Learn English – Meaning of “doodle let me go” and “yaller girls”

lyricsmeaning-in-context

I've recently watched the movie "The Lighthouse" directed by Robert Eggers and in one of the scenes in the movie two main characters were singing a song containing following lyrics:

"Doodle let me go, me girls, doodle let me go,
Hurrah, me yaller girls, doodle let me go!"

Similar lyrics can be found in this song A. L. Lloyd – Doodle Let Me Go.
Could you help me to understand what "doodle let me go" and "yaller girls" phrases mean?

Best Answer

Quite obviously this song is a sailor's song about a visit to a cat-house. Sorry to be so frank, but that's what it is. Yaller girls are mixed-race females who work and live there. Doodle let me go could be sailor slang for making a request of the onboard officer to allow onshore leave. Or it could be a sailor's playful way of asking his equipment to co-operate so he can fully enjoy the visit. Not a very uplifting song, but it's a slice of real life experienced by real people for centuries.

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