On the day that I was born
Daddy sat down and cried
I had the mark just as plain as day
Which could not be denied
They say that Cain caught Abel
Rolling loaded dice,
Ace of spades behind his ear
And him not thinking twice

[Chorus]
Half-step
Mississippi Uptown Toodleloo
Hello baby, I'm gone, goodbye
Half a cup of rock and rye
Farewell to you old southern sky
I'm on my way, on my way

If all you got to live for
Is what you left behind
Get yourself a powder charge
And seal that silver mine
I lost my boots in transit babe
Pile of smoking leather
Nailed a retread to my feet
And prayed for better weather

[Chorus]

They say that when your ship comes in
The first man takes the sails
The second takes the after deck
The third the planks and rails
What's the point in calling shots?
This cue ain't straight in line
Cue ball's made of Styrofoam
And no one's got the time

[Chorus]

Across the Rio Grand-eo
Across the lazy river
Across the Rio Grand-eo
Across the lazy river


Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings, edited by Mellow_Harsher

Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodleloo Lyrics as written by Robert C. Hunter Jerome J. Garcia

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

4 Comments

sort form View by:
  • 0
    General Comment

    No drugs have nothing to do with this. Don't cheat Cain (or Abel). Well actually drugs have a lot to do with this song. And every song the Grateful Dead wrote. This should be a historical comment.

    bkabbotton October 23, 2013   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

More Featured Meanings

Album art
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines: "Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet" So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other: "I had all and then most of you" Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart "Some and now none of you" Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship. This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Album art
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example: "'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Album art
Blue
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
Album art
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
Album art
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.