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Artist: Steely Dan
Track: Kid Charlemagne

Lyrics
While the music played, you worked by candlelight
Those San Francisco nights
You were the best in town
Just by chance you crossed the diamond with the pearl
You turned it on the world
That's when you turned the world around

(Did you feel like Jesus?)
Did you realize
That you were a champion in their eyes?

On the hill the stuff was laced with kerosene
But yours was kitchen-clean
Everyone stopped to stare at your technicolor motor home
Every A-Frame had your number on the wall
You must have had it all
You'd go to L.A. on a dare and you'd go it alone

(Could you live forever?)
Could you see the day?
Could you feel your whole world fall apart and fade away?

Get along, get along, Kid Charlemagne
Get along, Kid Charlemagne

Now your patrons have all left you in the red
Your low-rent friends are dead
This life can be very strange
All those Day-Glo freaks who used to paint the face
They've joined the human race
Some things will never change

(Son, you were mistaken)
You are obsolete
Look at all the white men on the street

Get along, get along, Kid Charlemagne
Get along, Kid Charlemagne

Clean this mess up else we'll all end up in jail
Those test tubes and the scale
Just get it all out of here
Is there gas in the car?
Yes, there's gas in the car
I think the people down the hall know who you are

(Careful what you carry)
'Cause the man is wise
You are still an outlaw in their eyes

