Once I Had I Woman
Jimi Hendrix Lyrics


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Lord, I had a woman
Lord knows she was good to me in every way
Yes, I had a woman
A real woman
Lord, she gave me lovin' both night and day
My sun shine
Whoo hoo
For my woman
Or else or else
Its going to take me one more day
If it takes me
She went way down in Dallas
Way down in Texas land
Lord she had me wrapped around her wrist and around her finger baby
Like a ring wrapped around a finger of a severed hand
I'm lookin' for my Dallas honey bee
Who can you be
Who can you be
Oooh hoo hoo help me




Help me look for her
Oh yeah

Overall Meaning

In Jimi Hendrix's song "Once I Had a Woman," the singer sings about his former relationship with a woman who was kind to him in every way. He reminisces about how she gave him love day and night, and how he depended on her for his happiness. However, she has now left him and gone to Dallas, leaving him searching for her and wondering who she can be.


The lyrics of this song are significant for several reasons. First, they demonstrate Hendrix's ability to blend different musical styles and genres, such as blues, rock, and funk, in a way that is both innovative and captivating. The song's funky rhythm and bluesy guitar riffs are classic Hendrix, and the raw emotion in his vocals make the lyrics all the more poignant. Second, the song deals with themes of love, loss, and dependency that were common in Hendrix's music. He often sang about the complexities of relationships and the ways in which they can both lift us up and tear us down. Finally, the song reflects the cultural and social context of the time in which it was written, as it was composed during the height of the civil rights movement and the ongoing struggle for racial equality in the United States.


Line by Line Meaning

Lord, I had a woman
I used to have a woman in my life


Lord knows she was good to me in every way
She was an amazing woman, who treated me well in every way possible


Yes, I had a woman
I did, in fact, have a woman


A real woman
She was a genuine and authentic woman, who was not fake


Lord, she gave me lovin' both night and day
She showed her love for me, by caring for me both day and night


My sun shine
She was the light of my life, and made everything brighter


Whoo hoo
An expression of joy, happiness and excitement


For my woman
I would do anything for her, because of how much she meant to me


Or else or else
If I do not find her or replace her, I will face unfortunate consequences


Its going to take me one more day
I need more time to either find her or come to terms with her loss


If it takes me
I will go to any length to get her back or find someone like her


She went way down in Dallas
She is now in Dallas, far from my reach


Way down in Texas land
She is in the vast land of Texas, and I am far away


Lord she had me wrapped around her wrist and around her finger baby
She had complete control over me and I was totally enamoured by her


Like a ring wrapped around a finger of a severed hand
My affection and love for her was so intense and consuming, that it felt like a part of me was missing without her


I'm lookin' for my Dallas honey bee
I am searching for my love in Dallas


Who can you be
I am curious to know who this person is that I am looking for


Oooh hoo hoo help me
I am pleading for help in finding her


Help me look for her
Assist me in searching for the love of my life


Oh yeah
An optimistic, positive exclamation




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JIMI HENDRIX

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Devin Kennedy


on Spanish Castle Magic (alternate take)

Is this really the alternete take

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