“Voodoo Queen” - a song about gambling and magic
I’ve never met a Voodoo Queen, but if and when I do, maybe I will sing her this song.
Backstory
There isn’t too much to this one besides the nagging sensation that I should write a happier/upbeat song. Most of my recent ones had been “sad”, or had heavier topic undertones. This one still has it a bit, a guy so addicted to gambling that he doesn’t mind giving up his soul (classic)…
I tend to try and keep my songs void of mentions of modern day technology. It’s always felt to fleeting to me when I see it in movies or older songs. Things always seem to change and then next thing you know, that line is outdated. I never feel that with the really old songs, where the only moving parts are romantic (trains with coal, boats with steam, anything powered by nature). So for this song in my head I was picturing a Mark Twain style steamboat heading down the Mississippi. Alongside the river, big willow trees are dipping their leafy vines in the water, and a pair of red eyes and a smile are looking out from the shadows. That picture stuck with me the entire time I was writing this song.
I had also just finished the movie Mudbound (fantastic), so my head was in a past time through and through.
Writing Process
This was one of the ones that came more like a bolt of lightning. There are so many words and possibilities that I felt like someone was spray a hose in my thirsty face, and I was just drinking up what I could.
Notebook Page.
Sunday, Feb. 28th
Lyrics
Voodoo queen on a Mississippi river boat
Call my name, won’t you call my name
Voodoo queen on a Mississippi river boat
Call my name, Call my name and I’m there
I’ve got one dollar, two pennies, three ways, for how I owe it all
I’ve got no shirt, no shoes, holes in both of my knees, I’m a bit of a gambler
Those old timers, snake charmers, pump primers, says they got their luck down on the bayou
I’ve never been down south, but I’m heading there now
If you could cast your spell on me, I’d be grateful eternally
Voodoo queen on a Mississippi river boat
Call my name, won’t you call my name
Voodoo queen on a Mississippi river boat
Call my name, Call my name and I’m there (I swear) x2
She got that black hair, red eyes, teeth as sharp as a snake, says come on in
She sat me down, smokes all around, says try some of this try some of that
Skin starts crawling, I start balling, sky starts falling, that’s some powerful stuff
She says, for trading your soul with me, here’s a couple aces up your sleeve
If you lay those cards down right, you can play all day and dance all night
Voodoo queen on a Mississippi river boat
Call my name, won’t you call my name
Voodoo queen on a Mississippi river boat
Call my name, Call my name and I’m there (I swear) x2
I got these mountains of silver, mountains of gold
Still aint enough to buy back my soul
She has that power over me
Ain’t tired of winning yet, aint losing any steam
Voodoo queen on a Mississippi river boat
Call my name, won’t you call my name
Voodoo queen on a Mississippi river boat
Call my name, Call my name and I’m there (I swear)
Voodoo queen on a Mississippi river boat
Call my name, Call my name and I’m there