Wells' success in the 1950s and 1960s was so enormous that she still ranks as the sixth most successful female vocalist in the history of the Billboard country charts according to historian Joel Whitburn's book "The Top 40 Country Hits", behind Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, Reba McEntire, Tammy Wynette, and Tanya Tucker. Wells was the third country music artist, behind Roy Acuff and Hank Williams, to receive the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1991 as well as being the seventh woman and first Caucasian woman to receive the honor. In 1976, she was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels
Kitty Wells Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The tune about the wild side of life
As I listen to the words you are sayin'
It brings memories when I was a trustful wife
It wasn't God who made honky tonk angels
As you said in the words of your song
Too many times married men
That has caused many a good girl to go wrong
It's a shame that all the blame is on us women
It's not true that only you men feel the same
From the start
Most every heart that's ever broken
Was because there always was a man to blame
It wasn't God who made honky tonk angels
As you said in the words of your song
Too many times married men
Think they're still single
That has caused many a good girl to go wrong
Kitty Wells's song “It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels” was a trailblazing track in the world of country music. The song was released in 1952, in response to a popular male country song titled "The Wild Side of Life." While that song berated and blamed unfaithful women for its subjects' heartbreak, Wells's response song challenged the double standards and misogyny in country music at that time.
In the song, Kitty Wells references the jukebox playing a song about the wild side of life, likely referencing the same song that she's responding to. She expresses that the lyrics of the song bring back memories of when she was a trusting wife, highlighting the gendered nature of the accusations of infidelity in country music at that time.
The later lines of the song aim to expose the double standard by which men can cheat but women are expected to remain faithful. She sings "It's a shame that all the blame is on us women/It's not true that only you men feel the same." Wells points out that many broken hearts were the result of the irresponsible actions of men, rather than just women's supposed infidelity. The memorable chorus declares "It wasn't God who made honky tonk angels/As you said in the words of your song/Too many times married men/Think they're still single/That has caused many a good girl to go wrong."
Line by Line Meaning
As I sit here tonight, the jukebox playin'
As I sit here tonight listening to music at the jukebox
The tune about the wild side of life
I am listening to a song about the wilder side of life that is being played on the jukebox
As I listen to the words you are sayin'
While listening to the words of the song that's playing on the jukebox
It brings memories when I was a trustful wife
I am reminded of times when I used to be a faithful wife
It wasn't God who made honky tonk angels
Honky tonk angels weren't created by God
As you said in the words of your song
As mentioned in the lyrics of this song
Too many times married men
Sometimes married men
Think they're still single
Behave as if they are still unmarried
That has caused many a good girl to go wrong
This behavior has led many good women to make wrong choices
It's a shame that all the blame is on us women
It's unfortunate that women are blamed for everything
It's not true that only you men feel the same
It is unfair to suggest that only men are responsible for such behavior
From the start
From the beginning
Most every heart that's ever broken
The majority of broken hearts
Was because there always was a man to blame
A man was nearly always at fault
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Joseph D. Miller
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Dan Gillespie
One of my all-time favorite songs.
Patricia Nichols
Kitty is the real Queen of The Real Country Music. No one any better
Pilar Soriano
Waylong Jennings y Jessie Colter hacen otra versión muy buena. Wanda Jackson también.
Pilar Soriano
Kitty Wells es la reina del Country Ballad femenino
VictrolaJazz
Lovely! Reminds me of Four Walls by Jim Reeves!
Pilar Soriano
Es un clásico del Country Balada. Y Great Speckled Bird es el mismo tema con distinta letra.
Pilar Soriano
Aunque Skeater Davis también es muy buena haciendo Country Ballad femenino
Pilar Soriano
Y del masculino probablemente Waylong Jennings y Willie Nelson