One Night in New Orleans
Romance in the Crescent City: Unraveling the Meaning of 'One Night in New Orleans'
Lyrics
On a superbowl Sunday
Setting the scene: Super Bowl Sunday
In a bar with a big screen TV
In a bar with a large TV screen
She was there with some girls
A woman with her friends, visiting from Montreal
They were down from Montreal
Clarifies the origin of the women
And she walked right up to me
She approaches the singer
She said "Voulez vous danse"
Asks "Do you want to dance?" in French
And she started to move
Starts dancing
I said baby I dont parlez vous
The singer responds that he doesn't speak French
She said "Voulez vous touche"
She asks "Do you want to touch?" in French
Then she took me by by the hand
Takes the singer's hand
And I knew that she wanted to dance
The singer realizes she wants to dance
Ya c'est la vie baby
French for "That's life, baby"
Whatever you say
Acceptance of her words/actions
I?ll do anything if you put it that way
The singer is willing to do anything for her
"Voulez vous amour"
Asking if the singer wants love in French
I found out what that means
The singer understands the meaning
One night in New Orleans
Recalling a memorable night in New Orleans
Looking in her eyes
Seeing something special in her eyes
I saw the French quarter
Refers to the French Quarter, a historic area in New Orleans
The way I had never seen
Perceiving it in a new, enchanting way
Kisses in binet's
Reference to kisses in private rooms (binets)
Strawberry's and champagne
Symbolism of luxury and celebration
One night in New Orleans
Summarizing the essence of a night in New Orleans
She said "Voulez vous danse"
Repeats her invitation to dance
And she started to move
Reiteration of her starting to dance
I said baby I dont parlez vous
Repeating the singer's lack of French
he said "Voulez vous touche"
Repetition of the sequence of events and his acceptance
Then she took me by by the hand
-And I knew that she wanted to dance
-Ya c'est la vie baby
-Whatever you say
Reiterating willingness to do anything for her
I?ll do anything if you put it that way
-"Voulez vous amour"
Reiteration of wanting love and understanding its meaning
I found out what that means
-One night in New Orleans
Recollection of the night's essence
I said "How do you say I love you"
Continuing the narrative of their interaction
She smiled and whispered
-"Je t'aime ooo"
-Although I never told her I loved her
-That night in New Orleans I did
Expressing love that night in New Orleans
She said "Voulez vous danse"
Repeating the sequence of events
And she started to move
-I said baby I dont parlez vous
-She said "Voulez vous touche"
-Then she took me by by the hand
-And I knew that she wanted to dance
-Ya c'est la vie baby
Continuing the narrative of acceptance and willingness
Whatever you say
-I'll do anything if you put it that way
-"Voulez vous amour"
Reiteration of wanting love and understanding its meaning
I found out what that means
-One night in New Orleans
Reaffirmation of the memorable night in New Orleans
"Voulez vous amour"
-I found out what that means
-One night in New Orleans
Final recap of the essence of that night
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