River Rat Jimmy
Shadows of Youth: River Rat Jimmy's Dance through Life
Lyrics
Drums are still playing I can see them marching close
Drums are still playing, and the speaker observes a marching group approaching.
This he walks like a shadow and that he dances like a ghost
The described person moves stealthily like a shadow and dances with an elusive quality like a ghost.
The one that looks like jimmy lord he scares me the most
The speaker is most frightened by someone resembling Jimmy, who has a threatening presence.
River rat jimmy and Jehoshaphat
Introduction of characters "River Rat Jimmy" and "Jehoshaphat."
Playing boyhood mumbly peg a six inch bowie blade
Recounts childhood memories of playing a game called mumbly peg with a Bowie blade.
Out the top of my red wing kickers and down a muddy slippery grade
The speaker describes descending a slippery slope with muddy conditions wearing red wing kickers.
To the fever pitch Savannah where granddaddy lay
The journey leads to Savannah, possibly associated with significant family history (granddaddy's resting place).
River rat jimmy and Jehoshaphat
Reiteration of the characters "River Rat Jimmy" and "Jehoshaphat."
River jimmy ghosty face ate off the kitchen floor
River Jimmy faces a challenging situation where his face is injured, likely due to a family altercation.
Cause woman mom threw dinner plates at drunken dad on the door
A family scene where the speaker's mother throws dinner plates at the drunken father at the door.
He would cop us cans of beer and close his eyes and soar
River Jimmy copes with the situation by obtaining cans of beer and seeking escape by closing his eyes.
River rat jimmy and Jehoshaphat
Reiteration of the characters "River Rat Jimmy" and "Jehoshaphat."
Shouting revelation out a boy man child of ten
The speaker, as a child of ten, shouts revelations without looking up to heaven, finding a moment of bliss.
Never looking up to heaven it was heaven there and then
Reflects on a heavenly experience, wrapped in the joy of childhood, and emphasizes not looking up to heaven.
We wrapped our bloody fingers like a shine eyed mister zen
Describes wrapping bloody fingers, possibly a metaphor for dealing with challenges, akin to a Zen-like state.
River rat jimmy and Jehoshaphat
Reiteration of the characters "River Rat Jimmy" and "Jehoshaphat."
Neither us knew who would pop and who would sink the lake
Uncertainty about outcomes, as the speaker and others didn't know who would succeed or fail in life's challenges.
And who would run off fast enough before the bow string'd break
Expresses the unpredictability of life, using the metaphor of not knowing who would run off before a bow string breaks.
Man we was crying for tomorrow through the crying and the shake
The emotional turmoil of crying for tomorrow amidst uncertainty and instability.
River rat jimmy and Jehoshaphat
Reiteration of the characters "River Rat Jimmy" and "Jehoshaphat."
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