Papa's Got A Brand New Bag
Otis Redding Lyrics


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Come here sister
Papa's in the thing
Ain't you hip, of that new green thing
It ain't no drag
Papa's got a brand new bag

It's gone berserk
He's going to fly
Don't playing cheap
You know he's not shy
Imagnitate her, the alligator
Jump back Jack, see you later alligator

Come here sister
Papa's in the thing
Ain't you hip, now, of that new green thing, ha
Ain't no drag
Papa's bought himself a brand new bag

Au, come on, hey hey, come on
It's out of sight
He's uptight, come on and groove
Know you're out of sight
Papa, got it, got it, soul man, soul, groove
He's uptight, Mr. Pity that's my name
Got it, yeah

He's gonna twist
He's doing the fly
Don't playing cheap
You know he's not shy
Imagnitate her, the alligator
Jump back Jack, see you later alligator

Come here sister
Papa's in the thing
Ain't you hip, of that new green thing
Ain't no drag
My man has got a brand new bag





Come on, hey hey, come in
Come in, got it

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Otis Redding's song "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" are about Papa, who has just acquired a new style, a new way of moving or dancing. The repetitive phrase "Papa's got a brand new bag" is used to reinforce this idea throughout the song. This new style is described as "red hot," and "gone berserk." And despite the newness of the style, Papa has clearly already mastered it, as he cuts a cool, confident figure on the dance floor. The song's lyrics also imply that this new style is a sign of cultural change - something that is unambiguously cool, and that will be embraced by young people all over the world.


The use of the phrase "the alligator" also seems to be a reference to a particular dance move, although it is not clear what that move might be. The repeated use of the phrase "jump back Jack, see you later alligator" could be seen as a way to encourage listeners to get up and dance - to jump back and forth, and wave their arms around in the air. The overall impression created by the lyrics is of a funky, high-energy party vibe, designed to get people moving and grooving.


Line by Line Meaning

Come here sister
Hey, listen up!


Papa's in the thing
Dad's got some cool new stuff


Ain't you hip, of that new green thing
Haven't you heard about this amazing new trend?


It ain't no drag
It's awesome!


Papa's got a brand new bag
Dad's got a new style


It's gone berserk
It's really caught on


He's going to fly
He's really excited about it


Don't playing cheap
Don't underestimate it


You know he's not shy
Dad's not afraid to show it off


Imagnitate her, the alligator
Imagine, it's like comparing a brand new style to an alligator


Jump back Jack, see you later alligator
This is so cool, it's like saying 'see you later' to an alligator


It's out of sight
This is sensational!


He's uptight, come on and groove
He's really into it, let's dance!


Know you're out of sight
You're also amazing for getting into this trend


Papa, got it, got it, soul man, soul, groove
Dad's rocking this new style with so much soul and groove


He's uptight, Mr. Pity that's my name
He's so cool, that it makes me pity myself


Got it, yeah
This new style is a hit, for sure


He's gonna twist
He's really getting into the dance moves


He's doing the fly
He's doing some really cool moves


My man has got a brand new bag
My dad's got a new style that's totally unique to him


Come on, hey hey, come in
Join the fun, we're all getting into this new cool style!


Come in, got it
Once you get a taste of this new style, you're going to be hooked




Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JAMES BROWN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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