ZZ Top - La Grange

This song is about a whorehouse. Many people in Texas knew about it, but when the song was released it drew so much attention to the illegal activities going on there that they had to cease operations.

"The Chicken Ranch," or Miss Edna's Boarding House in La Grange, was probably the oldest establishment in Texas catering to the oldest profession. It was closed down by a zealous TV reporter from Houston, who couldn't find enough vice and corruption to report in Houston. He challenged the governor on the issue of why it continued to operate in fairly plain sight. The governor had no choice but to order the sheriff to close it.

Miss Edna's girls had weekly visits from the local doctors, so they were "clean." The girls spent their money in La Grange and when a new hospital was needed, Miss Edna gave the first and largest donation. The reporter remained on the air crusading against such hideous crimes such as slime in the ice machines of restaurants.

Lyrics

Rumour spreadin' a-'round in that Texas town

'bout that shack outside La Grange

and you know what I'm talkin' about.

Just let me know if you wanna go

to that home out on the range.

They gotta lotta nice girls.

Have mercy.

A haw, haw, haw, haw, a haw.

A haw, haw, haw.

Well, I hear it's fine if you got the time

and the ten to get yourself in.

A hmm, hmm.

And I hear it's tight most ev'ry night,

but now I might be mistaken.

hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm.

Have mercy.