Ramblin' Woman
Cat Power Lyrics


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[Chorus]
Well I love you baby
But you got to understand
When the Lord made me
He made a ramblin' woman
He made me, he made me

Some folks
Some folks might say that I?m no good
That I wouldn't settle down if I could
I love to see the towns go crawling by
There's something I've got to do
Before I die

[Chorus]
I love you baby
But you got to understand
When the Lord made me
He made a ramblin' woman
He made me, he made me

Some people say
That I do just fine
Cause I hear sweet song
Moving down
And when that old southern train comes calling me
There's something over the hill
I just got to see

[Chorus]
Well I love you
I love you baby
But you've got to understand
When the Lord made me
He made me
He made a ramblin' woman
He made me, he made me

Now when I'm gone
When I'm gone and at my grave you stand
Just say God's called home your ramblin' woman

[Chorus]
I love you
I love you baby
But you've got to understand




He made a ramblin' woman
He made me

Overall Meaning

The song "Ramblin' Man" by Cat Power is a melancholic ballad about a woman who feels powerless to her nature of constantly wanting to travel and explore. The chorus of the song, "When the Lord made me, he made a ramblin' woman" echoes through the verses, which talk about the singer's love for her partner but also her need for adventure. The repetition of the chorus reinforces that the woman cannot help her wandering spirit as it is ingrained in her very being.


The first verse talks about how some people might perceive her as "no good" for her inability to settle down. However, the woman takes pride in seeing new places and is driven to keep traveling before she dies. While the second verse chimes in mostly about the freedom and melody she hears in her travels, still the call of "something over the hill that I just got to see" tugs at her constantly.


The song's last stanza is interesting, where the woman speaks of her certainty of dying one day, and wants her lover to be understanding of who she is, even if she cannot change. The song comes to an understanding that the Lord created her this way, with restlessness and wanderlust woven into her fabric. The song is a poignant reminder that some people are born to roam and some to stay; both are valid.


Line by Line Meaning

Well I love you baby
I deeply care for you, my significant other


But you got to understand
You must comprehend and come to terms with an important fact


When the Lord made me
In the moment of my creation by the divine Creator


He made a ramblin' woman
He fashioned me into an itinerant, restless person


He made me, he made me
The divine being gave me this identity, it's not my choice


Some folks
There are certain individuals


Some folks might say that I’m no good
Some people could express the opinion that I am of poor character


That I wouldn't settle down if I could
That I would not choose to lead a more stable lifestyle even if it were within my ability


I love to see the towns go crawling by
I take pleasure in observing the urban areas while traveling


There's something I've got to do
There is a specific task that I need to accomplish


Before I die
Prior to my passing away


Now when I'm gone
At the moment of my departure


When I'm gone and at my grave you stand
When you find yourself standing at my burial site after my demise


Just say God's called home your ramblin' woman
Simply state that the divine has taken back their wandering disciple


Some people say
Certain individuals argue


That I do just fine
That I'm succeeding and thriving


Cause I hear sweet song
Because I hear music which fascinates me


Moving down
Traveling far away


And when that old southern train comes calling me
And when that train originating from the southern United States arrives to retrieve me


There's something over the hill
There's an object of my desire located somewhere beyond my current surroundings


I just got to see
I must witness it with my own eyes




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: SHELTON HANK III WILLIAMS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Peter Pumkinghead


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