Copyright notice; © 1995-2002, David Dodd
Corrina .............Wake it up baby
Corrina ............. Shake it on down
Corrina .............Corrina .............
Hog of a Sunday
Dog of a Monday
Get it back some day
What'd I say?
Movin' in closer
Cut from a long shot
Fade on a down beat
Ready or not Corrina ............. (as above)
Cruise thru a stop sign
Loggin' up short time
Bird on a phone line
Soakin' up sun
Salt on the crowtail
What can I do?
I'm down by law
But true to you Corrina .............
If, what, where and when
Told at the proper time
Big black wings beat at the wind
But they don't hardly climb
There's a silver ocean
Silver clouds and silver sea
A bird on the horizon
Silver wingin back to me Corrina .............
Wake it up baby
Shake it down easy
Bring it back someday
What'd I say?
Movin' in closer
Cut from a long shot
Fade on a down beat
Ready or not Corrina .............
Corrina / wake it up baby
Corrina / Shake it down easy
Corrina / Shake it on up now
Corrina / Shake it back down Corrina .............
If, who, how and why
don't mean that much to be
long as it don't hurt too much
believe we'll let it be
Outside major darkness
where the circle is complete
there is no fear that lovers born
will ever fail to meet
Corrina .............Wake it up baby
Corrina ............. Shake it on down
Corrina .............Corrina .............
[addendum: ways in which it might be shaken
Corrina / wake it up baby
Corrina / Shake it down easy
Corrina / Shake it on up now
Corrina / Shake it back down
Corrina / Makin' me crazy
Corrina / C'mon baby
Corrina / Shake it all day
Corrina / Tell me what'd I say
Corrina / Shake it up closer
Corrina / Shake it away
Corrina / Shake it in the shadow
Corrina / Shake it in the shade
Corrina / Shake it on the shakedown
Corrina / Shake it uptown
Corrina / Shake it in the short haul
Corrina / Shake it around
Corrina / Shake it at the window
Corrina / Shake it at the door
Corrina / Shake it on the stairwell
Corrina / Shake it on the floor
Corrina / Shake it in the mornin'
Corrina / Shake it in the dawn
Corrina / Shake it all night babe
Corrina / Shake it on down
Covered by:
First performance: February 23, 1992, at the Oakland Coliseum Arena. "Corrina" closed out the first set, following "Black Throated Wind". The other first in the concert was "Long Way to Go Home." "Corrina" remained in the repertoire thereafter.
Corinna, Corinna, where'd you stay last night? (2x)
Your shoes ain't buttoned, girl, don't fit you right.Corinna, Corinna, where you been so long? (2x)
Ain't had no lovin' since you been gone.Corinna, Corinna, what's the matter now? (2x)
You done gone bad, babe, ain't no good nohow.Corinna, Corinna, way cross the sea, (2x)
Ain't done no good, babe, since you left me.I love Corinna, God know I do, (2x)
And I hope some day, she come to love me, too.
The version by the Blue Sky Boys includes the first verse from "Midnight Special" as well.
"According to an ancient anecdote Corinna criticized the absence of myth from one of Pindar's poems; when he thereupon went to the other extreme she remarked that one should 'sow by handfuls, not with the whole sack', an expression which became proverbial." (p. 155)
Get up, get up for shame, the blooming Morn
Upon her wings presents the god unshorn.
See how Aurora throws her fair
Fresh-quilted colours through the air;
Get up, sweet slug-a-bed, and see
The dew bespangling herb and tree.
Each flower has wept, and bow'd toward the east,
Above an hour since; yet you not drest,
Nay! not so much as out of bed?
When all the birds have matins said,
And sung their thankful hymns, 'tis sin,
Nay, profanation, to keep in,
Whenas a thousand virgins on this day
Spring, sooner than the lark, to fetch in May.
Rise; and put on your foliage, and be seen
To come forth, like the spring-time, fresh and green;
And sweet as Flora. Take no care
For jewels for your gown, or hair;
Fear not, the leaves will strew
Gems in abundance upon you;
Besides, the childhood of the day has kept,
Against you come, some orient pearls unwept;
Come and receive them while the light
Hangs on the dew-locks of the night;
And Titan on the eastern hill
Retires himself, or else stands still
Till you come forth. Wash, dress, be brief in praying;
Few beads are best when once we go a-Maying.
Come, my Corinna, come; and, coming, mark
How each field turns a street, each street a park
Made green and trimm'd with trees; see how
Devotion gives each house a bough
Or branch; each porch, each door ere this
An ark, a tabernacle is,
Made up of white-thorn, neatly interwove;
As if here were those cooler shades of love.
Can such delights be in the street
And open fields and we not see't?
Come, we'll abroad; and let's obey
The proclamation made for May,
And sin no more, as we have done, by staying;
But my Corinna, come, let's go a-Maying.
There's not a budding boy, or girl, this day,
But is got up, and gone to bring in May.
A deal of youth, ere this, is come
Back, and with white-thorn laden, home.
Some have despatch'd their cakes and cream,
Before that we have left to dream;
And some have wept, and woo'd, and plighted troth,
And chose their priest, ere we can cast off sloth;
Many a green-gown has been given;
Many a kiss, both odd and even;
Many a glance too has been sent
From out the eye, love's firmament;
Many a jest told of the keys betraying
This night, and locks pick'd, yet we're not a-Maying.
Come, let us go, while we are in our prime;
And take the harmless folly of the time.
We shall grow old apace, and die
Before we know our liberty.
Our life is short, and our days run
As fast away as does the sun;
And as a vapour, or a drop of rain,
Once lost, can ne'er be found again,
So when or you or I are made
A fable, song, or fleeting shade,
All love, all liking, all delight
Lies drown'd with us in endless night.
Then while time serves, and we are but decaying,
Come, my Corinna, come, let's go a-Maying.
The other Herrick poem is "Upon the Loss of His Mistresses," in which he laments a series of names, including Corinna and Electra, among others.
"Listen to the bird on the hot wire singin..."