Why "Suffragette City?"

Cafe Society
1

I know what the word means but what does it mean in the context of the song? Was it a slang term for a city in England or is it completely fictional? If so why that term? Shame on me for not knowing the story of the alblum.

2

Good question. Great song.

That’s one I like to crank all the way up to 11.

3

Damn it really is a great song. It SEEMS like a cliche but it’s not and I can’t tell why. Perhaps it’s the basic shuffle blues behind it all.

4

Some info here
http://www.5years.com/suffc.htm

more info here
http://www.teenagewildlife.com/Singles/SC1976/Title.html

even more info here
http://www.teenagewildlife.com/Interact/fc/misc/JG/ZS.html#SC
Partial lyric

5

Maybe someone can explain “Kid Charlemagne”, while we’re at it…

[sub]Another great song…[/sub]

6

Thanks **astro]/b], yea I found that site during a search myself but nothing on the Suffragette aspect. Can’t help but think that “Henry” is Henry Miller.

Tygr, I can go into details on the meaning of the song if you like but I assume you mean “Why Charlemagne?” Steely Dan lyrics are best dissected with Ockham’s Razor. My theory is that the name Charlemagne is generally euphonic and that he was a king/emperor with innovative ideas. Stanley Owsley (the pseudo-eponymous Kid Charlemagne) was the King of LSD in San Francisco at the time and was pretty innovative when it came to making it. Owsley also managed the Grateful Dead and paid their rent with the income from acid sales, hence “your low rent are dead” - grateful dead. He was also busted when his car ran out of gasoline - “Is there gas in the car? Yes there’s gas in the car.”

7

Nice scripting KC. I meant to add that some think the choice of Charlemagne or “Great Charlie” was because acid was a step up from cocaine.

8

A great song, but I’m inclined to believe the lyrics and title are essentially meaningless. Hmmm, maybe that’s why it’s a great song…

Incidentally, in one of Neil Gaiman’s Sandman graphic novels there’s a strip club called “Suffragette City”. No other reference to the song, but one of the dancers there doesn’t like dancing to “Under Pressure”.