Katrina
North Mississippi Allstars Anders Osborne Lyrics

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First time I met you
You blew me away
And even though you′re gone
You're going to stay
Hey, your memory lingers on
Why you had to do me so wrong?
Talk about wrecking
A perfectly happy home

You got some kind of nerve, girl
To come on that strong
You know damn well
Oh, I never never asked you to come along
Yeah you pushed me
And you pulled me
And you tore my heart apart
Yeah you shook me
And you took me
And you left me all alone in the dark
Oh, Katrina
What have you done?
Oh, my sweet Crescent City
It′s almost gone
Since you came along
Babe, I just can't go home
{Instrumental}
Yeah you pushed me
And you pulled me
Oh and you tore my heart apart
Yeah you shook me
And you took me
And you left me all alone in the dark
Oh, Katrina
What have you done?
Everything I love is almost gone

Since you came along
Babe, I just can't go home

Overall Meaning

The song "Katrina" by North Mississippi Allstars Anders Osborne is a reflection on the destruction caused by the hurricane that devastated New Orleans in 2005. In the first verse, the singer talks about the first time he met Katrina, which is a metaphor for the hurricane, and how it "blew him away". Now that she's gone, she's still going to stay through the memories of the destruction that happened. The chorus questions why Katrina had to do him, and New Orleans, so wrong. It's clear that this natural disaster has had a significant impact on the singer and his community as he talks about the wreckage it has caused to a happy home, and how it's left him all alone in the dark.

The second verse continues the feeling of heartbreak and destruction. The singer describes how Katrina pushed, pulled and tore his heart apart. The hurricane has taken everything that he loves almost gone, including his sweet Crescent City. The final line highlights that after such devastation, the singer is unable to go home. The instrumentals in the middle of the song provide a moment of reflection and time to absorb the emotions of what has been described. Overall, the song is a powerful reflection on the devastation that natural disasters can have on people's lives and communities.

Line by Line Meaning

First time I met you
When I first encountered you

You blew me away
I was very impressed by you

And even though you′re gone
Although you are no longer here

You're going to stay
Your impact remains

Hey, your memory lingers on
Your presence is still felt

Why you had to do me so wrong?
Why did you hurt me?

Talk about wrecking
Discussing the destruction caused

A perfectly happy home
A home that was previously content

You got some kind of nerve, girl
You displayed incredible audacity

To come on that strong
To be so forceful

You know damn well
You are fully aware