Get along (get along), get along, Kid Charlemagne (get along)
Get along, Kid Charlemagne
Full Lyrics and Meaning
SongMeanings Interpretations
Steely Dan - Kid Charlemagne Lyrics
The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and ...
Steely Dan - Aja Lyrics
Steely Dan's lyrics, always so tantalizingly hard to interpret, are sometimes their strangest when they're about drugs. Kid Charlemagne, Doctor Wu... I'm ...
Aja Meanings & Lyrics Discussion
Dantex discusses the meanings of Aja lyrics: I've heard this song in the past as a song about LSD. Before you roll your eyes and scroll down to the next comment, I hope you'll hear me out. Steely Dan's lyrics, always so tantalizingly hard to interpret, are sometimes their strangest when they're about drugs. Kid Charlemagne, Doctor Wu... I'm sure you can think of others. I've heard Aja like this:
Kid Charlemagne Meanings & Lyrics Discussion
cindywi discusses the meanings of Kid Charlemagne lyrics: It is a song about a drug dealer's descent from riches to poverty.
Steely Dan - Kings Lyrics
... King Richard" is allegorical. I'd be surprised if it was directly about Nixon, in the way that Kid Charlemagne is about Bear Stanley. Don't forget that JFK ...
Kanye West - Champion Lyrics
... Kid Charlemagne by Steely Dan. and also I think ... kids were dropping out of highschool due to his album name. ... Log in now to tell us what you think this song ...
Steely Dan - Deacon Blues Lyrics
I would just mention what a journalist called Stewart Mason wrote about it on allmusic.com : "Fagen has said that the narrator is a middle class suburban kid ...
Steely Dan Lyrics, Songs, Albums And More
Steely Dan Lyrics, Songs, Albums And More at SongMeanings! song lyrics, song meanings, albums, music and more.
Steely Dan - Dont Take Me Alive Lyrics
... song, "Kid Charlemagne" :-))<br /> If (as you note above) this is about David Fine's capture and trial, then "crossing my old man" makes sense. I didn't ...
Walter Becker - Down in the Bottom Lyrics
... Steely Dan song that was discarded from the Aja ... "The Bear" was another nickname for the psychedelic Owsley Stanley, aka Kid Charlemagne. ... Log in now to tell ...
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SongFacts
Kid Charlemagne by Steely Dan - Songfacts
Kid Charlemagne by Steely Dan song meaning, lyric interpretation, video and chart position
Babylon Sisters by Steely Dan - Songfacts
Babylon Sisters by Steely Dan song meaning, lyric interpretation, video and chart position
Reelin' In The Years by Steely Dan - Songfacts
Reelin' In The Years by Steely Dan song meaning, lyric interpretation, video and chart position
The Royal Scam by Steely Dan - Songfacts
The Royal Scam by Steely Dan song meaning, lyric interpretation, video and chart position
Don't Take Me Alive by Steely Dan - Songfacts
Don't Take Me Alive by Steely Dan song meaning, lyric interpretation, video and chart position
Donald Fagen : Songwriter Interviews
Fagen talks about how the Steely Dan songwriting strategy has changed over the years, and explains why you don't hear many covers of their songs.
Aja by Steely Dan - Songfacts
Aja by Steely Dan song meaning, lyric interpretation, video and chart position
Song Meanings at Songfacts
Songfacts - the stories and meanings behind the songs, with songwriter interviews and lyrics.
Steely Dan : Fact or Fiction
Did they really trade their guitarist to The Doobie Brothers? Are they named after something naughty? And what's up with the band name?
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Genius Meanings
Steely Dan – Kid Charlemagne
In a 2000 online chat with the BBC, Walter Becker explained the model for “Kid Charlemagne.” I would say it was very loosely inspired by a character named Owsley. His name was
Steely Dan – Kid Charlemagne (Live)
[Verse 1] / While the music played you worked by candlelight / Those San Francisco nights / You were the best in town / Just by chance you crossed the diamond with the pearl / You
Kanye West – Champion
An anthem from Kanye West’s album Graduation containing a jazz and reggae influence, eschewing trumpets in favor of bright synthesizers and featuring breezy hooks provided by a
Rachel Z – Kid Charlemagne
[Instrumental]
Steely Dan – A Man Ain’t Supposed To Cry (Live From The Orpheum Theatre)
[Instrumental]
Steely Dan – Don't Take Me Alive
A classic Steely Dan character, a desperate and alienated narrator, has apparently taken hostages and negotiates first with the police, then himself, as he considers his fate.
Kanye West – Champion Samples
See all of “Champion” by Kanye West’s samples, covers, remixes, interpolations and live versions
Steely Dan – The Caves of Altamira
In a 2000 online chat with the BBC, Donald Fagen and Walter Becker explained the meaning of “The Caves of Altamira”: Donald: It’s a pretty straightforward story about a guy who
Steely Dan – Glamour Profession (Live at The Met Philadelphia)
[Verse 1] / 6:05, outside the stadium / Special delivery for Hoops McCann / Brut and charisma / Poured from the shadow where he stood / Looking good / He's a crowd pleasing man / [
Steely Dan – Show Biz Kids
ACCEPTED SUGGESTION: This is a song which disparages a certain class of L.A. residents…wealthy offspring of entertainment moguls….show biz kids who don’t give a F about anybody
​toasty digital – JESUS WALKS
[Intro] / How you feelin'? (Fine!) / [Verse 1: Kanye West & Really Doe] / Feeling better than some head on a Sunday afternoon / Better than a chick that say "yes" too soon / Until
Steely Dan – Babylon Sisters (Live)
1, 2, 1, 2 / [Verse 1] / Drive west on Sunset to the sea / Turn that jungle music down / Just until we're out of town / This is no one night stand / It's a real occasion / Close
​toasty digital – JESUS WALKS Samples
See all of “JESUS WALKS” by ​toasty digital’s samples
Steely Dan – The Fez
The Fez = a condom Making this a “safe-sex” song well before its' time
Steely Dan – Black Cow (Live From Mohegan Sun Arena)
[Verse 1] / In the corner of my eye / I saw you in Rudy's / You were very high / You were high / It was a cryin' disgrace / They saw your face / On the counter by your keys / Was a
Steely Dan – Reelin’ In The Years (Live From Mohegan Sun Arena)
[Verse 1] / Your everlasting summer and you can see it fading fast / So you grab a piece of something that you think is gonna last / Well, you wouldn't know a diamond if you held
Steely Dan – Peg (Live)
[Verse 1] / I've seen your picture / Your name in lights above it / This is your big debut / It's like a dream come true / So won't you smile for the camera? / I know they're gonna
Steely Dan – Haitian Divorce
This song refers to the alleged ease of divorce in Haiti. It also parallels this with the ease with which some people fall into, out of, and back into love.
Steely Dan – Hey Nineteen (Live From The Met Philadelphia)
[Verse 1] / Way back when, in '67 / I was a dandy of Gamma Chi / Sweet things from Boston / Young and willing / Moved down to Scarsdale / Where the hell am I? / [Chorus] / No, we
Steely Dan – The Royal Scam
[Verse 1] / And they wandered in from the city / Of St. John without a dime / Wearing coats that shined both red and green / Colors from their sunny island / From their boats of
Steely Dan – Sign in Stranger
[Verse 1] / Have you heard about the boom on Mizar 5? / People got to shout to stay alive / They don't even have policeman a-one / Doesn't matter where you been or what you've done
Steely Dan – Reelin’ In The Years (Live)
[Verse 1] / Your everlasting summer / And you can see it fading fast / So you grab a piece of something / That you think is gonna last / Well, you wouldn't even know a diamond / If
Steely Dan – Everything You Did
[Verse 1] / Where did the bastard run? / Is he still around? / Now you gotta tell me everything you did baby / I'm gonna get a gun / Shoot the lover down / Are you gonna tell me
Steely Dan – Bodhisattva (Live)
[Verse 1] / Bodhisattva, would you take me by the hand? / Bodhisattva, would you take me by the hand? / [Chorus] / Can you show me the shine of your Japan? / The sparkle of your
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Genius Artists
Steely Dan
Steely Dan originates from Annandale-on-Hudson, New York. The band’s name is in reference to the steam-powered dildo, “Steely Dan III from Yokohama,” in William S. Burroughs' 1959
Steely Dan Songs
Steely Dan has 175 songs with the most popular being Do It Again, Hey Nineteen and Deacon Blues.
Genius Albums
Steely Dan: The Definitive Collection by Steely Dan
Get all the lyrics to songs on Steely Dan: The Definitive Collection and join the Genius community of music scholars to learn the meaning behind the lyrics.
The Royal Scam by Steely Dan
Under the pressure of high expectations, Steely Dan released its' fifth album, The Royal Scam, on May 31, 1976. The lyrical nature of The Royal Scam displays a sense of cynicism
Remastered: The Best of Steely Dan - Then and Now by Steely Dan
Get all the lyrics to songs on Remastered: The Best of Steely Dan - Then and Now and join the Genius community of music scholars to learn the meaning behind the lyrics.
Greatest Hits by Steely Dan
Get all the lyrics to songs on Greatest Hits and join the Genius community of music scholars to learn the meaning behind the lyrics.
The Very Best of Steely Dan by Steely Dan
The Very Best of Steely Dan is a 2009 United Kingdom re-release of the compilation album Showbiz Kids: The Steely Dan Story, 1972–1980, originally released on November 14, 2000.
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