Old Lady
Walter Ferguson Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

The new dance that is going around
Making old women say they are young
They like to kick and they like to prance
The jitterbug swing they do like to dance

Old lady you mashing my toe
Believe me, you sambering so
You must be crazy
You cut out the young gal dance
Read your Bible and give young people a chance
Old lady, yes, you mashing my toe
Believe me, you sambering so
You must be crazy

I took a walk on a new building
Where they played every rhytm jitterbug swing
A lady came and asked for a set
She dribbled on mi stomach till I was wet

Old lady you mashing my toe
Believe me, you sambering so
You must be crazy
You cut out the young gal dance
Read your Bible and give young people a chance
Old lady, yes, you mashing my toe
Believe me, you sambering so
You must be crazy

She said she want to dance
From night until morn
I say not with me, you mashing my corn
She said you lie you must do this thing
I want to dance the bitterbug swing (repeat)

Old lady you mashing my toe
Believe me, you sambering so
You must be crazy
You cut out the young gal dance
Read your Bible and give young people a chance
Old lady, yes, you mashing my toe
Believe me, you sambering so
You must be crazy

The set was done, she started to bom
I took her to the bar and gave her a rum
As I could I leave from the gallery
Like a thunder ball, she break in on me
Old lady you mashing my toe
Believe me, you sambering so
You must be crazy
You cut out the young gal dance
Read your Bible and give young people a chance
Old lady, yes, you mashing my toe
Believe me, you sambering so
You must be crazy

She said you bound to go home with me
I got me money and property
Hold my head and bawl fi murder




When I got to find was my grandmother
Old lady you mashing my toe

Overall Meaning

The song "Old Lady" by Walter Ferguson is a humorous take on the popular dance trend of the jitterbug swing. The dance is so infectious that even elderly women are drawn to it, despite the fact that they may not have the physical ability to keep up with the fast-paced, energetic steps. The lyrics depict the singer's frustration with an older woman who insists on dancing with him, despite repeatedly mashing his toes and generally causing chaos on the dance floor. The lyrics suggest that the old lady should "read her Bible" and let the younger generation enjoy the dance, but of course, she persists in her attempts to keep up with the crowd.


The song is filled with witty wordplay and playful banter between the singer and the old lady, creating a humorous and lighthearted atmosphere. Despite poking fun at the old lady's attempts to dance, the lyrics also show a great deal of affection and respect for the older generation. The song suggests that even in their advanced age, these women are still full of life and vitality, and that they should be celebrated for their enduring spirit.


Overall, "Old Lady" is an entertaining and charming song that captures the joy and energy of the jitterbug swing, while also paying tribute to the timeless spirit of the elderly.


Line by Line Meaning

The new dance that is going around
There is a new dance trend that is popular


Making old women say they are young
Older women are acting and feeling younger due to the new dance trend


They like to kick and they like to prance
Older women enjoy performing the jitterbug swing dance


The jitterbug swing they do like to dance
Older women have a preference for dancing the jitterbug swing


Old lady you mashing my toe
The artist is complaining to an older woman that she is stepping on their toe


Believe me, you sambering so
The singer is telling the older woman that she is uncoordinated and stumbling around


You must be crazy
The singer is expressing their belief that the older woman is acting irrational or insane


You cut out the young gal dance
The older woman should not dance like young women do


Read your Bible and give young people a chance
The older woman should stick to traditional values and let young people enjoy new things


I took a walk on a new building
The artist went to a new place or venue


Where they played every rhytm jitterbug swing
The place has music with a variety of rhythms, but the jitterbug swing is popular


A lady came and asked for a set
An older woman approached the artist and asked for a dance


She dribbled on mi stomach till I was wet
The older woman was dancing so close to the singer that they became sweaty


She said she want to dance
The older woman expressed her desire to keep dancing


From night until morn
The older woman wants to dance all night long


I say not with me, you mashing my corn
The artist declined the offer to dance because the older woman was stepping on their toes


She said you lie you must do this thing
The older woman accused the artist of lying and demanded they dance with her


I want to dance the bitterbug swing
The older woman specifically wanted to dance the jitterbug swing


The set was done, she started to bom
The dance ended and the older woman continued to move around the dance floor


I took her to the bar and gave her a rum
The artist took the older woman to the bar and bought her a drink


As I could I leave from the gallery
The artist attempted to leave the venue


Like a thunder ball, she break in on me
The older woman suddenly appeared and approached the artist again


She said you bound to go home with me
The older woman demanded that the singer accompany her home


I got me money and property
The artist has their own money and possessions


Hold my head and bawl fi murder
The singer is upset and distressed


When I got to find was my grandmother
The singer realized that the older woman was actually their own grandmother




Writer(s): papá houdini

Contributed by Chase K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

More Versions