Dirty Water lyrics by Standells, 3 meanings, official 2024 song lyrics | LyricsMode.com
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Standells – Dirty Water lyrics
I'm wanna tell you a story
I'm wanna tell you about my town
I'm gonna tell you a big fat story, baby
Aww, it's all about my town

Yeah, down by the river
Down by the banks of the river Charles
Aw, that's what's happenin' baby
That's where you'll find me
Along with lovers, buggers (Muggers) and thieves
Aw, but they're cool people

Well I love that dirty water
Oh, Boston you're my home
Oh, you're the number one place

Frustrated women (I mean they're frustrated)
Have to be in by twelve o'clock (oh, that's a shame)
But I'm wishin' and a hopin', oh
That just once those doors weren't locked
I like to save time for my baby to walk around

Well I love that dirty water
Oh, Boston you're my home (oh yeah)

'Cause I love that dirty water
Oh, Boston you're my home (oh, yeah)

Well I love that dirty water (I love it, baby)
I love that dirty water (I love Boston)
I love that dirty water
(Have you heard about the Strangler)
I love that dirty water (I'm the man, I'm the man)
I love that dirty water (Owww!)
I love that dirty water (a come on, a come on)
I love that dirty water (come on)
I love that dirty water (I'm in love with Boston)
I love that dirty water (Aww yeah)
I love that dirty water
I love that dirty water
I love that dirty water
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Songwriters: Edward Cobb
Dirty Water lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION
Corrected by Listentothesong

Dirty Water meanings

  • U
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    Unregistered
    Back in the 60s, Boston's women's colleges were famous for their curfew rules designed to oversee their charges' virtues. Especially on weekends, there was a mad rush to get back to the dorm before the doors were locked, only to be opened by the House Mother. If you were late, you'd get your name on a list. Too many late returns and you could be expelled. To make things worse, the "T" stopped running at midnight, so if you were late and it was after midnight, you could have a long walk back to the dorm. At my dorm, though, the back door latch often didn't hold very well.
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  • l
    + 2
    Listentothesong
    A song of mock praise to the famously polluted Boston harbor and Charles River. Near the end of the song, in between repeated verses of "I love that dirty water', the lead singer - Larry Tamblyn sings the line: "Have you heard about the Strangler?" (A reference to the Boston Strangler, a serial murderer of thirteen women in the Boston area in the early 1960s). He immediately follows with the line: "I'm the man, I'm the man". Sung in jest - I hope!
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  • U
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    Lovers, muggers, and thieves, on the strand of the river charles, are immortalized in rock'n roll. There is a lesson to be learned in this: losers can and will steal from you, in that dirty town, with the dirty water. Beat you up in front of your girl. Steal your wallet. "i'm in love with boston", the man sang sardonically. I love that dirty filthy stinkin' town and their dirty filthy stinkin' river. Hell, I'm goin' back to the 'coast! Back to the land of oranges and sunshine.
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    • U
      + 8
      Unregistered
      Back in the 60s, Boston's women's colleges were famous for their curfew rules designed to oversee... Read more →
    • l
      + 2
      Listentothesong
      A song of mock praise to the famously polluted Boston harbor and Charles River. Near the end of... Read more →

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