The Black Crowes “She Talks to Angels” Lyrics Meaning

“She Talks to Angels” is a song by the American rock band the Black Crowes. It’s from their first album called “Shake Your Money Maker,” released in 1990. 

The song did well in the charts. It reached number 30 on the US Billboard Hot 100, got to number one on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart, and reached number 21 in New Zealand.

In 2010, Chris Robinson, a member of the band, explained in a webisode (a part of an online series promoting their Croweology album) that the song was loosely inspired by a “goth girl” he knew in Atlanta who had a liking for heroin.

In this article, we’re going to take a closer look at the lyrics of “She Talks to Angels.”

“She Talks to Angels” Lyrics Meaning

[Verse 1]

She never mentions the word “addiction”

In certain company

And, yes, she’ll tell you she’s an orphan

After you meet her family, yeah, alright

Oh-oh, oh-oh

In verse 1, the lyrics introduce us to a complex character who conceals her addiction and presents a false image of being an orphan.

However, the line “After you meet her family, yeah, alright” suggests that once you actually meet her family, you may realize that her claim of being an orphan contradicts the reality. 

[Verse 2]

Well, she paints her eyes as black as the night

And she pulls, she pulls those shades back down tight

Woah, there’s a smile when the pain come

And it comes

The pain gonna make it alright

That’s right

In this verse, the lyrics portray the woman as someone who uses makeup and sunglasses to conceal her emotions and perhaps the impact of her struggles.

From the lines “Woah, there’s a smile when the pain comes/And it comes, the pain’s gonna make it alright,” we can discern that despite the pain she experiences, she upholds a façade of happiness, believing that enduring the pain will ultimately bring about improvement or relief.

[Chorus]

Says she talks to the angels

She said that they call her out by her name

Oh, yeah, oh, yeah

Said that they call her out by her name

In the chorus, the lyrics depict the woman’s claim that she converses with angels who know her by name. This aspect of her character adds a layer of mysticism and spirituality to the song’s narrative.

The repeated line “Said that they call her out by her name” reinforces the idea that the angels have a specific and intimate relationship with the woman.

[Verse 3]

Well, she keeps a lock of hair in her pocket

She wears a cross around her neck

No, the hair is from a little boy, little boy

The cross from someone she has not met

Not yet

No, no, no, no

Verse 3 further adds intrigue to the woman’s character. She wears a cross around her neck, a religious symbol often associated with Christianity.

However, the cross she wears is from a person she hasn’t met yet. In other words, she carries a symbol associated with faith but has not personally encountered the source of that faith.

She also carries a lock of hair from a little boy, which raises questions about the significance of this child in her life. It could be a family member or someone she cared deeply about.

The contrast between these elements hints at the complexity of her beliefs and experiences.

[Bridge]

She don’t know no lover

None that I ever seen, Lord only knows

Oh, that don’t mean nothin’

To me, it means

It means everything

The Bridge begins with the lines “She don’t know no lover/None that I ever seen, Lord only knows,” suggesting that the woman does not have a romantic partner or lover in her life.

Despite her lack of a visible romantic relationship, the singer asserts that this fact doesn’t diminish her worth or value as a person. He sings, “Oh, that doesn’t mean anything/To me, it means/ It means everything.”

It appears that the singer is interested in the woman, and she holds a special place in his heart, so he appreciates the fact that she’s not in a romantic relationship.

[Outro]

Angels

Said that they call her out

Oh, by her, by her, by her, by her

Oh, angels, they call her out

Oh, my, they call her out

You know that they call her out

By her name

In the Outro, the lyrics reiterate the theme of the woman’s interaction with angels and their calling her by name. This repetition emphasizes the central role of spirituality and the supernatural in her life, creating a sense of mystery and wonder.

Deeper Meaning Behind “She Talks to Angels”

The song “She Talks to Angels” by The Black Crowes has an interesting backstory. According to lead singer Chris Robinson, the song is not about one specific person but rather a mixture of people he knew from the Atlanta club scene during his early days. Chris explained that it’s not about “all the best parts” but rather a blend of different characters.

He mentioned that there was always a girl in the club scene with dark makeup, reminiscent of bands like Siouxsie And The Banshees. One day, after thinking about her, Chris scribbled the lyric “she paints her eyes as black as night.” He then created a fictional biography about her in the form of the song, which became “She Talks to Angels.”

In a later interview with Songfacts, Chris Robinson mentioned that everything in the song was a product of his imagination. 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.”

However, in 2010, Chris Robinson revealed in a webisode that the song was loosely based on a “goth girl” he knew in Atlanta who was “into heroin.”

So, whether the woman depicted in “She Talks to Angels” is a composite of various characters, a made-up person, or someone Chris Robinson encountered in real life remains a mystery.

I think the woman in this song could be a girl Chris Robinson briefly met at a nightclub. She’s attractive but might be dealing with drug addiction, leading to hallucinations about angels. The singer suspects she might be hiding something, possibly due to unhappy experiences like family issues.

Throughout the song, the singer wonders if the woman is genuinely religious and good-hearted or if she’s deceiving others. In the end, the singer chooses to associate her with angels and titles the song “She Talks to Angels.” This is partly because of her ethereal nature and partly because he wants to believe she’s a woman of purity and innocence.

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