Here's my take on the meaning behind these mysterious lyrics.
Lido missed the boat that day he left the shack (Lido did time in Angola prison, which requires a ferry boat ride across the Mississppi.)
But that was all he missed and he ain't comin' back (Obviously he doesn’t want to return.)
A tombstone bar in a jukejoint car, he made a stop (He’s driving a stolen car and stopping at a highway bar in the middle of nowhere in order to rob it.)
Just long enough to grab a handle off the top (This is a reference to the old style cash registers which used large manual handles for opening/closing the til. He grabbed the handle, opened the til, and stole the cash, while probably pointing a gun at the bartender.)
Next stop Chi town, Lido put the money down and let it roll (He drove up to Chicago to gamble.)
(The next section and the Refrain indicate that Lido wants to get financially set before he gives up his life of crime, but he’s always gambling his loot away.)
He said one more job ought to get it
One last shot 'fore we quit it
One more for the road
Refrain:
Lido, whoa-oh-oh-oh
He's for the money, he's for the show
Lido's waitin' for the go
Lido, whoa-oh-oh-oh
He said one more job ought to get it
One last shot 'fore we quit it
One more for the road
(Lido gets a letter from his lady, saying to clean up his act or get out. So he plans one last big robbery.)
Lido be runnin', havin' great big fun, until he got the note
Sayin' toe the line or blow, and that was all she wrote
He be makin' like a beeline, headin' for the borderline
Goin' for broke
(Lido finds a good place to rob, looks like an easy mark. We don’t get to see what happens, but I suspect he gets caught, because the song title is “Lido Shuffle”, suggesting a repetitive dance in and out of jail in this case.)
Sayin' one more hit ought to do it
This joint ain't nothin to it
One more for the road
@cmmumu This was probably the best interpretation. I only want to recommend that a "handle off the top" probably means that in addition to robbing the money from the bar, he also took a 'handle' (1.75 liters) "off the top" meaning both from the top shelf (most expensive liquors) and that this bonus "off the top" was skimmed from the total take in the robbery
@cmmumu This was probably the best interpretation. I only want to recommend that a "handle off the top" probably means that in addition to robbing the money from the bar, he also took a 'handle' (1.75 liters) "off the top" meaning both from the top shelf (most expensive liquors) and that this bonus "off the top" was skimmed from the total take in the robbery
@cmmumu Great breakdown, especially the part about Angola Prison. The only thing I would differ with is that he managed to escape before getting into prison. "Lido missed the boat that day he left the shack."
@cmmumu Great breakdown, especially the part about Angola Prison. The only thing I would differ with is that he managed to escape before getting into prison. "Lido missed the boat that day he left the shack."
@cmmumu You have an interesting interpretation that makes a great story but is also over analyzed.
The first stanza means that Lido won a poker game bluffing his hand.
The boat that Lido missed is not a literal boat. "Boat" is poker slang for a full house. So he missed drawing the full house he was bluffing. "But that was all he missed" means he was able to bluff his way to win the hand. He won all the money at the table so he aint going back.
@cmmumu You have an interesting interpretation that makes a great story but is also over analyzed.
The first stanza means that Lido won a poker game bluffing his hand.
The boat that Lido missed is not a literal boat. "Boat" is poker slang for a full house. So he missed drawing the full house he was bluffing. "But that was all he missed" means he was able to bluff his way to win the hand. He won all the money at the table so he aint going back.
In the second stanza Lido is gambling in the juke joint bar and "grabbing a handle off the top" means he was cheating when dealing and dealt himself the cards to win more money.
In the third stanza Lido is winning in Chicago but whoever is running the game catches on to his cheating and tells him to deal straight or leave ( toe the line or blow). So he leaves as soon as he gets the not (makes a beeline).
@cmmumu Lido is also Italian for beach. There is a Lido Card Shuffle that some may use to cheat at cards. There are a few male and females with the nickhame of Lido.
@cmmumu Lido is also Italian for beach. There is a Lido Card Shuffle that some may use to cheat at cards. There are a few male and females with the nickhame of Lido.
I think both cmmumu and LeeA3 have good explanations, it seems the song could be about a stickup man or a card hustler. I’ve heard other suggestions that the song is autobiographical and about a struggling musician trying to break into the music business. The lyrics are rather wide open for interpretation.
I think both cmmumu and LeeA3 have good explanations, it seems the song could be about a stickup man or a card hustler. I’ve heard other suggestions that the song is autobiographical and about a struggling musician trying to break into the music business. The lyrics are rather wide open for interpretation.
Here's my take on the meaning behind these mysterious lyrics.
