Take a Whiff on Me
Lead Belly (Huddie Ledbetter) Lyrics
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Tryin' to bum a nickle, just to buy cocaine
Ho, ho, honey take a whiff on me.
Take a whiff on me, take a whiff on me
And everybody, take a whiff on me.
Ho, ho, honey take a whiff on me.
Sign in the window said: "No more coke".
Ho, ho, honey take a whiff on me.
Take a whiff on me, take a whiff on me
And everybody, take a whiff on me.
Ho, ho, honey take a whiff on me.
Goin' up State Street, comin' down Main
Lookin' for the woman that uses cocaine.
Ho, ho, honey take a whiff on me.
Take a whiff on me, take a whiff on me
And everybody, take a whiff on me.
Ho, ho, honey take a whiff on me.
I'se got a nickle, you'se got a dime...
You buy the coke and I'll buy the wine.
Ho, ho, honey take a whiff on me.
Take a whiff on me, take a whiff on me
And everybody, take a whiff on me.
Ho, ho, honey take a whiff on me.
The blacker the berry, the sweeter the juice
Takes a brown-skinned woman, for my particular use.
Ho, ho, honey take a whiff on me.
Take a whiff on me, take a whiff on me
And everybody, take a whiff on me.
Ho, ho, honey take a whiff on me.
Cocaine's for horses and not for men
Doctors sat t'will kill you but they don't say when.
Ho, ho, honey take a whiff on me.
Take a whiff on me, take a whiff on me
And everybody, take a whiff on me.
Ho, ho, honey take a whiff on me.
Whiff-a-ree and whiff-a-rye
Gonna keep on a whiffin' boys, 'till I die.
Ho, ho, honey take a whiff on me.
Lead Belly's song "Take a Whiff On Me" is a commentary on drug addiction, specifically cocaine. The lyrics depict a man walking the streets, trying to beg for money to buy cocaine. He goes from place to place, hoping to find someone who can help him acquire the drug. The repeated refrain of "Take a whiff on me" is an invitation to join him in his addiction.
The verses detail various encounters the man has on his search for cocaine. He visits Mr. Lehman's store, which has a sign in the window declaring that they no longer sell cocaine. He also mentions looking for a woman who uses cocaine. The final verse touches on the dangers of cocaine, referring to the saying that "cocaine's for horses and not for men." Despite this warning, the man continues to search for the drug.
Line by Line Meaning
Walked up Ellum and I come down Main
I wandered around the streets of the city, trying to find something.
Tryin' to bum a nickle, just to buy cocaine
I was looking for someone to give me five cents to purchase cocaine.
Ho, ho, honey take a whiff on me.
Hey, hey, woman, let me show you my cocaine.
Went to Mr. Lehman's on a lope
I went to Mr. Lehman's place in a hurry.
Sign in the window said: "No more coke".
There was a sign in Mr. Lehman's window saying that there was no more cocaine.
Goin' up State Street, comin' down Main
I went up State Street and then came down Main Street.
Lookin' for the woman that uses cocaine.
I was searching for a woman who uses cocaine.
I'se got a nickle, you'se got a dime...
I have five cents and you have ten cents...
You buy the coke and I'll buy the wine.
You can buy the cocaine, and I'll purchase the wine.
The blacker the berry, the sweeter the juice
I prefer dark-skinned women for sexual pleasure.
Takes a brown-skinned woman, for my particular use.
I need a brown-skinned woman for my sexual satisfaction.
Cocaine's for horses and not for men
Cocaine is harmful and should not be consumed by humans.
Doctors say it'll kill you but they don't say when.
Doctors warn about the danger of cocaine but don't specify when it will happen.
Whiff-a-ree and whiff-a-rye
Sniffing cocaine repeatedly.
Gonna keep on a whiffin' boys, 'till I die.
I'm going to keep sniffing cocaine until I die.
Take a whiff on me, take a whiff on me
Join me in sniffing cocaine.
And everybody, take a whiff on me.
Everyone should join me in sniffing cocaine.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: STEFAN GROSSMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind