Misirlou
The Hot Doggers Lyrics
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Natives kneel in prayer by their caravans.
There, silhouetted under and eastern star,
I see my long lost blossom of shalimar
You, Misirlou, Are the moon and the sun, fairest one.
We'll find our Kismet, answering love's command.
You, Misirlou, are a dream of delight in the night.
To an oasis, sprinkled by stars above,
Heaven will guide us, Allah will bless our love.
The Hot Doggers, a surf rock band from California, recorded this instrumental song called Misirlou in 1962. Misirlou is a Greek traditional song that was popularized in the Western world by Dick Dale's version of the song in 1962. The Hot Doggers' surf rock version has become equally popular over time. While the song has no lyrics, it paints a vivid picture of the Middle East and an adventurous journey to an oasis through its music. However, there are two verses in the song by The Hot Doggers that are sung in a chorus.
The first verse speaks of the desert, purple sands, and "natives" who are "kneel in prayer by their caravans." In the second verse, the singer sees his long lost love under an "eastern star" in "silhouette," implying distance and unattainability. The chorus mentions the name Misirlou, expressing sentiments of admiration and enigma for a person or object of desire.
The song's fast-paced beat and minor scales evoke a sense of movement, action, and mystery. The memorable melody is originally played on a bouzouki, a Greek stringed instrument. However, the guitar, electric or acoustic, has become the dominant instrument to perform the song's melody. The song's enduring popularity can be attributed to its use in famous movie and TV scenes like Pulp Fiction, The Black Eyes Peas' Boom Boom Pow, and others.
Line by Line Meaning
Desert shadows creep across purple sands.
The sun has set and darkness is falling upon the desert where purple sand lies.
Natives kneel in prayer by their caravans.
The native people of the desert are taking a moment to pray beside their traveling homes.
There, silhouetted under an eastern star, I see my long lost blossom of shalimar.
In the distance, under an eastern star, I can see my almost forgotten love interest, my 'blossom', of Shalimar.
You, Misirlou, Are the moon and the sun, fairest one.
Misirlou, you are the embodiment of both celestial bodies, and the most beautiful of all.
Old temple bells are calling across the sand.
Distance temple bells ring throughout the desert, faintly heard by all.
We'll find our Kismet, answering love's command.
We will find our kismet, fate, and unite through the power of love's calling.
You, Misirlou, are a dream of delight in the night.
In the darkness of night, you, Misirlou, are a delightful dream that brings happiness.
To an oasis, sprinkled by stars above, Heaven will guide us, Allah will bless our love.
We will travel to an oasis under a starry sky, guided by the heavens above and blessed by Allah in our love.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Fred Wise, Jose Pina, Milton Leeds, Nicholas Roubanis, Sidney Russell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind