What'd I Say
Jerry Lee Lewis & Van Morrison Lyrics
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Come and love your daddy, all night long
Alright, hehee, huhu, alright
Mm, see the girl with the diamond ring
She knows how to shake that thing
Alright, hehee, huhu, alright
I'm gonna send you back to Arkansas
Huhu hey, honey you don't do right
I say you don't do right
Mmm, alright
See the girl with the red dress on
She'll do the Boogie Woogie all night long
Alright, hehe, huhu, alright
Well, tell me what I say (what'd I say)
Tell me what I say right now (what'd I say)
Honey, what I say (what'd I say)
Baby what I say right now (what'd I say)
Tell me what I say
Tell me what I say
And I wanna know (I wanna know)
I wanna know right now (I wanna know)
I gotta know (I wanna know)
Baby, I wanna know right now (I wanna know)
Baby, I wanna know
Baby, I wanna know
(What'd I say, what'd I say, what'd I say)
The song "What'd I Say" by Jerry Lee Lewis is about a man who wants his woman to love him and be with him all night long. He sings, "Yeah, mama, don't you treat me wrong, come and love your daddy, all night long." The song is lively, and as it progresses, he talks about seeing a girl with a diamond ring and a girl with a red dress on who knows how to boogie woogie all night long. The lyrics are a come-on to the women, trying to persuade them to dance with him and love him for the night.
Then, the song takes a turn where he says, "Tell your mamma, tell your pa I'm gonna send you back to Arkansas," implying that he wants her all to himself and will take her back to her family in Arkansas. He also says, "Honey, you don't do right, I say you don't do right," meaning that she hasn't been treating him right, and he wants her to change. In the end, he repeats "tell me what I say" and "I wanna know" to the beat of the music, showcasing the wild and bold side of rock and roll music.
Overall, "What'd I Say" is a classic rock and roll song about love, dancing, and the wildness that comes with it. It showcases Jerry Lee Lewis's talent as a pianist and his charismatic energy as a performer.
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah, mama, don't you treat me wrong
Hey there, Mom, please treat me kindly and don't hurt me
Come and love your daddy, all night long
Stay with me and shower me with love tonight
Mm, see the girl with the diamond ring
I see a girl with a diamond ring
She knows how to shake that thing
She's good at dancing provocatively
Mm, Tell your mamma, tell your pa
Tell your parents that
I'm gonna send you back to Arkansas
I'll send you home to Arkansas
Huhu hey, honey you don't do right
Honey, you aren't doing what I want you to do
I say you don't do right
I mean that you aren't doing what I want you to do
Mmm, alright
Okay
See the girl with the red dress on
I see another girl, this one in a red dress
She'll do the Boogie Woogie all night long
She'll dance the Boogie Woogie all night long
Well, tell me what I say (what'd I say)
Now tell me, what am I saying (what do you think)?
Tell me what I say right now (what'd I say)
Tell me what my words mean right now (what do you think)?
Honey, what I say (what'd I say)
Honey, what I'm saying (what is it)?
Baby what I say right now (what'd I say)
Sweetheart, what do I mean when I say this (what do you think)?
Tell me what I say
Please tell me what I'm saying
And I wanna know (I wanna know)
I want to know
I wanna know right now (I wanna know)
I want to know immediately
I gotta know (I wanna know)
I must know
Baby, I wanna know right now (I wanna know)
Honey, I want to know this instant
Baby, I wanna know
Honey, I want to know
(What'd I say, what'd I say, what'd I say)
(What am I saying, what am I saying, what am I saying)
Lyrics © Tratore, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Sentric Music, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Ray Charles
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@davidknight6546
Jerry Lee is amazing here without doubt, Van Morrison is super cool as he gives Jerry space to do his thing. That's what good musicians do.
@Glances2011
Why was Van even there. Jerry Lee Lewis knocked me out!!!
@stevew5146
Freaking takes off his jacket because he's getting pumped up. Jerry!!!!! You egg him on and he reaches a level that makes him go crazy. He was the wild rock and roller!
@stevew5146
Jerry is one of Van's influences. And an honor it is for Van to be playing with him as it was with Salomon Burke and Ray Charles. The greats tend to work together.
@martinjogan2001
Who is the star here?....well, Jerry Lee is sweeping the grumpy irishman away!!!! Cheers from Sweden
@sauquoit13456
On this day in 1969 {November 16th} Jerry Lee Lewis performed "What'd I Say" on the CBS-TV program 'The Ed Sullivan Show'... Eight years earlier on April 3rd, 1961 it entered Billboard's Top 100 chart; eventually it peaked at #30 and spent 8 weeks on the Top 100... Of course the original version was by Ray Charles in 1959; it peaked at #6 on the Top 100... Three covered versions have charted; Bobby Darin {#24 in 1962}, Elvis Presley {#21 in 1964}, and Rare Earth {#61 in 1972} R.I.P. M. Sullivan
@skontch1
i think what van is realizing is...wow, i'm sharing the stage with one of the greatest there ever was. chances like this don't come by too often..
@dpfrancescos
bellissimo video!!!!!!!
@markmoth
JLL doing the call/response like Ray with Van, along with some truly innovative piano riff......
@retroeddie
Couldn't agree with you more! Rock on Mojo!!!!!!