See See Rider
Sonny Til & The Orioles Lyrics

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I said see, see, see rider
Oh, see what you have done
I said see, see, see rider
Oh, see what you have done
Oh girl, you made me love you
Now, now, now your lovin' man has gone

hear what I say

Well, I'm going away, baby
And I won't be back 'til fall
Well, I'm going away baby
And I won't be back 'til fall
And if I find me a good girl
I won't, I won't be back at all

Hear what I say, I said

See see rider,
Oh see what you have done
Yeah, yeah, yeah

Get me a shotgun
Just as long as I am tall
What'd I say

Now I'll shoot a-my a-baby
And then I'll catch that cannonball

Overall Meaning

The song "See See Rider" by Sonny Til & The Orioles is about a man who is hurt and frustrated after being abandoned by his lover. The chorus "see see rider, Oh see what you have done" is a reproach to the woman who walked out on him after making him fall in love with her. The lyrics suggest that he wishes her ill will, as he talks about leaving for a long time and finding another woman, and even goes as far as to say that he'll shoot her and catch a cannonball.

The song's protagonist is angry, and his emotions are reflected in the upbeat and raucous tune. The melody is almost as important as the lyrics, as it captures the man's hurt and anger. The use of call-and-response is prevalent in the song, and this technique reinforces the emotion behind the lyrics.

"See See Rider" was one of the most popular songs in the 1950s and was a significant influence on future rock and roll tracks. The song's rhythm and blues style was later embraced by Elvis Presley, who covered it in a live show, and Bob Dylan, who even dropped a reference to the song in "Tangled Up in Blue."

Line by Line Meaning

I said see, see, see rider
I'm addressing the person who hurt me and telling them to take a look at what they caused

Oh, see what you have done
You've caused me pain and heartache

Oh girl, you made me love you
I fell deeply in love with you

Now, now, now your lovin' man has gone
But now you've lost me as your lover

Well, I'm going away, baby
I'm leaving town for a while

And I won't be back 'til fall
I'll be gone until autumn comes

And if I find me a good girl
And if I happen to find someone new

I won't, I won't be back at all
I won't return to you, even if things don't work out with this new girl

Get me a shotgun
I need to protect myself

Just as long as I am tall
I want the shotgun to be as big as I am to intimidate others

Now I'll shoot a-my a-baby
If you make me angry, I might resort to violence