Take a Gal Like You
Josh White Lyrics


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Take a girl like you down to New Orleans,
Dress you in a dress of red,
Get you a house at the back of town, Baby,
Get you a folding bed, yes, buy you a folding bed

Buy you an great big diamond ring,
Buy you a dress of blue,
Buy you a pair of high heeled shoes, Baby,
I'll be true to you, yes, I'll be true to you

Tell me
Where did you get your pretty little dress?
Shoes that you wear so fine?
Well I got my dress from a railroad man, baby
Shoes from a man down the line,
Yessir
Shoes from a man down the line,

Tell me
Who's gonna shoe your pretty little feet?
Who is gonna glove your hand?
Who's gonna kiss your rosy cheek, baby?
Who's gonna be your man?
Tell me
Who's gonna be your man?

Well
Papa's gonna shoe my pretty little feet
Mamma's gonna glove my hand
Sister's gonna kiss my rosy cheek, baby,
And you can be my man,
Yessir
You can be my man

Buy you a great big diamond ring,
Buy you a dress of blue,
Buy you a pair of high heeled shoes, baby
And I'll be true to you,




Yessir
I'll be true to you

Overall Meaning

The song "Take a Gal Like You" by Josh White tells a story of a man who promises to buy everything that his love interest needs, including a dress of red, a house at the back of town, and a folding bed. He offers to buy her a great big diamond ring, a dress of blue, and a pair of high heeled shoes, and he pledges to be true to her. The lyrics also portray a conversation between the singer and his lover, as she reveals where she got her pretty little dress and shoes from a railroad man and a man down the line, respectively.


The lyrics encapsulate the desire to provide for and satisfy one's partner, a romantic gesture that was prevalent in the era when the song was composed. The singer not only expresses his willingness to provide for his lover but also seeks to know and appreciate her tastes and preferences. The conversation about where she got her dress and shoes from is a playful way to learn more about one's lover and shows affection through attention to detail.


The mention of New Orleans and the use of blues-inspired melodies and guitar riffs reflect the origins of Josh White's music in the early 20th century, when jazz and blues were gaining prominence in the United States. The song was composed in the early 1940s, during a time of economic hardships, war, and social upheavals, which made the promise of love and devotion all the more significant.


Line by Line Meaning

Take a girl like you down to New Orleans,
I want to take you to New Orleans and show you a good time.


Dress you in a dress of red,
I want to dress you up in a red dress.


Get you a house at the back of town, Baby,
I want to get you a house at the back of town.


Get you a folding bed, yes, buy you a folding bed
I want to buy you a folding bed to put in the house we get.


Buy you an great big diamond ring,
I want to buy you a big diamond ring.


Buy you a dress of blue,
I want to buy you a blue dress.


Buy you a pair of high heeled shoes, Baby,
I want to buy you a pair of high heeled shoes.


I'll be true to you, yes, I'll be true to you
I promise to always be faithful to you.


Tell me Where did you get your pretty little dress? Shoes that you wear so fine?
I'm curious where you got your dress and shoes.


Well I got my dress from a railroad man, baby Shoes from a man down the line, Yessir Shoes from a man down the line,
I got my dress from a man who works for the railroad and my shoes from a man somewhere else.


Tell me Who's gonna shoe your pretty little feet? Who is gonna glove your hand? Who's gonna kiss your rosy cheek, baby? Who's gonna be your man?
I'm wondering who will take care of you and be your partner.


Papa's gonna shoe my pretty little feet Mamma's gonna glove my hand Sister's gonna kiss my rosy cheek, baby, And you can be my man, Yessir You can be my man
My family will take care of me but I want you to be my partner.


Buy you a great big diamond ring, Buy you a dress of blue, Buy you a pair of high heeled shoes, baby And I'll be true to you, Yessir I'll be true to you
I want to buy you nice things and I promise to remain faithful to you.




Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ROARK BRADFORD, JACQUES WOLFE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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