Went to See the Gypsy Lyrics
Staying in a big hotel
He smiled when he saw me coming
And he said, "Well, well, well"
His room was dark and crowded
Lights were low and dim
"How are you" he said to me
I said it back to him.
To make a small call out
A pretty dancing girl was there
And she began to shout
"Go on back to see the gypsy
He can move you from the rear
Drive you from your fear
Bring you through the mirror
He did it in Las Vegas
And he can do it here".
On the river of tears
I watched them from the distance
With the music in my ears.
It was nearly early dawn
The gypsy's door was open wide
But the gypsy was gone
And that pretty dancing girl
She could not be found
So I watched that sun come rising
From that little Minnesota town.
bob said he never met elvis because he didn't want to. but i guess it could be about what he thought elvis would be like... idk
No comments on such a great song? But what is it about?
I can detect some Christian themes, perhaps, but it also sounds like one of BD's personal anecdotes.
I have nothing to base it on other than he was a 'gypsy' of sorts, but I always related this song to Jimi. It always put in that frame of mind, anyway. Perhaps, the sense of loss that he was here for a while, then too quickly gone. The literal Vegas and Minnesota references don't really play but that's what it always evoked for me, after all ain't that what it's all about, allowing you to make it your own personal attachment?
For me the song is about following some sort of guru ("went to see the gypsy") as part of his entourage for some time, beeing distracted from him (call in the lobby), and gaining self confidence from ones own roots (sun is rising from little Minesota town = Duluth, BDs town of birth.
A lot of people think the gypsy could be Elvis. That is why it is mentioned that "he did it in Las Vegas", and then it seems as if Elvis has left the building at the end of the song. But what the song really is about apart from this I don't know.
I think this song is about purchasing cocaine, doing it, and then running out and facing reality:
He smiled when he saw me coming And he said, "Well, well, well"
the dealer knew he would be coming by for his fix.
His room was dark and crowded Lights were low and dim
"How are you" he said to me I said it back to him.
less than genuine greetings are exchanged the scene was covert but popular
I went down to the lobby To make a small call out A pretty dancing girl was there And she began to shout "Go on back to see the gypsy He can move you from the rear Drive you from your fear Bring you through the mirror He did it in Las Vegas And he can do it here".
He goes down to the lobby to try and make a phone call but gets yelled at by a dancer, telling him to go do some more coke, sarcastically, making him remember how it makes him feel better. I think it says "beer" instead of mirror, referring to coke keeping people drinking all night. And the reference to vegas is, I believe, referring to a previous coke experience, assuming it will be good again here.
Outside the lights were shining On the river of tears I watched them from the distance With the music in my ears.
he was very upset, coming down from a high and dealing with addiction
I went back to see the gypsy It was nearly early dawn The gypsy's door was open wide But the gypsy was gone And that pretty dancing girl She could not be found So I watched that sun come rising From that little Minnesota town.
goes to get more and the dealer is definitely gone, not just out, but gone. "door open wide" the girl that told him off is no where to be seen with his likes, and he has to watch a sunrise, coming down from coke in a little town in minnesota.
Sounds like Bob at the time wanted to go back to a simpler time for him, hence ''little Minnesota town''.Bob never met Elvis but The Gypsy could represent show business.