Ankle Deep
Tom Petty Lyrics
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He was owned by a Midwest bible thumper
His preacher was a Louisiana drummer
Took all winter to get through the summer
The field hand hit the switch and stumbled
Outside the big engine roared and rumbled
The stolen horse spooked and tumbled
She didn't speak for a week, just kinda mumbled
Ankle deep
In love
Ankle deep
In love
He was caught up
In a lie he half believed
Found her hiding
High in the family tree
Washed his hands
And put her 'cross his knee
She said "Daddy, you've been a mother to me"
Ankle deep
In love
Ankle deep
In love
The lyrics of Tom Petty's 'Ankle Deep' are a captivating story of love, deceit, misunderstandings and emotional turmoil. The song tells a story of a stolen horse owned by a Midwest bible thumper. The horse was bred as a jumper and was owned by a preacher who happened to be a Louisiana drummer. The preacher spent an entire winter preparing the horse for summer. However, the horse was later stolen, causing it to spook and tumble, which left the preacher's daughter in shock for a week, barely able to speak coherently.
In the second verse, the story shifts to a man who found himself caught up in a lie he half-believed in. He stumbled upon the woman he loves hiding high up in a family tree. He struggles with his feelings, knowing he had lied to himself about not being able to live without her. He ultimately owns up to his mistake, washing his hands and accepting her into his arms, acting more like a mother than a father to her.
On the surface, the lyrics of 'Ankle Deep' may appear abstract and confusing, but they bear a deep and powerful meaning. It paints a picture of the complexities of love, the struggles we face trying to understand and communicate our feelings, and the need to be honest with ourselves and those we care about.
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah they raised that horse to be a jumper
The horse was taught to jump by its owners.
He was owned by a Midwest bible thumper
The owner was a religious person from the Midwest.
His preacher was a Louisiana drummer
The preacher was from Louisiana and also played the drums.
Took all winter to get through the summer
The horse was hard to train, it took a long time to prepare for the summer season.
The field hand hit the switch and stumbled
Someone working in the field accidentally hit a switch and fell.
Outside the big engine roared and rumbled
The engine made a loud noise outside.
The stolen horse spooked and tumbled
The horse that was stolen became scared and fell.
She didn't speak for a week, just kinda mumbled
The person was so shocked that they became speechless for a week.
Ankle deep
They were not in too deep, but just a little bit involved.
In love
They felt romantic feelings for someone else.
He was caught up
He was wrapped up in a situation.
In a lie he half believed
He was telling a lie that he did not fully believe in.
Found her hiding
He discovered that she was in hiding.
High in the family tree
She was hiding somewhere above them in a tree.
Washed his hands
He distanced himself from his previous actions.
And put her 'cross his knee
He corrected her behavior as a father would.
She said "Daddy, you've been a mother to me"
She was accustomed to her father playing both the mother and father roles.
Ankle deep
They were not in too deep, but just a little bit involved.
In love
They felt romantic feelings for someone else.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: Thomas Earl Petty
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind