A graduate of St. Andrew's School, Wainwright is best known for a 1972 novelty song hit Dead Skunk (in the Middle of the Road), with pianist Teddy Wender and for playing Captain Spalding (the "singing surgeon") on three episodes of the American television show M*A*S*H in its third season (1974-1975), but his musical reputation is much deeper. Using a witty, self-mocking style, Wainwright has recorded over twenty albums on eleven different labels. Two of his albums have been nominated for Grammy awards.
He is also a regular actor in Judd Apatow movies. His biggest role was playing the father on Judd's show, Undeclared.
In 2012 his latest offering Older Than My Old Man Now was released.
Official website : http://www.lwiii.com/
Kings and Queens
Loudon Wainwright III Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can drink in Connecticut
You're a year older than the Princess Anne
I don't mean it as an unkind cut
I'll never catch King Hailie Selassie
And you'll never catch Princess Grace
No monarchy was to bequeathed to we
At times I feel like the Tutankhamun
Won't you be my Nefertiti tonight?
Hey, stock up on them tanna leaves
Because the mummy's got to see the light
Ah, Napoleon had his Jospehine
And Pocahontas had her Captain Smith
Hey, Queen Isabella, Ferdinand was a fella
But on Columbus she bestowed her gift
I am the king of the hully-gully
And you are the queen of slop
Doing the hand-jive on the telly
Let's go to the hop
Oh baby, I'm as old as the King of Sweden
I can drink in Connecticut
You're a year older than the Princess Anne
I don't mean it as an unkind cut
In the opening verse of Loudon Wainwright III's "Kings and Queens," there are several references to royalty - Kings, Queens, Princesses, and Monarchs. The singer uses irony to share how he and his lover are both getting older, just like the members of royalty mentioned. The singer uses examples of real-life royalty to highlight the fleeting nature of time and how it affects everyone - even the powerful monarchs. He ends the first verse by saying that he hopes that he and his partner will find their place, implying that even though they may not be royalty, they are searching for their own legacy and place in the world.
In the following verses, the singer references historical figures like Tutankhamun and Nefertiti as a metaphor for his and his lover's relationship, highlighting the importance of finding a partner who complements them. He also mentions other famous couples such as Napoleon and Josephine, Pocahontas and Captain Smith, and Queen Isabella and Ferdinand. These are all examples of how powerful people throughout history have found partners who have encouraged, supported, and loved them. The final verse is a call to action - the singer wants his lover to dance with him and enjoy the moment rather than dwelling on getting older.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm as old as the King of Sweden
I am getting old like the King of Sweden
I can drink in Connecticut
I am legally allowed to drink in Connecticut
You're a year older than the Princess Anne
You are older than Princess Anne by a year
I don't mean it as an unkind cut
I didn't say it to hurt you
I'll never catch King Hailie Selassie
I'll never reach the level of King Hailie Selassie
And you'll never catch Princess Grace
You'll never be like Princess Grace
No monarchy was to bequeathed to we
We weren't given any monarchy
But I'm a-hoping that we'll find our place
But I hope we'll find our path in life
At times I feel like the Tutankhamun
Sometimes I feel like an Egyptian pharaoh like Tutankhamun
Won't you be my Nefertiti tonight?
Will you be my queen tonight?
Hey, stock up on them tanna leaves
Get some tanna leaves to smoke
Because the mummy's got to see the light
Because the dead need to come back to life
Ah, Napoleon had his Jospehine
Napoleon had his love Jospehine
And Pocahontas had her Captain Smith
Pocahontas was in love with Captain Smith
Hey, Queen Isabella, Ferdinand was a fella
Queen Isabella had her king Ferdinand
But on Columbus she bestowed her gift
But Columbus was her favorite explorer
I am the king of the hully-gully
I am the best at dancing the hully-gully
And you are the queen of slop
You are the best at doing the slop dance
Doing the hand-jive on the telly
Doing the hand-jive dance on TV
Let's go to the hop
Let's go to the dance
Oh baby, I'm as old as the King of Sweden
Oh baby, I'm getting old like the King of Sweden
I can drink in Connecticut
I'm allowed to drink in Connecticut legally
You're a year older than the Princess Anne
You are one year older than Princess Anne
I don't mean it as an unkind cut
I didn't say it to hurt you
Contributed by Jordan F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.