High Water Friends CD - Track Two: Take His Keys

          We have now reached the third and final Davis Rogan song featured on High Water Friends. Rogan, in true Davis fashion, claims that this song, titled, Take His Keys, is not autobiographical, merely extensively researched.

If Davis holds his hands like this, you might believe that the song isn't autobiographical. 

           Take His Keys is a bit different from Rogan’s other songs. The New Ninth Ward commented on the failures of the Bush Administration and its response to Hurricane Katrina. It also criticized the gentrification of the city during the rebuilding efforts that threatened to strip away the city’s unique character. Hurricane, meanwhile, offered insight into the attitude of New Orleans residents regarding hurricanes and their steadfast refusal to abandon their city in the midst of major weather events. It embodies both a pre-Katrina mentality and the resilient spirit of the Crescent City. Take His Keys is about none of these things.

Not Davis does not want to wind up here. 

The song, which just to remind you is NOT autobiographical, tells the story of a man, who we will call Not Davis. Not Davis likes to drink and is well known around New Orleans for his alcoholic exploits. The song implores anyone who encounters Not Davis to take his keys, so he will not drive drunk and endanger others. In the song, Not Davis examines the high cost of lawyers versus the low cost of taking a cab. Here, Not Davis, wisely recognizes that taking a cab is the best and safest way to go. He also laments the loss of an unnamed judge who would be lenient towards his behaviors. With the judge gone, Not Davis could face jail for his misbehavior. The underlying message of the song is that for the safety of Not Davis and the residents of New Orleans, somebody should just take his keys.

This is where I usually insert a youtube video of the song, but I couldn't find one. So enjoy Davis at the Louisiana Music Factory in 2011. 

Take His Keys 

Well there’s a man who stalks the city only late at night

All the reports that I’ve received say that the kid ain’t acting right

Pissing off those nice folks uptown, passing out in Marigny

Scarrest thing that I hear they say the dude looks just like me

Said he’s tall, gregarious, full bored and brash,

starts out so loquacious and then he is short on cash

So if you see him out on the street, gonna ax you please,

won’t you do me a favor, baby and baby won’t you take his keys

Say again please, please, please, take his keys, those are my keys too now

I might need to use the car in the morning time, when he’s good to drive, oh please oh please take his keys, take his keys, baby won’t you take his keys 

Say it now, lawyers they’re so expensive their chairs so awfully drab

Ain’t nothing but a couple of bucks worth, so go ahead and call that cab

Ain’t got that judge no more, Ain’t one of those jokes,

next time they pop your ass you’re going to jail like regular folks 

Singing please, please, please, take his keys, those are my keys too now,

I might need to use the car in the morning time, said he’s good to drive

Oh please, oh please, take his keys, take his keys,

 Baby won’t you take his keys, baby won’t you take his keys

Cuz it tastes good to drive, go ahead take his keys