Muddy Water
Paul Whiteman & His Orchestra Lyrics


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Dixie moonlight, Swanee shore,
Headed home bound just once more
To my Mississippi Delta home.

Southland has that grand garden spot,
Although, you believe it or not,
I hear those breezes a-whispering, "Come on back to me!".
Muddy water round my feet,
Muddy water in the street,
Just Gods don't shelter
Down on the Delta!

Muddy water in my shoes,
Reelin' and rockin' to them low-down blues,
They live in comfort and ease down there,
I do declare!

Been away
A year today,
to wander and roam;
I don't care
It's muddy there,
But see, it's my home!

Got my toes turned Dixie way,




Round the Delta let me lay,
My heart cries out for muddy water!

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Paul Whiteman & His Orchestra's song "Muddy Water" are a nostalgic tribute to the Mississippi Delta region that the singer has been away from for a year. The opening verse sets the scene with references to the Dixie moonlight and the Swanee shore. The singer expresses a strong desire to return home to the Southland, which they describe as a grand garden spot despite the muddy water that surrounds it. The imagery of the whispering breezes creates a sense of longing and nostalgia as the singer yearns to return.


The chorus is a repetition of the phrase "Muddy water" which is used to describe the singer's surroundings. The muddy water is not just a physical presence around the singer's feet and in the street, but it is also a metaphor for the challenges and hardships of life in the Delta. The singer talks about how the Gods don't shelter down on the Delta, which may be a reference to the lack of protection from natural disasters like flooding. The final line of the chorus, "I do declare!", is a Southern expression of emphasis.


The final verse builds on the theme of the singer's strong emotional connection to the Delta, despite its challenges. The reference to the singer's toes turned Dixie way creates a sense of physical and emotional alignment with the region. The line "My heart cries out for muddy water" is a powerful expression of the singer's love and longing for home, even with all its difficulties.


Line by Line Meaning

Dixie moonlight, Swanee shore,
Under Dixie moonlight, on the banks of the Swanee River,


Headed home bound just once more
On my way back home for just one last time


To my Mississippi Delta home.
To my hometown in the Mississippi Delta region


Southland has that grand garden spot,
The Southern region of the US has an attractive and idyllic location,


Although, you believe it or not,
Even if you don't believe it,


I hear those breezes a-whispering, "Come on back to me!".
I can hear the winds whispering "Come back to your roots."


Muddy water round my feet,
My feet are covered with muddy water as I stand there,


Muddy water in the street,
The streets are filled with muddy water,


Just Gods don't shelter
Not even the Gods provide shelter,


Down on the Delta!
In the Delta region!


Muddy water in my shoes,
My shoes are filled with muddy water,


Reelin' and rockin' to them low-down blues,
I dance energetically to the blues music,


They live in comfort and ease down there,
People live happily down there


I do declare!
I say this with conviction!


Been away
I've been away from home,


A year today,
It's been a year exactly today,


to wander and roam;
Traveling around aimlessly;


I don't care
I'm not bothered,


It's muddy there,
Even though it's muddy there,


But see, it's my home!
That's where I belong, that's my home!


Got my toes turned Dixie way,
I'm headed in the direction of Dixie,


Round the Delta let me lay,
Let me stay in the Delta,


My heart cries out for muddy water!
My heart yearns for the familiar muddy waters of the Delta region!




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: HARRY RICHMAN, JO TRENT, PETER DEROSE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Barry I. Grauman

The birth of a great vocalist that spanned the 20th Century.

Darryl C Preston

Any Bing recording from the late twenties always seems to be a few years into the future. It's as if Bing saw it all ahead of time. I suspect his more rabid fans today [you know who you are] would accept that he had some kind of inside track on the future.

Richard Podnar

Can't listen to this classic without gettin' into some serious toe-tappin'!

Jourwalis -

Bing Crosby already in 1927! Unbelievble! How old was he then?

The78Prof

Bing was two months shy of his 24th birthday when he recorded this.

Trombonology Erstwhile

... And so began the Crosby revolution.
"The thing you have to understand about Bing Crosby is that he was the first hip white person born in the United States." -- Artie Shaw

Jim Jasion

...Also popular at the time of the catastrophic Mississippi Flood.

Darryl C Preston

On a completely different topic; great things happened when Louis Armstrong and Jimmie Rodgers got together. For this song, Louis, Jimmie, and Bing would have created an absolute classic mixture of New Orleans Jazz and Country Blues, because Bing was the perfect musical chameleon.

Charles Heath

TRY TO STAY ON TOPIC FOR GODS SAKES

Charles Heath

ELAINE: This Supreme Flounder, it says first time served in America. Is that
true?

OWNER: What number?

ELAINE: Forty-seven.

OWNER: Yeah, first time. What else?

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