Johnny Guitar
Pearl Jam Lyrics
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Riding on 3 wheels, a woman on his knee
With a leg under the red dress I wish I could see
Further North the warmth of lovin' lingering
Now Johnny he be having lots of women
Oh the reason he'd be smiling known to him
On the left the girl in red so innocent
Yeah the type of girl responsible for original sin
Can't help but wonder where and who she is
Oh and the memory's always getting clearer
First thirty years and more I've loved her so
But now I need to know why she's with him
And I sleep with the light on in case she comes
And I sleep with the light on in case she,
Recently as I was waiting on a dream
She came to visit lost and lonely me
Oh she leaned over the bed and with the lips above my head
She asked if I had seen her Johnny
Oh and I hide my disappointment cause for years I have been hoping
Oh yeah I have been hoping that
When she came that she would come for me
Hey, hey,
I'll hide my disappointment cause for years I have been hoping
That when she came she'd be coming just for me,
I'll hide my disappointment cause for years I have been hoping
That when she came she'd be coming just for me,ah yeah!
Aw yeah!
Aw yeah!
Hoo
The song "Johnny Guitar" by Pearl Jam tells a story of a man who is haunted by memories of a woman from his past, who he is still in love with. The lyrics describe Johnny Guitar Watson as a womanizer who is always surrounded by women, while the singer longs for the attention of the woman he loves. He describes her as innocent, yet responsible for original sin, and wonders where she is now and why she is with Johnny. The singer sleeps with the light on in case she comes, and his dream eventually becomes a reality when she visits him, but only to ask about Johnny.
The lyrics are full of vivid imagery, from Johnny riding on three wheels with a woman on his knee to the girl in red who never sheds her clothes. The song captures the longing and heartache of unrequited love, as well as the frustration of being unable to move on from the past. The singer is torn between his love for the woman and his jealousy of Johnny, who he sees as undeserving of her attention. The song ends with the singer realizing that his hope for a reunion with the woman was in vain, as she came only to ask about Johnny.
Overall, "Johnny Guitar" is a poignant and emotionally charged song that explores themes of love, longing, and heartache. The lyrics are beautifully written and full of rich imagery, while the music perfectly captures the mood and emotion of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Johnny Guitar Watson staring at me
The singer sees Johnny Guitar Watson looking at him
Riding on 3 wheels, a woman on his knee
Johnny Guitar Watson is riding on a vehicle with three wheels while a woman sits on his lap
With a leg under the red dress I wish I could see
The singer is curious about the woman's leg that is hidden under her red dress
Further North the warmth of lovin' lingering
Up north, people still enjoy the warmth of love and affection
Now Johnny he be having lots of women
Johnny Guitar Watson has many romantic partners
Oh the reason he'd be smiling known to him
Johnny Guitar Watson knows why he is happy
On the left the girl in red so innocent
To the left of the singer is an innocent-looking girl in a red dress
Never sheds her clothes even when she goes to bed
The girl in red never takes her clothes off even when she goes to sleep
Yeah the type of girl responsible for original sin
The girl in red is the type of person who could be responsible for introducing sin into the world
Can't help but wonder where and who she is
The singer is curious about the girl in red and wonders who she is and where she comes from
Oh and the memory's always getting clearer
The singer's memories of the girl in red are becoming clearer as time goes on
First thirty years and more I've loved her so
The singer has been in love with the girl in red for over 30 years
But now I need to know why she's with him
The singer wants to find out why the girl in red is with Johnny Guitar Watson
And I sleep with the light on in case she comes
The singer sleeps with the light on in case the girl in red comes to see him
Recently as I was waiting on a dream
The singer was recently waiting for a dream
She came to visit lost and lonely me
The girl in red visited the singer who was feeling lost and lonely
Oh she leaned over the bed and with the lips above my head
The girl in red leaned over the bed and kissed the singer on the head
She asked if I had seen her Johnny
The girl in red asked the singer if he had seen Johnny Guitar Watson
Oh and I hide my disappointment cause for years I have been hoping
The singer tries to hide his disappointment because he has been hoping for years that the girl in red would come to him exclusively
Hey, hey,
Interjection expressing excitement or enthusiasm
I'll hide my disappointment cause for years I have been hoping
Reiteration of the previous line
That when she came she'd be coming just for me,
The singer wishes that the girl in red came to see only him
Aw yeah!
Interjection expressing excitement or approval
Aw yeah!
Reiteration of the previous interjection
Hoo
Interjection expressing enthusiasm or approval
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: EDDIE VEDDER, MATT CAMERON, STONE GOSSARD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind