Blue Suede Shoes
Johnny Cash;The Statler Brothers Lyrics


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Well it's one for the money, two for the show
Three to get ready, now go cat go
But don't you, step on my blue suede shoes
You can do anything but lay off of my blue suede shoes

You can knock me down, step in my face
Slander my name all over the place
And do anything that you want to do
But uh uh honey lay off of my shoes
And don't you step on my blue suede shoes
You can do anything but lay off of my blue suede shoes

Oh let's go cats!

You can burn my house, steal my car
Drink my liquor from an old fruit jar
Do anything that you want to do
But uh uh honey lay off of them shoes
And don't you, step on my blue suede shoes
You can do anything but lay off of my blue suede shoes

Rock!

Well it's one for the money, two for the show
Three to get ready, now go cat go
But don't you, step on my blue suede shoes
You can do anything but lay off of my blue suede shoes

Well it's blue, blue, blue suede shoes
Blue, blue, blue suede shoes yeah!
Blue, blue, blue suede shoes baby




Blue, blue, blue suede shoes
You can do anything but lay off of my blue suede shoes

Overall Meaning

The song "Blue Suede Shoes" by The Statler Brothers originally written and performed by Carl Perkins, is a classic rock and roll song. The lyrics are about a man who loves his blue suede shoes, and warns anyone who intends to harm or ruin his shoes. The lines "You can knock me down, step in my face, slander my name all over the place, and do anything that you want to do, but uh uh honey lay off of my shoes" express the man's love for his shoes and his willingness to accept any kind of harm done to himself but not to his shoes. The song is filled with energy and possesses a danceable rhythm which was the signature of the rock and roll era. The chorus, "Well it's one for the money, two for the show, three to get ready, now go cat go," creates a sense of excitement and anticipation, urging listeners to dance along.


The lyrics also hint at the cultural significance of blue suede shoes. The phrase "blue suede shoes" became a symbol of a subculture in the mid-50s, which celebrated individuality and rebellion against social norms. The shoes were a fashion statement and a sign of a person's unique taste. The song gained immense popularity, selling over one million copies in one year, and was remade by many artists across different genres, including Elvis Presley. Interestingly, many radio stations initially refused to play the song as they found the lyrics too risqué.


Line by Line Meaning

Well it's one for the money, two for the show
The singer is starting his performance and letting his audience know that he's about to rock the house.


Three to get ready, now go cat go
Get ready to dance and enjoy the rhythm of the music.


But don't you, step on my blue suede shoes
The singer is warning others not to step on his blue suede shoes, which he cherishes.


You can do anything but lay off of my blue suede shoes
The singer is telling others that they can do whatever they want but they should leave his shoes alone.


You can knock me down, step in my face
The singer is saying that people can try to bring him down and challenge him but it won't affect him.


Slander my name all over the place
The singer is saying that people can talk badly about him to others but he won't let it get to him.


And do anything that you want to do
The singer is promoting freedom of expression and allowing people to express themselves without limitations.


But uh uh honey lay off of my shoes
The singer is saying that people need to respect his personal belongings, especially his shoes.


And don't you step on my blue suede shoes
The singer is repeating his warning for people to stay away from his shoes.


You can do anything but lay off of my blue suede shoes
The singer is making it clear that his shoes are off-limits to everyone else.


Oh let's go cats!
The singer is getting excited about the music and encouraging others to join him in dancing to the beat.


You can burn my house, steal my car
The singer is saying that people can attempt to take away his material possessions, but they will never take away his spirit and love of music.


Drink my liquor from an old fruit jar
The singer is saying that people can take what he has, even his alcohol, but they cannot take away his passion for rock and roll.


Do anything that you want to do
The singer is repeating that people can do what they want as long as they stay away from his shoes.


But uh uh honey lay off of them shoes
The singer is repeating his warning about his shoes and emphasizing their importance to him.


And don't you, step on my blue suede shoes
The singer is again warning others to avoid stepping on his shoes, which he has made clear are close to his heart.


You can do anything but lay off of my blue suede shoes
The singer is repeating his message and emphasizing the importance of respecting other people's possessions.


Well it's blue, blue, blue suede shoes
The singer is calling attention to his specific type of shoes, which are blue and suede.


Blue, blue, blue suede shoes yeah!
The singer is repeating the color and type of his shoes, emphasizing their importance to him.


Blue, blue, blue suede shoes baby
The singer is repeating the color and type of his shoes, adding a playful touch by calling them 'baby.'


Blue, blue, blue suede shoes
The singer is repeating the color and type of his shoes one more time, driving home their importance to him.


You can do anything but lay off of my blue suede shoes
The singer is repeating his warning one final time and emphasizing the importance of respecting other people's personal property.




Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Carl Perkins

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@armandop9082

Look how far music has fallen from this era of greats , Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash immortals for all time.

@padraickennedy1232

The King of Rockabilly.

@kroakie4

He’s my favorite rock-a-billy artist.

@mackenziepuetz-bateman919

Oh my god Johnny at the end is unbelievable😵

@kroakie4

Johnny could have sung the abc’s and still sounded damn amazing.

@maireadpower6475

This is what you call music.. pure songwriters and the songs meant something.. the songs they write today is bullshit compared to what they wrote in the 50,s and 60s..it was true lyrics..I wish I grew up in their time.. but I'll never forget them true artist's.. NEVER 🇨🇮🇨🇮

@jipmart4691

Yes, what they call ' rock ', nowadays, is pure crap !!!!!!!!!!!!!

@maireadpower6475

@jip mart you're so right.. this is pure rock, rockabilly whatever you wanna call it, it's pure artists showing their hearts their souls and genuine music, these artists wrote and produced their song's from scratch.. They are LEGENDS love from Ireland 💚💚🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪

@jipmart4691

Never understood why Elvis Presley became a living God and Carl Perkins remains nearly unknown by most people. Carl Perkins was probably the best Rock& n' Roll star who ever lived !!!!

@joshdunstan

Ive been reading johnny cashs biography and he talks about how just as carl perkins was becoming a big name and really rising up he had a terrible car accident which unfortunately derailed him from superstardom like elvis

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