In the oldies song "Duke of Earl" what does Earl refer to?

Question

I tried wikipedia and some general searches but I can't locate that reference. Maybe someone who was alive when the song came out will know?

I could be wrong but all the sources say it was written and performed by Gene Chandler?

Answer 1

I think it's a spoof on Nobility (not royalty,mind you..). It's meant to sound non-sensical...think about it carefully: Duke of Earl--that noble title is impossible! It reminds me of another song that's a spoof on noblemen's titles: "Sir Duke" by Stevie Wonder. That's another impossibility.

Answer 2

The Duke Of Earl, John-Jack-Julia Jefferson, and his beard were both son, grandson and daughter to the Duke Of York and were born in 1734, 1748 and 1811. He lived his life flauntering his rather large beard to the strangers of the West Virginian Virgins and was a somewhat ambitious type. His early years were spent in taverns and pubs in the Isle of Man whereby he tried to find a way off the island. Unfortuneltly the entire population of the Isle of Man had the same problem.

One day when John-Jack-Julia and his beard were taking a walk while pondering plans to escape the island he was mistaken for a rather large Kodiak bear by a sailor who just happened to be marooned on the Isle of Man. Fearing the worst, the sailor jumped back into his boat and headed for the mainland. Fortunatly for the Duke his beard realized it as possibility to leave the dreaded island for once and all and jumped into the boat, dragging the Duke with it. They ate the sailor after 2 months at sea and managed to circumnaviate the island 23 times until he managed to make it back to the mainland, but the heavy sea, lack of nourishment and the harbour seals claimed their due - when the ship arrived, his beard was the only survivor.

Answer 3

The song was written by Earl Edwards,so I think he is referring to himself in the song.

Answer 4

earl is a royalty thing i think.

united kingdom they may be referring to an earl of duke or something.

earls are like kings, it's royalty.

simply put they say they like his bling and cheddar he got the max on his grill frilled smile and the chicks will drop their shorts for his major pimping action baby.

i guess it's been years since i heard that song.

Answer 5

Earl is his name - he's the Duke of himself, the master of his own destiny - nothing can stop him because he is owned by no man.

You have to remember the times - this is before affirmative action and civil rights - when people believed that blacks had less rights than whites -

Answer 6

A town, maybe?