Son of a Preacher Man
Springfield (Dusty) Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Billy Ray was a preacher's son
And when his daddy would visit he'd come along
When they gathered around and started talkin'
That's when Billy would take me walkin'
Out through the back yard we'd go walkin'
Then he'd look into my eyes
Lord knows, to my surprise
The only one who could ever reach me
Was the son of a preacher man
The only boy who could ever teach me
Was the son of a preacher man
Yes, he was, he was, ooh, yes, he was

Bein' good isn't always easy
No matter how hard I try
When he started sweet-talkin' to me
He'd come and tell me "Everything is all right"
He'd kiss and tell me "Everything is all right"
Can I get away again tonight?

The only one who could ever reach me
Was the son of a preacher man
The only boy who could ever teach me
Was the son of a preacher man
Yes, he was, he was, ooh, Lord knows, he was (yes, he was)

How well I remember
The look that was in his eyes
Stealin' kisses from me on the sly
Takin' time to make time
Tellin' me that he's all mine
Learnin' from each other's knowin'
Lookin' to see how much we've grown and

The only one who could ever reach me
Was the son of a preacher man
The only boy who could ever teach me
Was the son of a preacher man
Yes, he was, he was, oh, yes, he was

(The only one who could ever reach me)
He was the sweet-talkin' son of a preacher man
(The only boy who could ever teach me)
Was the son of a preacher man
(The only one who could ever reach me)
Was the sweet-talkin' son of a preacher man
(The only one who could ever reach me)
(Was the son of a preacher man)




(The only one who could ever reach me)
(Was the son of a preacher man)

Overall Meaning

In "Son of a Preacher Man," Dusty Springfield sings about a preacher's son named Billy Ray who she falls for. When Billy's father, the preacher, would visit, Billy would take her out to the back yard for walks. It was during these walks that Billy was able to reach Dusty in a way that no one else had before. Despite her attempts to be good, she couldn't resist the sweet-talk and kisses from Billy. Dusty sings about how they enjoyed each other's company and how he taught her a great deal of what she knows, insinuating that their relationship went beyond just physical interaction.


The song's lyrics are about a young woman coming of age and discovering herself through her relationship with Billy, despite the fact that he's from a conservative background. This song was written by John Hurley and Ronnie Wilkins, but was made famous by Dusty Springfield, who gave it a sultry, soulful edge. "Son of a Preacher Man" has become an enduring classic and a beloved anthem of women's empowered sexuality.


Line by Line Meaning

Billy Ray was a preacher's son
The boy who was able to teach her love was birthed by a preacher


And when his daddy would visit he'd come along
When his father came over, he went along as well


When they gathered around and started talkin'
Whenever they started conversing with each other


That's when Billy would take me walkin'
That's when he would escort me for a stroll


Out through the back yard we'd go walkin'
We would move out to the rear side of the house before walking together


Then he'd look into my eyes
At that point, he would peer into my eyes


Lord knows, to my surprise
It shocked me really


The only one who could ever reach me
He was the exclusive person who made me fall in love


Was the son of a preacher man
He was birthed by a man of God


The only boy who could ever teach me
He was the only man who could assist me to understand love


Bein' good isn't always easy
It is not always easy to do what is right


No matter how hard I try
Despite my best efforts


When he started sweet-talkin' to me
When he began to sway my affection with his words


He'd come and tell me 'Everything is all right'
He comforted me by assuring me that things were going to be fine


He'd kiss and tell me 'Everything is all right'
He demonstrated his words by placing a kiss on my lips


Can I get away again tonight?
May I be with you once more this evening?


How well I remember
I remember quite well


The look that was in his eyes
The expression in his eyes


Stealin' kisses from me on the sly
Taking kisses sneakily from me


Takin' time to make time
Making the effort to spend time together


Tellin' me that he's all mine
Informing me that I was the only one for him


Learnin' from each other's knowin'
Learning from each other's expertise


Lookin' to see how much we've grown and
Observing how much we have developed


The only one who could ever reach me
The only one who could affect me deeply


He was the sweet-talkin' son of a preacher man
He was skillful in words and the son of a man of God


Was the son of a preacher man
He was birthed by a man of God




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: John Hurley, Ronnie Wilkins

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

More Versions