin' chair gets it, son (Rocking chair get it, father)

Judgement Day is here, too (Your Judgement Day is here)
Chained to my rockin', old rockin' chair

Overall Meaning

The song "Rockin' Chair" by Frankie Masters & His Orchestra is a mournful tune about an elderly man who is confined to his cabin and his old rocking chair. The opening lines, "Old rockin' chair's got me, my cane by my side," set the tone for the rest of the song. The man is unable to leave the chair or the cabin, leading him to grab at the flies that surround him.

The lyrics also hint at the man's impending death and the afterlife. The line "Send me sweet chariot, for the end of the trouble I see" suggests that the man is ready for his time to come and is looking forward to the sweet release of death. The final line, "Chained to my rockin' chair," emphasizes the man's feeling of being trapped and unable to escape his current situation.

Overall, "Rockin' Chair" is a melancholy reflection on aging, confinement, and mortality. The song captures the sadness of being stuck in a place and a state of mind, with no way to break free.

Line by Line Meaning

Old rockin' chair's got me, son,
The father is stuck in his rocking chair

My cane by my side,
He keeps his cane nearby

Now fetch me a little gin, son
He asks his son to bring him some alcohol

What? 'fore I tan your hide, now,
He threatens to punish his son if he disobeys

You know, I can't get from this old cabin
He cannot move from his current location

I ain't goin' nowhere
He is not able to move from his place

Just sittin' me here grabbin'
He is idle and passing time idly

At the flies round this old rockin' chair
He is swatting flies buzzing around him

Now you remember dear old aunt Harriet,
He reminds his son of an old family member

How long in Heaven she be?
He is curious about how long she has been in heaven

Send me down, send me down sweet chariot
He prays for death to come soon