Grateful Dead Music Forum

I always thought this song was about gay group sex with Eric Clapton, but some others are doubting it. I think it is pretty clear from the lyrics:

We hear you're leaving, that's OK
I thought our little wild time had just begun
I guess you kind of scared yourself, you turn and run
But if you have a change of heart:

CHORUS:
Rikki Don't Lose That Number
You don't wanna call nobody else
Send it off in a letter to yourself
Rikki don't lose that number
It's the only one you own
You might use it if you feel better
When you get home

I have a friend in town, he's heard your name
We can go out driving on Slow Hand Row
We could stay inside and play games, I don't know
And you could have a change of heart

CHORUS

You tell yourself you're not my kind
But you don't even know your mind
And you could have a change of heart


Any thoughts?

Mick wrote:I always thought this song was about gay group sex with Eric Clapton, but some others are doubting it. I think it is pretty clear from the lyrics:
Any thoughts?

I think it's more about an illicit love affair between a mongoose and a certain British writer.

Animal husbandry perhaps?

a number is slang for a joint.... always thought that was it!

I heard it was about some girl he knew in high school who was somewhat famous for something or another. Though, you can never tell . . . artists don't always tell the truth about what their tunes are all about. I remember in my year as an English major telling a professor who was rambling on an on about this section of a poem (forget who wrote it) about how it symbolizes this and that and that this is what the author meant, "how do you know the author was thinking that, it seems pretty unlikely?" He didn't have a good answer. i switched majors. I remember hearing McCartney talking about when Lenon first played "Hey Jude" for him and that the line "the movement you need is on your shoulder" was to be replaced because it didn't mean anything the words just fit. McCartney told him to leave it in because it was perfect. Good tunes are ones that paint a picture that is vague enough to be interesting and to be open to multiple interpretations.

tcsned wrote:I remember hearing McCartney talking about when Lenon first played "Hey Jude" for him and that the line "the movement you need is on your shoulder" was to be replaced because it didn't mean anything the words just fit. McCartney told him to leave it in because it was perfect. Good tunes are ones that paint a picture that is vague enough to be interesting and to be open to multiple interpretations.

Good Beatle story, the parties are reversed however. Just an FYI.

I most whole heartedly agree with your final statement. Dylan anyone?

FretWilkes wrote:[quote="tcsned"good tunes are ones that paint a picture that is vague enough to be interesting and to be open to multiple interpretations.

Good Beatle story, the parties are reversed however. Just an FYI.

I most whole heartedly agree with your final statement. Dylan anyone?[/quote]


Dylan and.................................................. Robert Hunter

FretWilkes wrote:

tcsned wrote:I remember hearing McCartney talking about when Lenon first played "Hey Jude" for him and that the line "the movement you need is on your shoulder" was to be replaced because it didn't mean anything the words just fit. McCartney told him to leave it in because it was perfect. Good tunes are ones that paint a picture that is vague enough to be interesting and to be open to multiple interpretations.

Good Beatle story, the parties are reversed however. Just an FYI.

I most whole heartedly agree with your final statement. Dylan anyone?

lol - it was indeed the other way around and Paul saying that Lenon told him to keep that line in.

Gettin' old and the ole memory ain't quite what it never was

jeffm725 wrote:

FretWilkes wrote:I most whole heartedly agree with your final statement. Dylan anyone?

Dylan and.................................................. Robert Hunter

Oh yeah...HIM.

While we're on the subject of Steely Dan; did you know the song "Kid Charlemagne" was about Owsley?

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

How do you like your corn?.......Whole?

Rikki is a girl's name.

Used to do this song in a band a long time ago. Always enjoyed the kind of distinctive hammer-on thing on the E chord, and the odd riff that leads into the chorus.

Dylan....Hunter....Cohen

Actually, the reason I asked is because my present musical project is I'm trying to get a Weird Al Yankovik tribute band off the ground, but with some original derivative works included. One of our first tunes will be:

Rikki don't lose that plunger
It's the only one you've got
You might use it if you feel better
And take epsom salt

Boom Boom
Boom Boom
Boom Boom
Boom Boom

But I didn't want to offend people.

Another would be Bon Jovi's Bad Medicine:

Your lunch is like bad sandwiches
Bad sandwiches are what you need
Oh oh oh

I think you get the idea.