New Orleans Lyrics

[Hot Ptah]

Inspired by the helpful responses in the recent Blues Lyrics, What Do They Mean? topic, I would like to ask if anyone can tell me what the lyrics mean, in these songs by the New Orleans pianist/vocalist Archibald (real name Leon Gross). These lyrics are my attempt to write them down as I hear them from the records.

First Song: "Shake Shake Baby"

"She wants money, she wants shoes

She wants anything that a good man can use

Now you know you got to (unknown word--sounds like "low" to me)

Now you know you got to (?)

Don't you hear me talkin' mama

You know you got to (?)

I say shake shake baby I'm gonna buy you a beaded dress

I say shake shake baby I'm gonna buy you a beaded dress

If you don't shake baby you're gonna be like all the rest

I'm gonna cut your pork chop babe gonna trim your cheese

I'm gonna cut your pork chop babe gonna trim your cheese

That the only way mama you can get your wagon wheel greased

Uh uh baby what you (unknown word--sounds like smaggled or staggered) at

Uh uh baby what you (?) at

You took all of my money and bought yourself a hat"

My questions--I assume that the pork chop, cheese and wagon wheel refer to sexual matters, but what exactly? What is a woman's "pork chop", specifically, and how does a man "cut" it? What is a woman's "cheese", specifically, and how does a man "trim" it? What is a woman's "wagon wheel", specifically, and what exactly does it mean to "grease" it?

I can make up my own weird guesses about all of that, but does anyone know for sure?

[Hot Ptah]

Second song by Archibald. Again, this is my attempt to figure out the lyrics from listening to the record:

"Great Big Eyes (Those Little Reds)"

"She got great big eyes and great big thighs

She got great big eyes and great big thighs

She got great big eyes and great big thighs

Now she put them on the line

Well the sun refuse to shine

Ah those little reds that (unknown lyrics which I can't make out for sure--they sound to me like "May Lee wore", but that could be wrong)

Now she put them in the street

Everybody got bad feet

Ah those little reds that (?)

Now she put them on the fence

Well the sun ain't been there since

Those little reds that (?)"

So my question is, what are the "little reds"?

[Jazzmoose]

That's just about enough of that language, young man!

[Dan Gould]

As far as the first one goes, I always understood that these sorts of "euphemisms" didn't have specific real-life meanings. They were using/appropriating real-life actions ("trim your cheese" - cut away the mold since the rest is still safe to eat) and using them as an implied sexual metaphor.

[Hot Ptah]

O.K., but if anyone has more specific information, I would still like to know.

And what are the "little reds"? Since the song's lyrics first start out by emphasizing the woman's eyes, I wondered for a while if the "little reds" could be her squinty red eyes, but that does not seem to fit with the other lyrics.

[Hot Ptah]

I guess I feel a little less dense, if no one on this board could come up with any more information than I had about these lyrics.

The songs themselves are great, in my opinion. I really like Archibald's style on piano.

[JSngry]

"Little reds" might refer to panties, and how wherever they (and by implication, she) goes, she shuts 'em down, wears 'em out.

[Hot Ptah]

"Little reds" might refer to panties, and how wherever they (and by implication, she) goes, she shuts 'em down, wears 'em out.

That's the best idea I have heard yet. Thanks, Jim.