After Be-Bop-A-Lula had become a huge hit in 1956 (peaking at #7 and spending 20 weeks in the Billboard Pop Chart), Gene Vincent & His Blue Caps (often mis-named as 'the' Blue Caps) were unable to follow it up with the same level of commercial success, but released critically acclaimed songs like Race With The Devil (#96 in Billboard) and Bluejean Bop (#49).
Following a visit to Europe in 1959, Vincent managed to attract a new huge and discerning audience there, especially in England and France. By that time his career had mostly ended in the US. In 1960, while on tour in Britain, Vincent and songwriter Sharon Sheeley were seriously injured in a high-speed traffic accident. Vincent broke his ribs, collarbone, and added further damage to his already weak leg which he had injured in a motorcycle accident in 1955 and refused to have amputated, and Sheeley suffered a broken pelvis. Both Vincent and Sheeley survived, but the accident killed Vincent's tourmate and Sheeley's fiancé, Eddie Cochran.
Vincent subsequently moved to England in 1963. His stage shows became "must see" events and his bands through those years were to spawn some of the most respected players in the world today. It was during his early tours of Britain that he adopted the trademark leather outfit, at the suggestion of British Rock 'n' Roll impressario, Jack Good.
Red Blue Jeans and a Ponytail
Gene Vincent Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cuts an awful lot of capers when I come around
She's got the westbound Diesel with the evening mail
And a ooh-wee red blue jeans and a ponytail
She can do more tricks to this heart of mine
Than ten little monkeys on a long grapevine
I know when she holds me, why I get so weak and pale
Ooh-wee red blue jeans and a ponytail
Yeah, she's got more rhythm than a ten piece band
She can rock 'n' roll to the clapping of your hand
I know why they watch her like a train does a rail
It's a ooh-wee red blue jeans and a ponytail
She can make cold chills run up 'n' down my spine
Make me feel warm in the wintertime
She packs a lot of wallop, can be so small and frail
It's ooh-wee red blue jeans and a ponytail
(Rock again now!)
The lyrics of Gene Vincent's song, Red Blue Jeans and a Ponytail, paint a picture of a wild and free-spirited woman who captures the affections of the singer. The song describes her as a cat that works in town and is always up to some kind of mischief when the singer is around. She's got a westbound diesel with the evening mail, and her red blue jeans and ponytail make her stand out from the crowd. The singer can't resist her, and he compares her to ten little monkeys on a long grapevine, saying that she can do more tricks with his heart than they can.
When she holds him, the singer becomes weak and pale, and it's clear that he's under her spell. She's got more rhythm than a ten-piece band, and she can rock and roll with the clapping of a hand. It's no wonder that people can't take their eyes off her, and the singer understands that it's not just her physical appearance that's captivating everyone - it's her whole being. She can make his spine tingle, and she can make him feel warm in the winter. And even though she may be small and frail, she packs a lot of wallop. All of this is encapsulated in the infectious rock and roll beat of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Got a crazy little cat that works down town
I have a wild girl who works in the city
Cuts an awful lot of capers when I come around
She acts all silly and playful when I'm near
She's got the westbound Diesel with the evening mail
She has a powerful train that carries mail in the evening
And a ooh-wee red blue jeans and a ponytail
She wears stunning red and blue jeans with a cute ponytail
She can do more tricks to this heart of mine
She can captivate and excite my heart in many ways
Than ten little monkeys on a long grapevine
More than a group of monkeys playing on a vine
I know when she holds me, why I get so weak and pale
I feel faint and powerless when she touches me
Ooh-wee red blue jeans and a ponytail
Her stunning appearance with those jeans and ponytail makes me swoon
(Rock!)
Play some rock music!
Yeah, she's got more rhythm than a ten piece band
She dances and moves better than a big musical ensemble
She can rock 'n' roll to the clapping of your hand
She knows how to dance to any beat or rhythm
I know why they watch her like a train does a rail
I understand why people stare at her like a train follows a track
It's a ooh-wee red blue jeans and a ponytail
Her stunning appearance with those jeans and ponytail is what everyone admires
She can make cold chills run up 'n' down my spine
She can give me goosebumps and chills with her touch or presence
Make me feel warm in the wintertime
She can warm my heart during cold and dark times
She packs a lot of wallop, can be so small and frail
She has a lot of impact and can be strong despite her small size
It's ooh-wee red blue jeans and a ponytail
Again, her stunning appearance with those jeans and ponytail is what people remember
(Rock again now!)
Let's play some more rock music!
Writer(s): B. Davis, J. Rhodes
Contributed by Violet N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.