Shake Sugaree
Willy DeVille Lyrics


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I've got a secret
I ain't gonna tell
I'm goin' to heaven in a split pea shell
Oh, Lordy me, didn't we shake sugaree
Everything I have is down in pawn

I pawned my watch, an' I pawned my chain
[Even I don't deserve myself, so ?] ashamed
Oh, Lordy me, didn't we shake sugaree
Everything I have is down in pawn

I've got a song to sing
Ain't very long
I'm gonna sing it right if it take me all night long
Oh, Lordy me, didn't we shake sugaree
Everything I have is down in pawn

I've got a secret
I ain't gonna tell
I'm goin' to heaven in a split pea shell




Oh, Lordy me, didn't we shake sugaree
Everything I have is down in pawn

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Willy DeVille's song "Shake Sugaree" are evocative and suggest a sense of desperation and a search for solace. The singer has a secret but refuses to reveal it, perhaps due to personal shame or embarrassment. He imagines going to heaven in a split pea shell, a reference to the Biblical story of Jonah, who was swallowed by a whale and later rescued by a miracle. It reflects the singer's sense of hope that he will be saved from his troubles and taken to a better place.


The repeated phrase "didn't we shake sugaree" seems to be an allusion to an African-American folk tune of the same name that was popular in the early 20th century. It was often sung by field workers as they labored and had an upbeat, playful tone. But the words of "Shake Sugaree" are more melancholy and suggest that the singer has lost everything and is clinging to memories of happier times. He has pawned all his possessions, including his watch and chain, and is left with nothing but a song to sing.


The song has an elegiac quality and captures the desperation and hopelessness of someone who has hit rock bottom. But it also suggests the resilience of the human spirit and the power of music to bring comfort and hope. The singer's repeated assertion that he is going to heaven in a split pea shell is both poignant and hopeful, a reminder that even in the darkest times there is always the possibility of salvation and redemption.


Line by Line Meaning

I've got a secret
I have a secret that I will keep to myself


I ain't gonna tell
I will not reveal my secret to anyone


I'm goin' to heaven in a split pea shell
I believe that I will go to heaven in a peculiar way


Oh, Lordy me, didn't we shake sugaree
My goodness, didn't we have a great time


Everything I have is down in pawn
All of my possessions have been pawned for cash


I pawned my watch, an' I pawned my chain
I even pawned valuable possessions like my watch and chain


[Even I don't deserve myself, so ?] ashamed
I feel ashamed for selling off my belongings


I've got a song to sing
I have a song that I want to share


Ain't very long
It is a short song


I'm gonna sing it right if it take me all night long
I will sing it correctly even if it takes me all night




Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: TAJ MAHAL

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@pierrettereck4695

j'adore Willy, il est parti trop tôt, merci pour toute ces belles chansons, ce mélange avec l'accordéon est top

@eberhardweingart7990

Er war genial,und seine Musik unsterblich

@ullarose2000

for me he is the best

@MikhnevichNatalya

Это больше,чем прекрасно!❤️💓❤️💓💎я влюблена в этот звук от Вилли!

@EllaElsner-iy7sf

Ich habe nicht nur einen Lieblingssong, mir gefallen fast alle Songs von ihm. Er ist für mich immernoch der GRÖßTE !❤

@Jose-uc6ox

Un grandísimo artista

@karinbeutel5571

Ich liebe ihn und seine Musik♥️

@ingley5220

Seine Stimme ist unbeschreiblich faszinierend, wirklich einmalig.

@EllaElsner-iy7sf

​@@ingley5220immer und immerwieder Willy Tag und Nacht !❤

@manmag4381

willy kills thinking ... he's voice is pure emotion ... directly to my heart

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