Left Hand Luke
T. Rex Lyrics


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Call yourself friend, and look me in the eye,
I`ll unstrap my knees an apologize,
`Cos I`m, Left Hand Luke and the begger boys,
O yes we are.

Ain`t no neighbors, upon our hill,
`Crept slight thigh Be-bop and old gumbo jill,
But I`m, Left Hand Luke and the begger boys,
O yes we are.

Ain`t nobody`s some-one,
And it hurts deep inside,
Just call us taxi mama and we`ll take you for a ride,
`Cos we`re, Left Hand Luke and the begger boys.
O yes we are.

Left hand luke and the begger boys,
O yes we are.

Myxomatosis is an animal`s disease,
But I got so shook up mama that it ate away my knees,
And I`m Left Hand Luke and the begger boys,
O yes we are.

Ain`t had no money lord, but it`s plain to see,
If you had some silver mister how much would you pay for me?
`Cos I`m, Left Hand Luke and the begger boys,
O yes we are.





No one`s gonna fool me baby

Overall Meaning

The song "Left Hand Luke" by T. Rex is a story about a group of outcasts who call themselves the "Beggar Boys". The lead singer, who goes by the name Left Hand Luke, says that even though they are not considered somebody by anyone, they are still united and strong together. The lyrics mention that the group is not well-liked by their neighbors, but Left Hand Luke is unapologetic as he looks everyone in the eye. He admits to an injury, myxomatosis, which has caused degradation in the bones of his knees. He is hesitant to share more information about his condition but he is willing to present it so as to answer any curious inquiries that may arise. The Begger Boys have no money; they have only the strength of their bond. They do not have any particular destination in mind and are willing to offer taxi services as a means of transport; they are willing to go anywhere with anyone who may be in need of their services.


The lyrics showcase the strength found in unity, even among those who are marginalized by society. The words "no one's gonna fool me" suggests that they are satisfied with themselves, regardless of what anyone else might say or think. The idea of identity, whether individual or a member of a group, is also explored in this song. Left Hand Luke is not just his name, but his identity. The lyrics suggest that it is not just an appendage to his being or merely his situation, it becomes him, it is his character, and his persona. The music and melody are an exhilarating amalgamation of rock, glam, and blues that accompanies the story and helps to bring it to life.


Line by Line Meaning

Call yourself friend, and look me in the eye,
Addressing someone who claims to be a friend, I challenge them to make direct eye contact while I unapologetically reveal my true identity: Left Hand Luke, of the group Begger Boys.


I`ll unstrap my knees an apologize,
I don't feel like I need to apologize for my bold personality, but I will try to make amends by undoing my protective gear, revealing my vulnerability and genuineness.


`Cos I`m, Left Hand Luke and the begger boys, O yes we are.
I proudly reiterate my name and claim to be part of the Begger Boys group.


Ain`t no neighbors, upon our hill,`Crept slight thigh Be-bop and old gumbo jill,
Our group is somewhat isolated and quirky, with only two noteworthy characters, Be-bop and Gumbo Jill, around us.


Ain`t nobody`s some-one, And it hurts deep inside, Just call us taxi mama and we`ll take you for a ride, `Cos we`re, Left Hand Luke and the begger boys. O yes we are.
We feel like we don't belong anywhere or to anyone, which causes us emotional pain. We offer our services as drivers, though, and will identify ourselves as Begger Boys with me, Left Hand Luke, being a member.


Left hand luke and the begger boys, O yes we are.
Repeating our name and status within the Begger Boys group, we emphatically assert our presence and proclaim our identity.


Myxomatosis is an animal`s disease, But I got so shook up mama that it ate away my knees, And I`m Left Hand Luke and the begger boys, O yes we are.
My illness, Myxomatosis, which causes swelling and discharge from the eyes and nose, is typically found in animals; however, I am an unfortunate human who's demise has resulted in it eating away at my knees. But even with this affliction, I still retain pride in who I am: Left Hand Luke from the Begger Boys.


Ain`t had no money lord, but it`s plain to see, If you had some silver mister how much would you pay for me? `Cos I`m, Left Hand Luke and the begger boys, O yes we are.
Despite being poor, I know I have value - if someone offered to buy me, how much would they pay? It doesn't matter, because I know who I am and what group I belong to: Left Hand Luke from the Begger Boys.


No one`s gonna fool me baby
I am smart enough to detect deception or trickery by other people.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: MARC BOLAN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

1AGRIPPINA

Thank you ALL  for listening to a man that always  has meant a lot to me unfortunately  he died in a car accident. Whenever I listen to todays music I can hear his riffs and  entrances to songs and that is so  GREAT as he would have loved  just THAT !!! His music lives on and he was a  GENIOUS  musicwise !!!!!   I LOVE HIM HIS MUSIC AND JUST AS HE WAS ,  I MEAN WE ARE ALL HUMAN WITH OUR  GREAT  PERSONALITY  BUT ALSO FAULTS   he knew that.  I HOPE YOU UNDERSTAND MY BAD ENGLISH  BUT IT IS FROM MY VERY HEART.<3<3<3<3<3<

1AGRIPPINA

Nite nite <3

tolgreen

...WITH TEARS BRAVO MY DEAR KARIN...
...NITE NITE FOR LATER...
...XXXXX...

Ricky Rhoades

Growing up in the US in the 70's I never heard any T Rex except "Bang a Gong" and they seemed to play that about every 5 mnutes on the radio so I never got into them. Now I'm checking them out and it is all new to me! Very much enjoying them now.

1AGRIPPINA

+Ricky Rhoades Well the song you mention is called "Get it On" in Europe - a more appropriate title me thinks .............. anyways he was a MAGICIAN check out the
" 1st MistyMist1 " youtube channel for his best music !!!!

Elfenohr

I love Marc's voice! Thanks for the upload of this great song!
Wishing you a wonderful week. Tomorrow we will have one day summer with temperatures of 27°C :))

1AGRIPPINA

@Elfenohr Thank you lucky Friend - I will be lucky too with maybe +14?xxxxxx Yes his was was spectacular - I love his unusual lyrics too.

Gary Zajdel

Lovin' IT!!!

Zee Dot

Nice work!! great music and video.thumbs up

1AGRIPPINA

@Zee Dot thanks Zee Dot.xxx

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