Using his own contacts in the record business, Shepherd's father and manager, Ken Shepherd, helped his son land a major-label record deal with Giant Records. In 1995, his debut album was entitled Ledbetter Heights and featured original material and a few covers.
He recently converted to Catholicism and overcame an addiction problem, and that's become a theme of his current work. He is married to Hannah Gibson, daughter of Actor Mel Gibson.
Discography:
1995 - Ledbetter Heights
1997 - Trouble Is...
1999 - Live On
2004 - The Place You're In
2007 - 10 Days out...Blues from the Backroads
2011 - How I Go
Tina Marie
Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yes Tina Marie, work your soul for me
The way you do that dance,
Take away all my misery
She?s about five foot six
Man she sho? kicks
The way she does that dance
Tina Marie, work your soul for me
The way you do that dance girl,
Take away all my misery
[Guitar Solo]
I?m gonna pawn my guitar, my watch and my ring
I just can?t help it girl, the way you do that thing
Tina Marie, work your soul for me
Cause the way you do that thing, oooh
Take away all my misery, (I'm gonna squeeze my baby too)
[Guitar Solo]
Tina Marie, girl won?t you take my hand
Tina Marie, girl please take my hand
You got me so confused, but I think that I want to be your man
The Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band's song "Tina Marie" is about a girl named Tina Marie who possesses an ability to dance that has captivated the singer. The song opens with the repeated refrain, "Tina Marie, work your soul for me," which suggests that her dancing has a spiritual quality that can heal the singer's emotional pain. The description of her physical appearance in the second verse highlights her small stature and impressive dance skills, which the singer describes as "tricks." The line "take away all my misery" is repeated in the chorus and reinforces the idea that her dancing is transformative and healing for the singer.
In the third verse, the singer becomes so taken with Tina Marie's dancing that he is willing to pawn his guitar, watch, and ring to be with her. This sacrifice highlights the singularity of her talent and its ability to create an intense and all-consuming desire in the singer. This verse is followed by another guitar solo that reinforces the emotional intensity of this desire. The song ends with the plea, "Tina Marie, girl please take my hand, you got me so confused, but I think that I want to be your man." The ambiguity of this line reinforces the power that Tina Marie's dancing has over the singer and suggests that he may be more interested in her dancing than in the person behind it.
Line by Line Meaning
Tina Marie, work your soul for me
Asking Tina Marie to dance and put her heart and passion into it.
Yes Tina Marie, work your soul for me
Affirming Tina Marie to put her soul into the dance.
The way you do that dance,
Take away all my misery
The dance that Tina Marie does has a healing effect on the singer, making them feel better.
She?s about five foot six
Man she sho? kicks
The way she does that dance
She can show you a whole lotta? tricks
Describing Tina Marie as a talented dancer who is short but kicks high and has many dance moves that she can teach.
Tina Marie, work your soul for me
The way you do that dance girl,
Take away all my misery
Repeating the request for Tina Marie to dance and explaining how it helps ease the artist's pain.
[Guitar Solo]
An instrumental break in the song.
I?m gonna pawn my guitar, my watch and my ring
I just can?t help it girl, the way you do that thing
The singer is so impressed and drawn in by Tina Marie's dance that they are willing to give up material possessions for her.
Cause the way you do that thing, oooh
Take away all my misery, (I'm gonna squeeze my baby too)
Explaining once again how the dance makes the artist feel better and how it affects their relationship with their partner.
[Guitar Solo]
Another instrumental break in the song.
Tina Marie, girl won?t you take my hand
Tina Marie, girl please take my hand
You got me so confused, but I think that I want to be your man
The artist wants to take their relationship with Tina Marie to the next level and be her significant other.
Contributed by Alexandra M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.