City Boys
Urban Dreams: A Journey from Dirt Farms to City Lights
Lyrics
My Auntie Mabel
Introduction of Auntie Mabel
1953
Year 1953, a reference to the past
Left her Minnesota dirt farm to see what she could see
Auntie Mabel left her farm to explore
in a letter to her mother telling her what she enjoyed
In a letter, she shared her experiences
said there's nothing in the whole wide world like a city boy
Expressing the uniqueness of city boys
1987
Year 1987, a shift to the present
Took Daddy's Cadillac
Took her father's Cadillac to Chicago
I drove it to Chicago, never brought it back
She never returned the Cadillac
Well all these years later, I'm still unemployed
Presently unemployed
Oh well there's nothing in the whole wide world like a city boy
Reiteration of the allure of city boys
My granddaddy had long grey hair
Description of granddaddy's appearance
silver cane and a rocking chair
Long grey hair, silver cane, rocking chair
tapped that cane on a wooden floor
Granddaddy's actions with the cane
saying "take what you're given, and then ask for more"
Philosophical advice on taking more than given
Well now, baby, what do you think of that
Questioning the listener's thoughts
Can you make a woman out of an alley cat
Making a woman out of challenging circumstances
Can you take the agitation and not get annoyed
Handling agitation without annoyance
Oh well there's nothing in the whole wide world like a city boy
Reaffirmation of the appeal of city boys
Now my Auntie Mabel, she plays the dominoes
Return to Auntie Mabel, playing dominoes
way down South where the yucca plant grows
Reference to Southern location and surroundings
drinking whiskey out of Coca-Cola bottles, smoking Viceroys
Auntie Mabel's habits with whiskey and cigarettes
Still swears there's nothing in the whole wide world like a city boy
Continued belief in the charm of city boys
Those city boys
Final mention of city boys
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