17 Jul 1970 sound-check version
[Spoken (probably Vini Lopez):] Oh it's out of tune.
[Recording cut]
Cherokee queen yeah
Do you know what I mean
My Oklahoma lady
Yeah she drives me crazy
Don't know what it is about her
But I just can't live without her
Yeah she's got me in a trance sir
In her heart she's a dancer
Like the wind she silently comes
The melody she sweetly hums
She's got the words to all my songs
Sang to me all night long
She goes, "Daddy sing me a cradle song
Like you did a long time ago
Daddy sing me a silly song
Won't you rock my crazy bones"
"Daddy sing me a cradle song
Like you did a long time ago
Daddy sing me a silly song
Won't you rock my crazy bones", oh yeah!
Alright
(Alright)
Strayed off her reservation
And into my arms
Bringing bad legislation
Yeah with her Indian charms
Don't know what it is she does sir
And that makes me wanna love her
It's her crazy way of smiling
It just drives boys wild
Reminds me of one of my high school haunts
She knows what I need and she knows what I want
She's got the words to all my songs
Then she sang to me all night long
She goes, "Daddy sing me a cradle song
Like you did a long time ago
Daddy sing me a silly song
Won't you rock my crazy bones"
I said, "Daddy sing me a cradle song
Like you did a long time ago
Daddy sing me a silly song
Won't you rock my crazy bones", hey!
Ah yeah
(Alright)
Ah here it comes again!
She's a Cherokee queen, yeah
Do you know what I mean
She's an Oklahoma lady
And she drives me crazy
I don't know what it is about her
I just can't live without her
Ah she's got me in a trance sir
In her heart, she's a dancer
Like the wind, she silently comes
The melody she sweetly hums
She's got the words to all my songs
And she sings to me all night long
She goes, "Daddy sing me a cradle song
Like you did a long time ago
Daddy sing me a silly song
Won't you rock my crazy bones"
"Daddy sing me a cradle song
Like you did a long time ago
Daddy sing me a silly song
Won't you rock my crazy bones"
"Daddy sing me a cradle song
Like you did a long time ago
Daddy sing me a silly song
Won't you rock my crazy bones"
Go!
Alright
CHEROKEE QUEEN is a song written by Bruce Springsteen. He performed it live with The Bruce Springsteen Band in 1971.
CHEROKEE QUEEN was one of some Springsteen songs that Mike Appel retained part ownership of after the two settled their litigation in 1977, although he sold it back to Springsteen in 1983. The song was filed at the United States Copyright Office on 31 May 1983. It seems that the song was not filed as an audio recording, but as a two-page document that contained the lyrics.
Copyright entry:
Registration Number / Date: PAu000513153 / 1983-05-31
Title: Cherokee queen / words and music by Bruce Springsteen.
Description: 2 p.
Copyright Claimant: Bruce Springsteen
Date of Creation: 1973
Names: Springsteen, Bruce
The above lyrics are for the 17 Jul 1970 sound-check version of CHEROKEE QUEEN at Sunshine In in Asbury Park, NJ.
CHEROKEE QUEEN is known to have been performed at least once in Bruce Springsteen's early years (pre-October 1972), on 23 Oct 1971 in Richmond, VA. Very little is known about shows from this early period, and therefore, the song must have been played on some more dates.
An early Bruce Springsteen handwritten song list (see scan below) is recalled with some degree of confidence by one of The Bruce Springsteen Band members as emanating from one of the band's July 1971 bookings at D'Scene in South Amboy, NJ. The Bruce Springsteen Band made two consecutive Thursday evening appearances at the club, on 22 and 29 July 1971. They headlined two gigs each night, one at 9:00 p.m. and one at 11:30 p.m., with Sunny Jim opening. The handwritten song list was auctioned on the It's Only Rock 'N Roll online auction website in June 2006. The bid started at $500.00 and reached $2221.44. The document contains a list of 22 songs, including CHEROKEE QUEEN. This is not a setlist, but many (or possibly all) of the listed songs must have been performed at the 22 and 29 Jul 1971 shows at D'Scene.
At least one artist has recorded and released Bruce Springsteen's CHEROKEE QUEEN.
Thanks Audio2575 (from Rare Springsteen) for the lyrics help.
The above lyrics may not be 100% correct. If you have any corrections, additions, or comments, please contact me at or using the below form.
List of available versions of CHEROKEE QUEEN on this website:
CHEROKEE QUEEN [17 Jul 1970 sound-check version]
