Little House
Peetie Wheatstraw Lyrics


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Little House (I'm Gonna Chase These Peppers) Trk 12 Disc 1 2: 42
Peetie Wheatstraw
(Bunch)
Peetie Wheatstraw - vocal, Kokomo Arnold - gtr, unk sbs
Recorded: Oct 26, 1936 Decca 7257
Album: Peetie Wheatstraw Essentials Album
Allego Classic Blues cbl 200037
The little house over yonder
With the do's all painted green
The little house over yonder
With the do's all painted green
That's my little woman's house near the corner
Woo-well-well, where you don't see no screen

My cat is got the measles
Dog is got the whooping cough
My cat is got the measles
An my dog got the whooping cough
You might as well to be's the woman
Ooo-well-well, because I'm gonna be you boss

You can always tell
When your woman is gonna throw you down
You can always tell
When your woman gon' throw you down
She's always got business
Woo-well-well, on the other side of town

Now, I ain't gon' marry
An I ain't gon' settle down
I ain't gon' marry
An I ain't gon' settle down
I'm going to stay right here
Woo-well-well, an run these peppers down

I am going to Chicago
To get my ham bone boiled
I am going to Chicago
An get my ham bone boiled
Because these St. Louis women
Woo-well, going to let my ham bone spoil.





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Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Peetie Wheatstraw's song Little House are about a man's determination to assert his independence and autonomy, both in his personal life and in his relationships with women. The song opens with a description of a little house near the corner, which belongs to the singer's woman. He notes that the doors are painted green, and that there are no screens to be seen. This attention to detail may suggest a sense of longing or nostalgia on the part of the singer, who may be reminiscing about a past relationship.


As the song continues, the singer talks about his cat having the measles and his dog having the whooping cough. These lines might be interpreted as a metaphor for the disarray and chaos in his life. Despite these setbacks, however, the singer is determined to be the boss and take charge of his own fate. He states that he is not going to settle down or get married, but that he will stay right where he is and chase these peppers down.


The final lines of the song suggest that the singer is leaving town, perhaps to start a new life. He is going to Chicago to get his ham bone boiled, because he knows that the women in St. Louis will let it spoil. This line may be interpreted as a metaphor for the singer's desire for change and renewal.


Overall, Little House is a song about a man's quest for independence and autonomy, despite the setbacks and difficulties he may face along the way.


Line by Line Meaning

The little house over yonder With the do's all painted green The little house over yonder With the do's all painted green That's my little woman's house near the corner Woo-well-well, where you don't see no screen
Peetie is talking about the little green house near the corner, which belongs to his girlfriend. She lives there with him and you can easily recognize the house due to its green painted doors, but there are no screens on the windows.


My cat is got the measles Dog is got the whooping cough My cat is got the measles An my dog got the whooping cough You might as well to be's the woman Ooo-well-well, because I'm gonna be you boss
Peetie says that his cat has the measles and his dog has the whooping cough, but he is not bothered because he is going to be the boss of his woman. He implies that his woman should be worried about his domination over her.


You can always tell When your woman is gonna throw you down You can always tell When your woman gon' throw you down She's always got business Woo-well-well, on the other side of town
Peetie believes that you can sense it when your woman starts becoming distant. You can tell when she is going to 'throw you down.' He says that women always have business on the other side of town or are always up to something.


Now, I ain't gon' marry An I ain't gon' settle down I ain't gon' marry An I ain't gon' settle down I'm going to stay right here Woo-well-well, an run these peppers down
Peetie has no interest in getting married or settling down. He prefers to stay where he is and focus on his business of cultivating peppers.


I am going to Chicago To get my ham bone boiled I am going to Chicago An get my ham bone boiled Because these St. Louis women Woo-well, going to let my ham bone spoil.
Peetie plans to go to Chicago to get his ham bone boiled. He is doing this because he feels that St. Louis women are not reliable and he doesn't want them to ruin his food.




Contributed by Parker B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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