A Gal in Calico
Johnny Mercer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Used to be her Sunday beau ?til I rode away.
Do I want her, do I want her love?
Yes siree!
Will I win her, Will I win her love?
Wait and see!
Workin' with a rodeo, go from town to town.
But who made my heart sing
Yippee Yi! Yippee Yo!
My little gal in calico.
Take my gal in calico, down in Santa Fe;
Guess I'd better let her know that I feel this way.
Is she waitin' is she waitin'
She better be.
Am I hopin' to be ropin' her?
Yes siree!
Gonna quit the rodeo, gonna settle down,
Buy a bolt of calico for a weddin?gown.
Then will I fence her in
Yippee Yi! Yippee Yo!
My little gal in calico.
The lyrics of "A Gal in Calico" by Johnny Mercer and The Pied Pipers tells the story of a man who met a girl in Santa Fe and used to be her Sunday beau. However, he had to leave town for work, as he travels with a rodeo, and sees different kinds of girls and gowns in every town. Despite this, he cannot stop thinking about the girl in calico from Santa Fe. He wants to win her love and settle down with her, and even plans to buy a bolt of calico for their wedding gown. The song's chorus reflects the man's enthusiasm and desire for the girl in calico, as he sings "Yippee Yi! Yippee Yo! My little gal in calico."
The song's lyrics are simple yet poignant, capturing the spirit of romance, hope, and longing. The man's determination to win the girl's heart and settle down with her is evident in the lyrics. The reference to the calico fabric, a type of cotton cloth, adds a touch of nostalgia and tradition to the song, as it was commonly used for wedding dresses in the past.
Line by Line Meaning
Met a gal in calico, down in Santa Fe;
I came across a girl wearing simple cotton clothing in Santa Fe.
Used to be her Sunday beau ?til I rode away.
I used to be her companion on Sundays until I left.
Do I want her, do I want her love?
Am I interested in her, do I want her affection?
Yes siree!
Absolutely!
Will I win her, Will I win her love?
Would I be able to pursue and attain her love?
Wait and see!
We'll just have to see.
Workin' with a rodeo, go from town to town.
I'm currently employed in a rodeo and travel from one place to another.
See most every kind a gal, every kind a gown.
I come across different types of girls wearing different types of clothing in my travels.
But who made my heart sing
Out of all the girls I've met,
Yippee Yi! Yippee Yo!
She's the one who made me the happiest.
My little gal in calico.
The girl I met wearing simple cotton clothing.
Take my gal in calico, down in Santa Fe;
I want to take the girl I met in Santa Fe.
Guess I'd better let her know that I feel this way.
I think I should confess my feelings to her.
Is she waitin' is she waitin'
Is she waiting for me?
She better be.
I hope so.
Am I hopin' to be ropin' her?
Do I want to win her heart?
Yes siree!
Absolutely!
Gonna quit the rodeo, gonna settle down,
I plan on leaving the rodeo and leading a stable life.
Buy a bolt of calico for a weddin'gown.
I'll buy some cotton fabric to make a wedding dress.
Then will I fence her in
Once we're married,
Yippee Yi! Yippee Yo!
I'll be the happiest man alive with my little calico-clad girl.
My little gal in calico.
My love and future wife who wears simple cotton clothing.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ARTHUR SCHWARTZ, LEO ROBIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@catblacksuperstar
All time favorite ... such happy music
@samblensdorf7384
Song is so old the town in questions a ghost town
@ConstantineAndreas
I have a calico cat that I sing this song to sometimes hehe. Love it.
@YouTubesucksdick
Awweee. Cute 🥰
@Bill.G
Great to hear the voice of great Johnny Mercer!
@table9853
Love johnny mercer
@davidmaslow399
A Classic!
@khussein6409
Awesome!
@florjanbrudar692
All these years I knew the song from the 1947 Looney Tunes cartoon Slick Hare and I never listened to the original.
@juanmanuelespinosavera6023
Beautiful! The only other version I had ever heard was Manhattan Transfer's.