Lucille
Daniel O'Donnell Lyrics

In a bar in Toledo across the depot
The story takes place in a bar located in Toledo near the depot.

On a barstool she took off her ring
A woman removed her ring while seated on a stool by the bar.

I thought I'd get closer
The singer decides to approach the woman.

So I walked on over
The singer physically approached the woman's location.

I sat down and ask her name
The singer asked the woman her name and sat next to her.

When the drink finally hit her
The woman began to feel the effects of the drink she consumed.

She said I'm no quitter
The woman proudly stated that she wasn't a quitter.

But I finally quit living on drinks
The woman expressed that she was no longer living solely on alcohol.

I'm hungry for laughter
The woman desired joy and happiness in her life.

And here ever after
The woman was looking for long-term happiness.

In the mirror I saw him
The singer's attention was drawn to a man he saw in the mirror.

I closely watch him
The singer observed the man in detail.

I thought how he looked out of place
The singer characterized the man as appearing like he didn't belong there.

He came to the woman
The man approached the woman.

Sat down beside me
The man took a seat next to the singer.

He had a strange look on his face
The singer noticed the man had an unusual facial expression.

The big hands are callous
The singer noticed the man's large, rough hands.

He looked like a mountain
The singer described the man as appearing very strong and sturdy.

From a minute I thought I was dead
At first, the singer thought the man may pose a threat to him.

But he started shaking
The man began to shake.

But his big heart was breaking
The singer realized the man was feeling severe heartbreak.

You picked the fine time to leave me, Lucille
The singer directly addresses the woman, stating that she chose to leave him at an inconvenient time.

Four hungry children and a crop in the field
The singer references the difficulties he faces without her, including his children and agricultural responsibilities.

I've had some bad time
The singer acknowledges he's experienced tough times in the past.

Live thru' some sad times
The singer mentions he's survived some difficult and sorrowful events in his life.

But this time the hurting won't heal
The singer expresses that his current emotional pain is too great to overcome quickly.

After he left her
The story shifts again to after the man left the woman.

I ordered some whisky
The singer chose to drink whisky during this part of the story.

I thought how she made him look small
The singer reflects how the woman made the man appear inferior when they were together.

From thee lights of the barroom
The scene transitions from the bar to a rented hotel room.

To rented hotel room
The characters are now in a hotel room.

We walked without talking at all
The characters didn't exchange words as they moved to the next location.

She was a beauty
The singer thought the woman was attractive.

But when she came to me
The woman approached the singer.

She must have thought I lose my mind
The woman might've assumed the singer was crazy for what he said to her next.

I couldn't hold her
The singer couldn't keep the woman around.

The words that he told her
The singer then references the words the man told the woman.

Kept coming back time after time
The woman's memories of the man and what he said persisted over a long period of time.