Styx is best known for the hit songs "Lady", "Come Sail Away", "Babe", "Boat on the River", "The Best of Times", "Too Much Time on My Hands", "Renegade" and "Mr. Roboto". The band has had four consecutive albums certified multi-platinum by the RIAA.
Southern Woman
Styx Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On a warm November day
You made me smoke like a whirlwind
I knew we had nothing to say
Love me but don't try and make me stay
Southern woman
Take my soul but don't you take my life
Make me feel good but don't you tell my wife
Once again in the early spring
I touched your raven's crown
Your wild eyed stories of rare delight
Like to knock me down
It's getting so damn hard to put you down
Southern woman
Take my soul but don't you take my life
Southern woman
Make me feel good but don't you tell my wife
Southern woman
Take my soul but don't you take my life
Southern woman
Make me feel good but don't you tell my wife
Southern woman
Take my soul but don't you take my life
Southern woman
Make me feel good but don't you tell my wife
Southern woman
Yeah
The lyrics to Styx's song Southern Woman describe the singer's encounters with a woman in a southern town. The first meeting takes place on a warm November day, and while the woman does not have much to say, she has a strong impact on the singer. She makes him "smoke like a whirlwind," which could be interpreted as her causing him to experience intense emotions or to lose control. Despite feeling a deep connection to her, the singer knows that he cannot stay with her and asks her to love him but not to try to make him stay.
The second meeting takes place in early spring, and the singer is once again drawn to the woman's mysterious allure. She has a "raven's crown" and tells wild-eyed stories that captivate the singer. However, he acknowledges that it is increasingly difficult to resist her pull and to end their encounters.
Overall, the lyrics to Southern Woman seem to be describing a pattern of infidelity and temptation. The singer finds himself repeatedly drawn to this woman, despite knowing that he cannot stay with her and that their encounters could have consequences for his marriage. The imagery used throughout the song suggests a sense of danger and recklessness, as if the singer is being pulled into something that could have negative consequences.
Line by Line Meaning
First met you in a southern town
I first saw you in a southern town.
On a warm November day
It was a warm day in November when I saw you.
You made me smoke like a whirlwind
You made me smoke a lot, quickly and easily.
I knew we had nothing to say
I realized we had nothing to talk about.
Love me but don't try and make me stay
Love me, but don't try to keep me with you.
Southern woman
Take my soul but don't you take my life
Southern woman, you can have my heart, but don't take my life.
Southern woman
Make me feel good but don't you tell my wife
Southern woman, make me happy, but please don't tell my wife.
Once again in the early spring
Once again, it was early spring.
I touched your raven's crown
I touched your black hair.
Your wild eyed stories of rare delight
Your exciting and unusual stories.
Like to knock me down
Those stories were almost too much for me to handle.
It's getting so damn hard to put you down
It's becoming very difficult to stop thinking about you.
Southern woman
Take my soul but don't you take my life
Southern woman, you can have my heart, but don't take my life.
Southern woman
Make me feel good but don't you tell my wife
Southern woman, make me happy, but please don't tell my wife.
Southern woman
Take my soul but don't you take my life
Southern woman, you can have my heart, but don't take my life.
Southern woman
Make me feel good but don't you tell my wife
Southern woman, make me happy, but please don't tell my wife.
Southern woman
Take my soul but don't you take my life
Southern woman, you can have my heart, but don't take my life.
Southern woman
Make me feel good but don't you tell my wife
Southern woman, make me happy, but please don't tell my wife.
Southern woman
Yeah
Southern woman, yeah!
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: JAMES V YOUNG, RAYMOND J BRANDLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@barryhoward7284
Dennis DeYoung was a neighbor of mine in Chicago's South suburbs when I was a kid. I remember sitting on his families driveway with lots of other kids in the neighborhood watching the group practice.
@ianstuart5660
So cool, thanks for sharing that!!
@candancelinzay2552
Haven't heard a lot of pre-Shaw Styx but this is awesome.
@stefanpersson8740
Thanks, one of my favorite songs of this perfect album, this album don't need any hit songs on the album,all songs great
@sunglassshinpan1352
THIS IS the song with the funky break!!
@lestudiomorin-heights9141
Love this song always will cheers from Le Studio
@Zachy999
i love ANY JY song
@monicaanderson2842
Härliga Styx, en av mina favoriter! Äkta 70-tal.
@567wolfen
Great song, but digital recording is lacking the drums of the original. Needs more tweeter sound.
@MichaelHansenFUN
i remember BEST OF STYX as a kid, and this song was so heavy. but it sounds so different now.