Lily of the West
Bob Dylan Lyrics
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A damsel there from Lexington was pleasing to my mind
Her rosy cheeks, her ruby lips, like arrows pierced my breast
The name she bore was Flora, the Lily of the West.
(And the name she bore was Flora, the Lily of the West)
I courted lovely Flora, some pleasure for to find
But she turned unto another man, which sore distressed my mind
She robbed me of my liberty, deprived me off my rest
Then go, my lovely Flora, the Lily of the West.
(Then go, my lovely Flora, the Lily of the West)
'Way down in yonder shady grove, a man of high degree
Conversing with my Flora there, which seemed so strange to me
And the answer that she gave to him, it sore did me oppress
I was betrayed by Flora, the Lily of the West.
(I was betrayed by Flora, the Lily of the West)
I stepped up to my rival, dagger in my hand
I seized him by the collar, and boldly made him stand
Being mad by desperation, I pierced him through the breast
All this for lovely Flora, the Lily of the West.
(All this for lovely Flora, the Lily of the West)
I had to stand my trial, I had to make my plea
They placed me in the witness box, and then commenced on me
Although she swore my life away, deprived me of my rest
Still I love my faithless Flora, the Lily of the West.
(Still I love my faithless Flora, the Lily of the West)
The lyrics of Bob Dylan's "Lily of the West" tell the story of a man who falls in love with a woman named Flora, also known as the Lily of the West. When he arrives in Louisville, he is immediately smitten with her rosy cheeks and ruby lips. He courts her but is heartbroken when she leaves him for another man. The singer becomes desperate and confronts his rival, stabbing him in a fit of rage. He is then put on trial for murder and though Flora testifies against him, he still loves her despite her betrayal.
The song seems to be a cautionary tale about the dangers of giving in to passion and jealousy. The singer's obsession with Flora leads him to act impulsively and violently. He is ultimately punished for his actions, but his love for Flora remains unchanged. The lyrics also suggest a sense of resignation and acceptance of one's fate, as the singer acknowledges that he must face the consequences of his actions.
Overall, "Lily of the West" is a poignant and darkly romantic ballad that explores themes of love, jealousy, and betrayal.
Line by Line Meaning
When first I came to Louisville, some pleasure there to find
I arrived in Louisville with the intention of satisfying my pleasures.
A damsel there from Lexington was pleasing to my mind
I became attracted to a woman from Lexington.
Her rosy cheeks, her ruby lips, like arrows pierced my breast
Her beautiful appearance captivated me deeply.
The name she bore was Flora, the Lily of the West.
She was known as Flora, referred to as the Lily of the West.
I courted lovely Flora, some pleasure for to find
I pursued Flora to seek pleasure.
But she turned unto another man, which sore distressed my mind
Flora rejected me and chose another man, causing me great distress.
She robbed me of my liberty, deprived me of my rest
Her rejection took away my freedom and peace of mind.
Then go, my lovely Flora, the Lily of the West.
I urge Flora to leave me alone and go away.
'Way down in yonder shady grove, a man of high degree
I saw Flora with a wealthy man in a secluded grove.
Conversing with my Flora there, which seemed so strange to me
I found it odd that the man was speaking with Flora.
And the answer that she gave to him, it sore did me oppress
Flora's response to the man's conversation upset and hurt me deeply.
I was betrayed by Flora, the Lily of the West.
I felt betrayed by Flora, who I thought had feelings for me.
I stepped up to my rival, dagger in my hand
I confronted the man with a knife in hand.
I seized him by the collar, and boldly made him stand
I grabbed him aggressively and made him stand up straight.
Being mad by desperation, I pierced him through the breast
I was so desperate and angry that I stabbed him in the chest.
All this for lovely Flora, the Lily of the West.
I did all of this because of my affection for Flora.
I had to stand my trial, I had to make my plea
I was put on trial and had to defend my actions.
They placed me in the witness box, and then commenced on me
I was made to testify and answer to the charges against me.
Although she swore my life away, deprived me of my rest
Flora testified against me and caused me to lose my peaceful state.
Still I love my faithless Flora, the Lily of the West.
Despite everything, I still have affection for Flora, even though she betrayed me.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: EILEEN DAVIES, JAMES N. PETERSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@MrRicardobach
I used to play this song in the juke box at Sloppy Joe"s in Key West FL when I was a young sailor there in 1975.
@heinrichbalzer3087
love this song.. been around to comfort me when I needed it most in my life .. thanks Bob
@RoBiLaD
Pa iako me proklela, razorila mi dom
jos volim malu bestiju dragu srcu mom.
@bobdylan7561
dragu srcu mom :-)
@trapqueen2376
❤
@morenaujevic2787
to mi je pjesma...života ... počivao mi u miru. .. Petre Baricu....
@matesamija9923
Branimir Štulić:"Usne vrele višnje"
@matesamija9923
prepjev
@janko4620
Mate Šamija plagijat
@leonloncarevic2832
Prepjev* azra nikad ne plagijatuje ☺