Johnny recorded as a member of the 1980's southern rock band The Johnny Van Zant Band which released albums in 1980, 1981 and 1982. The band shortened its name to Van Zant for the release of its fourth album in 1985, the eponymous Van Zant, which saw some chart success with "You've Got to Believe in Love" and "I'm a Fighter". However, this band was not the same as the current version of Van Zant and did not include brother Donnie.
Johnny released another album under his full name in 1990, but spent most of his time in that period singing for the Lynyrd Skynyrd reunion group. He joined up with Donnie, and they revived the Van Zant name to release an album in 1998, which led to a follow up album in 2001. They have also released two albums to the country music format: 2005's Get Right with the Man and 2007's My Kind of Country. Overall, the group has had two singles on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks charts (the prior incarnation of Van Zant also had two), and six on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts.
Plain Jane
Van Zant Lyrics
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Here we go.
She's a waitress at her corner
Always dancin' nine-to-five
Well, she ain't no supermodel
But I'm here to tell you, she's fine, ha, ha
She's so fine, Johnny
There's somethin' 'bout her walk
There's somethin' that goes off inside
Each time she starts to talk.
Plain Jane
Oh, I love her name
She drives me insane
She's my plain Jane.
She always gets my business
I can't wait to ring her bell
(Ah, I bet you can't Donnie.)
She puts a quarter in the jukebox
Says she don't kiss an' tell
Is that right, brother
The way she wears that dress, yeah
It's time that I confess
The music starts an' my heart stops
An' I become a mess.
Plain Jane
Oh, I love her name
She drives me insane
She's my plain Jane.
Nothin' fancy: she's just got everything
She's so addicting; she's so amazing
Can't think of anything.
Do, do, do do
(Whoa, talk to me, plain Jane.)
Do, do, do do, do, do
Whoa, yeah, c'mon.
Plain Jane
Oh, I love her name
She drives me insane
She's my plain Jane. (Jane, Jane.)
Plain Jane
Oh, I love her name
She drives me insane
She said just call me plain Jane
(That's right, buddy.)
Plain Jane
She's my plain Jane
She's my plain Jane
She's my plain, (Jane)
Whoo, she's my plain Jane
(No, she's mine...)
The song Plain Jane by Van Zant is a tribute to the unsung heroines of our society who may not be supermodels but still have a charm that is undeniable in their own way. It speaks about a waitress named Jane who works from 9 to 5 and may not be a head-turner but still catches the attention of the singer with her demeanor and personality. The use of the name Jane signifies simplicity and plainness, but the song goes on to show how sometimes plain is all that is required to win a person's heart. The lyrics convey that Jane's personality makes her stand out in a crowd, and it is not just her physical appearance that is attractive to the singer.
The song speaks about how the singer can't wait to ring Jane's bell and how he feels nervous every time she starts to talk. The lines "Nothin' fancy: she's just got everything, She's so addicting; she's so amazing, Can't think of anything" speak volumes about how Jane's magnetism has left the singer spellbound. The use of the repetitive tune "Do, do, do do, do, do" throughout the song gives it a fun and catchy rhythm, and the chorus is designed to be catchy and memorable.
Line by Line Meaning
She's a waitress at her corner
There's a girl who works as a waitress on the corner
Always dancin' nine-to-five
She dances all day and all night, working hard to make a living
Well, she ain't no supermodel
She's not a supermodel, but she's pretty in her own way
But I'm here to tell you, she's fine, ha, ha
Despite not being a supermodel, she's still beautiful in her own right
She's so fine, Johnny
She is really attractive to the artist, Johnny
She's like the classic girl next door
She has qualities that are classic and relatable like a girl-next-door
There's somethin' 'bout her walk
There's something unique and special about the way she walks
There's somethin' that goes off inside
Whenever she speaks or does something, it stirs something passionate inside the artist
Each time she starts to talk.
Every time she talks, the artist feels a strong attraction
Plain Jane
The girl is just a normal person, and that's what the artist likes about her
Oh, I love her name
The singer is in love with the girl's name
She drives me insane
The artist is obsessed with her and can't stop thinking about her
She always gets my business
The singer frequently goes to her for whatever she's offering or selling
I can't wait to ring her bell
The singer is eager to have another interaction with her
She puts a quarter in the jukebox
She selects some music for the jukebox with a quarter
Says she don't kiss an' tell
She's not the type who reveals details of private interactions
The way she wears that dress, yeah
When she wears that dress, something about it is mesmerizing to the artist
It's time that I confess
The singer needs to admit how he feels
The music starts an' my heart stops
The singer gets so caught up in the moment that it stops his heart for a second
An' I become a mess.
He gets so flustered and confused that he can't handle it
Nothin' fancy: she's just got everything
She doesn't need to be flashy or extravagant. She has everything the artist wants in a person.
She's so addicting; she's so amazing
The artist is addicted to her and finds her amazing
Can't think of anything
The singer can't think of anything else but her
Plain Jane
The artist repeats the phrase, emphasizing how much he likes the girl's normality
She said just call me plain Jane
The girl doesn't mind being called plain Jane
(That's right, buddy.)
Someone else acknowledges the singer's connection to the girl
She's my plain Jane
The singer claims her as his own
She's my plain Jane
The artist repeats the phrase again, claiming his ownership of her
Whoo, she's my plain Jane
The artist is excited and proud to call her his own
(No, she's mine...)
Someone else jokingly argues and claims her as their own, trying to start a playful argument
Lyrics © OLE MEDIA MANAGEMENT LP
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