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.
Paying for That Back Street Affair
Kitty Wells Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When I fell in love with you
For you told me you always would play square
Then I learned you had a home
That your wife had not gone wrong
And our love was just a backstreet affair
When I found you'd fooled me so
For as time passed on I'd learned so much to care
Though I knew I must atone
But my will was not my own
I'm paying for that backstreet affair
You didn't count the cost
You gambled and I lost
Now I must pay with hours of deep despair
You still can live your life
With a true, forgiving wife
But I can't live down our backstreet affair
The love I gave so free
Is left to torture me?
Though I know it's hopeless and it isn't fair
But, still I must go on
While the gossips spread are wrong
I'm paying for that backstreet affair
In Kitty Wells's song "Paying for That Back Street Affair," the artist sings about falling in love with someone who had initially appeared to be true and honest, only to learn later on that he had a wife and their relationship was just a secret affair. The song depicts the feelings of betrayal, regret, and the consequences that come with engaging in such illicit relationships.
The first verse speaks of the artist's initial willingness to believe in the man's promises of honesty and faithfulness. However, as she learned more about his background, with him already being married, the relationship turned out to be a sham. The second verse speaks of the remorse felt by the artist for allowing herself to be involved in such deception. However, despite the realization of the mistake, the consequences must still be borne, leading to deep-seated sadness and despair.
The final verse speaks about the lasting impact of this affair on the artist. The love she gave so freely and which the man had taken advantage of is still torturing her. The gossips are talking and spreading tales about her, making it harder to move on.
In summary, the song is a cautionary tale about the perils of engaging in secret affairs and the far-reaching consequences of such actions.
Line by Line Meaning
Yes, I thought that you were true
I believed you were honest and trustworthy
When I fell in love with you
When I started to love you deeply
For you told me you always would play square
You promised to always be honest and fair with me
Then I learned you had a home
I found out that you were already married
That your wife had not gone wrong
Your wife was not at fault in our affair
And our love was just a backstreet affair
Our love was a secret affair that had to be kept hidden
Was too late to say no?
Did I have a chance to walk away before things got worse?
When I found you'd fooled me so
When I discovered that you had deceived me
For as time passed on I'd learned so much to care
As I spent more time with you, I grew to care even more deeply
Though I knew I must atone
Even though I knew I was in the wrong and needed to make amends
But my will was not my own
I was not in control of my own actions and desires
I'm paying for that backstreet affair
I am suffering the consequences of our secret relationship
You didn't count the cost
You didn't consider the possible negative consequences
You gambled and I lost
You took a risk and I suffered the negative outcome
Now I must pay with hours of deep despair
I am now suffering intense emotional pain and sadness
You still can live your life
You can continue living your life without consequences
With a true, forgiving wife
Your wife can forgive you and continue living with you
But I can't live down our backstreet affair
I can't forget our affair or the pain it caused me
The love I gave so free
The affection I gave to you without reservation
Is left to torture me?
Is now causing me pain and suffering
Though I know it's hopeless and it isn't fair
Even though I know there's no hope for us and the situation is unfair
But, still I must go on
Even so, I must continue living my life
While the gossips spread are wrong
Despite the inaccurate rumors that are being spread about me
I'm paying for that backstreet affair
I am still suffering the consequences of our secret relationship
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jimmy Rule, Billy Wallace
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@marythompson5458
KITTY IS THE QUEEN OF COUNTRY MUSIC SHE BINGS TEARS TO MY EYES SO TRUE
@gilberthornick6924
The original Queen of country music. Loved all her music
@andrewkeegan2772
I love, all kitty's music its fantastic and she is a beautiful woman
@davidhudson6754
This lady was Queen of Country Music and the First Lady of Country music for about 25 years. This was one of her very best songs. She was pure country gold in just about everything she recorded. A class act in everyway
@theresachiorazzi4571
Rest In Peace kitty queen of country music
@helenmain
Kitty is the epitome of country music,such a brilliant way of sharing such god given talent .Thank you for sharing
@cadjunk
Yes, this is a classic. Thanks for sharing. She is one of the greatest. Take care. Gwen
@earlslot8320
true queen of country music, she set a high standard
@barbarakaminski1695
Wonderful memories of your true authentic country
music. Rest in peace
Kitty Wells.
@CraftsmanExplorer
I just love Kitty Wells singing