In 64 at a gig they were missing Janne Frisk who was touring the north with accordion player Erik Frank and Svenne Hedlund from Clifftones replaced him. Svenne left his former band to join Hep Stars.
Åke Gerhard, songwriter and director of Olga record label took them under his wings and began managing them. They started touring in folk parks in the summer of 64. They released their first singles the same year and when Hans Östlund left the band he was replaced by Benny Andersson (Elverkets Spelmanslag and later of ABBA fame).
In '65 the band became full time musicians and they scored their first hit single with Cadillac ending up on 9th on Kvällstoppen, staying there for 14 weeks.
After playing in national TV they managed to place two more songs on the billboards, having three top list positions simultaneously for a time and leading to their great break through.
Hep Stars broke up in 1970 ca. Svenne Hedlund had a successful career with his wife Lotta Hedlund (born Charlotte Walker in 1944) as Svenne & Lotta.
Speedy Gonzales
Hep Stars Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You better come home Speedy Gonzales
Come home from tannery row
Stop all of your drinking
With that floosie named Flo
Come on home to your adobe
Your roof is leaking like a strainer
There's loads of roaches in the hall
Speedy Gonzales
(Speedy, Speedy Gonzales)
Why don't you come home?
(Speedy, Speedy Gonzales)
Speedy Gonzales
(Speedy, Speedy Gonzales)
You better leave me all alone
Hej, Rosita, I have to go shopping
Downtown for my mother
She needs some tortillas and chili pepper
La, la, la
Your doggie's gonna have a puppy
And we're running out of Coke
No enchiladas in the icebox
And the television's broke
I saw some lipstick on your sweatshirt
I smell some perfume in your ear
Well, if you're gonna keep on messin'
Don't bring your business back a-here
Speedy Gonzales
(Speedy, Speedy Gonzales)
Why don't you come home?
(Speedy, Speedy Gonzales)
Speedy Gonzales
(Speedy, Speedy Gonzales)
You better leave leave me all alone
Hej, Rosita, come quick
Down at the cantina
They're giving green stamps with tequila
La, la, la
The Hep Stars' song "Speedy Gonzales" is a playful and comedic tale of a protagonist, Speedy Gonzales, who is urged to come home from tannery row by his frustrated partner, who is tired of his drinking and the presence of his other woman, Flo. She encourages him to return to their adobe, patch up the walls, and deal with the roaches in the hall. Along the way, the lyrics allude to the cultural food and drink of Mexico, such as tortillas, chili peppers, and tequila, and even reference some of the traditional green stamps given out at cantinas.
The humorous and light-hearted tone of the song is emphasized through the use of rhyming lyrics and catchy melodies. Furthermore, the playful use of non-sequiturs and exaggerated scenarios adds to the comic effect of the song. The lyrics emphasize the chorus, where the partner repeatedly urges Speedy Gonzales to come home, while also warning him to stay away if he plans to continue his antics with Flo.
Line by Line Meaning
You better come home Speedy Gonzales
Come back home, Speedy Gonzales
Come home from tannery row
Stop staying at Tannery Row for so long and come home
Stop all of your drinking
Stop drinking alcohol excessively
With that floosie named Flo
Stop spending time with that promiscuous woman named Flo
Come on home to your adobe
Return home to your mud-brick house
And slap some mud on the wall
Cover the walls of the house with more mud
Your roof is leaking like a strainer
The roof has holes everywhere and is leaking severely
There's loads of roaches in the hall
The hallway is infested with many roaches
Speedy Gonzales
(Speedy, Speedy Gonzales)
Why don't you come home?
(Speedy, Speedy Gonzales)
Speedy Gonzales
(Speedy, Speedy Gonzales)
You better leave me all alone
Repeating the message of Speedy coming back home and not being around anymore
Hej, Rosita, I have to go shopping
Downtown for my mother
She needs some tortillas and chili pepper
Having to run errands for his mother in the downtown area for some specific items like tortillas and chili peppers
Your doggie's gonna have a puppy
And we're running out of Coke
No enchiladas in the icebox
And the television's broke
The dog will soon give birth to puppies, there is no soda left, there are no enchiladas in the fridge, and the television is not functioning
I saw some lipstick on your sweatshirt
I smell some perfume in your ear
Well, if you're gonna keep on messin'
Don't bring your business back a-here
Noticing signs of infidelity, threatening that if the deceit and cheating are going to continue, the guilty party shouldn't return home
Speedy Gonzales
(Speedy, Speedy Gonzales)
Why don't you come home?
(Speedy, Speedy Gonzales)
Speedy Gonzales
(Speedy, Speedy Gonzales)
You better leave leave me all alone
Repeating the message of Speedy coming back home and not being around anymore
Hej, Rosita, come quick
Down at the cantina
They're giving green stamps with tequila
Urging Rosita to come quickly to the cantina as they have a promotion of giving green stamps along with tequila shots
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Buddy Kaye, David Hess, Ethel Lee
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind