Yellow Coat
Screamin' Jay Hawkins Lyrics


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A forty gallon hat
And some polka-dot shoes.
Tomato pickin' onion juice
To drive away my blues.
A bright red leather suit,
A trip in a motorboat,
And the strike I caused on the waterfront
When I fell outta my yellow coat.

Hey now, stick with it.
Aw baby don't quit it.
You know you're bound to git it.
Yes sir, made outta goat skin, foreskin
And layin' out in milk and gin.

The people quit the scene
Like the devil was loose.
The clouds turned green
And let down lemon juice.
What walks on two feet
And looks like a goat?
That crazy Screamin' Jay
In a bright yellow coat.

Hey now, stick with it.
Baby, baby don'tcha quit it.
Aw you're bound to git it.
Yes sir, made outta goat skin, foreskin
And layin' out in milk and gin.

I took a plane out midwest
To see my Uncle Joe.
We ran into some real bad weather,
Ice, rain and snow.




Fifty million bulldogs
Twenty mountain goats,
All gathered 'round at sundown
To see my yellow coat.

Hey now, stick with it.
No, no, no, no don'tcha dare quit it.
Hey, you're bound to git it.
Made outta goat skin, foreskin
And layin' out in milk and gin.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Screamin' Jay Hawkins's song "Yellow Coat" are a testament to the eccentricities and confidence of the artist. The song opens with the description of a forty-gallon hat, polka dot shoes, and tomato juice, which he claims drives away his blues. He goes on to describe a bright red leather suit, a motorboat trip, and causing a strike on the waterfront by falling out of his yellow coat. The chorus invites the listener to "stick with it" and promises that they will "git it," highlighting the perseverance and determination that the artist possesses. The lyrics also make reference to the composition of the coat, made of goat skin and foreskin, as well as laying out in milk and gin, further emphasizing the eccentricities of the artist.


As the song progresses, the artist's confidence causes people to leave the scene, and the clouds turn green, letting down lemon juice. The chorus repeats the invitation to "stick with it" and promises success eventually. The artist then describes taking a plane to see his Uncle Joe in the midwest, encountering bad weather and an assembly of fifty million bulldogs and twenty mountain goats at sundown, all there to see his yellow coat.


Line by Line Meaning

A forty gallon hat
I wear a big cowboy hat


And some polka-dot shoes.
I wear spotted shoes


Tomato pickin' onion juice
I drink onion juice to cure my sadness


To drive away my blues.
I use onion juice to feel better


A bright red leather suit,
I wear a shiny red leather outfit


A trip in a motorboat,
I went for a ride in a boat


And the strike I caused on the waterfront
I caused a commotion when I fell in the water


When I fell outta my yellow coat.
I lost my yellow coat in the water


Hey now, stick with it.
Hang on, don't give up


Aw baby don't quit it.
Don't you give up


You know you're bound to git it.
You'll get there eventually


Yes sir, made outta goat skin, foreskin
My coat is made of goat and human skin


And layin' out in milk and gin.
I soaked my coat in a mixture of milk and gin


The people quit the scene
People left the area


Like the devil was loose.
They left quickly, as if frightened


The clouds turned green
The sky became a green color


And let down lemon juice.
It rained lemon juice from the sky


What walks on two feet
Who looks like a person


And looks like a goat?
But resembles a goat?


That crazy Screamin' Jay
It is me, the eccentric Screamin' Jay


In a bright yellow coat.
Wearing a bright yellow coat


Hey now, stick with it.
Hold on, don't give up


Baby, baby don'tcha quit it.
Don't give up


Aw you're bound to git it.
You'll get it eventually


Yes sir, made outta goat skin, foreskin
My coat is made of goat and human skin


And layin' out in milk and gin.
I soaked my coat in a mixture of milk and gin


I took a plane out midwest
I flew to the Midwest


To see my Uncle Joe.
To visit my relative Uncle Joe


We ran into some real bad weather,
We encountered harsh weather


Ice, rain and snow.
Which included ice, rain, and snow


Fifty million bulldogs
A large number of bulldogs


Twenty mountain goats,
As well as many mountain goats


All gathered 'round at sundown
They gathered together in the evening


To see my yellow coat.
To see my bright yellow coat




Contributed by Peyton E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

@countrychess

Amazing tune ! 👍 Le guitariste s ' y distingue par sa virtuosité ; et Screamin' Jay par son génie. 🤠

@VelSparko

fun fact: this song is where the band the Mountain Goats got their name from

@rouseville

@Christopher Bingham Two years later, that is why I'M here.

@ImSquiggs

Same reason I’m here… love that this guys lyrical style seems to be as carefree and fun as John’s from The Mountain Goats.

@davidanthony4845

An American Original if ever there was one !

@keileymynk1890

 this REALLY hits home, cause, I went with JAY to his tailors in Hollywood to check up on one of his outstanding outfits while I was there working with HIM. (YES) HIM  (YES  ME ,little old ME HA HA HA HA  out there to all  you other @$#^%ers!!!!

@oldschoolguy2775

Respect to you Keiley! I can't even BEGIN to imagine what it would be like working with that guy! But I love this song, and I remember hearing it in the 60's.

@MackMcDonaldOfficial

I LOVE IT! Laid out in milk and gin

@tednugent8501

Made outta goat skin!!! Frog skin!! Laid out, in milk and gin!!!!!

@anon359

Yes sir, made outta goat skin, FORESKIN. And layin' out in milk and gin.

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