Janis Ian Memphis Lyrics:
[Ian:]
We were standing by the river,
Staring into town.
All the world was on his shoulders,
The tears were raining down.
All along the southern skyline,
City lights begin to loom.
[Nelson:]
He said, "If you only knew her,
The way that I do, sir,
You would be crying too."
[Both:]
If you could see Memphis,
[Nelson:]
The way that I do,
[Both:]
She would look different to you.
[Nelson:]
Queen of the delta,
[Both:]
Tip your tiara,
Memphis, the belle of the blues.
[Nelson:]
Streets were filled with cotton.
And music filled the air.
All the paddle boats came rollin',
From east of everywhere.
Now the streets are filled with silence,
And songs no one can hear.
But her memory lingers,
It slips through my fingers,
[Both:]
And into this river of tears.
[Both:]
If you could see Memphis,
The way that I do,
She would look different to you.
[Nelson:]
Queen of the delta,
[Both:]
Tip your tiara,
Memphis, the belle of the blues.
[Instrumental break featuring Chet Atkins on guitar.]
[Both:]
So roll on, roll on.
[Nelson:]
My sweet magnolia,
[Both:]
Roll on.
Now the memory lingers,
It slips to my fingers.
[Nelson:]
And into this,
[Both:]
River of tears.
[Both:]
If you could see Memphis,
The way that I do,
She would look different to you.
[Nelson:]
Queen of the delta,
[Both:]
Tip your tiara.
[Ian:]
Memphis the belle of the blue-hoo-hoo-oos.
[Nelson:]
Memphis the belle of the blues.
[MEMPHIS]
Written by: Deana Carter & Janis Ian
Performed by: Janis Ian & Willie Nelson [1] , with Chet Atkins on guitar.
Appears on: Appears on: God & the FBI (US-11 tracks) [2] -2000, God & the FBI
(Japan-14 tracks)-2000 & Singin' with Willie-2004.]
[1] Attempting to save money on the production of the album, God & the FBI,
the core group (instruments & vocals by Janis, Jim Cregan, Marc Moreau, and
Philip Clark), did all the singing, with the exception of this song, which was
the only one on the album to have outside musicians--Willie Nelson and Chet
Atkins.]
[Ian:]
We were standing by the river,
Staring into town.
All the world was on his shoulders,
The tears were raining down.
All along the southern skyline,
City lights begin to loom.
[Nelson:]
He said, "If you only knew her,
The way that I do, sir,
You would be crying too."
[Both:]
If you could see Memphis,
[Nelson:]
The way that I do,
[Both:]
She would look different to you.
[Nelson:]
Queen of the delta,
[Both:]
Tip your tiara,
Memphis, the belle of the blues.
[Nelson:]
Streets were filled with cotton.
And music filled the air.
All the paddle boats came rollin',
From east of everywhere.
Now the streets are filled with silence,
And songs no one can hear.
But her memory lingers,
It slips through my fingers,
[Both:]
And into this river of tears.
[Both:]
If you could see Memphis,
The way that I do,
She would look different to you.
[Nelson:]
Queen of the delta,
[Both:]
Tip your tiara,
Memphis, the belle of the blues.
[Instrumental break featuring Chet Atkins on guitar.]
[Both:]
So roll on, roll on.
[Nelson:]
My sweet magnolia,
[Both:]
Roll on.
Now the memory lingers,
It slips to my fingers.
[Nelson:]
And into this,
[Both:]
River of tears.
[Both:]
If you could see Memphis,
The way that I do,
She would look different to you.
[Nelson:]
Queen of the delta,
[Both:]
Tip your tiara.
[Ian:]
Memphis the belle of the blue-hoo-hoo-oos.
[Nelson:]
Memphis the belle of the blues.
[MEMPHIS]
Written by: Deana Carter & Janis Ian
Performed by: Janis Ian & Willie Nelson [1] , with Chet Atkins on guitar.
Appears on: Appears on: God & the FBI (US-11 tracks) [2] -2000, God & the FBI
(Japan-14 tracks)-2000 & Singin' with Willie-2004.]
[1] Attempting to save money on the production of the album, God & the FBI,
the core group (instruments & vocals by Janis, Jim Cregan, Marc Moreau, and
Philip Clark), did all the singing, with the exception of this song, which was
the only one on the album to have outside musicians--Willie Nelson and Chet
Atkins.]