Laura’s mother must’ve taken her to see the film Oklahoma when she was young. I think she was inspired by the song “Surrey with the Fringe on Top.” She basically turned a noun into a verb, which was brilliant.

Surry -- "To move with the expectation of having a good time." This is what was defined/interpreted decades ago in rock magazines by Laura's fans. And that statement makes sense in the song. Use the word today? "I'm going to surry down to the coffee shop & get some java & treat myself to a cream-filled donut." "Tendaberry" is an essence according to Laura. "It’s birth and it’s very tender, very fragile, very strong, very true." Coming from where she was born in New York she may have even meant "tender berry," but slurred the words. Like "Whaddamean?" Several words strung together. This is how words come into existence. Anything spoken with ending "isms," is considered an Eisenhower-ism. He was the first to use such a word. The word "liberalism," would be an Eisenhower reference to liberal studies. Gertrude Stein made up the phrase in the 1920s "yada yada yada." And a favorite of politicians & pundits is "there's no there, there." That's Gertrude also. There is nothing wrong with making up a word if it has a definition that didn't exist before. How about a word for this: something that is fiction but could become reality someday in the near future would be....what? Needs a word. Most products we think are words are really brands: Kleenex isn't a tissue it's a brand of tissue. Frigidaire is a refrigerator but a brand of refrigerator. Xerox is not a facsimile but a machine made by a specific company that makes facsimiles, copies. But the language & society has hi-jacked those words. You don't make a Xerox on a Minolta or Canon machine. I was told when a made-up name becomes synonymous with a single product you've succeeded. You do a good job of explaining. Laura's charm came from her made-up words. But you're aware that many lyrics by The Beatles were words many Americans didn't know. A Mac, a lorry, a git (Lennon sings it in "I'm So Tired" -- he's such a stupid git), Goo goo g’ joob, I roll a stony, nothing to hung about, joo-joo eyeball & one holy roller. This is what makes songs interesting. I prefer them to cliches.

thing about her is she taught herself, came by it that way, and I think you get all of that obstruction of the norms. She didnt know any.

There is also “Tendaberry”-not in the dictionary-and her metaphor “a choir of carousels”. What a wordsmith was Ms Nyro!!! Thanks for your nice pice about Laura.

Man, this video totally surries

I'm Italian and whenever I listen to this song I can't help but translate "surry" with "scarrozzare" wich in Italian is a slang word derived from the word "carrozza" wich is the translation of the noun "surry". In Italy we use the verb "scarrozzare" as a synonym for "drive" eg: "scarrozzami in giro" becomes "drive me around" in English. So, for me, surry in the song means take me with the carriage to the picnic. I don't know if the noun "car" in english derives from "carriage", but if it was then you could make up the line "car me around".

Thanks for your upload, I found it enlightening as, although I'm a big fan of Laura I do some of her lyrics mystifying. Some of the commentators below seems to have explained some of the meanings of certain words. :)

just do it. Keep surrying.

I was a big Nyro fan. I hope you appreciated the song but why am I thinking the tone of your reaction is one of bemusement of her words and experience rather than her amazing songwriting talent, fresh creativity and openness. Counting words and discussing at long length one word? don't know. I just enjoy her musicality and creative expression.

I was told that surry is a slang word for hurry on down to the stone soul picnic, so the question is can you Surry?😅😂❤

I once heard that she wrote this song after witnessing Juneteenth celebrations.

I bet Laura would love this video

17:29 I'll never get back

African-American eight certain types of food they called it soul food they use certain types of phrasings of words that was part of their soul language there's much more you're not seeing because you just don't know you weren't back then like I was the beat was so full African-American the words were and it was written by a white woman how awesome you're missing out on much more and it's not confusing at all you just don't know there's more to that song that you would not even imagine

I'll take you there.. if you allow.. truth time...do you really want to know what Laura was saying in this song? The message she was conveying? I will tell you... picture the mid- late 1960's, music, art... social change,etc..and Laura was tapping into something many other artists were doing at the time and THAT was simply explaining a happy LSD/ psychedelic trip. By using the word SURRY ( she didn't make the word up) she's saying move on into the drug as it takes over your body and mind as you "surry" on down to your soul and find true happiness, your picnic. The repetitive line is telling you...get there!!! I noticed near the end you touched on a possible psych vibe, ( Jefferson Airplane)... Beatles... that's it. Now you know.... Listen to the group Love Forever Changes album... then.... Listen to it under the influence of a good psychedelic and you will hear an entirely different album. Many many groups employed this method/ message secretly in a way and it went over most people's heads . But for those who know......... know. " Surry on Soul....Surry...Surry..surrieeeeeee!

She uses "surrey" as a verb.

The difference is we still talk about her, a beautiful voice in a pop song 40 -50 years later, and im done with you

Dirty refers to go riding in a one horse buggy

It's a 4 wheel carriage pulled by horses.. a surry

I thought Surrey was to ride in a horse and wagon.

Surreÿ means to ride a small horse drawn carriage.