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Fancy Lyrics
I remember it all very well lookin' back
It was the summer I turned eighteen
We lived in a one room, rundown shack
On the outskirts of New Orleans
We didn't have money for food or rent
To say the least we were hard pressed
Then Mama spent every last penny we had
To buy me a dancin' dress
Mama washed and combed and curled my hair
And she painted my eyes and lips then I stepped into a satin
Dancin' dress that had a split on the side clean up to my hip
It was red velvet trim and it fit me good
Standin' back from the lookin' glass
There stood a woman where a half gown kid had stood
She said here's your one chance Fancy don't let me down
Here's your one chance Fancy don't let me down
Mama dabbed a little bit of perfume on my neck
And she kissed my cheek
Then I saw the tears wellin' up in her troubled eyes
When she started to speak
She looked at a pitiful shack
And then she looked at me and took a ragged breath
She said your Pa's run off and I'm real sick
And the baby's gonna starve to death
She handed me a heart shaped locket that said
"To thine own self be true"
And I shivered as I watched a roach crawl across
The toe of my high heel shoe
It sounded like somebody else that was talkin'
Askin' Mama what do I do
She said just be nice to the gentlemen Fancy
And they'll be nice to you
She said here's your chance Fancy don't let me down
Here's your one chance Fancy don't let me down
Lord forgive me for what I do, but if you want out
Well it's up to you
Now don't let me down you better start movin' uptown
Well, that was the last time I saw my Ma
The night I left that rickety shack
The welfare people came and took the baby
Mama died and I ain't been back
But the wheels of fate had started to turn
And for me there was no way out
And it wasn't very long 'til I knew exactly
What my Mama's been talkin' about
I knew what I had to do but I made myself this solemn vow
That I's gonna be a lady someday
Though I don't know when or how
I couldn't see spending the rest of my life
With my head hung down in shame you know
I might have been born just plain white trash
But Fancy was my name
Here's your one chance Fancy don't let me down
Here's your one chance Fancy don't let me down
It wasn't very long after a benevolent man
Took me off the street
And one week later I was pourin' his tea
In a five room hotel suite
I charmed a king, a congressman
And an occasional aristocrat
Then I got me a Georgia mansion
And an elegant New York townhouse flat
And I ain't done bad
Now in this world there's a lot of self-righteous hypocrites
That call me bad
And criticize Mama for turning me out
No matter how little we had
But though I ain't had to worry 'bout nothin'
For nigh on fifteen years
I can still hear the desperation in my poor
Mama's voice ringin' in my ear
She said, here's your one chance Fancy don't let me down
Here's your one chance Fancy don't let me down
Lord, forgive me for what I do
But if you want out well it's up to you
Now don't let me down
Your Mama's gonna help you uptown
I guess she did
It was the summer I turned eighteen
We lived in a one room, rundown shack
On the outskirts of New Orleans
We didn't have money for food or rent
To say the least we were hard pressed
Then Mama spent every last penny we had
To buy me a dancin' dress
And she painted my eyes and lips then I stepped into a satin
Dancin' dress that had a split on the side clean up to my hip
It was red velvet trim and it fit me good
Standin' back from the lookin' glass
There stood a woman where a half gown kid had stood
Here's your one chance Fancy don't let me down
And she kissed my cheek
Then I saw the tears wellin' up in her troubled eyes
When she started to speak
She looked at a pitiful shack
And then she looked at me and took a ragged breath
She said your Pa's run off and I'm real sick
And the baby's gonna starve to death
"To thine own self be true"
And I shivered as I watched a roach crawl across
The toe of my high heel shoe
It sounded like somebody else that was talkin'
Askin' Mama what do I do
She said just be nice to the gentlemen Fancy
And they'll be nice to you
Here's your one chance Fancy don't let me down
Lord forgive me for what I do, but if you want out
Well it's up to you
Now don't let me down you better start movin' uptown
The night I left that rickety shack
The welfare people came and took the baby
Mama died and I ain't been back
And for me there was no way out
And it wasn't very long 'til I knew exactly
What my Mama's been talkin' about
That I's gonna be a lady someday
Though I don't know when or how
I couldn't see spending the rest of my life
With my head hung down in shame you know
I might have been born just plain white trash
But Fancy was my name
Here's your one chance Fancy don't let me down
Took me off the street
And one week later I was pourin' his tea
In a five room hotel suite
And an occasional aristocrat
Then I got me a Georgia mansion
And an elegant New York townhouse flat
And I ain't done bad
That call me bad
And criticize Mama for turning me out
No matter how little we had
For nigh on fifteen years
I can still hear the desperation in my poor
Mama's voice ringin' in my ear
Here's your one chance Fancy don't let me down
Lord, forgive me for what I do
But if you want out well it's up to you
Now don't let me down
Your Mama's gonna help you uptown
Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.
