The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
My car goes, Chicago,
Every weekend I pick up some cargo
I think I know the bloody way by now, Frankie
Turn the god damn radio down, thank you
Pull over, count the money
But don't count the thirty in the glove box buddy
That's for to buy Lucille some clothes
Bang bang bang went Frankie's gun
(He shot me down Lucille)
Bang bang bang went Frankie's gun
(He shot me down Lucille)
He shot me down
(He shot me down)
Work zones, double fines
Don't pass the double lines
Trailer McDonald's rest stop trailer double wide
I saw a man hit my mom one time, really
I hurt him so damn bad I had to hide in Jersey
Called my mama told her
In the dresser
There's ten or twenty dollars but there ain't no lesser
That's for to take my sister to the picture show
Bang bang bang went Frankie's gun
(He shot me down Lucille)
Bang bang bang went Frankie's gun
(He shot me down Lucille)
He shot me down
(He shot me down)
Sha nay na sha nay na na na ...
(Mumbling)
Slip make a fender shine
Frankie you're a friend of mine
Got me off a bender after long legged Brenda died
I thought we might be on a roll this time Frankie
I could have swore the box said Hollywood blanks but
You see my mama
Please tell her
I left a little rock in a box in the cellar
That's for to wear till kingdom come
Bang bang bang went Frankie's gun
(He shot me down Lucille)
Bang bang bang went Frankie's gun
(He shot me down Lucille)
He shot me down
(He shot me down)
Sha nay na sha nay na na na ...
Yodle ay hee hooo!
Every weekend I pick up some cargo
I think I know the bloody way by now, Frankie
Turn the god damn radio down, thank you
Pull over, count the money
But don't count the thirty in the glove box buddy
That's for to buy Lucille some clothes
Bang bang bang went Frankie's gun
(He shot me down Lucille)
Bang bang bang went Frankie's gun
(He shot me down Lucille)
He shot me down
(He shot me down)
Work zones, double fines
Don't pass the double lines
Trailer McDonald's rest stop trailer double wide
I saw a man hit my mom one time, really
I hurt him so damn bad I had to hide in Jersey
Called my mama told her
In the dresser
There's ten or twenty dollars but there ain't no lesser
That's for to take my sister to the picture show
Bang bang bang went Frankie's gun
(He shot me down Lucille)
Bang bang bang went Frankie's gun
(He shot me down Lucille)
He shot me down
(He shot me down)
Sha nay na sha nay na na na ...
(Mumbling)
Slip make a fender shine
Frankie you're a friend of mine
Got me off a bender after long legged Brenda died
I thought we might be on a roll this time Frankie
I could have swore the box said Hollywood blanks but
You see my mama
Please tell her
I left a little rock in a box in the cellar
That's for to wear till kingdom come
Bang bang bang went Frankie's gun
(He shot me down Lucille)
Bang bang bang went Frankie's gun
(He shot me down Lucille)
He shot me down
(He shot me down)
Sha nay na sha nay na na na ...
Yodle ay hee hooo!
Lyrics submitted by shayborg, edited by noelsguitar
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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"
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
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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/
Really cool song. Learning how to play it on my guitar :)
It's about Frank Nitti, one of Al Capones top henchman, who later kill him self.
Check it out!
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Nitti
These guys are the next "Bob Dylan."
Nice try, but I don't think it's about Frank Nitti (who, near as I can tell, never went by "Frankie"). I think it's set in modern times, based on the reference to McDonald's and that it would cost "ten or twenty" to take his sister to the picture show...
I found it interesting that when I saw these guys live (for the second time) they changed the line: "You see my mama/Please tell her/I left a little rock in a box in the cellar." The show was a live radio hour here in Louisville, KY, and instead they sang, "You see my BABY/Please tell her..." Which makes more sense to me. I would see giving a sweetheart a ring to wear forever as more likely than giving one to your mother...
some people call their "baby" mamma
I always thought, actually, that it was "that's for the way to kingdom come" - and that, therefore, by "rock" he meant cocaine. This would be either so that she could sell it or use it to forget about his death. But I actually really like mntecky's interpretation too. And, like kjoyo says, by "mama" he probably doesn't literally mean his mother.
Yeah, before the show I had only heard the CD version of "mama."
I don't think it's about Frank Nitti specifically, it's about a guy travelling with him on the drug or booze runs.
The guy is obviously creaming money off the top of the payments being made to him and Frankie hence
"don't count the thirty in the glove box buddy"
and
"in the dresser, there's ten or twenty dollars but etc"
The guy is taking a bit for himself here and there and I think it's fair to assume that Capone or Frankie found out and "bang, bang, bang went Frankie's gun" he delivered their kind of justice.
Whether they sing "mama" or "baby" is irrelevant, the important thing is that he "hid a little rock". Hid is the operative word because once again he's been taking from Capone.
Very clever lyrics I reckon.
Imlearning this on guitar as well and sort of scared that there is a lost verse, a verse about how Frankie later went to get the "rock in the cellar" and killed his mom and sister.
Great song, this band is amazing!!!!
I think its about driving to Chicago to pick up drug shipments or something. Also the hard rougish life of dealing in drugs maybe.
Some kind of scheme has gone wrong here. Hollywood blanks are fake bullets. The narrator put the wrong shells in Frankie's gun and takes three slugs to the chest, just as he thought the two had finally hit on a way to break through, make that big score. <br /> <br /> More importantly the man, drug runner that he may be, has a heart of gold. He engages in unethical, illegal business but his primary concern is taking care of his loved ones, his mother, sister and Lucille. No matter the situation they remain first in his mind, expressed through always leaving them a little something to care for themselves when he can't be there.