For all those who don’t know, there are two studio versions of this song - the first was a Tom Petty solo cut from the pre-Heartbreakers days (on Playback) which has slightly different lyrics from the DTT version (which the live cut on Live Anthology meshes together).
I assume most people see the DTT lyrics when they’re searching, so out of laziness, I’ll only cite the solo lyrics, since they’re the ones that seem to throw people off.
“Well it was out in California
By the San Diego Sea
That was when I was taken in
By an aging boardwalk queen.
And she nearly drove me crazy
With all those China toys
And I know she really didn’t mean a thing
To those sailor boys
Louisiana Rain is falling at my feet
I’m noticing a change as I move down the street
Louisiana Rain is soaking through my shoes
I may never be the same when I reach Baton Rouge
South Carolina
Stuck out its arms for me
Right up until everything went black
Somewhere on Baker Street
And it was just some mean old poison
That I took up my nose
Thank god for a long neck(ed) bottle
The angel’s antidote
Louisiana Rain is falling just like tears
Running down my face, washing out the tears
Louisiana rain is soaking down my shoes
I may never be the same
When I reach Baton Rouge.
Well I never will get over
This English refugee
Signing to the jukebox in some all night beanery
Yeah he was eating pills like candy
And chasing them with tea
You should have seen him lick his lips
At old black Molly B
Louisiana Rain is falling at my feet
I’m noticing a change as I move down the street
Louisiana Rain is soaking through my shoes
I may never be the same when I reach Baton Rouge
Louisiana Rain is falling just like tears
Running down my face, washing out the tears
Louisiana rain is soaking down my shoes
I may never be the same when I reach Baton Rouge
No I may never be same when I reach Baton Rouge.”
For all those who don’t know, there are two studio versions of this song - the first was a Tom Petty solo cut from the pre-Heartbreakers days (on Playback) which has slightly different lyrics from the DTT version (which the live cut on Live Anthology meshes together).
I assume most people see the DTT lyrics when they’re searching, so out of laziness, I’ll only cite the solo lyrics, since they’re the ones that seem to throw people off.
“Well it was out in California By the San Diego Sea That was when I was taken in By an aging boardwalk queen.
And she nearly drove me crazy With all those China toys And I know she really didn’t mean a thing To those sailor boys
Louisiana Rain is falling at my feet I’m noticing a change as I move down the street Louisiana Rain is soaking through my shoes I may never be the same when I reach Baton Rouge
South Carolina Stuck out its arms for me Right up until everything went black Somewhere on Baker Street
And it was just some mean old poison
That I took up my nose Thank god for a long neck(ed) bottle The angel’s antidote
Louisiana Rain is falling just like tears Running down my face, washing out the tears Louisiana rain is soaking down my shoes I may never be the same When I reach Baton Rouge.
Well I never will get over This English refugee Signing to the jukebox in some all night beanery Yeah he was eating pills like candy And chasing them with tea You should have seen him lick his lips At old black Molly B
Louisiana Rain is falling at my feet I’m noticing a change as I move down the street Louisiana Rain is soaking through my shoes I may never be the same when I reach Baton Rouge
Louisiana Rain is falling just like tears Running down my face, washing out the tears Louisiana rain is soaking down my shoes I may never be the same when I reach Baton Rouge No I may never be same when I reach Baton Rouge.”