She Talks To Angels by The Black Crowes

Album: Shake Your Money Maker (1990)

Charted: 30

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Songfacts®:

During VH1's The Black Crowes Storytellers, filmed at The Bottom Line in New York City on August 27, 1996, lead singer Chris Robinson explained that this song is not about one person, but rather a "hot dog" (as he put it) of people that they knew from the Atlanta club scene in their early days. "Not all the best parts" explained Chris, "or the best parts for you."

Chris says there was always a girl in the club scene back then with really dark makeup (like Siouxsie And The Banshees), and after thinking about her one day, he scribbled the lyric "she paints her eyes as black as night." He then went on to write an entire biography (completely made up, by the way) about her in the form of the song that then became "She Talks to Angels." >>>
Suggestion credit:
Jacob - Dallas, TX
In a Songfacts interview with Chris Robinson, who wrote this song with his bandmate/brother Rich, he said: "'She Talks to Angels' is a funny song in that so many people resonate with it. The dark details like drugs and things like that would be a part of growing up and being in this world, but when I wrote that song I had no idea - I hadn't done any of those things. I hadn't lived that - everything was in my imagination."
The Christian band Third Day has a song about the Black Crowes that references this song and others. It's called "Black Bird" and imitates their style. The song says that Third Day really likes The Black Crowes music but that they essentially need Jesus in their lives. There is a lyric in "Black Bird" that says "You say to talk to angels, well I say it's such a lie." >>>
Suggestion credit:
Bob - Omaha, NE
Darius Rucker joined forces with The Black Crowes for a performance of "She Talks To Angels" at the 2023 CMT Music Awards.

The Hootie & The Blowfish frontman (and country star) credits the song for inspiring one of the band's biggest hits, "Let Her Cry." Rucker says Chris Robinson influenced the way he plays music, making the opportunity to perform with them even more special.
The recording sessions for Shake Your Money Maker began in the summer of 1989 in Atlanta and Los Angeles when Rich Robinson had just turned 20.

"I had just graduated from high school a year before," he told Uncut magazine. "Not a ton of life experience and not a great band. Chris and I had a penchant for writing songs, but neither of us were stellar players. I started playing guitar when I was 15. I started late, so I only had four years experience."
Rich Robinson wrote the riff for "She Talks to Angels" when he was 17. "We weren't a seasoned band, but we wrote these songs and made a record," he said. "We did roughly 360 shows in 18 months, and we literally learned to be a band on the road. And we flourished."

Comments: 86

Charls from VirginiaA very beautiful song from a very beautiful band. Them guys done good. Made us all proud. It's a story unfortunately we are all too familiar. A debutante from old money and old history pages being forced to believe the fables her family put on her and slowly starting to turn away from those lies. A death in the family is hard especially when there is a sense of betrayal It kind of reminded me of that song "American Girl" by tom petty. We really ought to be more mindful of what we are told so we could live better lives for our liltle brothers and our little sisters and even our kids
Matthew Bradley from TnKen from Chicago, Il...I must respond and say...what an assinine statement. The Black Crowes' music is derivative?
ALL music is derivative.
But regarding this song specifically...
Rich Robertson wrote it when he was 17.
It is about a girl he knew back then.
It's a sad and beautiful piece.
Ken from Chicago, IlThe most derivative, fake band in the last 40 years and this song is GAF. Poseurs. I've heard this music before. Stones, Faces, Rod Stewart and 1000X better the first time around. Crowes are absolute rubbish and the brothers walk around like they are inventive and ground breaking. Uh, no.
Nasstynate22 from Whittier, Socal98% of the individuals commenting here and adding to it, I must say add quite a bit of interesting perspectives and points of view, I thank you all very kindly for sharing those perspectives, we can all appreciate and somehow relate to this wonderful yet simple piece of poetry, right? User or not! Though not all of us are drug users or abusers, I like to think we’re all addicts in some way or another. It can literally be anything people from doing the most hateful evilest wrong things possible to doing the exact opposite of that, righteousness integrity! The point I’m trying to make here simply put is “One must always keep a good understanding of their personal Goldilocks zone” if you will. Everything in this world has a fine balance, little to much of something or a little not enough of something could be the deal breaker (life or death) at its most extreme. After all that is the way the Alpha and the Omega created it to be, am I right? That we may have meaning and purpose to everything and everyone, we all have to work hard and keep moving forward to prevent disaster from occurring. Our adversary and his allies will never stop until they take all that is and all that are beautiful and righteous in HIS eyes! And that is a cold hard fact right there my friends. I can and in many ways I do agree with most of y’all’s comments and opinions they make sense and pretty much common sense to anyone who’s been around the block once or twice. But some of us here come out of left field with nonsense about these lyrics, example, testing or purposely supplying your own or any other child for that matter with any type of drugs is evil and wicked and you deserve the judgment coming your way, I’m sure that does happen though sad but true. Remember the acronym K.I.S.S. “Keep It Simple Stupid!“ you’re welcome. Now all that being said, my personal opinion of this great song and what I believe it’s saying to me is this. This young lady (because youth is always desired and always the most vulnerable usually) is definitely between a rock and a hard place if you will. She’s caught between a tug of war with her mind, body, and soul. Mentally, physically, and spiritually there’s a spiritual battle going on around her, satan really wants her soul, she’s obviously precious in the eyes of both the Creator and the created! There is a reason why the Christian band “Third Day” took a liking to this song. It speaks truth in an unusual contemporary way. The Ole Classic Battle Between Good and Evil people. The story is always the same only the names and places are changed to protect the innocent and in betwixt all of that is your life story. The fact remains, what side are you going to be on? It won’t be easy, it’s been said “everything good is on the other side of hard!” I don’t see this young lady as a type of Virgin Mary she’s more like Mary Magdalene whom Christ forgave and made new, no more demons no more guilt and weight of her sin, this woman just needs to take heed to the truth and cry out to her Creator. I like the comment speaking about SIDS and how she accidentally killed her child, I concur with that comment as well, I feel she was just a soul who’s intentions were good but just couldn’t catch a break. Idk. In the end she is being sought after by both the Great I Am and the accuser, the prince of the air. To steal, kill, and destroy that’s all he does. If anyone wants to know more about this type of story and it’s purpose and outcome I highly recommend reading the book of Job, you will see the hierarchies and authority’s, and you will know who really has the power and authority over All! God bless America.

