Dixie Chicken
Georgia Steamroller Lyrics
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And the Commodore Hotel
And underneath a street lamp I met a Southern belle
Well she took me to the river, where she cast her spell
And in that Southern moonlight, she sang a song so well
If you'll be my dixie chicken, I'll be your Tenessee lamb
And we can walk together down in dixieland
Down in dixieland
Then that low down Southern whiskey began to fog my mind
And I don't remember church bells or the money I put down
On the white picket fence and boardwalk of the house at the edge of town
But boy do I remember the strain of her refrain
The nights we spent together, and the way she called my name
If you'll be my dixie chicken, I'll be your Tenessee lamb
And we can walk together down in dixieland
Down in dixieland
Well it's been a year since she ran away
Yes that guitar player sure could play
She always liked to sing along
She's always handy with a song
Then one night in the lobby of the Commodore Hotel
I chanced to meet a bartender who said he knew her well
And as he handed me a drink he began to hum a song
And all the boys there, at the bar, began to sign along
If you'll be my dixie chicken, I'll be your Tenessee lamb
And we can walk together down in dixieland
Down in dixieland
"Dixie Chicken" by Georgia Steamroller is a song about a man’s romantic encounter with a Southern belle in Memphis. The singer recalls seeing the bright lights of Memphis and staying at the luxurious Commodore Hotel where he meets the Southern belle under a street lamp. She takes him to the river and casts a spell on him. In the Southern moonlight, she sings a song so beautifully that it mesmerizes him. The belle proposes that if the singer becomes her Dixie Chicken, she will be his Tennessee lamb, and they can walk together down in Dixieland.
The couple visited hot spots in Dixieland, and the singer’s money flowed like wine. However, he drank too much Southern whiskey, and church bells and the money he put down became a blur. He barely remembers the white picket fence and boardwalk of the house at the edge of town, but he remembers the strain of her refrain and the nights they spent together. A year has passed, and she has run away, leaving behind only memories of her singing and guitar-playing skills.
Overall, "Dixie Chicken" is a song that romanticizes the Southern United States, with catchy lyrics and upbeat tunes. The song has multiple interpretations, including that the Dixie Chicken is a reference to a restaurant or bar in Auburn, Alabama, and the Tennessee lamb is a nod to a fraternity initiation that involved climbing a tree called "Big Tree," which was said to be located in the state of Tennessee.
Line by Line Meaning
I've seen the bright lights of Memphis
I have experienced the excitement of the city of Memphis.
And the Commodore Hotel
I have been to the luxurious Commodore Hotel.
And underneath a street lamp I met a Southern belle
I met a beautiful Southern woman under a street lamp.
Well she took me to the river, where she cast her spell
She took me to the river where she enchanted me with her presence.
And in that Southern moonlight, she sang a song so well
She sang a beautiful song under the Southern moonlight.
If you'll be my dixie chicken, I'll be your Tenessee lamb
If you will be my feisty and wild partner, I will be your loyal and enduring companion.
And we can walk together down in dixieland
We can journey together in the southern lands where life is free and easy.
Well we made all the hot spots, my money flowed like wine
We went to all the best places, and I had an abundance of money.
Then that low down Southern whiskey began to fog my mind
The strong Southern whiskey started to impair my judgment.
And I don't remember church bells or the money I put down
I can't recall hearing church bells, or how much money I spent.
On the white picket fence and boardwalk of the house at the edge of town
I don't remember anything about the house on the outskirts of town.
But boy do I remember the strain of her refrain
I do remember the sound of her voice and the melody she sang.
The nights we spent together, and the way she called my name
I recall the nights we shared, and how she said my name so sweetly.
Well it's been a year since she ran away
It has been a year since she left.
Yes that guitar player sure could play
The guitar player was very talented.
She always liked to sing along
She enjoyed singing with the music.
She's always handy with a song
She was always skilled at singing.
Then one night in the lobby of the Commodore Hotel
One night in the lobby of the Commodore Hotel...
I chanced to meet a bartender who said he knew her well
I met a bartender who claimed to know her well.
And as he handed me a drink he began to hum a song
He hummed a tune as he served me a drink.
And all the boys there, at the bar, began to sign along
All the men at the bar joined in singing along.
If you'll be my dixie chicken, I'll be your Tenessee lamb
If you will be my feisty and wild partner, I will be your loyal and enduring companion.
And we can walk together down in dixieland
We can journey together in the southern lands where life is free and easy.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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