Ride 'em Jewboy
Kinky Friedman gelesen von Wiglaf Droste Lyrics
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Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh,
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh.
Ride, ride ¡®em jewboy,
Ride ¡®em all around the old corral.
I'm, I'm with you boy
Now the smokes from camps are rising
See the helpless creatures on their way.
Hey, old pal, ain't it surprising
How far you can go before you stay.
Don't you let the morning blind ya
When on your sleeve you wore the yeller star.
Old memories still live behind ya,
Can't you see by your outfit who you are.
How long will you be driven relentless ¡®round the world,
The blood in the rhythm of the soul.
Wild ponies all your dreams were broken,
Rounded out and made to move along.
The loneliness which can't be spoken
Just swings a rope and rides inside a song.
Dead limbs play with ringless fingers
A melody which burns you deep inside.
Oh, how the song becomes the singers,
May peace be ever with you as you ride.
How long will you be driven relentless around the world,
The blood in the rhythm of the soul.
In the window candles glowing
Remind you that today you are a child,
Road ahead, forever rolling,
And anything worth cryin' can be smiled.
So ride, ride ¡®em jewboy,
Ride ¡®em all around the old corral.
I'm, I'm with you boy
If I've got to ride six million miles.
Ooh ooh ooh,
Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh.
Ooh ooh ooh,
Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh.
The lyrics of 'Ride 'em Jewboy' by Kinky Friedman are full of powerful and poignant imagery that speaks to the Jewish experience, particularly during the Holocaust. The song is an ode to those who have suffered oppression and persecution, and urges them to persevere through their struggles. The chorus, "Ride, ride 'em Jewboy, ride 'em all around the old corral," can be seen as a metaphor for enduring hardship and continuing to move forward despite the obstacles in your path.
The first verse references the smoke rising from concentration camps and the "helpless creatures" being sent to their deaths. The singer assures the Jewboy that he is with him, even if they have to ride six million miles (a reference to the estimated number of Jewish people killed in the Holocaust).
The second verse urges the Jewboy to remember his past and his identity, even as he is being driven around the world. The line "Can't you see by your outfit who you are" suggests that even if the Jewboy's oppressors try to strip him of his identity, his heritage and culture cannot be erased.
The final verse offers hope and encouragement to the Jewboy, reminding him that even in the darkest of times, there is always a reason to keep moving forward. The line "Anything worth cryin' can be smiled" suggests that even though there may be pain and suffering, there is always a reason to find joy and hope in life.
Line by Line Meaning
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh,
Expressing excitement and anticipation for what's to come.
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh.
Continuation of the excitement and anticipation.
Ride, ride 'em jewboy,
Encouraging the singer to keep going despite the odds.
Ride 'em all around the old corral.
Encouraging the artist to make the most of their situation.
I'm, I'm with you boy
Assuring the artist that they're not alone.
If I've got to ride six million miles.
Willingness to support and stick with the singer for the long haul.
Now the smokes from camps are rising
Alluding to the horrors of the Holocaust.
See the helpless creatures on their way.
Referring to the victims of the Holocaust being led to their deaths.
Hey, old pal, ain't it surprising
Recognizing the shock and disbelief of the atrocities that were committed.
How far you can go before you stay.
Reflecting on the power of denial and the ability to distance oneself from reality.
Don't you let the morning blind ya
Warning against being blinded by optimism and refusing to acknowledge reality.
When on your sleeve you wore the yeller star.
Referencing the yellow Star of David that Jewish people were forced to wear during Nazi occupation.
Old memories still live behind ya,
Acknowledging that the trauma of the past can never fully be left behind.
Can't you see by your outfit who you are.
The singer's identity as a Jew is evident and cannot be erased or ignored.
How long will you be driven relentless 'round the world,
Questioning how long the work of repairing the harms of the past will continue.
The blood in the rhythm of the soul.
Emphasizing the deep emotional and psychological impact of traumatic events.
Wild ponies all your dreams were broken,
Alluding to the untamed and free nature of dreams being destroyed by trauma.
Rounded out and made to move along.
Trauma shaping a person and forcing them to conform to societal expectations.
The loneliness which can't be spoken
The isolating and inexpressible nature of trauma.
Just swings a rope and rides inside a song.
The artist's pain is expressed and released through music.
Dead limbs play with ringless fingers
Metaphor for a person being reduced to a lifeless body by trauma.
A melody which burns you deep inside.
The emotional intensity of the music being a cathartic release.
Oh, how the song becomes the singers,
The music becomes a part of the person performing it, reflecting their innermost self.
May peace be ever with you as you ride.
Wishing for the artist to find peace despite the hardships they face.
In the window candles glowing
Suggesting a sense of comfort from a symbolic source.
Remind you that today you are a child,
Encouraging the singer to hold onto a sense of childlike innocence and wonder despite their hardships.
Road ahead, forever rolling,
Acknowledging that the future is uncertain and constantly changing.
And anything worth cryin' can be smiled.
Encouraging the artist to find joy in seemingly negative experiences.
Ooh ooh ooh,
Ending the song with the same excitement and anticipation with which it began.
Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh.
Continuation of the excitement and anticipation.
Ooh ooh ooh,
Ending the song with the same excitement and anticipation with which it began.
Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh.
Continuation of the excitement and anticipation.
Contributed by Joseph L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.