Lyle Lovett is an americana singer-songwriter and actor from Klein, Texas, … Read Full Bio ↴Lyle Lovett is an americana singer-songwriter and actor from Klein, Texas, who has been described as "the thinking man's cowboy". While typically associated with the alt-country genre, his albums typically incorporate folk, swing, blues, jazz and gospel music as well as more traditional country & western styles. The Night's Lullaby Songfacts reports that after twenty-six years with Curb, Lyle Lovett released his eleventh and last album for the record label, Release Me, on February 28, 2012. The record is mainly made up of covers that Lovett has played, but never got round to recording.

The four-time Grammy winner has acted in a number of films and been a guest-star on television. Lovett was married to actress Julia Roberts for a short time in the mid-1990s. In 2002, he was gored by a bull while working on his uncle's farm in Texas, but soon recovered and resumed touring.

What'd I Say
Lyle Lovett Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Hey Momma don't you treat me wrong
Come and love ya daddy all night long (Alright now-Hey Hey-Alright)

See the girl with the diamond ring
She knows how to shake that thing (Alright now-Hey Hey)
Tell ya Momma
Tel Ya Pa
Gonna send ya back to Arkansas

Oh Yes Maam - If you don't do right - If you don't do right

When ya see me in a misery
Come o' here and sit by me (Oh Yeah Yeah - Alright - Alright)

See the girl with the red dress on
She can do the "Birdland" all night long Yeah Yeah
- What I Say - Alright - Well

Tell me what I say "right now"
(Tell me what I say) [x6]

'cause I want to know (Baby I want to know )
Baby I want to know (Baby I want to know )
Said that I want to know (Baby I want to know )
Said that I want to know (Baby I want to know )
Said that I want to know (Baby I want to know )
Baby I want to know (Baby I want to know )

Hey (Hey) - Oh (Oh) - Hey (Hey) - Oh (Oh)
Hey (Hey) - Oh (Oh) - shorter

Tel me one more time (Just a one more time )
Tel me one more time (Just a one more time )
Just a one more time, right now (Just a one more time )
Tel me one more time (Just a one more time )
Tel me one more time (Just a one more time )
Tel me one more time (Just a one more time )

Hey (Hey) - Oh (Oh) - Hey (Hey) - Oh (Oh)
Hey (Hey) - Oh (Oh) - shorter

Maybe feel so good (Back Vocal:Baby feel so good)
Make me feel so good (Baby me feel so good)
Make me feel so good (Baby feel so good)
Make me feel so good (Baby me feel so good)
Make me feel so good (Baby me feel so good)
Make me feel so good (Make me feel so good)

Baby Shake that thing (Baby shake that thing)
Baby Shake that thing (Baby sha

Overall Meaning

Lyle Lovett's song "What'd I Say" is a fast-paced, upbeat track about enjoying a night out with lively music and dancing. The singer begins by calling out to his mother, asking her not to treat him wrong, and inviting her to love her daddy all night long. He then sings about a girl wearing a diamond ring who knows how to shake that thing, and another girl in a red dress who can do the "Birdland" dance all night long. The lyrics are quite repetitive, and the singer repeats the phrases "Tell ya Momma, Tell Ya Pa, Gonna send ya back to Arkansas" and "Tell Me What I Say" multiple times throughout the song. Overall, the song has a fun, carefree tone, with a focus on dancing and having a good time.

Line by Line Meaning

Hey Momma don't you treat me wrong Come and love ya daddy all night long (Alright now-Hey Hey-Alright)
The singer asks his mother not to mistreat him and instead love him all night long.

See the girl with the diamond ring She knows how to shake that thing (Alright now-Hey Hey)
The singer observes a girl with a diamond ring who knows how to dance sensually.

Tell ya Momma Tel Ya Pa Gonna send ya back to Arkansas Oh Yes Maam - If you don't do right - If you don't do right
The singer warns that if someone doesn't behave, he will send them back to Arkansas after informing their parents.

When ya see me in a misery Come o' here and sit by me (Oh Yeah Yeah - Alright - Alright)
The singer asks someone to come and sit with him when he's feeling low.

See the girl with the red dress on She can do the "Birdland" all night long Yeah Yeah - What I Say - Alright - Well
The singer sees a girl in a red dress who can dance all night long and expresses his excitement by singing 'what I say.'

Tell me what I say "right now" (Tell me what I say) [x6] 'cause I want to know (Baby I want to know ) Baby I want to know (Baby I want to know ) Said that I want to know (Baby I want to know ) Said that I want to know (Baby I want to know ) Said that I want to know (Baby I want to know ) Baby I want to know (Baby I want to know )
The singer repeats 'tell me what I say' repeatedly and expresses his desire to want to know the answer, using the phrase 'baby I want to know.'

Hey (Hey) - Oh (Oh) - Hey (Hey) - Oh (Oh) Hey (Hey) - Oh (Oh) - shorter Tel me one more time (Just a one more time ) Tel me one more time (Just a one more time ) Just a one more time, right now (Just a one more time ) Tel me one more time (Just a one more time ) Tel me one more time (Just a one more time ) Tel me one more time (Just a one more time )
The singer repeats the phrases of the song and requests someone to tell him one more time.

Maybe feel so good (Back Vocal:Baby feel so good) Make me feel so good (Baby me feel so good) Make me feel so good (Baby feel so good) Make me feel so good (Baby me feel so good) Make me feel so good (Baby me feel so good) Make me feel so good (Make me feel so good)
The song describes how it feels so good to be around someone who can dance well.

Baby Shake that thing (Baby shake that thing) Baby Shake that thing (Baby sha
The singer repeats the phrase 'baby shake that thing' twice, encouraging someone to keep dancing.

Lyrics © Tratore, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Sentric Music, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Ray Charles

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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