Here Comes The Sun
Peter Pupping Lyrics
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Always danced with worn out shoes
The silver hair, a ragged shirt
And bare ragged paints
The old soft shoe
He jumps so high
He jumps so high and
Then he lightly touches down
i met him in a New orleans cafè
He was down and out
____________
I knew a man, Bojangles, and he danced for you
in worn out shoes.
With silver hair, a ragged shirt and baggy pants,
the old soft shoe.
He jumped so high, jumped so high, then he lightly touched down.
I met him in a cell in New Orleans, I was
so down and out.
He looked at me to be the eyes of age,
as he spoke right out.
He talked of life, he talked of life. He laughed, clicked heels instead.
Mister Bojangles
Mister Bojangles
Mister Bojangles,
dance!
He danced for those at minstrel shows and county fairs
throughout the South.
He spoke with tears of fifteen years how his dog and he
traveled about.
His dog up and died, dog up and died, after twentyyears he still grieved.
He said, I dance now at every chance in honky tonks
for drinks and tips.
But most of the time I spend behind these county bars.
He said, I drink a bit.
He shook his head and as he shook his head I heard someone ask, please
Mister Bojangles
Mister Bojangles
Mister Bojangles,
dance!
The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band was formed early 1966 with roots in folk and country music. After four LP, of which only the first had charted briefly, the band decided to break up. In June 1969, however, the band come back together with the single "Mr. Bojangles" by Jerry Jeff Walker, their only top 10 hit.
The song "Mr. Bojangles" by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band is a folk song that tells the story of a man named Bojangles, who is known for his worn-out shoes and ragged clothes but is also a skilled dancer. The lyrics paint a picture of a man who has had a tough life but still has a passion for dancing. The song describes how the singer meets Bojangles in a New Orleans cafe, where he is down on his luck but still manages to find joy in dancing. Bojangles shares stories of his life, including how he used to dance at minstrel shows and county fairs and how he grieved over the loss of his dog. Despite the difficulties he's faced, Bojangles still finds satisfaction in dancing at honky-tonks for drinks and tips. The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "Mister Bojangles, dance!" as a call to encourage Bojangles to keep dancing.
The song has been interpreted in various ways, with some seeing it as a tribute to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity, while others view it as a commentary on the harsh realities of life. The character of Bojangles has been rumored to be based on a real person, though the identity of this individual has never been confirmed.
Line by Line Meaning
I knew a man, Bojangles, and he danced for you
in worn out shoes.
This line describes the singer's knowledge of a man called Bojangles who would dance for people while wearing worn out shoes.
With silver hair, a ragged shirt and baggy pants,
the old soft shoe.
He jumped so high, jumped so high, then he lightly touched down.
Bojangles would wear ragged clothes and dance the old soft shoe. He could jump very high before landing lightly.
I met him in a cell in New Orleans, I was
so down and out.
He looked at me to be the eyes of age,
as he spoke right out.
When the singer met Bojangles, he was in a prison cell and feeling low. Bojangles looked old and wise and spoke to him candidly.
He talked of life, he talked of life. He laughed, clicked heels instead.
Bojangles spoke about life and laughed, but instead of clapping his hands, he clicked his heels together.
Mister Bojangles
Mister Bojangles
Mister Bojangles,
dance!
The artist is calling out to Bojangles, encouraging him to dance.
He danced for those at minstrel shows and county fairs
throughout the South.
He spoke with tears of fifteen years how his dog and he
traveled about.
Bojangles would perform at various events and spoke with sadness about how he and his dog had traveled around for fifteen years before the dog passed away.
His dog up and died, dog up and died, after twenty
years he still grieved.
Although Bojangles' dog had died twenty years ago, he still grieved deeply and spoke about it with emotion.
He said, I dance now at every chance in honky tonks
for drinks and tips.
But most of the time I spend behind these county bars.
He said, I drink a bit.
Bojangles now dances for drinks and tips in honky tonks but spends most of his time behind county bars. He admits to drinking occasionally.
He shook his head and as he shook his head I heard someone ask, please
Mister Bojangles
Mister Bojangles
Mister Bojangles,
dance!
Bojangles shook his head, and someone asked him to dance again.
The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band was formed early 1966 with roots in folk and country music. After four LP, of which only the first had charted briefly, the band decided to break up. In June 1969, however, the band come back together with the single "Mr. Bojangles" by Jerry Jeff Walker, their only top 10 hit.
This sentence provides background information on The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and how they had one top 10 hit with Jerry Jeff Walker's "Mr. Bojangles."
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JERRY JEFF WALKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind