Son of a Preacher Man
Jackie Thomas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And when his daddy would visit he'd come along
When they gathered round and started talking
That's when Billy would take me walking
Out through the backyard we'd go walking
Then he'd look into my eyes
Lord knows to my surprise
Was the son of a preacher man
The only boy who could ever teach me
Was the son of a preacher man
Yes he was, he was, oh, yes he was
Being good isn't always easy
No matter how hard I try
When he started sweet-talking to me
He'd come and tell me everything was alright
He'd kiss and tell me everything is alright
Can I get away again tonight
The only one who could ever reach me
Was the son of a preacher man
The only boy who could ever teach me
Was the son of a preacher man
Yes he was, he was, oh, yes he was
How well I remember
The look that was in his eyes
Stealing kisses from me on the sly
Taking time to make time
Telling me that he's all mine
Learning from each other's knowing
Looking to see how much we've grown
And the only one who could ever reach me
Was the son of a preacher man
The only boy who could ever teach me
Was the son of a preacher man
Yes he was, he was, oh, yes he was
The only one who could ever reach me
Was the sweet-talking son of a preacher man
The only boy who could ever teach me
Was the son of a preacher man
Yes he was, he was, oh, yes he was
"Son of a Preacher Man" is a classic soul song that tells the story of a young woman who falls for the son of a preacher. The song starts by introducing the preacher's son, Billy-Ray, and how the two would escape the conversations of the adults to walk in the backyard together. The young woman is surprised to find that Billy-Ray is the only one who can reach her and teach her new things; hence, he is the only boy who could ever reach or teach her.
The second verse talks about how difficult it is to be good and how hard the young woman tries. However, when Billy-Ray starts sweet-talking to her, she finds solace in his words and feels everything is alright. The young woman seems to be smitten by Billy-Ray, and the two often steal kisses from each other on the sly while also taking the time to learn and grow from one another.
Overall, "Son of a Preacher Man" tells the story of an unexpected romance between two young people. The song's lyrics are nostalgic and emotional, making it relatable to anyone who has experienced first love.
Line by Line Meaning
Billy-Ray was a preacher's son
Billy-Ray was the son of a religious leader
And when his daddy would visit he'd come along
He accompanied his father on visits
When they gathered round and started talking
While the adults conversed
That's when Billy would take me walking
That's when he would take her out
Out through the backyard we'd go walking
They'd go through the backyard
Then he'd look into my eyes
He would look deeply into her eyes
Lord knows to my surprise
It was surprising to her
The only one who could ever reach me
He was the only one who could truly connect with her
Was the son of a preacher man
He was the son of a religious leader
The only boy who could ever teach me
He was the only one who could teach her
Yes he was, he was, oh, yes he was
This is true
Being good isn't always easy
It can be difficult to live up to high standards
No matter how hard I try
Even when I try my best
When he started sweet-talking to me
When he began to speak romantically to her
He'd come and tell me everything was alright
He would reassure her that everything was okay
He'd kiss and tell me everything is alright
He would kiss her and affirm that things were good
Can I get away again tonight
Can I sneak away with him again tonight?
How well I remember
I remember it well
The look that was in his eyes
The expression on his face
Stealing kisses from me on the sly
Secretly kissing each other
Taking time to make time
Making time for each other
Telling me that he's all mine
Saying that he belongs to her
Learning from each other's knowing
Learning from each other's experiences
Looking to see how much we've grown
Reflecting on how much they've developed
And the only one who could ever reach me
He was the only one who could truly connect with her
Was the son of a preacher man
He was the son of a religious leader
The only boy who could ever teach me
He was the only one who could teach her
Was the son of a preacher man
He was the son of a religious leader
Yes he was, he was, oh, yes he was
This is true
The only one who could ever reach me
He was the only one who could truly connect with her
Was the sweet-talking son of a preacher man
The son of a religious leader who could charm her with his words
The only boy who could ever teach me
He was the only one who could teach her
Was the son of a preacher man
He was the son of a religious leader
Yes he was, he was, oh, yes he was
This is true
Contributed by John P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.