By the way some one recommended the U2 running to Stan still, thank you I forgot about that album, Joshua tree is a classic.
Sierra From Il from Springfield IlI don’t get why this defiantly has to be about addiction I first hand can say I know and understand addiction from the user, the loss of losing a loved on to it, a parent of addict, a child of a addict, and a lover of an addict. But yet I see this song entirely different I feel like it is my song as aloof people do and that goes for all music just like reading the Bible it will have a different meaning every time you read it almost always. For me the song is like this The first two lines represent a girl that is trying her hardest to lead a normal life and walk a sober path and doesn’t mention addiction because it’s hard enough to stay clean without the judgment of others. She tells you she is an orphan even after you meet her family this girl has been jaded for way too long to let anyone know who she really claims as family.I have a lot of people say they are my family but those who know me know it. My family is my people.

I keep a lock of hair in my pocket from my little boy whom I lost to SIDS at seven weeks old and the cross I wear around my neck is my connection to Jesus a man I have not really met yet.

She says she talks to Angels they all know her by name and that to me is my exact story it means exactly that. I talk to my angels all the time in my own company my father, my brother, my son, my first born child and I’m 35 and lost all these people already I love to think they are my angels and of course they know my name. I tell my children all the time if they talk to me about the people they miss that are in heaven they will hear them because they are their angels!!!

So I guess this could be only an addict this song is referencing but this is me clean and this song speaks to me more now then it ever has.

She paints her eyes black as night now maybe she wears a lot of eyeliner bc she isn’t confident and wants to feel pretty and therefor she pulls her shades down even tighter to hide bc she ihas such a low self esteem or maybe it’s a reference to to the tears flowing and her mascara running so she covers them with her shades which I have done a time or two at a funeral and then here it comes to sum it up in a nutshell the pain it’s going to make everything allright now soon after losing and losing and losing someone you y deeply love pain is all you know and that is all you can feel so when you feel the pain again you sort of feel all right !!!
Passingthrough from JapanI knew a few girls like this. All of them really good looking, smart, bored, some bad situation at home and they just want to stay out and away as long as possible doing whatever not to be part whatever happened at home. The attention comes easy outside the home and the drugs are not far behind. Everyone's already interpreted the lyrics as best as I could have, so not to repeat, but I will say this.

Dads, pay more attention to your daughters.
Chelsea from OhioShe never mentions the word addiction in certain company-someone around “classy people” that would look down on her. I took the orphan line as she lies. U just met her family but she’s so out there on drugs she lies and says she has no family, but u already met them-but she’ll fight like hell telling u ur wrong and u didn’t meet them bc she was so messed up and doesn’t remember (u know how women always want to be right) “paints her eyes as black as night” either her eyes are completely black bc of upper dilate ur pupils and/or she likes darker makeup bc of her mental health-like emo people like black Pupils would make more sense to me but i dont know. “Pulls her shades down tight” literal blinds, she’s tweaking..she’s paranoid from crack/meth, I say meth bc u see things that aren’t there, which would explain why she says she talks to angels. Could be glasses, she doesn’t want the world to see how she’s not doing ok mentally and know she’s trying to cover up the high. My dad is in active addiction and currently claiming there’s demons and evil chasing him, he abandoned his car with his dog(that he loves so much when he’s not in psychosis) but now the dog turned evil-every time he’s on a meth binder it’s always about the devil and god for him. “She gives a smile when the pain comes” I’m assuming heroin-she’s either dope sick or she needs to come down from the uppers and needs downers.

I’ve been clean almost 4 yrs so I’ve experienced this stuff. Had a stroke/brainbleed at 25 bc of meth. But these lyrics can have so many meanings. Look at gabbi Hannah-she was very manic and thought she was talking to god and a chosen one so that’s why I see it this way
Jess from EarthIt's definitely about addiction, the first line of the song starts off with this. My interpretation I get is that she has family, but shes estranged to some degree. Shes obviously in contact with them, but they're estranged. "she'll tell you shes an orphan, after you meet her family". So some sort of her family exist, and is alive. How she defines family is ambiguous. "smile when the pain comes".. I get the impression of heroin or opiates, and shes injecting it. No one likes needles, they hurt. But addicts willingly suffer that hurt for the payoff. She smiles because she has associated pain and hurting with the relief and comfort that is soon to follow. For her theres no pleasure without a price of hurting for it. It sounds to me like she is also tricking to pay for her habit. "Paints her eyes black as night, pulls her shades down tight", indicates she does her make-up for some reason. Shades could mean glasses or blinds, its ambiguous. Yet all these words indicate a woman who is isolated. No one knows who she really is or is close to her. She doesn't talk to her family about addiction or the important things in her life, and after meeting them, tells you shes an 'orphan', meaning she feels alone, estranged from them. She doesn't recognize them, theyre essentially 'dead' to her and just not part of her life. The locket of hair belonging to a little boy suggests death of a son. Perhaps the boy was taken from her by her family? At any rate, the hair belonged to the one person she loved more than herself, and the loss of him is unbearable. She "wears a cross around her neck.. from someone she has not met yet". Theres a lot in these lines. It suggests shes not 'met' Jesus yet? or perhaps whoever she received it from. Perhaps she got it from a father she never met yet? But the fact that she wears it, along with the locket of hair, means she keeps some remnant of hope if not faith. Its a symbol of goodness, love and spirituality. Even if shes in a dark place, theres something in her that is also good and wishing for something good to prevail, protect her and make it all mean something. "She don't know no lover..doesn't mean anything... to me means everything..". Whatever her life is, shes damaged. Shes isolated herself or been isolated. Whether its because of the little boy, or the drugs, it doesn't say.. but whatever the cause, this tune describes someone inherently decent or warm, but damaged. Whether the boy was lost due to drugs, or she turned to drugs over the loss of the boy is also ambiguous. But the 'singer' is apparently familiar with her. Perhaps interested? She doesn't talk to anyone in this world. All thats described is rumors and the fact that shes reserved and doesn't let anyone get close to her. But, despite not 'meeting' whoever gave her the cross, and lost faith, 'she talks to angels'. Its a great tune, and as stated in other comments 'fiction'; but theres enough realism in it that it relates to lots of ppl on some level. If 'Chris wrote this at the pub one night', odds are he looked around and reflected on someone, or several people, or the scene in general and reflected on it.
The question to ask the man, would be 'what thoughts inspired' the story. Rather than being any real specific person or thing, its likely the drunk reflections of a poet; but obviously the reflections are of isolation, misery, loss and hope. he just managed to put it all together without sounding cheesy.
Eric Shevchenko from MichiganI actually met the woman that this song was about while in rehab in Tucson Arizona at a place called Sierra tucson. I was 17 years old and this woman was in her 30s and 1991. She told me that this song was about her life and relationship with the band. They party a lot in Georgia at a mansion and did a lot of heroin together.
Poppstar from San DiegoThis song came out during an especially trying time in my life which coincided with the passing of my grandfather. I was very close to him yet estranged from the rest of my family so did not attend his funeral. The night of his funeral I had a dream in which he came to say goodbye. I think of him every time I hear it, it's amazing what an impact a well written song can have.
Brigitte from New Orleans, UsaI am finishing writing a 2nd book about Real Angels and real story of angel encounters, titled: Feathers Of Hope In The Storm. It is a true story and I would like to turn it into a movie. This song, She Talks to Angels, would be perfect for the movie. It is about a college student who had a car wreck, died, brought back to life. Miracles of overcoming a serious brain injury. Goes on after healing and finishes a degree in film making. I am a published author of book: Living In The Realm Of Miracles and Angel Encounters. your song, She talks to Angels would be perfect for this movie. Are you interested in this?
A Black Crow Fan from San JoseWow Dizzy from Missouri. That's beautiful. I came to similar conclusions but cudnt have said it better. Like you said. Things you do as an addict. Life you live and life left behind. Walls people build to protect themselves. Whether they realize it or not. That song is pretty deep
Chetter Muffin from Pitts., Massachusetts No addict in “28” years of addiction have I ever seen try their dope on anyone else
Dizzy from Missouri This song is very close to my soul. My soul song I guess you could say To me it translates like this...She never mentions the word addiction
In certain company.
Yes, she'll tell you she's an orphan
After you meet her family.

