Restless
Crystal Gayle Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Late some night in one of those bars
Where you go to pick a scene
A pretty little thing is gonna shake it out of you
And you'll start to get restless

Well sit down singin'man
Let me tell it to you plain
Late at night everybody gets restless

It may make you feel some biger
And help to build your pride
But remember you're not the one who invented getting restless

Aside you there's some bankers
Some doctors and some wives
Hold on twice, get restless

Runnin'a cop, who's changing diapers
Can make a wife feel restless
When she's sittin' at home alone at night
Waitin' for a phonecall

She can get restless thinkin'bout her shakin' man gettin'restless
That's the deadliest restless of all

So, late some night in one of those bars
Where you go to pick a scene
Some pretty little thing is gonna shake it you
And you'll start to get restless

Just remember singin'man
How I told it to you plain
Late at night everybody gets restless
Late at night everybody gets restless
Late at night your little wife gets restless




Late at night everybody gets restless
Late at night everybody gets restless

Overall Meaning

The song "Restless" by Crystal Gayle talks about how at some point in everyone's life, they will feel restless. The lyrics begin by setting the scene in a bar, where a woman is dancing and shaking it out of the men. The singer then addresses the men and tells them that everyone gets restless, even powerful bankers or doctors, and that feeling restless can make someone feel bigger and help build their pride. However, the singer also warns that the restlessness that a woman feels when thinking about her man's infidelity is the deadliest type of restlessness.


Crystal Gayle's song beautifully captures the universal truth about restlessness. No matter what your station in life or your profession, at some point in time, you will feel the need to break free from the monotony of your life. The lyrics convey how restlessness is not just fueled by passion and sex appeal, but also by feelings of loneliness, neglect, and betrayal.


One interpretation of the song could be that the singer is trying to tell people that the grass is not always greener on the other side. Just because someone is restless and looking for something different, it doesn't mean that they will find happiness in a new place or relationship. Restlessness is a state of mind that can only be overcome by accepting what one has and finding contentment within it.


Line by Line Meaning

Late some night in one of those bars
In a dive bar, late at night, when people go to look for excitement


Where you go to pick a scene
The bar is where you go to find the action


A pretty little thing is gonna shake it out of you
A beautiful woman will dance and make you feel restless


And you'll start to get restless
You will feel uneasy and crave excitement


Well sit down singin'man
Listen closely, singer


Let me tell it to you plain
I'll explain it clearly


Late at night everybody gets restless
Everyone feels restless late at night, it's not just you


It may make you feel some biger
Feeling restless may make you feel more important


And help to build your pride
Restlessness can boost your ego


But remember you're not the one who invented getting restless
Others have felt restless before and it's not a unique feeling


Aside you there's some bankers
Next to you in the bar, there could be bankers


Some doctors and some wives
Other people like doctors and wives may feel restless too


Hold on twice, get restless
Sometimes, you can become restless for no reason


Runnin'a cop, who's changing diapers
Even a police officer who is changing diapers can feel restless


Can make a wife feel restless
A wife can be left feeling restless when her husband is away


When she's sittin' at home alone at night
When she's by herself at night, she may feel restless


Waitin' for a phonecall
She may be waiting for someone to call her


She can get restless thinkin'bout her shakin' man gettin'restless
She can become extremely anxious if she thinks her partner is feeling restless


That's the deadliest restless of all
The anxiety that comes from worrying about your partner can be the worst kind of restlessness


So, late some night in one of those bars
Next time you're in a dive bar late at night


Some pretty little thing is gonna shake it you
A beautiful woman will dance in front of you


And you'll start to get restless
You will start feeling unsettled and craving excitement


Just remember singin'man
Don't forget what I told you earlier, singer


How I told it to you plain
I explained it to you clearly


Late at night everybody gets restless
Once again, I want to emphasize that everyone feels restless late at night


Late at night everybody gets restless
This is repeated to emphasize the point


Late at night your little wife gets restless
Even your wife may feel restless late at night


Late at night everybody gets restless
Once again, everyone feels restless late at night




Writer(s): Ed Bruce, Patsy Bruce

Contributed by Mila M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

wade Catt

One of her best songs. :)

Grigori Rasputin

Thank You for posting this song. I haven't heard it since the early 1970's.

Daniel Burns

this song went to #39 on the country charts in 1974!!!