Billy Bayou
Billy Bayou's Louisiana Tale: Love, Battles, and Redheaded Charm
Lyrics
Back about eighteen hundred and some
Refers to a time around the year 1800.
A louisiana couple had a redheaded son
A couple from Louisiana had a redheaded son.
No name suited him, jim, jack or joe
The parents couldn't find a suitable name like Jim, Jack, or Joe.
So they just called him billy bayou
They named him Billy Bayou due to a lack of a better name.
Billy, billy bayou, watch where you go
Advice to Billy to be cautious in his actions.
You're walking on quicksand, walk slow
Warning about potential danger, using quicksand as a metaphor.
Billy, billy bayou, watch what you say
Cautioning Billy about his words and their consequences.
A pretty girl'll get you one of these days
Advising that a pretty girl might cause trouble.
Now bill was a boy kind of big for his size (..kinda big boy size)
Describing Billy as a physically large boy with red hair and freckles.
Red hair and freckles, and big blue eyes
Further physical description of Billy.
Thirteen years from the day he was born
Billy is now thirteen years old.
Bill fought the battle of the little big horn
Reference to the historic Battle of the Little Bighorn.
Billy, billy bayou, watch where you go
Reiteration of the need for caution in Billy's actions.
You're walking on quicksand, walk slow
Emphasizing the potential danger, using quicksand as a metaphor.
Billy, billy bayou, watch what you say
Repeating the caution regarding Billy's words.
A pretty girl'll get you one of these days
Reiterating the warning about the influence of pretty girls.
Now one sad day billy cried "ho! ho!
Billy boasts about defeating Geronimo, likely a tall tale.
I whipped the feathers off of geronimo" (i could whip..)
Clarification that Billy is exaggerating the story.
He smarted off, the chief got mad
Consequences of Billy's boasting - the chief gets angry.
This like to ended our louisiana lad (that likely ended..)
There is a serious threat to Billy's well-being.
Billy, billy bayou, watch where you go
Repeated caution to Billy about his actions.
You're walking on quicksand, walk slow
Reiteration of the metaphorical quicksand warning.
Billy, billy bayou, watch what you say
Repeating the caution regarding Billy's words.
A pretty girl'll get you one of these days
Reiterating the warning about the influence of pretty girls.
And one day in eighteen seventy-eight
Shifts to the year 1878, introducing a new plotline.
A pretty girl walked through bill's front gate
A pretty girl enters Billy's life.
He didn't know whether to stand there or run
Billy is unsure how to react to the girl's presence.
He wound up married 'cause he did neither one
Billy ends up getting married due to indecision.
Billy, billy bayou, watch where you go
Caution to Billy remains even in the context of marriage.
You're walking on quicksand, walk slow
Emphasizing potential danger even in seemingly stable situations.
Billy, billy bayou, watch what you say
Repeating the caution regarding Billy's words within marriage.
A pretty girl'll get you one of these days
Reiterating the warning about the influence of pretty girls, even in marriage.
Comment