The first line is like the unspoken rule to many users that some people we cannot openly admit to of the struggle for the pain in the conversation with these people is far too much. The second line is the emotions behind needing the love and support of the family she loves but at the same time have long sense distanced themselves from her for the troubles of her addiction. And how she battles within herself with the understanding yet subsequently her anger of why.

She paints her eyes as black as night now.
Pulls those shades down tight.
Yeah, she gives me a smile when the pain comes.
The pain gonna make everything alright.

The first line here is how she presents herself to the world she must live in. Trying to become as the darkness and the desire to dissappear into it and not be seen or noticed. The second line is the desire to suffer alone with her pain. The pain is all she knows, all she has. So even if it hurts it's the only comfort she has left.

Says she talks to angels.
They call her out by her name.
Oh yeah, she talks to angels.
Says they call her out by her name.

This part of the song is how she feels about who she is inside. Overall, a good person with a pure heart. She talks to angels because she relates to them. In my view of it she is one of them in spite of her addiction.

She keeps a lock of hair in her pocket.
She wears a cross around her neck.
Yes the hair is from a little boy,
And the cross from someone she has not met, well, not yet

The first and third line is the painful reminder of a child she lost or left behind because of her addiction. The second and fourth of course is her faith in God and that when that day comes when she meets him her sins will be forgiven. Another thing is her need to suffer alone to hurt no one but herself.

She don't know no lover,
None that I ever seen.
Yeah, to her that ain't nothing
But to me it means, means everything.

This part is her focus being so much on her solitude that she has turned away from forming close relationships. To her it's not a second thought, she doesn't even feel her loneliness but the view from the outside perspective tells another story.
Bekbek from Augusta, GaLet me just say that the "Shake Your Money Maker" album is one of my favorite albums of all time. They play with so much feeling & if I can hear that in a band, they got a fan for life! I especially love "She Talks to Angels" because the lyrics were left just open enough to allow each listener to personalize their interpretation of it and that is what makes GREAT music!! I instantly think of my mom when I hear it. She loved their "Hard to Handle" song on this album & never listened to it without dancing to it, lol! She passed away in 2013 from ovarian cancer & oh how I miss her & wish I could talk to her. I feel so lost without her. She was a wonderful mom the very best friend I ever had. So having said that, to me this song is simply about someone who lost the one soul on this earth that made their life make sense & so they feel orphaned by that person because no other could ever take that person's place. And now life consists of doing "anything" that makes them feel as if they were talking with their angel again until God calls them home too. That's my two cents anyways, lol. I feel some kind of comfort when I hear this song...idk.
David from Bluffton, ScA beautiful song written by someone who never experienced that persons life but saw that one girl that painted her eyes as dark as night now, maybe at a show. Without personally feeling the pain I hear in these lyrics. Beautiful song and I stop what I'm doing everytime and think, can I help someone in this situation. Maybe it's just me. Love it.
Jaydinelee from Cape Cod, MaI just have to say, as an ex herion addict, we definitely do NOT test our drugs on anyone, especially kids. That's just SICK.
Karri from CaThis song has touched so many, have you ever wondered if it was possibly written by someone who lived it? And the boy mentioned in this song is alive and well in California? Think about it!
Fallenangel from Purgatory I believe that everyone has there own 'take', imagery, opinion, etc...when hearing a song...no matter how closed-minded or bizarre. This is the one song I've that I love so much, but hate at the same time because its words are too real for me. Too much shame, guilt, and hopelessness come up.... I've actually requested this song to be played at my memorial when the day comes that my vices finally finish me off.
I've lost sooo much due to my 'lifestyle', but I still have my son's photograph in my possession after all these years...
Talk about art imitating life.
Rachel from Midwest"as for the little boy, i think that this woman tested out her heroin on the boy to see if it wouldn't kill her, as many heroin addicts do, which explains why she has the lock of hair from a little boy. it probably killed him and now she's in more pain because she's greiving the death that was her fault, making her want the pain even more.
Jessica - Edina, Mn"

"As many heroin addicts do" What?
I have never once in my life heard of any drug user doing this. How on earth would you know this?
S Reilman from Somewhere Waaayyy South Of Here...Hello, to all and anyone who may stumble across this some lonely day... I am 'living' every word of this...

