She's gonna hand you a red headed Gabriel
Coming from the bar in a plastic tie
He's gonna swing from the Tree of Life
He's gonna try to sell you on a great big lie

But when you speak to her
Her eyes light up
The music spills right into your cup
The minstrels play and the waitress brings ice

There are pies on a carousel
Have a slice
But watch out
She ain't no good for you

He's gonna spin like the tractor pull
She'll sit back when he tells his tale
He's gonna yell when he drinks his beer
She'll sit back and drink ginger ale

But when you speak to her
Her eyes light up
The music spills right into your cup
It's so abrupt and it's so concise

There are pies on a carousel
Have a slice
But watch out
She ain't no good for you

I say watch out
She ain't no good for you
She'd like to put you in her zoo
Right between the canaries and the cockatoos

She'll pull out your feathers
For her brand new hat
And when she's done that
She'll feed you to her cat

So watch out
She ain't no good for you
Watch out
She ain't no good for you

Watch out
She ain't no good for you


Lyrics submitted by Ice

Ain't No Good Lyrics as written by John Mccrea

Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing

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Ain't No Good song meanings
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    My Interpretation

    When I listen to this song, I imagine it is from the perspective of the celebrity musician - and the "pies in the carousel" refer to the female fans - flattering, eager, perhaps tempting, but "no good".

    I even wonder whether the verses describe three different types of women - and not all the same person?

    1. The eve-like ingenue - and the accompanying individual swinging in the tree of life trying to sell you on the great big lie I imagine to be the serpent. The red-headed gabriel she hands you could be the apple? Tempting, but disastrous.
    2. The damsel in distress - the girl stuck in nowhere-ville with the go-nowhere guy spinning like a tractor-pull. She's looking for a way out, and someone to save her.
    3. The celebrity groupie - the climber who's happy to show you off to her friends, use you to promote herself, and use your celebrity (feathers) to ascend another rung on the ladder? Then toss you aside for bigger game down the road...

    When "her eyes light up", the flattery is thrilling... When the "music spills right into your cup", it's very exciting. "So abrupt, and so concise" - I wondered whether this referred to the touring lifestyle? You breeze in and out of towns, and how that avails itself to easy one night stands?

    Who knows - that is just what I envision when I hear this song... Like a warning to keep some perspective and some distance from female fans.

    bigCAKEfanon June 09, 2011   Link

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