phrases, sayings, idioms and expressions at

She took the katy, left me a mule to ride

Posted by Brian from Shawnee on March 14, 2006

In Reply to: She took the katy, left me a mule to ride posted by Bob on March 14, 2006

: : I have been listening to a song by Taj Mahal...the title is "She took the katy, left me a mule to ride.? I have surmised that katy must be some kind of transportation, but am not really sure of that. Some/any enlightenment in this regard would be appreciated.

: googled the lyrics, and found a footmote:

: She caught the Katy1, and left me a mule2 to ride
: She caught the Katy, and left me a mule to ride
: My baby caught the Katy, left me a mule to ride
: The train pulled out, and I swung on behind
: I'm crazy 'bout her, that hardheaded woman of mine

: Man my baby's long, great god she's mighty, she's tall
: You know my baby's long, great god she's mighty, my baby she's tall
: Well my baby she's long, my baby she's tall
: She sleeps with her head in the kitchen and her big feet out in the hall
: And I'm still crazy 'bout her, that hardheaded woman of mine

: Well I love my baby, she's so fine
: I wish she'd come and see me some time
: If you don't believe I love her, look what a hole I'm in
: If you don't believe I'm sinking, look what a shape I'm in

: She caught the Katy, and left me a mule to ride
: She caught the Katy, and left me a mule to ride
: Well my baby caught the Katy, left me a mule to ride
: The train pulled out, and I swung on behind
: I'm crazy 'bout her, that hardheaded woman, hardheaded woman of mine

: __________
: Note 1: Katy, or KT, which stands for Kansan and Texas Railroad (K&T);
: Note 2: mule, refers to a slower moving, local train. Actual meaning of mule: a hybrid between a horse and a donkey, in particular the offspring of a male donkey and a mare. In this case it's metaphor for a slow transport.

I think footnote 1 is slightly incorrect. The railroad is the M-K-T, or Missouri, Kansas & Texas, commonly known as "The Katy". It's been M-K-T since it was spun off and renamed from Union Pacific Railway Southern Branch in 1870.

An express train called the Katy Flyer was inaugurated in 1933 with service from Parsons, Kansas to St. Louis. That could be the "Katy" in the song.

© 1997 – 2024 Phrases.org.uk. All rights reserved.