One Mint Julep
Keely Smith / Louis Prima Lyrics
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I met a woman, we started talking
I took her home, to get a few nips
But all I had was a mint julep
I don't remember just how I started
I only know that we should have parted
I stole a kiss, and then another
I didn't mean to take it further
One mint julep was the cause of it all
The lights were burning low, there in the parlor
When through the kitchen door, up popped her father
He said I saw you when you kissed my daughter
Better wed her right now, or face a slaughter!
I didn't know just what I was doing
I had to marry of face ruin
A mint julep, a mint julep
A mint julep, a mint julep
One mint julep was the cause of it all
Now, I don't want to bore you with my troubles
But from now on Ill be thinking double
I'm through with flirting and drinking whiskey
I got six extra children from a-getting frisky
A mint julep, a mint julep
A mint julep, a mint julep
One mint julep was the cause of it all
The song One Mint Julep by Keely Smith and Louis Prima tells the story of a man who meets a woman on his way home and they start talking. He takes her home to share a few drinks, but he only has mint julep to offer. They end up kissing, which leads to the woman's father popping up in the kitchen and threatening the man to either marry his daughter or face a slaughter. The man ends up marrying the woman and reflecting on his mistakes through the chorus of "A mint julep, a mint julep, one mint julep was the cause of it all."
The lyrics of the song suggest that the man's lapse in judgment was influenced by alcohol, and that his one mint julep led to a series of events that he could not have predicted. From the father's threat to the six children the man ends up having with his new wife, the consequences of his actions had a lasting impact on his life. The repetition of the chorus in the song emphasizes the idea that one small decision or action can have much larger consequences.
Line by Line Meaning
One early morning, as I was walking
While taking a walk one morning
I met a woman, we started talking
I encountered a woman and engaged in conversation
I took her home, to get a few nips
I invited her to my place for some drinks
But all I had was a mint julep
But the only thing I had to offer was a mint julep
I don't remember just how I started
I can't recall how things began
I only know that we should have parted
I just know that we should have gone our separate ways
I stole a kiss, and then another
I kissed her without permission, and then again
I didn't mean to take it further
I didn't intend to take things any further
One mint julep was the cause of it all
It was that one mint julep that started everything
The lights were burning low, there in the parlor
The room was dimly lit
When through the kitchen door, up popped her father
But suddenly her father appeared through the kitchen door
He said I saw you when you kissed my daughter
He confronted me saying he saw me kiss his daughter
Better wed her right now, or face a slaughter!
He gave me an ultimatum to either marry her or face violent consequences
I didn't know just what I was doing
I was clueless about my actions
I had to marry of face ruin
I had no choice but to marry her or face ruin
Now, I don't want to bore you with my troubles
Now, I don't intend to be tedious with my problems
But from now on Ill be thinking double
But from now on, I'll be more cautious
I'm through with flirting and drinking whiskey
I'm done with flirting and drinking whiskey
I got six extra children from a-getting frisky
I ended up with six additional children from being promiscuous
A mint julep, a mint julep
A drink made of bourbon, sugar, water, and mint
One mint julep was the cause of it all
That drink was the catalyst for everything
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., REGENT MUSIC CORPORATION
Written by: RUDOLPH TOOMBS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind