When a Man Loves a Woman
Don Dixon Lyrics


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When a man loves a woman, can't keep his mind on nothing else
He'll trade the world for the good thing he's found
If she is bad he can't see it, she can do no wrong
Turn his back on his best friend if he put her down

When a man loves a woman, spend his very last dime tryin' to hold on to what he needs
He'd give up all of his comforts, sleeps out in the rain if she said that's the way it ought to be
When a man loves a woman, I gave up everything that I had
Tryin' to hold on to your precious love, baby, baby, please don't treat me bad
When a man loves a woman, way down deep in his soul she can bring him such misery
If she is playing him for a fool, he's the last one to know, lovin' eyes can never see
But when a man loves a woman, I gave up everything that I had, ryin' to hold on to your precious love
I said baby, baby, please don't treat me bad
When a man loves a woman, spend his very last dime
He's trying to hold on, to what he needs
When a man loves a woman, I know exactly how he feels 'cause baby, baby, baby, baby, baby
When a man loves a woman, way down deep in his soul
He's got the world on a? love thing? for the good thing he's found




? On to your precious love? when a man loves a woman
Baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby

Overall Meaning

Don Dixon's "When a Man Loves a Woman" is a classic love song that explores the depth and intensity of a man's love for a woman. The opening lines, "When a man loves a woman, can't keep his mind on nothing else" immediately set the tone for the rest of the song. The lyrics depict a man's undying love for a woman who has captured his heart completely. The man is willing to do anything for her, even if it means sacrificing everything he has. He would trade the world for the love he has found and would give up all of his possessions to remain with her. If she is bad, he cannot see it, and can do no wrong.


"When a man loves a woman" also portrays the vulnerable side of love. The lyrics suggest that love can be painful, and a man can suffer greatly when he loves a woman. He may not realize that she is playing him for a fool, and his loving eyes can never see her true intentions. Despite this, the man is willing to endure the pain and heartache because he cannot imagine living without her. The chorus of the song repeats the idea that the man would do anything for his love, and he pleads with her not to treat him badly.


Line by Line Meaning

When a man loves a woman, can't keep his mind on nothing else
A man deeply in love with a woman is consumed with thoughts of her and nothing else matters


He'll trade the world for the good thing he's found
A man in love is willing to give up anything for the woman he loves


If she is bad he can't see it, she can do no wrong
A man in love with a woman has a biased view of her, and is blind to her faults or mistakes


Turn his back on his best friend if he put her down
A man in love will defend his woman even if it means losing a friendship or a close relationship with a friend


When a man loves a woman, spend his very last dime tryin' to hold on to what he needs
A man in love will go to great lengths and sacrifice his own needs in order to keep his relationship with the woman he loves


He'd give up all of his comforts, sleeps out in the rain if she said that's the way it ought to be
A man in love is willing to make any sacrifice, even if it means discomfort or hardship, to please his woman and keep her happy


When a man loves a woman, I gave up everything that I had
A man in love is willing to make significant sacrifices, including giving up everything he has, for the woman he loves


Tryin' to hold on to your precious love, baby, baby, please don't treat me bad
A man in love is desperate to hold on to his woman's affection and pleads with her to treat him well and not take advantage of his love


When a man loves a woman, way down deep in his soul she can bring him such misery
A man in love can experience extreme emotional pain and suffering if the woman he loves does not feel the same way or treats him poorly


If she is playing him for a fool, he's the last one to know, lovin' eyes can never see
A man in love can be blind to the fact that his woman is not genuinely in love with him and could be using him for her own benefit


When a man loves a woman, I gave up everything that I had, ryin' to hold on to your precious love
A man in love is willing to make huge sacrifices, including giving up all he has, to try and hold on to the love of his woman


When a man loves a woman, spend his very last dime, he's trying to hold on, to what he needs
A man in love is willing to spend all his remaining money to try and hold on to the woman he loves, as she is what he needs the most


When a man loves a woman, I know exactly how he feels 'cause baby, baby, baby, baby, baby
The singer claims to know exactly how a man in love feels, hence the repetition of the word 'baby' as a means of affectionate address to his own partner


When a man loves a woman, way down deep in his soul
A man's love for a woman is not just superficial, but goes deep down into his soul where it can be felt at the most profound level


He's got the world on a? love thing? for the good thing he's found
A man in love has everything revolve around his woman, to the point that he feels that having her is akin to having the whole world


? On to your precious love? when a man loves a woman
The singer repeats the phrase 'your precious love' to emphasize the value of the love that a man feels for his woman, and how it becomes the most important thing in his life


Baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby
The repeated use of the word 'baby' serves as a way of conveying affectionate feelings towards a loved one, perhaps even an insatiable amount of it




Writer(s): Johnny Mercer, Bernard D. Hanighen, Calvin Houston Lewis, Gordon Jenkins, Andrew James Wright Copyright: Quinvy Music Publishing Co., Mijac Music, Chappell & Co. Inc., Pronto Music, The Johnny Mercer Foundation

Contributed by Aaron A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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