I'm 'addicted' to more crap than I care to think about, and though technically breathing, I died 561 days ago now, just wasn't embalmed, memorialized like my gorgeous irreplaceable firstborn Son, the Angel Michael... I keep his beautiful, irreplaceable hair, once so full & shining with life in a locket, always close to me, and DO wear a gold cross of 'someone I have not met, not yet', but truly hope to do so, any time would be fine by me, and hopefully get to be, more importantly, with my beyond 'beautiful', irreplaceable Son soon... I'm not at all a young kid, been ages, and nothing slays me like this song, as I'm enduring it... Hope to God NO ONE out there, especially reading this, can ever relate to this as I do, sorrowfully...
Zak from WisconsinI didn't scroll far... But here is how I interpret, or how it means to me. Most would say drug addiction but i think it is not about that at all. It from the point in view of the man in a relationship which failed due to the couples infant's death. to the woman it was all her fault and her life spirals out of control, but does regain herself and becomes close to God. Before this, finding of religion, she attempts hurting herself but it doesn't help so she continues out of control, in which the male tries hard to keep it together but during the song they are long split. Also, the pain she now in joys isn't self inflecting, but more outward pain (not physical towards others, but mentally, put downs and snob like behavior), How i got to this is the a couple lines
She keeps a lock of hair in her pocket.
She wears a cross around her neck.
Yes the hair is from a little boy,
And the cross from someone she has not met, well, not yet
(how i go to the infant and religion.)

She don't know no lover,
None that I ever seen.
Yeah, to her that ain't nothing
But to me it means, means everything.
A part i didn't cover is that the man is still in love with her, even though its over. Hence with it means everything to him.

Now the setting for this story is built in the first part:
She never mentions the word addiction
In certain company.
Yes, she'll tell you she's an orphan
After you meet her family.
The setting for the lead up to the present which the song is about is a that the couple is a high school couple. A lot of people joke that they are the orphan when you meet someones family. The reason for the word addiction is that she won't say it in front of some, but their love is an addiction which eventually leads to the infant, which dies...

Sorry, for it being so long, but that is what i get from it.
Prashant from Kathmandu, NepalToday marks years #6 of being clean from a 3-year battle with an addiction. To those who are not understanding, keep in mind.. it's really not that easy. If it was, then I think a lot less people would be addicts. It consumes you.. it becomes you. Your life fades away to it... be it drugs, sex, alcohol, or even gaming. You skip out on work and school just for that extra hit. You do things you swore you'd never do... become the person you swore to never become
Normy from Phoenix, AzIt may be as Chis Robinson says, but my feel is this. This band has met a troubled girl who believes she talks to angels. Why would I take this line so literally- because before I knew what this song was about- I knew that I talked to angels.. and all they did was call me by my name. Yes It's absolute truth- and Im not on anykind of drugs when it happenes, it just is quiet, and it doesnt happen anymore seemingly. So, you have this girl who believes she talks to angels, yet she never got the message- just her name is called (eventually, I got a message and thats when it stopped) So this has given her faith, but she still is troubled and shooting up. Her faith tells her to not have a lover as she isnt married, and for her it is something (unlike the drugs) that she can control. She doesnt understand this, but it is the essence to why she is alive. You know- someone might be a good bb player or a good guitar player- well, she hears angels calling her name.
Rob from Duluth, GaWhy is it everyone says, "I know what this song is about" and then goes into great detail about what their interpretation is about. It may have nothing to do with what the person who actually wrote the song says it's about - if you can't take it straight from the horse's mouth .... well. Wouldn't it be better, and more accurate to say, "This is what this song means to me."
Prashant from Kathmandu, NepalI think we all need to really appreciate the worth and value of this artist and what they stand for instead of slamming each other and "I am" you speak the truth... This is the pure deal, a real icon of music and symbolizes all the good in human nature and each other. If you ever struggled with addiction or have lived thru the effects of it then this song can bring sweet with the bitter because it speaks the truth..... love dis song ya......
Diane from Moundville, AlCould the song not be about "cutting" (Self Injurious Behavior) .(When the pain comes)Perhaps a result of past addiction or from the pain of having abandoned/given up for adoption her own child (hair of a little boy) Just a thought. That ties in to the "Hot dog" not all the best parts idea.
Brian from Boston, MaThe line that says there's a smile when the pain comes the pains gonna make everything allright is an obvious reference to a heroin needle
Brian from Boston, MaThis song is played in open E tuning. I learned to play this song a few years back. I don't play it all that often because of the odd tuning,and i sometimes risk breaking strings and I hate restringing my guitar. Anyway that not withstanding it is a great song to play on acoustic. It is not that difficult to learn and it sounds great. I encourage those just learning guitar to try this song. If I can play it anyone can. Also when you have your guitar tuned to open E put a capo on the 8th frett and you can play You Can't Always Get what You want from the stones.
Rob from Marion, InThe only person that has the "facts" about this song is Jacob from TX. He saw the same VH-1 Storytellers episode and if the lead singer and band tell you what a song is about then I think that pretty much settles it. The best thing about music is it means something diffrent to all of us but this is what they wrote the song about in reality.
Wendy from Wabasha, MnTalks to angels is Jennifers song who without a doubt talks to angels who hid my addiction from her grandmother to protect both her and her brother. Later (in her teens) becomes angry shutting me out and isolating herself(pulling shades) angry painting her eyes dark.It was a lonely dark time when she was being left alone feeling abandoned (an orphan) lock of hair her brother and the man she has not met God. she feels betrayed and unloved by the one she loved the most she continues to seeks my love but is unable to identify it (she dont know no other lover) she can not see that to me SHE IS EVERYTHING!!!!! jennifer Let Your Light Shine!!!!! I love you MoM*
Lawrence from Rimrock, United KingdomIf I ever heard a song that made me litteraly WEEP!, it is this cut!I avoided the Crowes for many months, then I heard this track!! I will never ever again Pass judgement on a band or musician, without knowing what they are cabable of doing . This is the sweetest culmination of what anyone goes thru when they hit the bottom, and have no else to tell about their inner pain, hanging onto a past she can never bring back, and never forget!!
Emily from Houston, TxAnd I left the part out about "She knows no lover..." The woman has been diagnosed with HIV... that is why he says "wears a cross around her neck... the man she has not met.. not yet" because she is dying.
Emily from Houston, TxThis is a great song! I actually know what it is about... It is infact about a woman... but not a young woman... that has a drug problem. "Never mentions the word addiction in certain company.." because her family has watched her struggle for years with this... "she'll tell you she's an orphan.." because she feels so far away from everyone due to the drugs. "She paints her eyes black as night now, pulls her sades down tight" this is in reference to what drugs do to your physical appearance. "Smiles when the pain comes, the pain's gunna make everything alright..." refering to the pain of a needle in your vein being painful, but the drug being the remedy. The part about the little boys hair in her pocket is about the child she lost... this is what started the drug use. The part about not having a lover is in reference to the drug itself... the drug is what she loves... " and then "She talks to angels..." Because she sees and hears things while on the drugs... Very sad song. My heart goes out to all and any with a drug problem. This song actually fits my mother perfectly. Wear the cross, and meet the man.
Shane from Miami, FlWhy does everyone assume it is a young woman in the song? I believe it could just as easily be about an older woman, the matriarc of a family who is dying. "She'll tell you she's an orphan, after you meet her family"...this tells me she's created a family with children , grand children, but was orphaned herself as a child. "...in certain company", this could refer to her reluctance to speak of her displeasure with the "grand kids (could be Rich & / or Chris'" drug use. "The pain gonna make everything alright", could be the cure for the desease, so to speak, such as chemo with cancer. Anyway, would be interested if anyone else out there has had a similar take? For me this great song will always be about Mom Mom.
Jess from Small Town, WyYeah, this song gets me. I think I used to listen to it over and over when it came out. I recently found my old cd and have listened to it like 10 times today.
I'm curious about the lock of hair from a little boy. who is that and why do they say LITTLE boy...(her child that died?)
If it wsn't for the lover reference, I was thinking of all possible interpretations, and of course the addicted girl makes most sense, but I was thinking of a little girl with leukemia or something...dark eyes, and talking to the angels that will take her soon enough. Overprotective parents and pulling the strings of her hoodie over her bald head. Anyway, whatever...just great to hear and remminisce over one of my fav songs.
Devon from Wolcott, Nyi hate how everyone says a songs about someone with a drug problem....... i mean for all you know the girl in the song could be a recovering addict to me this song difines renee yohe ....look her up
Liam from Ottawa , OnOh I forgot in my last posting anyone looking for another realy good song about dealing with H check Running to stand still by U2 it's off the Joshua Tree Album I was once told it si about the Edges girl from high school but not 100% about how factual that it is.
Liam from Ottawa , OnMost of what I read seems to be a Metaphorical translations I think the only ones that can tell us exactly what this song means line for line is the artist. We can surmise and contemplate all we want, for an example I’d like to take a little more straight forward approach to this song. I read where someone wrote that the line “she keeps a lock of hair in her pocket and a cross around her neck, the hair is for a young boy and the cross for someone she hasn’t met, Not yet. They wrote this meant that the angel or one of them anyway that she talks to is her boy that died?. could be right but there is no mention of a dead boy in the song. Now I’ve seen and rightfully so, child services take a child out of a home where the parents were alcoholics! Would not be reasonable that child service would take the child of an H addicts house and the cross for someone she has not met meaning she is not dead and the grace of God/Christ “not yet” then there’s the line “there’s a smile when the pain comes, the pains gonna make everything alright”. In a straight forward sense anyone who has been a long time user of H can tell you that when your up your feeling no pain as H blocks pain receptors, but when your down stubbing your toe feels extremely painful as your receptors are now in over drive having felt nothing for a long time. So the pain of the needle pocking though the skin and into the vein would hurt like hell but smiles cause when that first drop of H hits it takes it all away making everything alright. It can also mean that she is possible trying to get straight and again after long time use and stopping every joint in your body is in pain but the pain means your healing so everything is alright. I guess what I’m trying to say is not every line in every song has some deep metaphor behind it could be just the straight forward telling of a story and again only the Crowes know for sure.
Jared from Perth, Australiabrilliant song, simple music but deep lyrics. robinson has a great rock voice that perfectly suits this song.
Jeremy from Gainsville, GaI have a friend I'm just going to call B this song
fits her and her life she is addicted to pills and
other drugs and she wears black makeup to hide the dark circles around her eyes and when she was very young her little brother died and she thinks it's her fault and she carries the memorie and she I love her deeply and I'm trying to help her.
Missy from Pittsburgh, PaThis song sticks a huge knife in my chest. I am a 26 year old "girl" who is recovering from a herion addiction. I wear a cross around my neck every day now, some day hoping that I can beat this horrible disease. I know what it feels like to be an orphan. I felt like I was an orphan in my family. Nobody ever discuessed feelings or emotions, there were no connections there. So no matter how much they loved me and cared about me, I had no idea how to feel. It makes me realize all the horrible s--t I've been through and the only person I can blame is myself. I've been trying to learn new ways of thinking and do try to talk to god, angels, anybody that will listen to me when I'm praying.
Morgan from Hampton, NjI havent read all of the comments already posted, so sorry if theres any repetition. I take this song as a girl, who is very close to death, and by calling her out by her name, theyre calling her to die. And I think her son died, or was taken away from her drug use. The cross, if used as a sign that god cares for her. And she doesnt care that she doesnt have a lover, because everyone she gets involved with is sick of her drug use. "She paints her eyes black as night, Pulls those shades down tight" is her getting up and putting a lot of black eye make up/ And shes pulling down the shades so no one can see her using. Everyone sees the song in their own way, thats mine.
Thomas from Natchez, MsThis song will always take me to a weird place in my mind. For about a week it was stuck in my head and I was driving home one night, it was playing on my cd player when I flipped my car. When the car stopped I remember hearing this song. The next time I heard it, I broke down crying because I realized just how close I had come to talking to angels myself.
Kalin from Knoxville, TnThis song is very close to me heart for several reasons.

