Saxophonist Sam Butera (August 17, 1927 – June 3, 2009) is best known for… Read Full Bio ↴Saxophonist Sam Butera (August 17, 1927 – June 3, 2009) is best known for the time he spent backing Louis Prima and Keely Smith. He started his career in New Orleans, but moved to Las Vegas in the early 50's when Louis Prima called his brother desperately needing a band to back him at The Sahara's Casbar Lounge. Leaving behind the Shim Sham club and New Orleans, he brought the rollicking New Orleans Rock n Roll sound to Las Vegas and stayed active in show biz throughout the ensuing decades. A dynamic and active septuagenarian, Butera continued to play regularly the clubs on the Vegas strip and occasional tour forays into the early millennium.

Kansas City
Sam Butera Lyrics

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I'm going to Kansas City, Kansas City here I come
I'm going to Kansas City, Kansas City here I come
They got a crazy way of loving there
And I'm gonna get me some.

I'll be standing on the corner
On the corner of Twelfth Street and Vine
I'm gonna be standing on the corner

On the corner of Twelfth Street and Vine
With my Kansas City baby
And a bottle of Kansas City wine.

Well I might take a train
I might take a plane, but if I have to walk
I'm gonna get there just the same
I'm going to Kansas City, Kansas City here I come
They got a crazy way of loving there
And I'm gonna get me some.

I'm gonna pack my clothes
Leave at the break of dawn
I'm gonna pack my clothes
Everybody will be sleeping
Nobody will know where I've gone
Cause if I stay in town
I know I'm gonna die.
Gotta find a friendly city
And that's the reason why,
I'm going to Kansas City
Kansas City here I come

They got a crazy way of loving there
And I'm gonna get me some.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Sam Butera's "Kansas City" express a man's excitement to head to Kansas City, a place renowned for its "crazy way of loving." He plans to stand on the corner of Twelfth Street and Vine with his "Kansas City baby" and a bottle of "Kansas City wine." He's willing to travel via train, plane or even on foot to get there because he knows he's going to find the kind of love he's been searching for. The song expresses a longing for adventure, a desire to seek out new experiences and to find love in a place where it's known to be wild and free.

Essentially, the song is about the attraction of the unknown, of going to a new and exciting place where anything can happen. The line "Nobody will know where I've gone, Cause if I stay in town, I know I'm gonna die" highlights this feeling of needing to break out of the monotony of everyday life and take a chance at something exciting. In a way, the song is a celebration of the adventurous spirit that drives us all to seek out new experiences, even if it means leaving behind the comforts of home.

Line by Line Meaning

I'm going to Kansas City, Kansas City here I come
I am excited to travel to Kansas City

They got a crazy way of loving there And I'm gonna get me some.
I have heard that people in Kansas City have a unique and exciting style of love and I want to experience it for myself.

I'll be standing on the corner On the corner of Twelfth Street and Vine I'm gonna be standing on the corner On the corner of Twelfth Street and Vine With my Kansas City baby And a bottle of Kansas City wine.
I plan to meet my lover on a specific street corner in Kansas City with some local wine to share.

Well I might take a train I might take a plane, but if I have to walk I'm gonna get there just the same
I am determined to make it to Kansas City no matter the cost or method of transportation.

I'm gonna pack my clothes Leave at the break of dawn I'm gonna pack my clothes Everybody will be sleeping Nobody will know where I've gone Cause if I stay in town I know I'm gonna die. Gotta find a friendly city And that's the reason why,
I am leaving quietly and early in the morning to avoid drawing attention to my departure, as staying in my current town is a risk to my life, and I am in search of a welcoming and safe environment.

I'm going to Kansas City Kansas City here I come They got a crazy way of loving there And I'm gonna get me some.
Once again, I express my excitement to visit and explore the unique love styles of Kansas City.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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