My Girl
John Hiatt and Loudon Wainwright III Lyrics


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My sweet girl with you eyes so bright
Don't leave me in the dark tonight
The sun's turned down, the moon is low
And I know secrets you don't know

Do you hear the wind whispering
"You're the one I love"
The summer breeze tells the trees
I'm the one, because
You're my sweet girl

Hold me now in this sweet life
I will take you for my wife
We can walk the aisle in this city park
And I will offer you my heart

Married by a firefly
They're coming back, you know
And I'm the man who knows he can
Provide an afterglow
For you, my sweet girl
Cause you're my sweet girl

Do, do, do
My sweet girl, do you know you are
My lovely dream, my little star
In a blanket made of earth and sky
Curled up with my sweetie pie

The love we make, it merely takes
Our breath out of the air
We kiss and then we breath again
The wind blows through your hair
It's whispering, "you're my sweet girl"
Can you hear it? It's saying, "you're my sweet girl"
You're my sweet girl





Do, do, do

Overall Meaning

The song "My Girl" by John Hiatt and Loudon Wainwright III is a love song that expresses the singer's admiration and love for his significant other, referring to her as "my sweet girl." The lyrics express a desire to share a life together, marry, and be together forever. Lines such as "Don't leave me in the dark tonight" and "Hold me now in this sweet life/I will take you for my wife" demonstrate the singer's desperation to keep the love and their significant other close.


Throughout the song, the use of metaphorical language is significant. For instance, "In a blanket made of earth and sky/Curled up with my sweetie pie" strongly portrays the singer's notion of being close to his love interest. The use of elements such as fireflies and the wind helps to emphasize the idea of the couple's closeness and love.


In summary, "My Girl" is a song that portrays love in different dimensions. The use of metaphorical language not only makes the song emotional but also helps to elaborate on the singer's idea of love as an all-consuming entity.


Line by Line Meaning

My sweet girl with you eyes so bright
Addressing the singer's beloved as a 'sweet girl' with bright eyes


Don't leave me in the dark tonight
Asking the beloved not to leave the singer in the dark


The sun's turned down, the moon is low
Describing the nighttime setting in which the conversation is taking place


And I know secrets you don't know
Asserting that the singer knows some secrets that the beloved does not


Do you hear the wind whispering
Asking the beloved if they can hear the wind whispering


"You're the one I love"
Quoting what the wind is whispering ("You're the one I love")


The summer breeze tells the trees
Describing what the breeze is doing


I'm the one, because
Implying that the beloved is the one for the singer


You're my sweet girl
Repeating the assertion that the beloved is a 'sweet girl'


Hold me now in this sweet life
Asking the beloved to hold the singer now, in the present moment


I will take you for my wife
Stating the singer's intention to marry the beloved


We can walk the aisle in this city park
Suggesting a specific location for the marriage ceremony


And I will offer you my heart
Promising to give the beloved the singer's heart


Married by a firefly
Describing the singer's vision for the marriage ceremony


They're coming back, you know
Implying that fireflies have disappeared but are returning


And I'm the man who knows he can
Asserting the singer's confidence in his abilities


Provide an afterglow
Describing the singer's ability to provide an afterglow (i.e. romantic mood) after the ceremony


For you, my sweet girl
Repeating the assertion that the beloved is a 'sweet girl' and emphasizing that the afterglow is for her


Cause you're my sweet girl
Repeating the assertion that the beloved is a 'sweet girl'


My sweet girl, do you know you are
Asking the beloved if she knows that she is the singer's 'sweet girl'


My lovely dream, my little star
Addressing the beloved with affectionate metaphors


In a blanket made of earth and sky
Describing a romantic, idyllic setting


Curled up with my sweetie pie
Describing the singer's fantasy of spending time with the beloved


The love we make, it merely takes
Suggesting that the love that the singer and beloved share is powerful and does not require effort


Our breath out of the air
Describing the intimacy between the singer and the beloved


We kiss and then we breath again
Describing the cycle of intimacy between the singer and the beloved


The wind blows through your hair
Describing the setting and the beloved's appearance


It's whispering, "you're my sweet girl"
Claiming that the wind is affirming that the beloved is a 'sweet girl'


Can you hear it? It's saying, "you're my sweet girl"
Asking the beloved if they can hear the wind affirming that the beloved is a 'sweet girl'


You're my sweet girl
Repeating the assertion that the beloved is a 'sweet girl'




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOHN HIATT

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@alanradecki2276

Best version I've ever heard!

@mankydave67

Without doubt!! Amazing version that gathers momentum.

@kauan4360

What is a sample version?

@AntoineMaloney

What a find Jeremy. It was posted at the Loudon Wainwright III Enthusiasts group on Facebook. Tremendous group of players on the A side!

@JeremyKeyes

Glad you enjoyed it. And yeah, Hiatt's band on that record is fantastic.

@solaroberto7435

Love

@mankydave67

Cheers Jeremy. I did actually manage to lift this off a website several years ago & turn it into an mp3 - which I have on my old phone. Such a beautiful version. I heard this initially I think around 1990 on Whispering Bob Harris’s late night show. It’s from an all artists compilation album “From Hell to Obscurity” that I never got hold of. Thanks again for uploading.

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