You know I party still, just half as much--
My little sweetie likes my sober touch.
She keeps me driving straight, hands on the wheel--
I'm designated Hers, that's how I feel.
She's upstairs fussin' round, with rag and gloves--
Don't laugh I helped before, cleaned my old stuff.
So let the lion yawn, blink, roll and roar
About my wilder days, stiff drinks galore.
Went down to Mardi Gras, not once or twice--
New Orleans hooked me on hot Cajun spice.
My sweetie caught my grin about dares and deeds--
Held up both hands and asked, "Wha'd ya do for beads?"
And she sang,
How ya beads hangin?
Do they needs janglin?
If you ain't careful
They'll fall down to the floor.
Swing em back behind ya
Let's see how I find ya
And we'll act like we're
At Bourbon once more!
You know what Greek Revival means? Big columns!
The biggest lions boast long, heavy manes--
My krewe of lions earned neckfuls of chains.
We rode St. Charles and Chartres and Calliope--
Green, gold and purple blazed our masks and rope.
Grenades and hurricanes crazed our parade--
Without a float to ride, our krewe was made
By giving back what beads were called by name--
The Crescent City strips sweet girls of shame!
We weren't Bacchus, Rex, Muses or gods
But man our beads sure did increase the odds
Of seeing visions hell or heaven sent--
We blew them kisses full of best intent.
And we sang,
How ya beads hangin?
Do they needs jangling?
If you ain't careful
They'll fall down to the floor.
Swing em back behind ya
Let's see how I find ya
And we'll come back
Down to Bourbon once more.
Just look at all that gingerbread--i'n't 'at purty!
Andouille sausage burns streetcar desire--
Jambalaya makes my hands perspire--
Po'boys of shrimp and porkchops batter-fried--
Bananas Foster smoothe out what's inside.
I thought to fix up some Big Easy snack--
Under the kitchen sink-sheer heart attack!
Behind the pots and pans, down on my knees
I yelled, "Hey sweetie, now whose beads are these?"
You know she giggled, clapped, danced, smiled too--
She'd been to Mardi Gras with her own krewe--
Marie Laveau saw all what they would do.
My sweetie said, "I always pictured you!"
And I sang,
How ya beads hangin?
Do they needs janglin?
If you ain't careful
They'll fall down to the floor
Swing em back behind ya
Let's see how I find ya
And we'll act like
We're at Bourbon once more!
I know where you gotchya shoes--on ya feet!
