Buying a Book
Joe Tex Lyrics


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I saw this old man with this young girl the other night
I walked over to him and pulled him off on the side
And I said, pops, what are you trying to prove?
I said, I've seen you out here every night this week
With a different young girl wrapped around your arm
I said, you can't keep this pace up, uh
Because these young girls
Huh, oh
They'll certainly get you down

He said, son, sit down here
Lemme tell ya something
He said, all my life I've worked hard, huh
And I've saved up me a little money
He said, but just about the time I got me a nest egg saved
I became a widow man
He says, and I'm 72 going on 73 years old
And don't have too many more years to live
Hah, he said, I know that I should be ashamed of myself
Ha, but he said
Young girls is my weakness
Oh yes, they are, huh
He said, so would you please
Leave this old gray-haired man alone
Mind your business
Heh heh
Let me and this young girl
Have us a little bit of fun, huh

That's when I looked at him and I said
I said, all right, pops, you got her
But listen, ha ha ha ha, here's all you're doing
Oh yes, oh yes, oh, you just
Buying buyin' a book
That's what I said to him
I said, listen to this, here's all you're doing
(Buying a book for some young man)
That's what you're doing, heh
To read
But don't do it
(Don't do it)
Don't do it
(Don't do it)
Oh, don't do it!
(Don't do it!)
Send that young girl on home
Mmm mmm mmm

Then there was this middle-aged woman whose name I dare not call
Simply because you out there listening
Just might know who this woman is
But I can tell you this much
The woman lives right here in your town
I know you didn't know that, did you, huh
I saw this woman with this young man
In the broaden day time the other day
I say, miss lady, you oughta be ashamed of yourself
Ridin' around with this young man all hugged up like this here, heh huh

She said, son, oh son, you're dippin' in my business
But if you want to know why I fool with this young man
I'll tell you
She said, I was married to a man 40 years older than I was
Says, for a long time I was true and faithful to that one man
Says, and last year he died and willed me a whole lotta money
And I know that that young man sittin' in my car
Just wants me for my money, uh huh
She said, but if that's what it takes to keep the young, fine thing
Oh ho, he can get every single dime
Because it ain't nothin' an old man can do for me
But show me which way a young man went, hah hah

Oh Lord, oh, oh
Here's what I said, huh
I said, you're just
Buying
That's all you're doin'
(Buying a book)
That's what I told her, huh
Listen, miss lady, here's all you're doin', uh
(Buying a book for some young girl)
You oughta quit it, huh
To read
(Don't do it)
I said, that's your car, drive him home
Give him all your money!
I'm sorry I dipped in your business




I won't do it no more
No

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Joe Tex's song Buying a Book reveal the stories of an old man and a middle-aged woman who are both involved with much younger partners. In the first verse, the singer confronts the old man and questions his actions, who admits that young girls are his weakness and asks to be left alone to have fun with his current partner. The singer then warns him that all he is doing is "buying a book," meaning that he is essentially paying for the young girl's interest in him.


In the second verse, the singer confronts a middle-aged woman who is with a younger man and accuses her of being ashamed of herself for being seen with him. The woman defends herself by revealing that she was previously married to an older man and inherited his wealth upon his death. She acknowledges that the young man is only interested in her money, but she is willing to give him everything she has to keep herself feeling youthful and alive.


The song's lyrics highlight how societal expectations and norms can cause people to engage in relationships solely for appearances or material gain. It also emphasizes the desperation and loneliness that can come with aging, especially when societal norms dictate that youthful companionship is sought after.


Line by Line Meaning

I saw this old man with this young girl the other night
The singer saw an elderly man with a young woman and approached him to ask about his behavior.


And I said, pops, what are you trying to prove?
The singer asked the old man why he was parading around with young women.


Because these young girls, they'll certainly get you down
The singer warned the old man that his behavior would eventually lead to negative consequences.


He said, all my life I've worked hard, and I've saved up me a little money
The old man explained that he had worked hard all his life and had saved some money.


He said, but just about the time I got me a nest egg saved, I became a widow man
The old man's wife passed away just as he had saved enough money to retire.


Young girls is my weakness
The old man admitted that he had a weakness for young women.


That's when I looked at him and I said, here's all you're doing, buying buyin' a book
The singer told the old man that he was essentially buying a young woman for companionship.


Then there was this middle-aged woman whose name I dare not call
The artist saw a middle-aged woman with a young man and decided not to reveal her name.


Simply because you out there listening, just might know who this woman is
The artist chose not to name the woman out of consideration for the listener who may know her.


But if you want to know why I fool with this young man, I'll tell you
The middle-aged woman explained her reasons for being with a young man.


And I know that that young man sittin' in my car just wants me for my money
The woman was aware that the young man was only interested in her wealth.


I said, you're just buying, that's all you're doin'
The artist told the woman that she was essentially buying the young man's affection.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: TEX

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Ethel Stevens Love

What a great classic this is.......

James Hooks

Love this and all of his songs

Kristal Price

classic song great story teller

Jevezy

The Great Joe Tex.

Linda A Montgomery

I love this song...

Ethel Stevens Love

+Linda A Montgomery Hi, I like this song also.........I have the greatest hit "CD" with this song on it......

Richsean Hawkes

my generation knows nothing about good music

Nikolai

somebody can put the lyrics here? i don't understand very much, but reading i do

Ethel Stevens Love

Great classic......

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