Cripple Creek
Buffy (Buffy Sainte-Marie) Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴Hey, I got a girl at the head of the creek
Goin' up to see her about two times a week
Kiss her on the mouth, sweet as any wine
Wrap herself around me like a sweet potato vine

Goin' up Cripple Creek, goin' on a run
Goin' up Cripple Creek to have a little fun
Goin' up Cripple Creek, goin' in a whirl

Goin' up Cripple Creek to see my little girl

Now the girls up Cripple Creek about half-grown
Jump on a boy like a dog on a bone
Roll my britches up to my knees
Wade old Cripple Creek whenever I please

Goin' up Cripple Creek, goin' on a run
Goin' up Cripple Creek to have a little fun
Goin' up Cripple Creek, goin' in a whirl
Goin' up Cripple Creek to see my little girl

Now, Cripple Creek's wide and Cripple Creek's deep
Wade old Cripple Creek before I sleep
Hills are steep and the roads are muddy
And I'm so dizzy that I can't stand steady I'm

Goin' up Cripple Creek, goin' on a run
Goin' up Cripple Creek to have a little fun

Goin' up Cripple Creek, goin' in a whirl
Goin' up Cripple Creek to see my little girl

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Buffy's "Cripple Creek" are fairly straightforward, detailing a man's travels up to see his girl at the head of the creek. He describes kissing her on the mouth, which he finds as sweet as any wine, and her wrapping herself around him like a sweet potato vine. The chorus, "Goin' up Cripple Creek, goin' on a run / Goin' up Cripple Creek to have a little fun / Goin' up Cripple Creek, goin' in a whirl / Goin' up Cripple Creek to see my little girl," is repeated after each verse.

In the second verse, the man describes the girls up Cripple Creek as being "about half-grown" and "jump[ing] on a boy like a dog on a bone." He also mentions rolling up his britches to wade in the creek whenever he pleases. The final verse describes the creek itself as wide and deep, with steep hills and muddy roads. The man feels so dizzy that he can barely stand, but he's still determined to make the journey up to see his little girl.

Overall, the song has a light-hearted and playful tone, conveying the joy and excitement of traveling up to Cripple Creek to see the singer's love interest. The reference to the girls jumping on boys like dogs on bones is a bit puzzling, but it may be suggesting that the singer is just one of many suitors chasing after the girls of Cripple Creek.

Line by Line Meaning

Hey, I got a girl at the head of the creek
I have a girlfriend who lives at the start of Cripple Creek

Goin' up to see her about two times a week
I visit her twice a week

Kiss her on the mouth, sweet as any wine
I kiss her deeply, it feels intoxicating

Wrap herself around me like a sweet potato vine
She embraces me just like the way a sweet potato vine coils around its support

Now the girls up Cripple Creek about half-grown
The young women of Cripple Creek are still in their adolescence

Jump on a boy like a dog on a bone
They pursue boys with ferocity

Roll my britches up to my knees
I fold the bottom of my pants up to my knees

Wade old Cripple Creek whenever I please
I cross Cripple Creek whenever I desire

Now, Cripple Creek's wide and Cripple Creek's deep
The creek is wide and deep.

Wade old Cripple Creek before I sleep
I want to cross the creek before going to sleep.

Hills are steep and the roads are muddy
The hills are difficult to climb and the roads are slippery.

And I'm so dizzy that I can't stand steady I'm
I'm so unsteady that I'm dizzy.

Goin' up Cripple Creek, goin' on a run
I'm heading to Cripple Creek for a wild escapade

Goin' up Cripple Creek to have a little fun
I'm going to have small joyous moments there

Goin' up Cripple Creek, goin' in a whirl
I'm off to Cripple Creek for a dizzying experience

Goin' up Cripple Creek to see my little girl
I'm going there to see my beloved girlfriend.

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Buffy Sainte Marie

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it