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.
Wildside
Van Zant Lyrics
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From debutantes to honky-tonk queens
I've tasted every brand all around the world
But all I see are peaches in my dreams
I'm talkin' 'bout, I'm talkin' 'bout them southern women
It's a well known fact across the Dixie line
And if a man don't agree I can tell you he's blind
They can drink with the best and the hell with the rest
I'm talkin' 'bout, I'm talkin' 'bout them southern women
I'm talkin' 'bout they'll love you so slow them southern women
Them southern girls
They look like angels on Saturday night oh-Lord they got a wild side
Take you places that you've never been make a man come back again
Talk about mama's southern belle little girl learned her lesson well
Ain't no others can cast a spell like the sweet southern women
I'm talkin' 'bout, I'm talkin' 'bout them southern women
I'm talkin' 'bout they'll love you so slow them southern women
Them southern girls
They look like angels on Saturday night oh-Lord they got a wild side
Take you places that you've never been make a man come back again
Talk about mama's southern belle little girl learned her lesson well
Ain't no others can cast a spell like the sweet southern women
They can make a man feel so proud they can capture him with a southern style
Little girl learned her lesson well ain't no others can cast a spell
Like the sweet southern women them southern girls
Van Zant's song, Wildside, is an ode to the charm and allure of Southern women. The lyrics celebrate the singer's love for all kinds of women, but ultimately declare the superiority of Southern women. The singer boasts of having tasted "every brand" of woman from debutantes to honky-tonk queens, but claims that he dreams only of peaches - a reference to the classic Southern symbol of a ripe, juicy peach. He goes on to explain that Southern women are well-known for their drinking abilities, as well as their sexual prowess. The singer asserts that anyone who disagrees with his opinion about Southern women must be "blind."
Throughout the song, the singer alternates between praising Southern women's angelic appearance on Saturday nights and acknowledging their "wild side." He identifies them as the only women who can make a man feel proud and capture him with their Southern style. The song's repeated refrain, "Them southern girls," reinforces the exclusivity of the singer's attraction to Southern women.
Overall, Wildside presents an image of Southern women as simultaneously sweet and seductive - a combination that the singer finds irresistible. By elevating Southern women above all others, the song reinforces traditional gender roles and the idea that women are objects of male desire.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm the kind of man that loves all the girls
I'm a man who loves every kind of woman
From debutantes to honky-tonk queens
I love women from high society to country bars
I've tasted every brand all around the world
I've been with women from every culture and background
But all I see are peaches in my dreams
Despite my experiences, all I romanticize are Southern women
I'm talkin' 'bout, I'm talkin' 'bout them southern women
I'm specifically referring to Southern women
It's a well known fact across the Dixie line
It's commonly understood in the South
And if a man don't agree I can tell you he's blind
If someone disagrees, they simply don't understand
They can drink with the best and the hell with the rest
Southern women can hold their liquor and have a good time
And if she takes you home you ain't gettin' no rest
If you go home with a Southern woman, you'll be up all night
They look like angels on Saturday night oh-Lord they got a wild side
Southern women can be both innocent and wild
Take you places that you've never been make a man come back again
They can show you new experiences and keep you coming back for more
Talk about mama's southern belle little girl learned her lesson well
Southern women are raised with respect and values
Ain't no others can cast a spell like the sweet southern women
No other women have the same allure as Southern women
They can make a man feel so proud they can capture him with a southern style
Their charm and manners can make a man feel important
Little girl learned her lesson well ain't no others can cast a spell
The upbringing of Southern women makes them irresistible
Like the sweet southern women them southern girls
Southern women are both sweet and alluring like no others
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing, KAREN SCHAUBEN PUBLISHING ADMINISTRATION
Written by: CHRIS PELCER, DONNIE VAN ZANT, JOHNNY VAN ZANT, ROBERT WHITE JOHNSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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That's Wild!