If you're not sure if this song is about prostitution you must not have actually listened to it. It's a song about hope, perseverance, and surviving a childhood of dirt poor poverty. Bobbie Gentry wrote and sang a fantastic story song. She wrote about strong women.
Yeah, I'm not that into country but I like this song. I think her Mom sold her off to someone. He Mom was prostituting her, not she herself.
I love songs that tell a story. This song tells a sad story. No matter what it's horrible that she had to prostitute herself out to get herself out of proverty. I know this song isn't positive. It sorta makes her sound greedy for money. That she values herself based on money. Maybe proverty can break you in more ways than one. Self esteem should never be based on material things.
In a few ways, this song is positive. It's a song about survival and determination. It may not be the prettiest subject, but it's about strength.
In a few ways, this song is positive. It's a song about survival and determination. It may not be the prettiest subject, but it's about strength.
Reba's video of this song does have a very positive feel. It begins with her in a taxi being driven back to the shack she grew up in, and the song begins. Reba's all done up, big red hair jewelry and a big expensive coat. As the song ends you see her driven away in that same cab and you see a sign that says, "Future site of the Fancy <forget...
Reba's video of this song does have a very positive feel. It begins with her in a taxi being driven back to the shack she grew up in, and the song begins. Reba's all done up, big red hair jewelry and a big expensive coat. As the song ends you see her driven away in that same cab and you see a sign that says, "Future site of the Fancy <forget the rest of the name> home for wayward girls," or something like that.
In concert Reba really did this song up well. A taxi cab would come up on stage and she'd get out of it hair up all wrapped in a big coat and heels. Just after the lyrics "I charmed a king, a congressman....and I ain't done bad," she throws off the coat to reveal a snug little red dress and lets her long red hair down and struts through the rest of the song. It would bring down the house.
does anyone know the story behind this song?
Well, I don't know if this is based on a true story, if that's what you mean SexyAshlyRose. All I know is that it was originally sung by Bobbie Gentry and pretty much what the song is talking about. (As it's pretty self-explanatory.) But if she based off true events, I don't know. I usually don't care for country songs, but I could always handle this song for whatever reason. :P
I LURVE this song. It was one of the first "Reba" songs I discovered, and ever since that...I've fallen in lov with her. I think it's amazing.
A girl I was in choir with did this as a solo at the show choir varienty show and when i heard her sing i fell in love with it and finally found out who sang it....great song
@MayorMenley Bobbie Gentry sang it.
@MayorMenley Bobbie Gentry sang it.
What a song... when times get hard you have to take chances to survive. This might not be based on a true story but it is a good message. "now this world theres alot of self righteous hippocrates that call me bad and criticize momma for turning me out no matter how little we had..." Sometimes you just have to make sacrifices and take chances to survive which is what i think the song is about.
This song is about her becoming a hooker. Hence the lines:
"I charmed a king, a congressman, and an occasional aristocrat. then i got me a georgia mansion and a new york townhouse flat."
How do you think she got the money to buy the fancy housees? By being "nice" to the kings and congressman of course.
God, this is one of my favorite songs in general. And I'm not a big fan of country. Even as a kid it really hit me and made me feel emotional like not a lot of other songs could. Reminds me of driving to school with my dad. He loves country music. And yea, I agree with IheartDave. It's about her being a prostitute. But if that gets her out of poverty, then work what you got!