Philadelphia Lawyer
Woody Guthrie and Cisco Houston Lyrics
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Where romances blooms and fades,
A great Philadelphia lawyer
Makin' love with a Hollywood maid.
"Come, love, and we'll go ramblin'
Down where the lights are so bright.
I'll win you a divorce from your husband,
Wild Bill was a gun-totin' cowhand
Ten notches were carved in his gun.
And all the boys around Reno
Left Wild Bill's maiden alone.
One night when Bill was returning
From ridin' the range in the cold,
He dreamed of his Hollywood sweetheart,
Her love was as lasting as gold.
As he drew near her window,
Two shadows he saw on the shade;
'Twas the great Philadelphia lawyer
Makin' love to Bill's Hollywood maid.
The night was as still as the desert,
The moon hangin' high overhead.
Bill listened awhile through the window,
He could hear ev'ry word that he said:
"Your hands are so pretty and lovely,
Your form's so rare and divine.
Come go with me to Philadelphia
And leave this wild cowboy behind."
Now tonight back in old Pennsylvania,
Among those beautiful pines,
There's one less Philadelphia lawyer
In old Philadelphia tonight.
The lyrics of Woody Guthrie and Cisco Houston's song, "Philadelphia Lawyer," tells a story of a romance between a Philadelphia lawyer and a Hollywood maid, who decided to pursue their relationship in Reno, Nevada. The lawyer, confident in his skills, promised to win the maid's divorce case in court and marry her on the same night. However, the maid's cowboy lover, Wild Bill, who had ten notches on his gun, discovered the affair and confronted them. The lyrics describe how Wild Bill, heartbroken and betrayed, listened outside the maid's window to the lawyer's sweet-talking, saying he would take her to Philadelphia and leave the cowboy behind. In the end, the lyrics suggest that Wild Bill avenged himself, and there's now one less Philadelphia lawyer in old Philadelphia tonight, possibly hinting at the violent end to the lawyer.
Although the lyrics of "Philadelphia Lawyer" tell a story of a romantic drama, it also sheds light on the historical context of the westward expansion of America, including the role of lawyers in the American West. The song speaks to the stereotype of the rapacious and challenging Philadelphia lawyers, who traveled to the West to seek wealth and personal gain through their legal expertise. Through the story, the song's lyrics reveal how the complexities of the law and the desire for freedom and love intersected in the Western frontier setting.
Line by Line Meaning
Way out in Reno, Nevada,
Where romances blooms and fades,
The song is set in Reno, Nevada, where love stories come and go.
A great Philadelphia lawyer
Makin' love with a Hollywood maid.
There is a notable Philadelphia lawyer who is in a romantic relationship with a Hollywood actress.
"Come, love, and we'll go ramblin'
Down where the lights are so bright.
I'll win you a divorce from your husband,
And we can get married tonight."
The Philadelphia lawyer is persuading the actress to elope with him and get married following his successful legal action on behalf of her against her current husband.
Wild Bill was a gun-totin' cowhand
Ten notches were carved in his gun.
And all the boys around Reno
Left Wild Bill's maiden alone.
Wild Bill is a cowboy known for his prowess with guns, and all men in Reno are scared of him and do not try to flirt with his girlfriend.
One night when Bill was returning
From ridin' the range in the cold,
He dreamed of his Hollywood sweetheart,
Her love was as lasting as gold.
One cold night when he was returning from work, Bill dreams of his loving girlfriend who lives far away from him in Hollywood.
As he drew near her window,
Two shadows he saw on the shade;
'Twas the great Philadelphia lawyer
Makin' love to Bill's Hollywood maid.
As he approaches her window to see her, he catches sight of two shadows on the window shade, and discovers that the shadows belong to his girlfriend and the lawyer in a romantic embrace.
The night was as still as the desert,
The moon hangin' high overhead.
Bill listened awhile through the window,
He could hear ev'ry word that he said:
As Bill watches from outside, he listens in on the conversation between the lawyer and his girlfriend.
"Your hands are so pretty and lovely,
Your form's so rare and divine.
Come go with me to Philadelphia
And leave this wild cowboy behind."
The lawyer praises the physical features of the actress and asks her to leave her current boyfriend and come with him to Philadelphia.
Now tonight back in old Pennsylvania,
Among those beautiful pines,
There's one less Philadelphia lawyer
In old Philadelphia tonight.
It is revealed that the lawyer died in Pennsylvania, and the song implies that this may be due to a conflict resulting from his philandering ways.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: WOODY GUTHRIE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind