Gator Blood

[Rail King]

Any ideas what this song is about? Who's the main character?

[Fieneke2]

I don't have an answer Rail King! Of many songs I need to find out the meaning, but I didn't have time yet to search for it!
Meanwhile I continue listening every day to the beautiful songs! 

Fieneke

[Jules]

I always thought that it was about that tv shows where people hunt crocodiles in Florida... There are some tv programmes about it, so I always thught he saw it (or a tv advert of it) and caught his attention

[dmg]

Well it sounds American to me in it's use of language such as "film-flam man" etc.  It seems to me to be about the excess of eating and a "greedy man" preparing a huge amount of greasy food.  Just my idea.

The first thing I think of though is the scene in Live and Let Die when Sir Rog jumps over the crocodiles at the crocodile farm.  Brilliant!

[Rail King]

Thanks, I see. And what about the dancing chicken? Hot plate? Is he a cook or what?

[dmg]

Thanks, I see. And what about the dancing chicken? Hot plate? Is he a cook or what?

Well a "skillet" is a kind of frying pan so he seems to be preparing some sort of unhealthy foodstuffs.

As I said, it's my take but I could be way off!  Maybe someone else has another take on the song.

[DCAce]

Definitely American -- in old time side shows and carnivals, you often saw "dancing chickens".....there was a hot plate under the "stage" to make the chickens "dance.

[Al]

The song is about Coronel Tom Parker, manager of Elvis Prestley. Coronel was a semi-legal immigrant, almost a con-man, working in side shows. Then he met Elvis-"a country boy, a bird who sings", and reportedly made him (actually his parents) sign a horrendous contract. It practically put Elvis in complete dependence, while Tom got most of the money. Comparrison to a gator means that when the coronel got a hold of you, he won't let you go. Pretty much what he did to his most famous client.

[dmg]

 

http://www.gatorblood.com

Yet another Elvis-related song then.

[Tally]

The song is about Coronel Tom Parker, manager of Elvis Prestley. Coronel was a semi-legal immigrant, almost a con-man, working in side shows. Then he met Elvis-"a country boy, a bird who sings", and reportedly made him (actually his parents) sign a horrendous contract. It practically put Elvis in complete dependence, while Tom got most of the money. Comparrison to a gator means that when the coronel got a hold of you, he won't let you go. Pretty much what he did to his most famous client.

Very interesting post!

[DCAce]

The song is about Coronel Tom Parker, manager of Elvis Prestley. Coronel was a semi-legal immigrant, almost a con-man, working in side shows. Then he met Elvis-"a country boy, a bird who sings", and reportedly made him (actually his parents) sign a horrendous contract. It practically put Elvis in complete dependence, while Tom got most of the money. Comparrison to a gator means that when the coronel got a hold of you, he won't let you go. Pretty much what he did to his most famous client.

You're too kind -- Parker wasn't semi, he was an illegal immigrant, and since he couldn't get a passport, Elvis only traveled when he was in the army because Parker couldn't take the chance of Elvis making friends or listening to professional advice from anyone. (Parker made him turn down all the offers, including a request from Queen Elizabeth for a Command Performance.  He also vetoed any film that would have required Elvis to go out of the country on location.)  Elvis was of age and signed a contract that gave half of everything to Parker.  His mother was against it, she disliked and distrusted Parker (smart lady).  Parker chose everything, from songs, to films scripts to Vegas only with money in mind.  What a waste of a talented young man's life......

[Love Expresso]

From Isaac Shabtay's Tour Diary from the show in Lodz, May, 8th:

Gator Blood was played again, this time with a short introduction by Mark mentioning that this is a song about a music manager.

LE

[Mona Dee]

I NEVER would have understood the lyrics without this forum. Thank You !

[FenderBender]

Thanks, I see. And what about the dancing chicken? Hot plate? Is he a cook or what?

In Cardiff, Mark specifically mentioned that Gator Blood and Back to Tupelo were about Colonel Tom Parker.
As for the dancing chicken, when introducing Gator Blood Mark said that at one time Parker had a show where he would put live chickens on a hot plate so that they would appear to be dancing as they tried to keep their feet from burning. Sounds like he was a really pleasant chap!

[rosco]

The Col as previously stated was illegal in the US and THE reason Elvis never toured out of the USA.  The book Mk has read about the Col will have been Alanna Nashs book from a few years ago. In it,  she tells all these stories and also claims the Colonel fled the Netherlands after murdering someone. An excellent book.