Old 97's have been heralded as a great live band. They included five live songs as a bonus disc on Satellite Rides, and released a live double CD set recorded at historic Gruene Hall in 2005, Alive and Wired. Singer/guitarist Rhett Miller has released three solo albums and singer/bassist Murry Hammond released his first solo effort in April 2008. Ken Bethea plays lead guitar for the band and playing the drums/singing is Philip Peeples.
For photographs and additional information see the official website, www.Old97s.com.
Doreen
Old 97's Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She was barely seventeen
She was drinking whiskey sours in the bar
The way she tossed 'em back
I would've had a heart attack
But as it is I let her drive my car
Like a pair of horny thoroughbreds
Until I said, "Stop the car, Doreen"
Well, you can roll your eyes and nod
But I swear that I saw God in the moonlight
On a side street in the wreckage we call Queens
Doreen, Doreen, last night, I had an awful dream
You were laying in the arms of a man I'd never seen
Come clean, Doreen, come clean, Doreen
Well, I'm pulling into Cleveland
In a seven-seater tour van
There's eight of us, so I'm sleeping on the floor
The guy that plays the banjo
Keeps on handing me the old crow
Which multiplies my sorrow, I can't take it anymore
Doreen, Doreen, last night, I had an awful dream
You were laying in the arms of a man I'd never seen
Come clean Doreen, come clean, Doreen
Now I'm begging and I'm pleading
"Well pull over guys, I'm bleeding
There's a fina off the highway with a phone"
I'm calling you, Doreen
But it rings and rings and rings
Where is it that you are, if you aren't in our bed at home
Doreen, Doreen, last night, I had an awful dream
You were laying in the arms of a man I'd never seen
Come clean, Doreen, come clean, Doreen
The song "Doreen" by the Old 97's tells the story of the singer's complicated relationship with a young woman named Doreen. The song opens with a description of how they first met in a bar when Doreen was just seventeen years old. The way she drinks whiskey sours makes the singer feel like he would have a heart attack. Nevertheless, he lets her drive his car and they race through the streets of Queens until they stop and witness something special together.
The chorus of the song reveals the singer's jealousy and paranoia about Doreen's fidelity. He has a dream that she's lying in the arms of another man and he asks her to come clean about her infidelity. The second verse depicts the singer's current state, touring around the country with his bandmates. He's on tour in Cleveland and is feeling overwhelmed and lonely, turning to alcohol to ease his pain. He begs Doreen to answer his phone call but it keeps ringing without an answer, suggesting that she's not where she's supposed to be.
Overall, "Doreen" is a song about a complicated and volatile relationship that's plagued by doubts, fears, and misunderstandings. It's a story of young love that burns bright but fizzles out, leaving the singer with a sense of loss and regret.
Line by Line Meaning
When I first met Doreen
At the beginning of our story, I met Doreen
She was barely seventeen
Doreen was very young when I met her
She was drinking whiskey sours in the bar
At the time of our first encounter, Doreen was drinking whiskey sours at a bar
The way she tossed 'em back
She drank her drinks quickly and easily
I would've had a heart attack
Her behavior was so bold that it caused me to feel overwhelmed
But as it is I let her drive my car
Despite my initial reaction, I allowed Doreen to drive my car
We galloped through the boroughs
We moved quickly and excitedly through different areas
Like a pair of horny thoroughbreds
Our behavior was animalistic and driven by desire
Until I said, "Stop the car, Doreen"
I had to demand that she end our wild ride
Well, you can roll your eyes and nod
I anticipate some skepticism to what I am about to say
But I swear that I saw God in the moonlight
Despite how it may sound, I saw something truly divine in a moment of our adventure
On a side street in the wreckage we call Queens
This divine moment occurred in a lesser-known area filled with destruction
Doreen, Doreen, last night, I had an awful dream
I am haunted by a disturbing dream I had about Doreen
You were laying in the arms of a man I'd never seen
In my dream, Doreen was being held by a stranger
Come clean, Doreen, come clean, Doreen
I need Doreen to tell me the truth about what occurred in my dream
Well, I'm pulling into Cleveland
Now I am in Cleveland
In a seven-seater tour van
I am in a van that seats seven people
There's eight of us, so I'm sleeping on the floor
Since there are eight people in the van, I have to sleep on the floor
The guy that plays the banjo
One of the people on this trip is a banjo player
Keeps on handing me the old crow
This banjo player keeps giving me alcohol
Which multiplies my sorrow, I can't take it anymore
Drinking more alcohol only makes me feel worse and I cannot continue
Now I'm begging and I'm pleading
I am desperate and imploring
"Well pull over guys, I'm bleeding
I urgently need to stop the van because I am injured
There's a fina off the highway with a phone"
I know of a gas station off the highway where I can use a phone
I'm calling you, Doreen
I reach out to Doreen during this difficult situation
But it rings and rings and rings
The phone seems to go unanswered
Where is it that you are, if you aren't in our bed at home
I cannot understand where Doreen is if she is not at home with me
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: BETHEA, HAMMOND, MILLER, PEEPLES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind