Except for frontman Willy DeVille, the original members of the band played only on the first two albums ('Cabretta' and 'Return to Magenta'). For the remaining albums and for tours, Willy DeVille assembled musicians to play under the name Mink DeVille. After 1985, when Willy DeVille began recording and touring under his own name (saying that he felt tired of being referred to as 'Mink' after performances), his backup bands were sometimes called 'The Mink DeVille Band,' an allusion to the earlier 'Mink DeVille' group.
Lilly's Daddy's Cadillac
Mink DeVille Lyrics
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Lilly was standing on the corner
She waited there in front of the store
She waited there for an hour or two
Who knows, she maybe waited more
But nobody showed
So Lilly, she decided she go
In Lilly's Daddy's Cadillac
Lilly's man's name is Dan
He works in the back of a dirty book stand
His best friends know his mind
But nobody knows his plans
And nobody else
Knows what Danny boy got to sell
Lord, he rides tonight
In Lilly's Daddy's Cadillac
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
There was whispering in the dark
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
Yes, you're gonna get hurt someday
Well, it's not so hard to understand
It's the same old story
About supply and demand
He tried to go straight
He tried hard to learn
How you gonna do
When people beg to be burnt
In Lilly's Daddy's Cadillac
Now there was whispering about a meeting
But who they gonna meet this time
I heard someone got greedy, Lord
Pulled out a pistol
Said, "Lilly and Danny baby
It's the end of your line"
You know the shots rang clear
But no one was able to hear
Lord, they died that night
In Lilly's Daddy's Cadillac
The song 'Lilly's Daddy's Cadillac' by Mink DeVille tells the story of a woman named Lilly waiting on a street corner for her partner, Dan, to pick her up in her father's Cadillac. However, he doesn't show up and Lilly decides to take the car without Danny. The lyrics suggest that Danny is involved in shady dealings and is potentially a drug dealer or pimp, as he works in the back of a dirty book stand and nobody knows his plans except Lilly. Despite attempting to go straight and learn, Danny is unable to resist the temptation of his trade and continues to sell to those who beg to be hurt.
The song takes a tragic turn when there is whispering about a meeting, and Lilly and Danny are confronted by someone with a gun. The lyrics suggest that their greed has led to this violent encounter, and they die that night in Lilly's father's Cadillac. The lyrics suggest that Lilly and Danny's demise was inevitable due to their involvement in a dangerous underworld, where greed and temptation lead to violent consequences.
Overall, 'Lilly's Daddy's Cadillac' is a story of doomed love and the consequences of being caught up in a dangerous, criminal world. The lyrics are poetic and suggest a depth of emotion, as well as despair and hopelessness in the face of inevitable tragedy.
Line by Line Meaning
Lilly was standing on the corner
Lilly was waiting on the street corner
She waited there in front of the store
Her waiting spot was in front of a store
She waited there for an hour or two
She was there for a couple of hours waiting
Who knows, she maybe waited more
She could have waited for a longer time, who can say?
But nobody showed
No one came to meet her
So Lilly, she decided she go
Lilly decided to leave
And she rides tonight
She is going for a drive tonight
In Lilly's Daddy's Cadillac
She will be driving her father's Cadillac
Lilly's man's name is Dan
Lilly's partner is called Dan
He works in the back of a dirty book stand
Dan's job is at the back of a bookstore
His best friends know his mind
Only his close friends understand him
But nobody knows his plans
Dan keeps his plans secret from others
And nobody else
No one else apart from him
Knows what Danny boy got to sell
Knows about Dan's business transactions
Lord, he rides tonight
Dan is also going for a ride tonight
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
A sound expressing excitement
There was whispering in the dark
People were talking in secret
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
A sound expressing warning
Yes, you're gonna get hurt someday
A warning to Lilly and Dan that they will get hurt someday
Well, it's not so hard to understand
It's simple to understand
It's the same old story
It's a common tale
About supply and demand
A typically economic story
He tried to go straight
Dan tried to live an honest life
He tried hard to learn
He made an effort to acquire knowledge
How you gonna do
How will things work out?
When people beg to be burnt
People ask for trouble
Now there was whispering about a meeting
People were talking about a meeting
But who they gonna meet this time
The attendees of the meeting are unknown
I heard someone got greedy, Lord
I heard someone became greedy
Pulled out a pistol
The person took out a gun
Said, "Lilly and Danny baby
The person called out for Lilly and Dan
It's the end of your line"
It's the end of the road for you
You know the shots rang clear
Gunshots were heard loud and clear
But no one was able to hear
No one could hear what they said
Lord, they died that night
They passed away on that same night
In Lilly's Daddy's Cadillac
They were in the Cadillac when they died
Contributed by Matthew C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.