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Killing a southern belle is all you know how to do
That and give other people hell
It's what they expect from you too
But I wouldn't have you how you want
I don't want to walk around
I don't even want to breathe
I live in a southern town
Where all you can do is grit yr teeth
But I wouldn't have you how you want
How come you're not ashamed of what you are?
And sorry that you're the one she got?
Ain't nobody looking now
Nobody nothing's said
No one's about to shout
Nobody's seen red
But I wouldn't have you how you want
You're killing a southern belle
Killing a southern belle
Killing a southern belle
That and give other people hell
It's what they expect from you too
But I wouldn't have you how you want
I don't want to walk around
I don't even want to breathe
I live in a southern town
Where all you can do is grit yr teeth
But I wouldn't have you how you want
How come you're not ashamed of what you are?
And sorry that you're the one she got?
Ain't nobody looking now
Nobody nothing's said
No one's about to shout
Nobody's seen red
But I wouldn't have you how you want
You're killing a southern belle
Killing a southern belle
Killing a southern belle
Lyrics submitted by EnjOy IncUbus, edited by gophergun
Track duration: 03:06
"Southern Belle" as written by Steven P. Smith
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I always thought it was about a man who was in love with a woman who was in an abusive relationship with some other man (in a southern town). He loved her, but they could never be together because she was dependent on her abusive boyfriend (as many in such relationships are), and as a result, the speaker could "never love you how you want". The southern town part would in this case symbolize conventional behavior, where it is frowned upon to interfere in another person's relationship. As a result, all the speaker could do was "grit his teeth".
I also thought he stopped speaking to his love and added an aside to the abusive boyfriend himself ("How come you're not ashamed of what you are?
And sorry that you're the one she got?")
I was totally off the ball here in reality, but I still think this makes sense as an interpretation of this beautiful song :)
anyways, i think elliott is more direct with the lyrics in this song because it's one of the few songs of his that is fed directly off of hate and contempt. he mentions in interviews i've read of how he had a lot of terrible experiences as a child in dallas. "i don't want to walk around i don't even want to breath i live in a southern town where all you can do is grit your teeth" to me is an illustration of suffering from physical abuse as a child and not having anywhere to go or anyone to speak to. he was afraid to do anything around his step-father as a child, scared to be seen or even breath the wrong way out of fear of his step-father's reaction. this is texas, where i also grew up, during a time when getting your ass kicked by your dad was just a part of life, deal with it. grit your teeth. it will make a man out of you. obviously it was taken entirely too far by many parents.
It's also a naive interpretation of adult relationships comitted to vinyl by a wronged party.
That said it is a powerful argument and a musical gem.
The fervour towards the end is painful and is as close to actually hitting someone - I know he picked fights with pub bullies according to the prose - that I think he came.
As angry as the song is I think it's impotent. It's the rage of the helpless and small.
I love it.
"You're killing a southern belle."
I wonder what his step dad thought after listening to this song.
And sorry that you're the one she got?
love it.
I love that line so much. I wish he was alive so I could tell him how much his music means to me, it's more powerful than anything I ever have and ever will hear.