Nobody feels any pain
Tonight as I stand here in the rain
Everybody knows that baby's got new clothes
But lately I see her ribbons and her bows
And the problems from her curls

She takes just like a woman
She makes love just like a woman
And then she aches just like a woman
But she breaks just like a little girl

Queen Mary, she's my friend
Yes I believe I'll go and see her again
Ain't no one has to guess that baby can't be blessed
'Til she finds out, she's like all the rest
With her fog, her amphetamines, and her pearls

Well she takes just like a woman
And she makes love just like a woman
And then she aches just like a woman
But she breaks just like a little girl

It was raining down at first, but I was dying there of thirst
So I came in here
And your long-time curse, it hurts, oh and what's worse
Is the pain in here
Oh, I can't stay in here
Ain't it clear

Oh I must admit
I believe it's time for us to quit
And when we met again and are introduced as friends
Please don't let on that you knew me when
I was hungry, and it was your world

Well you take just like a woman
And you make love to me just like a woman
Say that you're fair just like a woman
Well but you break up like a little girl

Breaking like a girl
I don't know what I'm gon' do
'Cause it's just like a little girl
Seems like I don't know what I'm gon' do with you
Hey, my little girl

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Joe Cocker's "Woman to Woman" portray the complex and contradictory nature of the singer's relationship with a woman he addresses as "baby." As the song starts, the singer observes how everyone sees the woman as someone who has everything - "new clothes," "ribbons and bows" - but he can see through her facade, noticing her problems and insecurities that are visible "from her curls." He then goes on to describe how this woman "takes just like a woman" and "makes love just like a woman," emphasizing her femininity and sensuality, but also reveals her vulnerability and fragility by saying that "she aches just like a woman / but she breaks just like a little girl." The contrast between the woman's confident exterior and inner turmoil creates a poignant tone in the song.

As the song progresses, the singer talks about how he seeks comfort from his friend, Queen Mary, suggesting that perhaps the woman he addresses is not someone he can rely on entirely. He likens her to the other women he has met before, who are also searching for something they cannot find. The singer then reveals his own struggles, confessing that he came to this place out of desperation and that the woman's "long-time curse" and the pain she causes him are becoming unbearable. He concludes the song with a plea to end their relationship, recognizing that the woman will move on to other people and situations, leaving him behind in a world where he is "hungry."

Overall, "Woman to Woman" is a powerful expression of the complexities of human relationships, and the struggle to understand and connect with others. The lyrics shift between vulnerability and resilience, showing how we all have both sides of ourselves, and that it is through this complexity that we can find common ground.

Line by Line Meaning

Nobody feels any pain
There's no one around who cares or empathizes with what I'm going through.

Tonight as I stand here in the rain
As I endure the difficult times, I'm standing here in the rain all by myself, without any company.

Everybody knows that baby's got new clothes
Everyone is aware that she's got herself all dressed up with new clothes and looking good on the outside.

But lately I see her ribbons and her bows
Recently, I've started noticing that under all the fancy clothes and decorations, there's still the same person with the same issues.

And the problems from her curls
Even the messy parts of her hair can symbolize the mess in her life and the issues she needs to deal with.

She takes just like a woman
She behaves like a typical woman in the way she receives love, care, and attention.

She makes love just like a woman
In her actions of expressing love, she behaves like a stereotypical woman.

And then she aches just like a woman
She experiences the pain of love and heartbreak just like any other woman in the world.

But she breaks just like a little girl
Despite her mature behavior in some areas, she is still vulnerable like a little girl when it comes to handling tough situations.

Queen Mary, she's my friend
Queen Mary is a person he can rely on and trust with his personal issues.

Yes I believe I'll go and see her again
He believes that meeting Queen Mary will give him comfort and help him deal with his problems.

Ain't no one has to guess that baby can't be blessed
No one needs to make assumptions as to why she is unhappy or not content with her life.

'Til she finds out, she's like all the rest
Until she figures out her own identity and understands herself better, she's just like everyone else, trying to make sense of her life.

With her fog, her amphetamines, and her pearls
She may try to ignore her problems by burying herself in mind-altering substances (fog and amphetamines) or by distracting herself with superficial things (pearls).

Well she takes just like a woman
In her behavior of receiving love and care, she acts like any other woman.

And she makes love just like a woman
In expressing her love, she behaves like a stereotypical woman.

And then she aches just like a woman
She experiences the pain of love and heartbreak just like any other woman in the world.

But she breaks just like a little girl
Despite trying to act maturely, she still suffers and collapses like a little girl under pressure.

It was raining down at first, but I was dying there of thirst
Initially, the rain provided some sort of relief, but eventually, his problems got worse, and he was overwhelmed with thirst to find a solution.

So I came in here
He sought refuge and shelter from his issues by entering this space.

And your long-time curse, it hurts, oh and what's worse
The fact that she's been in his life for a long time is proving to be troublesome, and the situation keeps getting worse for him.

Is the pain in here
The pain and discomfort he's experiencing are internal and impossible to escape from.

Oh, I can't stay in here
He realizes that staying in the current situation isn't good for him and it's time for him to leave.

Ain't it clear
It should be obvious to the others involved that he cannot stay in this situation anymore.

Oh I must admit
He's realized and recognized something about himself.

I believe it's time for us to quit
It's time for him and the woman to stop the relationship they have been having.

And when we met again and are introduced as friends
If they were to meet each other again in the future, it should only be as friends greeting each other.

Please don't let on that you knew me when
It's better for the woman not to reveal that they have had an intimate relationship from the past.

I was hungry, and it was your world
When he was vulnerable and had nothing, she had the power to control his situation.

Well you take just like a woman
She behaves like a typical woman in how she receives love, care, and attention.

And you make love to me just like a woman
She tries to show love the way society believes women do.

Say that you're fair just like a woman
She thinks of herself as fair and tries to be just in her actions, like a woman is expected to be.

Well, but you break up like a little girl
Despite her mature behavior in some areas, she is still vulnerable like a little girl when it comes to handling tough situations.

Breaking like a girl
Collapsing like a little girl.

I don't know what I'm gon' do
He's at a loss as to what to do with regards to the situation.

'Cause it's just like a little girl
The situation with the woman is reminiscent of a little girl's behavior.

Seems like I don't know what I'm gon' do with you
He's unable to understand what to do or how to handle the woman in this situation.

Hey, my little girl
He's calling the woman his little girl, which signifies his affection for her.

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