About the song
Background
- Original Writer: The song was originally written by Stick McGhee and J. Mayo Williams. ‘Stick’ McGhee’s brother, Brownie McGhee, also recorded a popular version.
- First Recorded: In 1949 by Stick McGhee and his Buddies. This version became an early hit for Atlantic Records.
- Jerry Lee Lewis’ Version: Lewis recorded his famous cover of the song in 1973, released on the album “The Session…Recorded in London with Great Artists”.
Lyrics
The lyrics are lighthearted and humorous, depicting a scene of casual drinking and revelry:
- Setting: The song takes place in a juke joint, likely in New Orleans.
- Characters: The lyrics describe various characters engaging in drinking, carousing, and a bit of playful fighting.
- Repetition: The phrase “Drinkin’ wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee” is repeated throughout, creating a catchy, sing-along vibe.
Themes
- Hedonism: The song celebrates the simple pleasures of drinking and enjoying oneself in a carefree social setting.
- Humor: The lyrics are full of playful imagery and a touch of slapstick violence (e.g., “One cat ordered a bottle of wine / He hit that cat for a dollar and a dime”).
- Release: There’s a sense of letting go of inhibitions and embracing a moment of revelry, even if it’s slightly chaotic.
Additional Notes
- Jerry Lee Lewis’s Style: Lewis brings his signature piano-pounding energy and raw vocal delivery to the song, making it a rock and roll classic.
- “Spo-Dee-O-Dee”: The exact meaning of this phrase is uncertain, but it’s a term frequently used in blues and jazz songs to evoke a sense of carefree fun.
Video
Lyrics
Down in New Orleans where everything’s fine all them cats is drinkin’ that wineDrinkin’ that mess is their delight when they get drunk start singin’ all nightDrinkin’ wine spo-dee-o-dee drinkin’ wine wine spo-dee-o-dee drinkin’ wineWine spo-dee-o-dee drinkin’ wine pass that bottle to me
Now I’ve got a nickel have you got a dime let’s get together and get a little wineSome buys a gallon some buys a quartWhen you buy black beer now you’re doin’ things smartDrinkin’ wine spo-dee-o-dee, drinkin’ wineWine spo-dee-o-dee drinkin’ wine, wine spo-dee-o-dee drinkin’ wine
Down on Rempart Street in Willie’s den he would sell but a gill of ginOne cat wanted a bottle of wine he hooked that cat for a dollar and a dimeDrinkin’ wine spo-dee-o-dee, drinkin’ wineWine spo-dee-o-dee drinkin’ wine, wine spo-dee-o-dee drinkin’ winePass that bottle to me