Hurray for the Riff Raff is an Americana band from New Orleans, Louisiana. … Read Full Bio ↴Hurray for the Riff Raff is an Americana band from New Orleans, Louisiana. It was formed by Alynda Segarra, a Puerto Rican singer-songwriter from the Bronx, New York, after they had moved to New Orleans in 2007.

After leaving home at an early age to travel the country, Segarra eventually settled in New Orleans where they began to perform and record with a revolving cast of musicians. They released two records (2008's It Don't Mean I Don't Love You and 2010's Young Blood Blues) mostly consisting of delicate folk and country songs. In 2011, the UK record label Loose Music (Felice Brothers, Dawes, Deer Tick), released Hurray for the Riff Raff, an album that collected the best songs from those records. The Times of London named Hurray for the Riff Raff one of the Top Ten Albums of 2011. Phil Alexander, the Editor-in-Chief of Mojo Magazine, raved that they “have immense potential and seductive power” and named them second best band at SXSW 2011.

Back in the States, Alynda met up with a young honky-tonk band called the Tumbleweeds, just as they began to expand they musical palette to include rock n roll, pop, and soul. In the tradition of Bob Dylan with Band and Neil Young with Crazy Horse, Alynda recruited the Tumbleweeds to be their touring band, drastically altering the sound of Hurray for the Riff Raff.

Look Out Mama is the result of almost two years of Alynda and the Tumbleweeds criss-crossing the USA, playing over 100 shows in small bars and clubs. Recorded in Nashville by producer Andrija Tokic (Alabama Shakes), Look Out Mama is an exploration of classic American music as interpreted by Alynda lee Segarra. From the Swamp Pop of "Little Black Star" to the Classic Country of "Look Out Mama", to the Psychedelia of “Ode to John and Yoko” and even the Surf-Rock of “Lake of Fire”, Look Out Mama covers a wide array of musical ground, with every song unified by Alynda’s soulful vocals and expert songwriting.

Blue Ridge Mountain
Hurray For The Riff Raff Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Oh I woke up this morning
But I never, never knew, I never knew, never knew
Never, never knew, never knew

My hands are like Jean Henry's
Sing a song for poor memory
It's a soul a man that can be
But I never, never knew, I never knew, never knew
Never, never knew, never knew

Well, I woke up this morning
And I saw a new dawning
Oh I woke up this morning
But I never, never knew, I never knew, never knew
Never, never knew, never knew

My heart is a blue ridge mountain
My head an over-flowing fountain
Oh, my heart is a blue ridge mountain
But I never, never knew, I never knew, never knew
Never, never knew, never knew

Oh I never, never, knew, I never knew, I never knew
Never, never, never knew, never knew
Well I never, never, knew, I never knew, never knew
Never, never, never knew, never knew

Oh I never, never, knew, I never knew, never knew
Never, never, never knew, never knew

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Hurray For The Riff Raff's song Blue Ridge Mountain are poetic and introspective, with powerful metaphors that evoke feelings of both longing and contentment. The first verse describes the singer's heart as a "blue ridge mountain," which is a reference to the Appalachian Mountains in the eastern United States. This imagery suggests strength, resilience, and a sense of being grounded. However, the second line of the verse, "my head an overflowing fountain," introduces a contrasting image of excess and tumultuous thoughts. The repetition of the line "but I never, never knew, I never knew, never knew" speaks to a feeling of not fully understanding oneself, despite having these opposing internal forces.

The second verse adds more layer to the meaning of the song by highlighting the notion of memory. The singer's hands are "like Jean Henry's" who is possibly an allusion to the French resistance fighter and holocaust survivor Henriette Willner. "Sing a song for poor memory" suggests that the singer is having difficulty remembering something, which could be their own identity. The repetition of "but I never, never knew, I never knew, never knew" in this verse drives home the idea of feeling disconnected from oneself.

The chorus repeats both the opening lines of the song, emphasizing the idea that the singer's heart is a blue ridge mountain, conveying strength and groundedness, while their head is an overflowing fountain, expressing confusion and uncertainty. The repetition of "but I never, never knew" in the chorus creates a sense of yearning to truly know oneself.

Overall, Blue Ridge Mountain is a song about self-reflection and the search for identity in a world that can often feel overwhelming and chaotic.

Line by Line Meaning

My heart is a blue ridge mountain
My emotions are vast and tall, like the Blue Ridge Mountains.

My head an over-flowing fountain
My thoughts are never-ending and abundant, like a constantly flowing fountain.

My heart is a blue ridge mountain
My emotions are vast and tall, like the Blue Ridge Mountains.

But I never, never knew, I never knew, never knew
Despite the magnitude of my feelings, I never fully realized or understood them.