First, my aunt lost her son when he was 16 and the song reminds me of her for obvious reasons.

Second, though it may be that this song is about a woman with a drug addiction, it speaks to me as a young woman with a self injury addiction. "She gives a smile when the pain comes. The pain gonna make everything alright" give me chills because it is such a reflection of how my heart feels about my SI.

"she never mentions the word addiction in certain company"-- as anyone with any kind of addiction will tell you, I always fear that just by mentioning the words cut, harm, injure, talking about razors or anything pertaining directly or indirectly to self injury will somehow expose my problem. I feel like if I just pretend it doesnt exist, no one else will remember it exists either and won't be suspicious of me.

"She paints her eyes as black as night now. She wears a cross around her neck" also hits home for me. I used to be a pretty, popular cheerleader... the epitome of a bright, cheerful person, and now I paint my eyes to match how I feel inside. My faith has not failed though, so my cross is always around my neck.
Berto from Northport, Flthis song, like all songs, can be interpretted in many different ways. that's the beautty of writing. it may mean one thing to me and another thing to you. no one is right or wrong. your opinion is no better than the next guy, so everyone, relax. in the end it's just a song that you had nothing whatsoever to do with. try not to lose too much sleep over it.
Jason from Southington, CtSince the first time I heard this song I have pictured the girl in this song as the girl who is having the hardest time trying to find herself in the world. A few girls that are close friends were (and still are) like that. They were into very spiritual things, and they would sit in circles and pray to the earth and things like that. For a while they always wore black eyeshadow. One of them was a cutter, and she seemed to cut to get attention. She was always talking about the pain she felt, but would never tell you what caused it, even if she knew what it was. If she didn't have a pain to share, she wasn't happy. Saying that she "was an orphan after you met her family" was like the things she would do. She seemed to bask in her pain. And when the chorus comes with the "She talks to angels, says they call her out by her name" I see the girl in the song killing herself in the end. It reminds me so much of my friends, in particular that one girl because it seems so real. I love this song for that.
But the most powerful part for me is the bridge. "She don't know no lover, None that I ever seen, Yes to her that ain't nothin', but to me, yeah me, it means everything" gives me chills every time I hear it. I think it's the singer saying that no one is her lover, and she doesn't care because she doesn't think anyone will love her. But the singer disproves her very point.
Hillary from Utica, NyThis song means the world to me, I can relate to it on so many levels. One being the verse about carrying the lock of hair around in her pocket and wearing the cross around her neck-My son died as an infant, and I carry his hair everywhere. It effected my life in so many ways, one way being, I was put on anti-depressants, anti-anxiety, and sleep medications-I did not become an addict, but I hurt so badly, even to this day, that I could see how easily it could happen. This song speaks volumes to me. It's a brilliant song...
Jessica from Bristol, Tnthis song means alot to me and i have lived this.I have lisened to this song for years. This is my song and in my opioion it is the best song ever written.
jessica,bristol tn.
Stephen from Sf, CaThe most beautiful part of the song is when the singer finally reveals why he sings about her with such pain and emotion. She dosn't care for or know any lovers because of her reckless addiction. But for him she means everything. He is deeply in lover with her (they are lovers) and suffering while watching her destroy herself. This is revealed at the climax of the song.
Richard from Norfolk, VaCarols favourite song ...I Love You Carol!
Sandi from Bel Air, MdBeautiful song. I think it's symbolic of someone suffering from heroin addiction. Someone wrote in that Chris Robinson wrote it. I always thought I heard that his brother, Rich, wrote the song when he was only 15 or 16. Everyone is commenting on specific lyrics like "She gives a smile when the pain comes. The pain's gonna make everything allright". I take it to mean that she knows she's still alive because she can still feel pain. And I'm sure it might be about the feeling the addicts get after shooting after what I see written above. Can't speak from experience on that though.
Chris from Baltimore, MdOk I haven't read everyones comments so maybe someone else other then me hear the words this way. She Talks to Angels.... What would happen to a girl in todays times that claimed to talk to angels. That went as far as to say she was chosen by God. What if she were the modern day Virgin Mary? She has to tell her family that she is pregnant by the hand of God. Would anyone believe her? What would happen to her? She would be an embarrassment to her Christian family. Their lovely virgin daughter claiming to be pregnant by God. "She dont know no lover, No man that I ever seen. Yes, to her that aint nothing But to me,
Its everything." The first part when the words " The pain's gonna make everything alright " may refer to the pain of child birth. Meaning that when the baby comes everyone will know she is telling the truth. But after the baby arrives the Angels still do not return. "The cross is someone she has not met, not yet" may refer to her Assumption into heaven meaning that, at the end of her earthly life, Mary will be taken directly into Heaven just like the original Mary was.
The baby is taken away and in her shame she runs away and ends up on the streets. As many teen runaways do she turns to drugs to mask the pain of her life.
In the second part to the song when it says "She gives a smile when the pain comes, The pain's gonna make everything alright" thats the pain of a heroin needle piercing her arm and for a moment the drug will make everything alright.
Kate from Nashville, TnThis song is definitely a classic. The first line really gets me, "she never mentions the word addiction in certain company." To me, it's obvious that she knows she is an addict but she feels that she must hide this part of herself in "certain company." Also, I think she feels very alone, which is why she'll tell you shes an orphan after you meet her family, who probably does not accept her. I think that it's pretty obvious that the lock of hair in her pocket which belongs to a little boy is probably her lost son, whether he is lost to death or was given up for adoption I'm not sure. The cross from someone she has not met is clearly a sign of her spirituality, she hasn't met them yet...meaning that she will when she dies. "She gives a smile when the pain comes, the pain gonna make everything alright" is self-inflicted pain. I am a cutter, and from experience I know that matching the pain you feel on the inside by hurting yourself on the outside really can does make you feel better, it can also be a form of self-punishment for the things that you have done. I think the girl in the song is lost in addiction and has had very traumatic things happen to her as a result, or maybe the traumatic things caused her addiction. Either way, she talks to angels because 1) she's alone, and only god and the angels really know and understand her 2)she feels like those angels are the only ones that might be able to save her or 3) she's dying and the angels are calling her home.

