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"
Goodbye my honey, farewell my baby
Don’t look for me around convention time
I’m bound for Tampa, in the great state of Florida
To see some distinguished friends of mine
Mitt and Rick and the pitbulls, the jolly ride and step forth
To the highest bidder each will guarantee
I’d give all my money sir if Palin calls me honey
And shakes the pizzas on my tree
‘Cause I’m goin’ to Tampa in the morning
Got my credentials in my overalls
But I can’t take you with me little darling
I’m going down to get my ashes hauled
Well here’s a proposition to entertain a motion
Bring back Willie Horton to us now
We’ll spook the congregation and petrify the nation
And blame the folks from Mexico somehow
And let me introduce a man who all know well
He can play a very important role
State rights is his game, Jim Crow is his name
And Jim’s our little ace in the hole
‘Cause I’m goin’ to Tampa in the morning
Saints of latter days will heed the call
We’ll shout hallelujah in the evening
I’m going down to get my ashes hauled
Well the int' woman told the tea party man
Gonna make love to you with a gun in my hand
That tea party man said, ‘that’s all right
Got a smoking bomb under my pillow at night
Well we’re all going to Tampa in the morning
Honey will you miss me when I’m gone
Now hope you pack my old bed sheet
I’m going down to get my ashes hauled
Yes, I’m goin’ to Tampa in the morning
Honey will you miss me when I’m gone
Now hope you pack my old bed sheet
‘Cause I’m going down to get my ashes hauled
Don’t look for me around convention time
I’m bound for Tampa, in the great state of Florida
To see some distinguished friends of mine
Mitt and Rick and the pitbulls, the jolly ride and step forth
To the highest bidder each will guarantee
I’d give all my money sir if Palin calls me honey
And shakes the pizzas on my tree
‘Cause I’m goin’ to Tampa in the morning
Got my credentials in my overalls
But I can’t take you with me little darling
I’m going down to get my ashes hauled
Well here’s a proposition to entertain a motion
Bring back Willie Horton to us now
We’ll spook the congregation and petrify the nation
And blame the folks from Mexico somehow
And let me introduce a man who all know well
He can play a very important role
State rights is his game, Jim Crow is his name
And Jim’s our little ace in the hole
‘Cause I’m goin’ to Tampa in the morning
Saints of latter days will heed the call
We’ll shout hallelujah in the evening
I’m going down to get my ashes hauled
Well the int' woman told the tea party man
Gonna make love to you with a gun in my hand
That tea party man said, ‘that’s all right
Got a smoking bomb under my pillow at night
Well we’re all going to Tampa in the morning
Honey will you miss me when I’m gone
Now hope you pack my old bed sheet
I’m going down to get my ashes hauled
Yes, I’m goin’ to Tampa in the morning
Honey will you miss me when I’m gone
Now hope you pack my old bed sheet
‘Cause I’m going down to get my ashes hauled
Lyrics submitted by cariadonffol, edited by steven9484
Going to Tampa Lyrics as written by Ry Cooder
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Having been a long-time Ry Cooder fan and aficionado, this dismal sophomoric attempt at political humor is about as disappointing as some of his later attempts at music so eclectic his whole base was left scratching their collective heads. His forte was in his early career as he blended folk, blues, rock, gospel and old standards into a funky, toe tapping fusion of slide and electric guitar, mandolin, accordion, keyboards and great harmony backing. What happened to your good stuff?
Going to Tampa is a disgusting piece of "Woody-esque" liberal trash lyrics which misses the mark a mile, and wastes the talent and time of such a once-gifted artist. If this is Ry's way to sway an election, or an audience, he needs to slink off to some obscure third-world country and bring back some more dense, unlistenable music and artists, that will jackhammer his fame and dimming career even further into the ground.
Ry, you lost one eye. Don't mess with the other one by losing sight of your audience. "Tampa" is a real stinko!, denigrating you and your once-outstanding talent.
Sounds like he hit someone's mark all right.