Lido missed the boat that day he left the shack (Lido did time in Angola prison, which requires a ferry boat ride across the Mississppi.) But that was all he missed and he ain't comin' back (Obviously he doesn’t want to return.) A tombstone bar in a jukejoint car, he made a stop (He’s driving a stolen car and stopping at a highway bar in the middle of nowhere in order to rob it.) Just long enough to grab a handle off the top (This is a reference to the old style cash registers which used large manual handles for opening/closing the til. He grabbed the handle, opened the til, and stole the cash, while probably pointing a gun at the bartender.) Next stop Chi town, Lido put the money down and let it roll (He drove up to Chicago to gamble.)
(The next section and the Refrain indicate that Lido wants to get financially set before he gives up his life of crime, but he’s always gambling his loot away.) He said one more job ought to get it One last shot 'fore we quit it One more for the road
Refrain: Lido, whoa-oh-oh-oh He's for the money, he's for the show Lido's waitin' for the go Lido, whoa-oh-oh-oh He said one more job ought to get it One last shot 'fore we quit it One more for the road
(Lido gets a letter from his lady, saying to clean up his act or get out. So he plans one last big robbery.) Lido be runnin', havin' great big fun, until he got the note Sayin' toe the line or blow, and that was all she wrote He be makin' like a beeline, headin' for the borderline Goin' for broke
(Lido finds a good place to rob, looks like an easy mark. We don’t get to see what happens, but I suspect he gets caught, because the song title is “Lido Shuffle”, suggesting a repetitive dance in and out of jail in this case.) Sayin' one more hit ought to do it This joint ain't nothin to it One more for the road
I'll add that although this song was written in the 70's, the subject is set in the 30's or 40's.
I'll add that although this song was written in the 70's, the subject is set in the 30's or 40's.
@cmmumu This was probably the best interpretation. I only want to recommend that a "handle off the top" probably means that in addition to robbing the money from the bar, he also took a 'handle' (1.75 liters) "off the top" meaning both from the top shelf (most expensive liquors) and that this bonus "off the top" was skimmed from the total take in the robbery
@cmmumu This was probably the best interpretation. I only want to recommend that a "handle off the top" probably means that in addition to robbing the money from the bar, he also took a 'handle' (1.75 liters) "off the top" meaning both from the top shelf (most expensive liquors) and that this bonus "off the top" was skimmed from the total take in the robbery
@cmmumu Great analysis - makes the song stand up even more!
@cmmumu Great analysis - makes the song stand up even more!
@cmmumu Great breakdown, especially the part about Angola Prison. The only thing I would differ with is that he managed to escape before getting into prison. "Lido missed the boat that day he left the shack."
@cmmumu Great breakdown, especially the part about Angola Prison. The only thing I would differ with is that he managed to escape before getting into prison. "Lido missed the boat that day he left the shack."
@cmmumu You have an interesting interpretation that makes a great story but is also over analyzed.
The first stanza means that Lido won a poker game bluffing his hand. The boat that Lido missed is not a literal boat. "Boat" is poker slang for a full house. So he missed drawing the full house he was bluffing. "But that was all he missed" means he was able to bluff his way to win the hand. He won all the money at the table so he aint going back.
@cmmumu You have an interesting interpretation that makes a great story but is also over analyzed.
The first stanza means that Lido won a poker game bluffing his hand. The boat that Lido missed is not a literal boat. "Boat" is poker slang for a full house. So he missed drawing the full house he was bluffing. "But that was all he missed" means he was able to bluff his way to win the hand. He won all the money at the table so he aint going back.
In the second stanza Lido is gambling in the juke joint bar and "grabbing a handle off the top" means he was cheating when dealing and dealt himself the cards to win more money. In the third stanza Lido is winning in Chicago but whoever is running the game catches on to his cheating and tells him to deal straight or leave ( toe the line or blow). So he leaves as soon as he gets the not (makes a beeline).
@cmmumu The Jig is up You must be Boz, cause your the only one who even came close.
@cmmumu The Jig is up You must be Boz, cause your the only one who even came close.
@cmmumu Lido is also Italian for beach. There is a Lido Card Shuffle that some may use to cheat at cards. There are a few male and females with the nickhame of Lido.
@cmmumu Lido is also Italian for beach. There is a Lido Card Shuffle that some may use to cheat at cards. There are a few male and females with the nickhame of Lido.
I think both cmmumu and LeeA3 have good explanations, it seems the song could be about a stickup man or a card hustler. I’ve heard other suggestions that the song is autobiographical and about a struggling musician trying to break into the music business. The lyrics are rather wide open for interpretation.
I think both cmmumu and LeeA3 have good explanations, it seems the song could be about a stickup man or a card hustler. I’ve heard other suggestions that the song is autobiographical and about a struggling musician trying to break into the music business. The lyrics are rather wide open for interpretation.
@cmmumu That's pretty good.
@cmmumu That's pretty good.