I've thought about this a lot, actually, I love this song and it really hits close to home. I've battled heroin addiction for awhile now and I really can relate.
Todd from Toronto, CanadaI First heard this song at a funeral for my fathers assistant, i hadn't gotten a chance to know her that well but this song still reminds me of her to this date, hmmm but now that ive read these it is starting to make sense
Chuck from Florence, AlHer father is an addict; he's abbusive. He's the one she won't mention addiction around - addicts don't call themselves addicts. He's also the reason she doesn't know a lover. She gets pregnant and gives the baby away. She suppresses the memory (pulls the shades tight, lock of hair in her pocket). The memory is painful, but the memory also provides the one picture of her son and makes everything alright. She outwardly seeks vindication for giving her baby away: cross around neck for everyone to see, SHE SAYS she talks to angels. The singer is the boy. It is very important to him that she has a lover (or at least had a lover). In the last part he forgives her: Its not "She says she talks to angels", its "she talks to angels". Remember what Earnest Hemmingway said about "The Old Man and The Sea":
No good book has ever been written that has in it symbols arrived at beforehand and stuck in. ... I tried to make a real old man, a real boy, a real sea and a real fish and real sharks. But if I made them good and true enough they would mean many things.
Julie from Abington, MaI love this song, and I read all these comments and they all have alot in commen. When i first heard this song, i loved it. but I didnt understand it, so I listened to it over and over again. Heres what came to my mind...
I see a girl, a young girl, who had a pretty tough life. She feels like she cant comunicate with her family, so she feels as if shes alone of "an orphon" and I belive she got involved with drugs, but i think she has a way with comunicating with god & angels. And she does thinks what they tell her to do. I love this part " gives a smiles when the pain comes, the pains gunna make everything alright." i think that statement is so true i mean for anyone, every thing that hurts inside of us happens for a reason but in the end everything is alright ... that part with the hair and the little boy, i think it was a boy who died in her life, and she refuses to love becasue seh doesnt want her heart broken. and this one guy whos totally fallen head over heals for this girl who everyone belives is crazy. No one knows why this girl does the the things she does, but all she can say is "she talks to angels" and i think its funny because we all look at this girl and we think shes crazy, but how do we know for sure she really cant comunicate with angels?
Joe from Charlotte, NcTo me this song is about a young woman who is from a poor white trash family she is embarrassed of. She always made bad choices in life in the city streets. She is addicted to heroine of course.The lock of hair is from the little boy she gave up for the best. In God's mercy the angels are calling to her because her life style is killing her and she is nearing her death time.
I knew a girl just like her.God be with you Lydia.
Dd from Indianapolis, InI'm trying to figure out where horse or giving the boy heroin comments are coming from... Am I missing something?
Iamno1 from Pgh, Pai use to look down on people who use heroin until i met a girl who was an addict and fell in love i use to but belive it or not i am not hooked at lease not yet steve from sacramento i can relate to every word you have written i just hope my friend can someday find some peace
Mary from La, CaI cried the first time I heard this song and have every time since. I know in my heart this song is about a very famous woman who became seriously addicted to drugs after suffering the loss of her son. She keeps a lock of hair as a reminder and a form of self-torment. The cross she bears is on her back as well as her chest, a symbol of someone she has not yet met (God or a future son not yet born?) The angels talking are voices of children she lost trying to become a mother again. She was not able to give birth to another child after many tries at pregnancy. She may have felt responsible for her son's death and punished herself with drugs and by rejecting her one and only lover, a man who loves her deeply and unconditionally, and composed this song to tell her so.
Jessica from Chattanooga, Tndeffintly about a herion addictiion she smiles when the pain comes bc the pains going to make everything all right its to get away se dont now how to deal with her problems so she uses herion it takes u away thats why i sleep
Stephen from Sacramento/nor Cal, CaAs I heard this song the first time I felt that someone had been looking in on my life secretly and that they knew about the several female friends I have that I hold near and dear to my heart. Unfortunately for all involved, these ladies all have a habbit with IV drug use. I have never had the desire to use my drugs that way but have used them in almost all other ways. I don't know why I have this attraction to these women not even knowing they use that way, but I have fallen in love with almost all of them at some point and not due to thier habbit but due to thier personalities. Some...ok, all have a inner personality that they deal with and some may be able to share it with certain others they come in contact with. This song totally hits the nail on the head for me and I love hearing it and feel some sort of inner peace knowing the same situation exists else where in the world other than just in my world. I am grateful to have this song on in my colection to relive my broken heart a bit when I come to the reality of realationships with these gals....which is not possable while they are still actively useing. The drugs are the only realationship they can know along with finding ways and means to support the habbit. I do love all these ladies but I seem hopeless in trying to win thier love, over the addiction, but I find relief hearing this song. I know...sounds like I have the addiction problem , huh? Love ya!, Steve
Jerica from Detroit , MiThis is such a great song. It has such great meaning for me because I was addicted to heroin for a long time and every time I listened to this song I seriously wanted to cry. It's about a girl who has an addiction that shes trying to hide, and she gives a smile when the pain comes means she loves the pain of shooting up because of the feeling after. Great song.
Jeremy from Lafayette, LaThis is song is about the general chick in the audience that they saw in ATL's clubs. But they added a story to it. But theyare actually uneducated on heroin, because heroin is NOT a hallucinogen, you don't think you're talknig to angels when you do it, it is jsut a good "plush" feeling. And the "smile when the pain comes" refers to the feeling you get right after injecting it, the best part of the high which is several hours long of "the nod" which is when you are seriously tired for the rest of the high. And horse is a slang term for heroin.
Bob from Van City, Canadaone of my favorites
now the lover thing, i think might mean that the lover he hasn't seen might be heroin.
the hair is probably from a baby that was adopted or died.
now shooting your baby up with heroin?, you've been reading too much 60's government propaghanda or something.
a. waste of heroin
b. your baby, who is heartless enough to ive a baby heroin
Gracey from Asheville, NcI think it's funny, the person that put that the little boy isn't a horse. Horse is a term for heroin. I always thought that this song was about an opiate addiction, having been there. When you inject certain opiates a sharp pain goes through your spine. It hurts, but addicts learn to love it because of the feeling afterwards. I love this song, I used to put it on repeat and just cry. Whoever the boy is, I don't think it matters, but it's a very powerful song. As far as testing drugs on children? "as many heroin addicts do"... yeah check the source on that. Thats disgusting and I've been around people who did awful things in front of their kids and neglected kids.. but thats pretty extreme. I would say that probably warrants a firing squad. At the very least.
Cody from Hagerstown, MdIt's one hell of a song
Lalah from Wasilla, AkWhatever the woman has done as a result of her addiction, she can't forgive herself. Otherwise she would have met the person that the cross represents. I agree with Laura, lively, Canada about not being able to let go. Pain tells us we haven't let go. It's always worse at night.
Rex from Miami, FlThis song's melody and lyrics are meant to move listeners. The song is about a young woman who is a recovering addict. She comes from a family of drug abusers. She is ashamed of this history of abuse and sarcastically refers to herself as an "orphan." Her two young children died in a car accident. She was driving high and caused their death. She mourns the death of her children and hides behind her dark makeup and sunglasses. Her mourning and grieving take away the pain because she hears the voices of her two forgiving children (angels) telling her that they still love their mom. She has a lock of her son's hair that she carries around. The cross that she wears symbolizes her relationship with God--someone she has not yet met. She hasn't been able to take a lover since the death of her children, but the lyricist loves her deeply and wishes to be with her.
Amanda from Helena, Arthis song is so amazing!! i'm not very old, but my dad listens to music like this and when i first heard this i was thinking of my step-dad's sister-in-law as the girl. i think that it was obvious that the boy wasn't a horse. it said "the little boy" so i don't think it was a horse. i think the way it is sung is what haunts most people. it haunts me, because at my age, we see alot of death and it is weird how something old can appeal to a young person. the addiction they are talking about could be anything. it is a great song though.
Will from Atlanta, Garich robinson wrote this song when he was only 17, just a year or so after he started playing.
Beth from Livonia, MiI always thought that the first few lines of this song were about someone dealing with their friend's addictions, I know when we hang out with those of my friends who have become addicted to drugs, we have to tip-toe around certain subjects. As for the testing the drugs on her kids, i have never personally heard of someone doing that but then again none of my friends who are drug addicts have kids that they have custody of.

