Lonesome On'ry and Mean
Waylon Jennings Lyrics
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Lord, I'm traveling this morning
I'm goin' to Shreveport and down to New Orleans
Been travelin' these highways
Been doin' things my way
It's been making me lonesome, on'ry and mean
Now her hair was jet black
She thought she was the queen of the Basin Street Queens
She got tired of that smokey-wine dream
Began to feel lonesome, on'ry and mean
We got together, and we cashed in our sweeps
Gave 'em to a beggar who was mumbling through the streets
There's no escaping from his snowy white dreams
Born lookin' lonesome, on'ry and mean
Now I'm down in this valley
Where the wheels turn so low
At dawn I pray to the Lord of my soul
I say do Lord, do right by me
You know I'm tired of being lonesome, on'ry and mean
The lyrics of Waylon Jennings's song "Lonesome On'ry and Mean" represent a man's journey through life and the toll it has taken on him. The song opens with the singer on a Greyhound bus, traveling to Shreveport and then New Orleans. He has been living his life on his own terms, but this independence has made him feel lonely, uneasy, and irritable. The songs' opening lines express a longing for change, and as the story unfolds, it becomes clear that the singer has found someone who shares his pain. Cue Codene, a woman who sees herself as royalty among the "Basin Street Queens", but who is also struggling with isolation and anguish. They join forces and give away everything they own to a beggar, finding solace and a shared identity in their lonesomeness, on'ryness, and meanness.
Line by Line Meaning
On a Greyhound bus
I am currently traveling on a Greyhound bus
Lord, I'm traveling this morning
I am traveling and addressing the Lord as an exclamation
I'm goin' to Shreveport and down to New Orleans
I am heading to Shreveport first and then to New Orleans
Been travelin' these highways
I have been traveling on these highways for a while now
Been doin' things my way
I have been living my life on my own terms
It's been making me lonesome, on'ry and mean
However, this has resulted in making me feel lonely, cantankerous and hostile
Now her hair was jet black
The woman I met had very dark hair
And her name was Codene
She went by the name Codene
She thought she was the queen of the Basin Street Queens
She believed that she was the most important woman of the area
She got tired of that smokey-wine dream
However, she eventually became tired of that lifestyle filled with alcohol and smoke
Began to feel lonesome, on'ry and mean
This resulted in her feeling lonely, cantankerous and hostile
We got together, and we cashed in our sweeps
We then got together and collected our winnings
Gave 'em to a beggar who was mumbling through the streets
However, we gave them to a beggar who was walking around and muttering incoherently
There's no escaping from his snowy white dreams
It was impossible to get away from his intoxication and hallucinations
Born lookin' lonesome, on'ry and mean
The beggar appeared to be born with a demeanor of being lonely, cantankerous and hostile
Now I'm down in this valley
Currently, I am in a valley
Where the wheels turn so low
Where the wheels turn at a slow speed
At dawn I pray to the Lord of my soul
I pray to God at the dawn of the day
I say do Lord, do right by me
I ask God to do right by me
You know I'm tired of being lonesome, on'ry and mean
I express that I am weary of being lonely, cantankerous and hostile all the time
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Stephen Young
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind