Who got arrested down in Old Hong Kong
He got twenty years' privilege taken away from him
When he kicked old Buddha's gong." - Meaning and context.">
Song: Hong Kong Blues (1939).
“

It's the story of a very unfortunate colored man
Who got arrested down in Old Hong Kong
He got twenty years' privilege taken away from him
When he kicked old Buddha's gong.

— Hoagy Carmichael

What It Means

This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "It's the story of a very unfortunate colored man
Who got arrested down in Old Hong Kong
He got twenty years' privilege taken away from him
When he kicked old Buddha's gong." in the context of "Song: Hong Kong Blues (1939)." to mean that wisdom is timeless.

Source: Wikiquote: "Hoagy Carmichael" (Quotes) The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
Hoagy Carmichael

About Hoagy Carmichael

Hoagland Howard "Hoagy" Carmichael (November 22, 1899 – December 27, 1981) was an American composer, pianist, singer, actor, and bandleader. He wrote the music for many songs, but rarely wrote the lyrics.