Although he wrote a number of hit songs for other artists, Johns is best remembered for the one he recorded himself, "Chevy Van", a song about a loose-loving man who picks up a woman while he's on the road, struck a chord with listeners in the sexually liberated 1970s when Johns released it mid-decade. His mellow and easy style made love that was free and easy seem natural when he sang, "We made love in my Chevy van, and that's all right with me." The singer/songwriter sold more than three million copies in 1975, and the single climbed to #5 in the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
After his eponymous debut album on the GRC record label (General Recording Corporation), which included "Chevy Van," the singer inked a deal in 1976 with Warner-Curb, which resulted in Johns working on the soundtrack to The Van, the first film to feature Danny DeVito. The 1982 New World Records single "Falling for You" caught the eye of Elektra, and the company took Johns on board and issued "Love Me off the Road" and "Common Man." When country artist John Conlee covered "Common Man," the single went gold and topped the charts. Conlee made the song his theme, and Johns was on his way writing songs for others.
Among those who have recorded Johns' songs are Waylon Jennings, Sammy Kershaw, and Conway Twitty. In 1985, Jennings serenaded the Statue of Liberty with Johns' "America" on a nationally broadcast event to mark the statue's restoration. The performance helped take the single gold and "America" was nominated for song of the year in country music circles. Johns' "Desperado Love" brought Twitty his final gold record. Kershaw covered the song that started it all for Johns, "Chevy Van," on his Politics Religion, and Her album in 1996.
Rag Doll
Sammy Johns Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That's just across the way
Picks all the flowers
That brighten up the day
And her blue velvet cape
That she wore around her neck
And the red in her cheeks
And the wind in the trees
Sing a sad, sad, sad song
I lay in my bed
Listening all night long
Oh, wind in the trees
Sing a song for me
Bring back the rag doll to me
Oh, how I long to have her back by my side
The happiness of yesterday
Damn near cost my pride
There ain't nothing worse than losing
When you had everything to gain
Got to get that woman back
Or nothing will be the same
And the wind in the trees
Sing a sad, sad, sad, sad song
I lay in my bed
Listening all night long
Oh, wind in the trees
Sing a song for me
And bring back the rag doll to me
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
In Sammy Johns's song Rag Doll, he describes a woman who walks in a nearby field, picking flowers and wearing a blue velvet cape. Her red cheeks make her appear like a "rag doll," which adds to her whimsical nature. The singer of the song listens to the wind in the trees, which is melancholic and sad, as he lies in bed. He longs to have the woman back by his side, as he feels that he has lost everything. The song includes repetition of the lyric "wind in the trees, sing a sad, sad, sad song," which emphasizes the singer's feelings of sadness and loss.
Line by Line Meaning
She walks in the field
The subject of the song is walking across a nearby field.
That's just across the way
The field is located near the subject.
Picks all the flowers
The subject spends time picking flowers from the field.
That brighten up the day
The flowers bring joy and happiness to the subject.
And her blue velvet cape
The subject wears a blue velvet cape.
That she wore around her neck
The cape is worn around the subject's neck.
And the red in her cheeks
The subject has red cheeks, perhaps from being outdoors or from embarrassment.
Gave a rag doll effect
The subject's appearance resembles that of a rag doll.
And the wind in the trees
The wind is blowing through the trees.
Sing a sad, sad, sad song
The sound of the wind is melancholic or sorrowful.
I lay in my bed
The singer is lying in bed, listening to the wind outside.
Listening all night long
The artist spends the entire night listening to the wind.
Oh, wind in the trees
The singer addresses the wind again.
Sing a song for me
The singer asks the wind to sing a song for them.
Bring back the rag doll to me
The singer wants the subject of the song, referred to as the 'rag doll,' to return.
Oh, how I long to have her back by my side
The artist expresses a strong desire to be reunited with the subject of the song.
The happiness of yesterday
The artist remembers a time when they were happy with the subject of the song.
Damn near cost my pride
Perhaps the singer's pride was hurt by the end of their relationship with the subject of the song.
There ain't nothing worse than losing
The singer believes that losing something or someone important is one of the worst experiences.
When you had everything to gain
The artist had the possibility of a happy relationship with the subject, but it was lost.
Got to get that woman back
The artist is determined to win back the subject of the song.
Or nothing will be the same
The artist believes that without the subject of the song, their life will not be the same.
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
The song ends with a series of 'la's, without any significant meaning.
Contributed by Ellie A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.