Misirlou
Jimmy and The Destroyers Lyrics

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Desert shadows creep across purple sands.
Natives kneel in prayer by their caravans.

There, silhouetted under and eastern star,
I see my long lost blossom of shalimar

You, Misirlou, Are the moon and the sun, fairest one.

Old temple bells are calling across the sand.
We'll find our Kismet, answering love's command.

You, Misirlou, are a dream of delight in the night.

To an oasis, sprinkled by stars above,
Heaven will guide us, Allah will bless our love.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Jimmy and The Destroyers's song "Misirlou" evoke a sense of adventure, exoticism, and romance in the Middle East. Beginning with the eerie image of "desert shadows" creeping across "purple sands," the song sets a mysterious and evocative atmosphere. In the next line, "natives kneel in prayer by their caravans," suggesting a spiritual and cultural richness of the desert landscape. The singer then sees his lost love, the "blossom of shalimar," silhouetted under an "eastern star" - further emphasizing the exotic and otherworldly nature of the mise-en-scène.

The chorus of the song, "You, Misirlou, are the moon and the sun, fairest one," repeats the name of the mysterious woman referred to in the song. This repetition gives the sense that she is both elusive and omnipresent, a goddess-like figure that is both tangible and otherworldly. The lyrics then refer to "old temple bells" calling "across the sand," with the promise of finding their "Kismet" and answering the call of love. The final verse speaks of being guided to an oasis by "stars above" and the blessings of Allah, creating a sense of divine intervention in the lovers' journey.

Line by Line Meaning

Desert shadows creep across purple sands.
The shadows of the desert move slowly over the purple sands.

Natives kneel in prayer by their caravans.
The native people are praying on their knees beside their caravans.

There, silhouetted under an eastern star,
In that place, with an eastern star shining behind them,

I see my long lost blossom of shalimar
I see the person I have been longing to see, my lost love

You, Misirlou, Are the moon and the sun, fairest one.
You are the most beautiful thing in the world, Misirlou, more beautiful than anything else, like the moon and the sun.

Old temple bells are calling across the sand.
The bells of an old temple are ringing out across the sand.

We'll find our Kismet, answering love's command.
We will find our destiny, following the command of love.

You, Misirlou, are a dream of delight in the night.
You are a wonderful dream that brings joy and delight at night, Misirlou.

To an oasis, sprinkled by stars above,
To an oasis that twinkles with stars above,

Heaven will guide us, Allah will bless our love.
God will help us and bless our love.

Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Fred Wise, Jose Pina, Milton Leeds, Nicholas Roubanis, Sidney Russell

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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