See You Later Alligator
Freddie & The Dreamers Lyrics
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With another man today
Well, I saw my baby walkin'
With another man today
When I asked her what's the matter
This is what I heard her say
See you later alligator
See you later alligator
After 'while crocodile
Can't you see you're in my way now
Don't you know you cramp my style
When I thought of what she told me
Nearly made me lose my head
When I thought of what she told me
Nearly made me lose my head
But the next time that I saw her
Reminded her of what she said
See you later alligator
After 'while crocodile
See you later alligator
After 'while crocodile
Can't you see you're in my way now
Don't you know you cramp my style
[Instrumental Interlude]
She said, I'm sorry pretty baby
You know my love is just for you
She said, I'm sorry pretty baby
You know my love is just for you
Won't you say that you'll forgive me
And say your love for me is true
I said wait a minute 'gator
I know you meant it just for play
I said wait a minute 'gator
I know you meant it just for play
Don't you know you really hurt me
And this is what I have to say
See you later alligator
After 'while crocodile
See you later alligator
So long, that's all, goodbye
The song See You Later Alligator by Freddie & The Dreamers is a blues-influenced rock and roll track that tells a story about a man who saw his girlfriend walking with another man. The lyrics reveal the man's feelings of betrayal and anger towards his girlfriend. He confronts her, and all she had to say was "see you later, alligator" and "after a while, crocodile" indicating that she wants to end their relationship. The man is upset and feels that his significant other is cramping his style. The chorus repeats several times, where the man bids farewell to his girlfriend.
The instrumental interlude adds to the song's blues feel, with a guitar solo that emphasizes the song's emotional depth. Towards the end of the track, the man confronts his girlfriend again, and she apologizes, saying that her love is just for him, and she hopes he'll forgive her. The man is not entirely convinced and insists that she genuinely hurt him. The song ends with the man bidding farewell, saying "so long, that's all, goodbye."
One interpretation of the song could be that the man is not entirely truthful, and he might also be seeing someone else. The line, "Don't you know you're really hurting me," might indicate that he is not entirely innocent in the situation. Nonetheless, the song's light-hearted and catchy tune made it an instant hit, leading it to top the charts in the US and the UK.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I saw my baby walkin'
I caught a glimpse of my significant other walking around with someone else
With another man today
My partner was spending time with a man who wasn't me
When I asked her what's the matter
I inquired about what was going on
This is what I heard her say
This is what my partner responded with
See you later alligator
Goodbye for now
After 'while crocodile
I'll see you soon
Can't you see you're in my way now
You're interfering with my life and our relationship
Don't you know you cramp my style
You're hindering my sense of fashion and flair
When I thought of what she told me
I reflected on what my partner just revealed
Nearly made me lose my head
I was almost driven crazy by what I heard
But the next time that I saw her
On a later occasion, when I saw her again
Reminded her of what she said
I brought up what she mentioned to me earlier
She said, I'm sorry pretty baby
My partner apologized to me
You know my love is just for you
Assuring me that I'm the only one for her
Won't you say that you'll forgive me
Pleading with me to forgive her
And say your love for me is true
Requesting that I confirm my love for her
I said wait a minute 'gator
I replied, asking for a moment to think
I know you meant it just for play
Recognizing that she didn't really mean what she said
Don't you know you really hurt me
Asking if she understands how much she hurt me
And this is what I have to say
I'm going to explain how I feel
So long, that's all, goodbye
Saying goodbye and ending the conversation
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Royalty Network
Written by: Robert Charles Guidry
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind