Dress Of Laces
Lyle Lovett Lyrics

And she has a dress of laces
The girl owns a dress made of lace material.

It's worn in many places
The dress has been worn in multiple occasions.

The shoulder hangs upon her by a thread
The dress strap loosely hangs from her shoulder, indicating it might fall off at any moment.

And she has a need for sharin'
The girl seeks a relationship or connection with others.

For someone warm and carin'
She desires someone affectionate and compassionate in her life.

And no one sees a heart that's underfed
Despite her needs for emotional nourishment, no one around her acknowledges her emotional needs and struggles.

Young girl in love
The girl is in love, most likely with the man mentioned later in the song.

Young girl in tears
The girl is crying, possibly due to the absence of the man she loves.

She hasn't seen the man she loves in years
It has been a long time since the girl saw the man she loves.

And her mother is a waitress
The girl's mother works as a waitress at the harbor bar.

At the harbor bar, good graces
The harbor bar where the girl's mother works is a place where fishermen often gather.

Where the seamen come a fishin' with their lines
The harbor bar is a place where fishermen visit to fish and have a good time.

And it was one of them that caught her
One of the fishermen met and impregnated the girl's mother.

And left her with a daughter
The aforementioned fisherman left the girl's mother pregnant and with a daughter.

Who lives with hate and loving him in mind
The girl lives with a conflicted mindset of both hating and loving her absent father.

So the young girl goes to the water
The girl goes to the water, possibly to reminisce or search for her father.

And she calls out for her father
She calls out to her father, hoping for him to hear her.

But she ain't seen the old man in some time
It's been a long time since the girl last saw her father.

Yes, and he was always boastin'
Her father had a habit of bragging or boasting about himself or his accomplishments.

Just a drinkin' and a toastin'
Her father drank a lot and often toasted in celebration.

And one day he left his family far behind
Her father abandoned his family and left them behind.

So the mother comes home a drinkin'
The girl's mother comes home drunk.

With a sailor who's a thinkin' out loud
The girl's mother came home with a sailor who was thinking loudly or expressing his thoughts.

That he might stay with them awhile
The sailor expressed interest in staying with them for a while.

So she loads her mother's pistol
The girl loads her mother's gun.

And she shoots him as he whistles
The girl shoots the sailor as he whistles.

A song about a sailor's life in style
The sailor was whistling a song about a sailor's life with enthusiasm or style.

She kills the only man she's loved in years
The girl kills the sailor, who was the only man she's loved in years.

And with him dies her hopes, her dreams, her fears
The girl's hopes, dreams, and fears die along with the sailor.

And no one sees a heart that's underfed
Despite the girl's emotional turmoil and the tragic consequences of her actions, no one seems to understand or acknowledge her emotional struggles.

And she has a need for sharin'
The girl still desires a relationship or connection with others.

For someone warm and carin'
She still seeks the affection and compassion of someone who can understand her.

And no one sees a heart that's underfed
Despite her needs for emotional nourishment, no one around her acknowledges her emotional needs and struggles.