I was cutting a rug
Down at place called The Jug
With a girl named Linda Lou
When in walked a man
With a gun in his hand
And he was looking for you know who
He said, "Hey there, fellow
With the hair colored yellow
Whatcha tryin' to prove?
'Cause that's my woman there
And I'm a man who cares
And this might be all for you"
I said, "excuse me?"

I was scared and fearing for my life
I was shaking like a leaf on a tree
'Cause he was lean, mean
Big and bad, Lord
Pointin' that gun at me
"Oh, wait a minute, mister
I didn't even kiss her
Don't want no trouble with you
And I know you don't owe me
But I wish you'd let me
Ask one favor from you"

"Oh, won't you
Gimme three steps, gimme three steps, mister
Gimme three steps towards the door?
Gimme three steps, gimme three steps, mister
And you'll never see me no more"

For, sure

Well the crowd cleared away
And I began to pray
And the water fell on the floor
And I'm telling you, son
Well, it ain't no fun
Staring straight down a forty-four
Well, he turned and screamed at Linda Lou
And that's the break I was looking for
And you could hear me screaming a mile away
As I was headed out toward your door

"Oh, won't you
Gimme three steps, gimme three steps, mister
Gimme three steps towards the door?
Gimme three steps, gimme three steps, mister
And you'll never see me no more"

Show me the back door


Lyrics submitted by magicnudiesuit

Gimme Three Steps Lyrics as written by Ronnie Van Zant Allen Collins

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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Gimme Three Steps song meanings
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16 Comments

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  • +2
    General Comment

    This is based on a true story. Lead singer Ronnie Van Zant, who was 18 at the time, used a fake ID to get in a bar while his band mates Gary Rossington and Allen Collins waited for him in a truck. Van Zant danced with a girl named Linda, whose boyfriend came up to Ronnie and reached for something in his boot. Figuring he was going for a gun, Van Zant told him to give him a few steps and he would get out. He ran to the truck, and he, Rossington, and Collins wrote this that night.It's local legend that the song takes place in Bowling Green, Kentucky. After a gig at the Tobacco Warehouse, the boys from Skynyrd went down the road to a bar in town called The Little Brown Jug, thus "I was cuttin' the rug, down a a place called The Jug," which is where Ronnie Van Zant ran into an angry local man with a gun.

    And the Little Brown Jug is still open on the Bypass like it always has been.

    thisishardcoreon June 22, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I have to actually thank Skynyrd for this song, it got me to playin guitar!!!. But for those of you skynyrd fans that "just listen" and dont know.... This is an actually true account about ronnie van zant, the song went pretty much what happened cept it left out the quote that ronnie told the guy "your gonnah have to shoot me in the ass or the elbows cause i am walkin outtah here" ;)

    bahablazeon April 16, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Bahablaze is right, the song is sort of a true story. Just extremely exaggerated.

    Great song, one of my favorite Skynyrd songs. Love that guitar riff at the beginning.

    Muzzyon March 17, 2003   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I heard Gary Rossington interviewed year ago and he said a girl was dancing with Ronnie just to get her boyfriend jelous. The boyfriend came over and pulled out a handgun. After a few words were exchanged Ronnie said "Well, if you're going to shoot me you'll have to shoot me in the ass or the elbows" then turned around and quick stepped it out of there. Rossington and Collins waited a few seconds then followed him. They had the song pretty well written by the time they got home that night.

    mitcheaston July 04, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Wow what a greaaaat song!! Can't believe there is only one comment.

    BeautifulSoundon September 11, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Yeah Ronnie went into the bar and was talking to the girl when her man came and he was shoooken up! They wrote this song the same night!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WAHOOOOOO!

    BeautifulSoundon March 27, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Yeah Ronnie went into the bar and was talking to the girl when her man came and he was shoooken up! They wrote this song the same night!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WAHOOOOOO!

    BeautifulSoundon March 27, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Just for your info the name of the bar was 'The Little Brown Jug' -

    'I was cuttin' the rug, down at a place called the jug'

    dannyloweryon May 07, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Yeah its kinda one of those "Captain Obvious to the Rescue" times for this song. the lyrics are like the biggest piece of the puzzle and all you gotta do is set it down and your done! excellent riffs with the guitar and the song was just on the radio so yeah... I guess it tempted me...

    Yakuza Warlordon June 27, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    hmmm...as a skynyard fan this song "floats my boat"

    its on my MP3...when i snowboard..i can rock out..WOOOOOOOOOOOO!

    dub12on January 08, 2005   Link

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