Lulu's Back In Town
George Gee And The Jump Jivin' Wailers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where'd she put my razor blade?
She mislaid it, I'm afraid,
It's gotta be foun'!
Ask her when she cleaned my room
What she did with my perfume;
I just can't lose it,
I've gotta use it,
Gotta get my old tuxedo pressed,
Gotta sew a button on my vest,
'Cause tonight I've gotta look my best,
Lulu's back in town.
Gotta get a half a buck somewhere,
Gotta shine my shoes and slick my hair,
Gotta get myself a boutonniere,
Lulu's back in town.
You can tell all my pets,
All my Harlem coquettes;
Mister Otis regrets
That he won't be aroun'.
You can tell the mailman not to call,
I ain't comin' home until the fall,
And I might not get back home at all,
Lulu's back in town.
You can bet I've got it bad,
Best complaint I've ever had;
We'll be stepping out tonight,
An' struttin', an' how.
We're in for the swellest time,
Finish up without a dime;
Look here, you fellers,
I'll make you jealous,
My Lulu, she's a wow.
Gotta get my old tuxedo pressed,
Gotta sew a button on my vest,
'Cause tonight I've gotta look my best,
Lulu's back in town.
Gotta get a half a buck somewhere,
Gotta shine my shoes and slick my hair,
Gotta get myself a boutonniere,
Lulu's back in town.
You can tell all my pets,
All my blondes and brunettes;
Mister Otis regrets
That he won't be aroun'.
You can tell the mailman not to call,
I ain't comin' home until the fall,
And I might not get back home at all,
Lulu's back in town.
The lyrics of "Lulu's Back in Town" by George Gee And The Jump Jivin' Wailers express a sense of excitement and anticipation as Lulu returns to town. The singer is frantically preparing for Lulu's arrival and is determined to look his best for her. The lyrics reflect the societal norms of the time, where women were often idealized and men were expected to court and impress them.
The lyrics include various mentions of material possessions such as a razor blade, perfume, a tuxedo, and a boutonniere, highlighting the importance of dressing well and presenting oneself as put together in order to impress a woman. The lyrics also reference the idea of societal expectations, such as the line "You can tell all my pets / All my Harlem coquettes / Mister Otis regrets / That he won't be aroun'."
Overall, the song represents a lighthearted and fun approach to courtship and dating, with vibrant and upbeat jazz instrumentation to match.
Line by Line Meaning
Where's that careless chambermaid?
I need to find the maid who careslessly misplaced my belongings.
Where'd she put my razor blade?
I need to know where the misplaced razor blade is.
She mislaid it, I'm afraid,
I fear that she carelessly lost it.
It's gotta be foun'!
It is of utmost importance that I find it!
Ask her when she cleaned my room
Please inquire with her about the missing belongings during her cleaning.
What she did with my perfume;
Please find out where my perfume is.
I just can't lose it, I've gotta use it,
I cannot afford to lose or waste it, I must use it.
'Cause Lulu's back in town.
Since Lulu has returned, I must ensure I have all my belongings and look my best.
Gotta get my old tuxedo pressed,
I need to get my old tuxedo cleaned and ironed.
Gotta sew a button on my vest,
I need to mend my vest by sewing a button onto it.
'Cause tonight I've gotta look my best,
I need to look my best this evening.
Gotta get a half a buck somewhere,
I need to obtain at least 50 cents from somewhere.
Gotta shine my shoes and slick my hair,
I need to clean and polish my shoes and style my hair.
Gotta get myself a boutonniere,
I need to purchase a decorative flower for my lapel.
You can tell all my pets,
Please inform all of my friends and acquaintances.
All my Harlem coquettes;
Specifically, inform all of the women I know in Harlem.
Mister Otis regrets
I, Mr. Otis, am sorry to inform you that.
That he won't be aroun'.
I will not be available.
You can tell the mailman not to call,
Please inform the mailman not to expect me.
I ain't comin' home until the fall,
I will not return home until autumn.
And I might not get back home at all,
It is possible that I may not ever return home.
You can bet I've got it bad,
It is safe to say that I am smitten.
Best complaint I've ever had;
This is the best problem I've ever encountered.
We'll be stepping out tonight,
We will be going out tonight.
An' struttin', an' how.
We will be confidently walking and posing.
We're in for the swellest time,
We are going to have an excellent time.
Finish up without a dime;
Despite running out of money, we will continue to enjoy ourselves.
Look here, you fellers,
Listen to me, my friends.
I'll make you jealous,
I will make you envious of me.
My Lulu, she's a wow.
My Lulu is impressive and deserves admiration.
All my blondes and brunettes;
Specifically, inform all of the blonde and brunette women I know.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: AL DUBIN, HARRY WARREN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind