Lady Luck
Charlton Manny Lyrics

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There's a woman in new orleans
Said to love me she was born
But that was Friday payday
By Sunday she was gone
So I drove on down to texas
Where I did not do to well
I fell hard for this woman child
Turned out she came from...well

Lady luck help me hold on
Lady luck help me hold on
To one that I love

Well I had no luck with women
Thought I'd try my hand at cards
So I headed for nevada
Gonna really take them on
But the way the hands were fallin'
And the way the money goes
You could say it's getting colder
You could say I nearly froze
Lady luck help me hold on
Lady luck help me hold on
To one that I love

So I started playing guitar
In a southern boogie band
And the ladies I was meeting
Make you want to buy the farm
Gettin' tired of saving souvenirs
Don't remind me where they're from
And the nights come on like magic
In the morning it's all gone
Lady luck help me hold on
Lady luck help me hold on
To one that I love

Lady luck help me hold on
To one that I love
Lady luck help me hold on
Lady luck help me hold on
To one that I love
Lady luck help me hold on
Lady luck help me hold on

(mccafferty, agnew, charlton, sweet)
Copyright 1989 m.a.c.s. music

Overall Meaning

Charlton Manny's "Lady Luck" tells a story of a man who has had no luck in love or gambling. He travels from New Orleans, where he meets a woman who disappears come payday, down to Texas where he falls for a woman only to find out she's from an unknown place, and then to Nevada where he tries his hand at cards but fails to win. He then starts playing guitar in a southern boogie band where he meets women whom he doesn't expect to last long. Despite his bad experiences in love and gambling, he pleads with Lady Luck to help him hold on to the one he loves.

The song paints a vivid picture of a man's journey in pursuit of love and luck, only to be left disappointed at each turn. He tries his best to hold on to the one he loves, but it seems as though fate is not on his side. The repeated refrain of "Lady luck help me hold on, to one that I love" emphasizes the man's desperation in holding on to the one person who means the world to him.

The song's lyrics are relatable to anyone who has had bad experiences in love or gambling, making it an instant classic for many. Charlton Manny's soulful voice and the bluesy guitar riffs complement the lyrics, creating a melancholic yet catchy tune that sticks in one's mind long after the song is over.

Line by Line Meaning

There's a woman in new orleans Said to love me she was born But that was Friday payday By Sunday she was gone
I met a woman in New Orleans who claimed to be in love with me but after she had spent all my money on Friday, she was gone by Sunday.

So I drove on down to texas Where I did not do to well I fell hard for this woman child Turned out she came from...well
After leaving New Orleans, I traveled to Texas where I didn't fare well. I fell in love with a young woman who turned out to have a shady background.

Well I had no luck with women Thought I'd try my hand at cards So I headed for nevada Gonna really take them on
Having had no luck with women, I decided to try my luck with cards, so I went to Nevada to test my skills.

But the way the hands were fallin' And the way the money goes You could say it's getting colder You could say I nearly froze
Unfortunately, the cards did not favor me, and I lost a lot of money, and it felt like things were getting worse.

So I started playing guitar In a southern boogie band And the ladies I was meeting Make you want to buy the farm
I decided to join a band in the south and started playing guitar. The women I was meeting were so beautiful that it was hard not to fall in love with them.

Gettin' tired of saving souvenirs Don't remind me where they're from And the nights come on like magic In the morning it's all gone
I have grown tired of keeping souvenirs from my past relationships as they only serve to remind me of my failed attempts at finding love. The nights feel like magic, but the next morning, everything falls apart.

Lady luck help me hold on To one that I love
I am pleading with Lady Luck to help me hold on to the woman I love.

Lady luck help me hold on To one that I love Lady luck help me hold on To one that I love Lady luck help me hold on Lady luck help me hold on
I am desperate and repeating my plea for Lady Luck to help me hold on to the one I love.

Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS

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