The French Girl
Gene Clark; Gosdin Brothers Lyrics


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Three silver rings on slim hands waiting
Flash bright in candlelight through Sunday's early morn
We found a room that rainy morning
She took my hand through winding roads and led me home
Some red French wine when later waking
In her warm hideaway, she smiled and combed her hair
She laughed each time I asked her name
Made promises to meet again
But her friends down at the French cafe
Had no English words for me
So you may find above the border
A girl with silver rings, I never knew her name
You're bound to lose, she's too much for you
She'll leave you lost one rainy morn, you won't be the same
She laughed each time I asked her name
Made promises to meet again




But her friends down at the French cafe
Had no English words for me

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Gene Clark's song The French Girl tells a story of a man's encounter with a mysterious French girl. The song describes the scene of their meeting - on a rainy morning with candlelights shining brightly on the girl's three silver rings, they shared a room and some red French wine. The girl, who remains unnamed throughout the song, leads the man through winding roads to her home where they spend the night together. Despite their connection, the language barrier between them becomes apparent when the man realizes that the girl's friends at the French cafe have no English words for him. The song ends with a warning that the girl is too much for the man and that he will be forever changed by their encounter.


The French Girl is a song that explores themes of adventure, romance, and the unknown. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of the meeting between the two characters, setting the scene with details like the silver rings and the rain. The story itself is left somewhat open-ended, leaving the listener to wonder about what could have been if the language barrier had not been an issue. The ambiguity of the ending adds to the mystique of the French girl, making her a symbol of something unattainable and unfamiliar.


Line by Line Meaning

Three silver rings on slim hands waiting
Her hands were adorned with three shiny silver rings, waiting for someone to notice them.


Flash bright in candlelight through Sunday's early morn
The silver rings glistened in the candlelight on an early Sunday morning.


We found a room that rainy morning
They stumbled upon a room on a rainy morning.


She took my hand through winding roads and led me home
She held his hand and guided him through winding roads to her home.


Some red French wine when later waking
They drank some red French wine when they woke up later.


In her warm hideaway, she smiled and combed her hair
She smiled and combed her hair in the comfort of her warm hideaway.


She laughed each time I asked her name
She found it amusing when he repeatedly asked for her name.


Made promises to meet again
She made promises to meet him again in the future.


But her friends down at the French cafe
Her friends at the French cafe were an obstacle to their communication.


Had no English words for me
Her friends couldn't communicate with him due to the language barrier.


So you may find above the border
He suggests that someone else may find a girl with silver rings above the border.


A girl with silver rings, I never knew her name
He never knew the name of the girl with the silver rings.


You're bound to lose, she's too much for you
He implies that others are likely to fail with the girl because she is too difficult to handle.


She'll leave you lost one rainy morn, you won't be the same
She will leave you feeling lost and changed on a rainy morning.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: IAN TYSON, SYLVIA FRICKER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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