Lynyrd Skynyrd – Gimme Three Steps

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I was cutting the 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 on 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 toward 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
Well, you could hear me screaming a mile away
I was headed out toward the door

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

Show me the back door

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Lyrics submitted by magicnudiesuit

Track duration: 04:30

"Simple Man" as written by Ronnie Van Zant, Gary Robert Rossington

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, EMI Music Publishing

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


Gimme Three Steps song meanings
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13 Comments

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  • 0
    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.
    Flag mitcheaston July 04, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This song has always had a lot of meaning to me, mainly because this song is about my uncle and Linda Lou became his wife. Yup, that's right, I am very proud to have connections to this song.
    Flag VanOwen1on August 29, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I love this song. Listened to it a billion times going up to Boston from Georgia. Never get tired of it!
    Flag XchelsatthediscoXon February 02, 2007   Link
  • 0
    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.
    Flag thisishardcoreon June 22, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I grew up with this song! I also thought this is a good place for me to tell a fellow Skynyrd fan, Spalding, I LOVE YOU!
    Flag eaglesgirl997on March 17, 2005   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!
    Flag dub12on January 07, 2005   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...
    Flag Yakuza Warlordon June 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'
    Flag dannyloweryon May 07, 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!
    Flag BeautifulSoundon March 26, 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!
    Flag BeautifulSoundon March 26, 2003   Link

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