I Had Me a Girl
The Civil Wars Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

I had me a girl
Who taught me those things
A young man should know
Down, down on my knees
I'd beg and I'd plead
To learn a little bit more
Oh that woman taught me to pray
I saw Heaven every day
Lord, she could

Oooooooo
Ooooooohhhhohhhh
Ooooooo
Ooooohhhhhhhhhh

I, I had me a boy
Who buttoned me down
Threw me a line
He, he washed me as clean
As a sinner could be
Showed me the light
Ooo that boy, he taught me to pray
But for all of his spit-shinin' ways
Lord, he could

Oooooooo
Ooooooohhhhohhhh
Ooooooo
Ooooohhhhhhhhhh

I had me a girl
Like cigarette smoke
She came and she went
I slipped through his hands
To my back door man
Under his chin
Oh that woman taught me to pray
But for all her wandering ways
She could

Oooooooo
Ooooooohhhhohhhh




Ooooooo
Ooooohhhhhhhhhh [Repeat]

Overall Meaning

The Civil Wars' song "I Had Me a Girl" is a hauntingly beautiful ballad that explores the theme of learning and growth through relationships. The lyrics portray three different relationships: one with a woman, one with a man, and one with a cheating partner. Each of these relationships teaches the singer something important about life or themselves.


In the first verse, the singer talks about a woman who taught him how to pray and see heaven every day. The woman seems to have had a profound impact on his spiritual life, and he reflects on the positive changes she brought to his life.


The second verse shifts the focus to a man who washed away the singer's sins and showed them the light. This verse seems to be about redemption and finding hope through someone else's love.


The last verse is about a woman who came and went like cigarette smoke. The singer ended up cheating on the man who had taught him how to pray, with a "back door man." It seems that this relationship taught the singer about the consequences of cheating and unfaithfulness.


One interesting interpretation of the song is that it is about the different people who come into our lives and shape us in different ways. Each relationship teaches us something new and helps us grow in different areas of life.


Line by Line Meaning

I had me a girl
I used to have a girl in my life


Who taught me those things
She taught me a lot of things


A young man should know
All the important things a young man should know


Down, down on my knees
I was on my knees, begging and pleading to her


I'd beg and I'd plead
I begged and pleaded a lot


To learn a little bit more
To gain a little bit more knowledge or experience


Oh that woman taught me to pray
She taught me to pray and brought me closer to God


I saw Heaven every day
She made me feel like I was in heaven every day


Lord, she could
She was truly amazing


Oooooooo
This is a vocalization, not a word


Ooooooohhhhohhhh
This is a vocalization, not a word


I, I had me a boy
I also had a boy in my life


Who buttoned me down
He helped me control myself and stay grounded


Threw me a line
He threw me a rope to save me when I was in trouble


He, he washed me as clean
He washed away all my impurities and made me feel pure


As a sinner could be
As much as any sinner could be cleansed


Showed me the light
He showed me the way to enlightenment and understanding


Ooo that boy, he taught me to pray
He brought me closer to God as well


But for all of his spit-shinin' ways
Even though he seemed perfect on the outside


Lord, he could
He was still amazing in his own way


Oooooooo
This is a vocalization, not a word


Ooooooohhhhohhhh
This is a vocalization, not a word


I had me a girl
I had yet another girl in my life


Like cigarette smoke
She was there one moment and gone the next


She came and she went
She was very transient in my life


I slipped through his hands
I left the boy and went to someone else


To my back door man
I went to a man who was always there for me, simple and reliable


Under his chin
I was in his embrace


Oh that woman taught me to pray
She also brought me closer to God


But for all her wandering ways
Even though she was always on the move


She could
She was still amazing in her own way


Oooooooo
This is a vocalization, not a word


Ooooooohhhhohhhh
This is a vocalization, not a word




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOY WILLIAMS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

Gizem DUMAN

I had me a girl
Who taught me those things
A young man should know
Down, down on my knees
I’d beg and I’d plead
To learn a little bit more
Oh that woman taught me to pray
I saw Heaven every day
Lord, she could
Oooooooo
Ooooooohhhhohhhh
Ooooooo
Ooooohhhhhhhhhh
I had me a boy
Who buttoned me down
Drew me a line
He, he washed me as clean
As a sinner could be
Showed me the light
Oh that boy, he taught me to pray
But for all of his spit-shinin’ ways
Lord, he could
Oooooooo
Ooooooohhhhohhhh
Ooooooo
Ooooohhhhhhhhhh
I had me a girl
Like cigarette smoke
She came and she went
I slipped through his hands
To my back door man
Under his chin
Oh that woman taught me to pray
But for all her wandering ways
She could
Oooooooo
Ooooooohhhhohhhh
Ooooooo
Ooooohhhhhhhhhh



All comments from YouTube:

Lauren Eklund

They sound just as good live...so rare :) Amazing job!

sharon dianne

They are awesome. They have a funky country beat to their music. Love them

Gizem DUMAN

I had me a girl
Who taught me those things
A young man should know
Down, down on my knees
I’d beg and I’d plead
To learn a little bit more
Oh that woman taught me to pray
I saw Heaven every day
Lord, she could
Oooooooo
Ooooooohhhhohhhh
Ooooooo
Ooooohhhhhhhhhh
I had me a boy
Who buttoned me down
Drew me a line
He, he washed me as clean
As a sinner could be
Showed me the light
Oh that boy, he taught me to pray
But for all of his spit-shinin’ ways
Lord, he could
Oooooooo
Ooooooohhhhohhhh
Ooooooo
Ooooohhhhhhhhhh
I had me a girl
Like cigarette smoke
She came and she went
I slipped through his hands
To my back door man
Under his chin
Oh that woman taught me to pray
But for all her wandering ways
She could
Oooooooo
Ooooooohhhhohhhh
Ooooooo
Ooooohhhhhhhhhh

Emine Çeker

Teşekkürleer! c:

Kibabuff

Gizem DUMAN thank you so much

ᚾᛖᛁᛚ • ᛗᛖᚨᛞᛟᚹᛋ

Thank you!!! 😉

ᚾᛖᛁᛚ • ᛗᛖᚨᛞᛟᚹᛋ

@Gentlemen Of Fortune brill!!! 😅😅😅

6 More Replies...

Lane Smith

this song has given me the chills the past 4 times I've listened to it, great job the civil wars!

Brandon Yannayon

Big fan for several years of this group. I use music like theirs to help me with photoshoots. It creates a great vibe in the studio.

Merlinda

i get so into that song that by the second verse no matter where i am i start stamping my feet and singing out loud 

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