In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Have you seen my sister, Evelyn?
Dang, she’s gone and wandered off again!
I've been lookin’ high and low,
Where oh where’d my sister go?
She's been known to spend some time
With a sailor friend of mine.
I called him up and what'd he say?
"I ain't seen that girl today!"
So if you see my sister Evelyn,
Tell that girl to hurry home again!
Where oh where’d my sister Evelyn go?
Is she with the doctor? Or the plumber?
Or the dentist? Or the handyman?
Did she go to India? Or Africa?
Or Wichita? Or Pakistan?
Did she go and join the navy?
Or go completely crazy?
Or is she playin’ a trick on me?
Did she run off with the farmer? Or the professor?
Or the banker? Or the clergyman?
Is it possible that she could be in (???)? Or (???)?
Or Vegas? Or (???)?
Is she learning how to do, do
The Chaplin or the Chu-Chu?
Oh, golly, where could that girl be?
Have you seen my sister, Evelyn?
Thought she’d gone and wandered off again!
I’ve been lookin’ high and low,
Where oh where’d my sister go?
She’s been known to run cocaine
Through the alley old folk down the lane.
I looked her up and what’d she say?
“I ain’t seen that girl in days!”
So if you see my sister Evelyn,
Tell that girl to hurry home again!
Where oh where’d my sister Evelyn go?
Is my floozy sister with the doctor? Or the plumber?
Or the dentist? Or the handyman?
Did that old bag quit her job and run off with that thickhead, Mike to
India? Or (???)?
Or Panama? Or Disneyland?
Is she studyin’ Kabala? Or smokin’ marijuana?
Or is she dead in a ditch somewhere?
So if you see my sister Evelyn,
Tell that girl to hurry home again!
Where oh where,
Where oh where,
Where oh where,
Where oh where,
Where oh where’d my sister Evelyn go?
Dang, she’s gone and wandered off again!
I've been lookin’ high and low,
Where oh where’d my sister go?
She's been known to spend some time
With a sailor friend of mine.
I called him up and what'd he say?
"I ain't seen that girl today!"
So if you see my sister Evelyn,
Tell that girl to hurry home again!
Where oh where’d my sister Evelyn go?
Is she with the doctor? Or the plumber?
Or the dentist? Or the handyman?
Did she go to India? Or Africa?
Or Wichita? Or Pakistan?
Did she go and join the navy?
Or go completely crazy?
Or is she playin’ a trick on me?
Did she run off with the farmer? Or the professor?
Or the banker? Or the clergyman?
Is it possible that she could be in (???)? Or (???)?
Or Vegas? Or (???)?
Is she learning how to do, do
The Chaplin or the Chu-Chu?
Oh, golly, where could that girl be?
Have you seen my sister, Evelyn?
Thought she’d gone and wandered off again!
I’ve been lookin’ high and low,
Where oh where’d my sister go?
She’s been known to run cocaine
Through the alley old folk down the lane.
I looked her up and what’d she say?
“I ain’t seen that girl in days!”
So if you see my sister Evelyn,
Tell that girl to hurry home again!
Where oh where’d my sister Evelyn go?
Is my floozy sister with the doctor? Or the plumber?
Or the dentist? Or the handyman?
Did that old bag quit her job and run off with that thickhead, Mike to
India? Or (???)?
Or Panama? Or Disneyland?
Is she studyin’ Kabala? Or smokin’ marijuana?
Or is she dead in a ditch somewhere?
So if you see my sister Evelyn,
Tell that girl to hurry home again!
Where oh where,
Where oh where,
Where oh where,
Where oh where,
Where oh where’d my sister Evelyn go?
Lyrics submitted by charliethump
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Have you seen my sister Evelyn? Dang she's gone and wandered off again. I've been looking high and low, Where oh where'd my sister go? She's been known to spend some time, With a sailor friend of mine.
I called him up and what'd he say? "I ain't seen that girl today."
So if you see my sister Evelyn, Tell that girl to hurry home again. Where oh where'd my sister Evelyn go?
Is she with the doctor? Or the plumber? Or the dentist? Or the handyman? Did she go to India? Or Africa? Or Wichita? Or Pakistan? Did she go and join the Navy, Or go completely crazy, Or is she playing a trick on me?
Did she run off with the barber? Or the professor? Or the banker? Or the clergyman? Is it possible that she could be in Timbuktu, Or Katmandu, or Vegas, Or Uzbekistan? She learning how to do-do, The Chattanooga Choo Choo? Oh, golly, where could that girl be?
She's been known to jump a train, With a gal we know from down the lane. I looked her up and wha'd she say? "I ain't seen that girl in days"
Is my floozy sister with the doctor, Or the drummer, Or the dentist or the handyman? Did that ho-bag quit her job and run off with that dickhead Mike, To Indio, Guantanamo, Or Panama or Disneyland. Is she studying Kabbalah? Did she win a million dollars? Or is she dead in a ditch somewhere?
(Just a note, nice butchering of the lyrics) Her sister Evelyn has disappeared after the two twins were separated, and they are desperately trying to find each other again, because they wish to be back together? If I'm wrong don't correct me.
Did she run off with the farmer? Or the professor? Or the banker? Or the clergyman? Is it possible that she could be in (???)? Or (???)? Or Vegas? Or (???)? The first (???) sounds like Timbuktu. The third one sounds like West Pakistan. I can't make heads or tails of the second one, though.
Is it possible that she could be in Timbuktu? Or Canada(?)? Or Vegas? Uzbekistan?
and
Did that ho bag quit her job and run off with that dickhead, Mike to India? Guantanamo? Or Panama? Or Disneyland?
Oh, and it's the "Chattanooga Choo Choo", a famous song/dance. And however much I love Charlie Chaplain, it's not the "Chaplain or the Chu-Chu."
I feel that this song might be something that the girls sing to entertain paid guests perhaps.
Great album