On the water down in New Orleans
My baby's the pearl of the quarter
She's a charmer like you never seen
Singing "voulez-voulez-voulez-vous"

Where the sailor spend his hard-earned pay
Red beans and rice for a quarter
You can see her almost any day
Singing "voulez-voulez-voulez-vous"

And if you hear from my Louise
Won't you tell her I say hello?
Please make it clear
When her day is done
She got a place to go

I walked alone down the miracle mile
I met my baby by the shrine of the martyr
She stole my heart with her Cajun smile
Singing "voulez-voulez-voulez-vous"

She loved the million dollar words I'd say
She loved the candy and the flowers that I bought her
She said she loved me and was on her way
Singing "voulez-voulez-voulez-vous

And if you hear from my Louise
Won't you tell her I love her so?
Please make it clear
When her day is done
She got a place to go

And if you hear from my Louise
Won't you tell her I love her so?
Please make it clear
When her day is done
She got a place to go


Lyrics submitted by GaslitAbbie

Pearl of the Quarter Lyrics as written by Donald Jay Fagen Walter Carl Becker

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Pearl of the Quarter song meanings
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7 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment

    Pearl Of The Quarter shows that, in addition to everything else, these guys could write great love songs. Beautiful pedal steel playing and heart rending lyrics make it sit comfortably beside Doctor Wu and Maxine...

    franirl38on July 15, 2016   Link

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