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In A Shanty In Old Shanty Town
Ted Lewis and his Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I want to tell you folks
That I'd give the world
To be back, way way back
Where I used to be
You know
It's a heavenly nest
That's where, that's where I rest the best
Oh say
It's only a shanty
A shanty
In old Shanty Town
Why the roof is so slanty
It nearly touches the ground
That tumbled down shack
By an old railroad track
Like a millionaire's mansion
Is calling me back
Oh say
I'd give up a palace
A palace if I were a king
Why to me it's more than a palace
It's my life, it's my everything
And there's a queen waiting there, a queen I tell you, haha
With a silvery crown
In a little shanty in Shanty Town
And I've played with the big stars
Down East and now the West
And I lived, and
Yes, live like the big stars
And I've mixed, mixed with the best star
But you can turn out those lights
Turn 'em out, I tell ya'
And pick my name down
And you'll be welcomed
In my little shanty
In Old Shanty Town
Yes, sir
The lyrics of Ted Lewis and his Band's song "In A Shanty In Old Shanty Town" tell a story of a person who is living his life in the lap of luxury, but he is missing the place where he used to live before. The person is describing his old habitation as a heavenly nest where he feels the most comfortable and content. The person admits that he is living up in the world, but he would give everything he has to be where he used to be. The place where he used to live may not be a luxurious place with a palace or a mansion, but it means the world to him.
The second stanza of the song speaks of the rundown shack that the person used to call his home. The shack is located near an old railway track, and the roof is slanting to the ground. Even though the shack might not have been the most luxurious place to live, to the person, it was still a place of comfort and security. He compares the shack to a millionaire's mansion as that is how it feels to him. He misses his old shack so much that he would give up a palace if he were a king. The song ends by mentioning that in this shanty in old Shanty Town, there is a queen waiting with a silvery crown for the person.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm up in the world,
I have achieved success and recognition in life
But I'd give the world to be where I used to be,
Despite my success, I long for the simplicity and familiarity of my past
A heavenly nest,
A comfortable and peaceful home
Where I rest the best,
Where I feel most relaxed and at ease
Means more than the world to me.
My home is of utmost importance to me, even more than my achievements in life
It's only a shanty
My home is not luxurious or extravagant
In old Shanty Town
My home is located in a humble and impoverished area
The roof is so slanty it touches the ground.
My home is in a state of disrepair and is not structurally sound
But my tumbled down shack by an old railroad track,
Despite its dilapidated condition, my home holds sentimental value
Like a millionaire's mansion is calling me back.
I feel a strong pull to return to my humble home, even though it is not grand or luxurious
I'd give up a palace if I were a king.
Even if I had immense wealth and power, my home would still hold greater importance to me
It's more than a palace, it's my everything.
My home is not just a dwelling, but a symbol of my roots and history
There's a queen waiting there with a silvery crown
Despite its humble appearance, my home is where I find true love and happiness
In a shanty in old Shanty Town.
My home may be modest, but it holds great value and significance to me
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Ira Schuster, Joe Young, Jack Little
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@dougmontgomery1868
This was a hit song when my mother was a little kid...but it brings ME to tears!
@otrfan84128
Gosh, Columbia, I'd NEVER describe Ted Lewis' vocals as "incidental" ... one of a kind! :)
@michaeloleary1867
I love it!!
@jammasterjay4298
Take this song off my you tube page!!!!!!!