Beautiful song, though, i'll agree with all of you on that.
Leon from Waterbury, CtI agree with Rachel. I, too, was a cutter who struggled with the addiction for about five years.
Rachel from Russellville, KyI think this song can be about more than just addiction to Heroin. Maybe she's addicted to cutting herself and that why she smiles when the pain comes. I was a cutter and thats how I interperated it. Maybe I'm wrong but oh well.
Kelly from Prescott, AzI like this debate on who the little boy in the song is. As for me, I am not sure myself. I only try to take into consideration that there is a line in the song that says, "she don't know no lover, none that i've ever seen." this, i suppose, could be interpreted two ways. i guess every one is assuming that it means she doesn't have a lover now, but this doesn't exclude her past. what if she has never had a lover at all? then who is the little boy? the line doesn't say that she never knew the little boy, it says that "the cross is someone she has not met, not yet" (Jesus-the cross). this mysterious little boy could be the reason she's on drugs in the first place. just throwin' that out there.
Lindsey from Stanton, Kythis song is about a girl addicted to drugs , She shot up and that is what the song means when it says the pain will make everything alright, meaning the pain fromt he needle . As for the little boy I believe it is her child that she gave up for adoption. To say that the little boy is someone she gave drugs to to see what would happen is stupid you abviously know nothing about drugs.
Kuuipo from Bellefontaine, OhBeautiful song...Ilove this song, makes you think about the little boy...what if he died, and the result was her being on heroin? or maybe she lost him when she was addicted? one may never know..but it is a touching song
Laura from Lively, CanadaAfter my son was killed in a freak accident with his grandmother, I tried to ease my pain. Addiction comes in many forms. This song, I understand,depression, I withdrew, I believe there are angels, I do know their names because they were all here once on this plain with me. I do have a lock of hair from my son's first haircut, I do not keep it in my pocket. Pain helps you not forget, I should not have let him go that day. This song helps me not feel sorry for myself, I dont want too. Its a fine line. To Dave, in Nashville I dont feel pathetic. wrong word
Michelle from Shallotte, Ncoh i forgot to add, in reply to "as many heroin addicts do"....i've known heroin addicts, and I've never heard of any of them testing it out on their children first...u must be really drug ignorant
Michelle from Shallotte, Ncthat doesn't make any sense to me...why the hell would she give a little boy heroin to see if it would kill her or not? sorry, but that just sounds dumb to me
Jessica from Edina, Mnas for the little boy, i think that this woman tested out her heroin on the boy to see if it wouldn't kill her, as many heroin addicts do, which explains why she has the lock of hair from a little boy. it probably killed him and now she's in more pain because she's greiving the death that was her fault, making her want the pain even more.
Dave from Nashville, TnI wonder about the lock of hair from the little boy. Could it be from a little boy baby she gave away for adoption? Or even more pathetic, perhaps a baby who died. Could the song be about a young woman who has lost her child and is grieving for him and not about horse at all?
Tara from Bayonne, NjThis is a great song that will always touch my heart for many reasons. When i first heard this song I was with some close friends. We all had an addiction. Whether it the same as each other or different we all felt the need to hide something that's already known. The pain was the addiction or what's being hidden. I will always remember my dear friend that introduced this song to me with great meaning at the right time in my life. Frank.
Stephanie from Ellicott City, MdI heard them perform this live with an acoustic piano, and I serioulsy cried. It's a beautiful song with haunting lyrics.
Brian from Paoli, InAbsolutely beautiful song, all time favorite of mine. So under-rated, everyone I've known that has heard this song loved it. Some of their other stuff is well not so great, but this song is simply amazing. Obviously about a girl with a drug problem, but alot about the song I don't get.

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