Any news was good news
And the feeling was bad at home
I was out of mind and you
Were on the phone
Lonnie was the kingpin
Back in nineteen sixty-five
I was singing this song
When Lonnie came alive

[Chorus]
Bring back the Boston Rag
Tell all your buddies
That it ain't no drag
Bring back the Boston Rag

You were Lady Bayside
There was nothing that I could do
So I pointed my car down
Seventh Avenue
Lonnie swept the playroom
And he swallowed up all he found
It was forty-eight hours til
Lonnie came around

[Chorus]


Lyrics submitted by AbFab

Boston Rag Lyrics as written by Walter Carl Becker Donald Jay Fagen

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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The Boston Rag song meanings
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    General Comment

    I THINK THIS SONG IS ABOUT 3 FREINDS THAT APPARENTLY HAVE A PRETTY TIGHT TRIANGLE AMONGST THEM. tHEY PROBABLY DUBED THEMSELVES AS "THE BOSTON RAG".

    FAGAN, OR WHOMEVER IS TELLING THE STORY WAS HIGH OUT OF HIS MIND IN THE FIRST PHASE OF THE SONG, AND THE GIRL (?) WAS ON THE PHONE WITH THE BIG DRUG DEALER NAMED LONNIE (WHOM IS APPARENTLY PART OF THE TRIANGLE OF FRIENDS). IN THE SECOND PHASE OF TE SONG, SOMETHING BAD HAPPENED TO THE GIRL. M THINKING SHE BECAME A PROSTITUTE OR SOMETHING "LADY BAYSIDE" AND THIS EFFECTED LONNIE SO BADLY THAT HE WENT TO A DRUG HOUSE AND TOOK EVERYTHING IN SIGHT. "LONNIE SWEPT THE PLAY ROOM, AND HE SWALLOWED UP ALL HE FOUND". HE APPARENTLY OVERDOSED AND WAS IN A COMMA FOR 2 DAYS, "IT WAS 48 HOURS TILL LONNIE CAME AROUND". SOME PRETTY TRAGIC STUFF MAN, BUT ITS SOME PEOPLES REALITY.

    ANYWAY, I FEEL THAT THIS SONG IS WAY UNDERATED! IT MAKES ME EMOTIONAL EVERYTIME I HEAR IT, AND THE STORY THAT UNFOLDS OVER TE MUSIC. HELL I COULD BE WRONG ON THE MEANING, BUT THEN AGAIN, I WASNT EVEN ON STEELY DAN REAL TOUGH BACK IN 2002, AND MOST OF THIER MUSIC CAME OUT EITHER BEFORE I WAS BORN, OR WHILE I WAS STILL VERY YOUNG, BUT YET AND STILL THEY ARE THE GREATEST TO EVER ATTEMPT THE ART OF MAKING MUSIC IN THE 70'S AND I LOVE THEM FOR THE GIFT THEY HAVE GIVEN THE WORLD!

    SteelyDanforeveron October 28, 2005   Link

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