Black Snake Moan
Lost in the Serpent's Song: Unraveling Jimmie Dale Gilmore's Black Snake Moan
Lyrics
Well, well ain't got no momma now
Expressing the absence or loss of a mother figure.
Yeah ~ ain't got no momma now.
Reiteration of the absence or loss of a mother.
She told me late last night
Recalling a conversation where the speaker's mother stated that he doesn't need her.
You don't need no momma no~how.
Emphasizing the idea that the speaker can manage without a mother figure.
Set here wonderin' would a matchbox hold my
Contemplating whether a small box could contain the speaker's belongings.
clothes
Repeating the consideration of a matchbox holding the speaker's clothes.
Yeah ~ matchbox hold my clothes
Reiteration of the matchbox's potential to contain the speaker's clothes.
I ain't got so many matches
Not having many matches, but acknowledging a long journey ahead.
But Lord I got so doggone far to go.
Acknowledging a scarcity of matches but emphasizing the considerable distance to cover.
I got a great long snake crawlin' around my room.
Describing a metaphorical long snake in the room, suggesting a problem or challenge.
Yeah ~ crawlin' around my room.
Repeating the presence of the metaphorical snake in the room.
Handsome pretty momma better come down
Calling for an attractive woman to address the issue with the snake.
here
Reiterating the call for the woman to come down.
Take that long snake soon.
Urging the woman to deal with the snake promptly.
That must been a bedbug, I know a chinch
Suggesting an alternative explanation for the problem, possibly a bedbug, with a play on words.
can't bit that hard.
Emphasizing the presumed insignificance of the bedbug's bite.
Yeah ~ chinch can't bit that hard.
Reiterating the idea that a bedbug can't bite hard.
Asked my woman for fifty cents.
Asking the woman for financial help (fifty cents).
She said Jimmie I ain't got a dime in the yard.
Receiving a response from the woman that she doesn't have any money.
Well, well ain't got no momma now
Repeating the sentiment of not having a mother.
Yeah ~ ain't got no momma now.
Reiteration of the absence or loss of a mother figure.
She told me late last night
Recalling a conversation where the speaker's mother stated that he doesn't need her.
You don't need no momma no~how.
Emphasizing the idea that the speaker can manage without a mother figure.
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