In a bar in Toledo across from the depot
On a barstool, she took off her ring
I thought I'd get closer so I walked on over
I sat down and asked her name
When the drinks finally hit her she said, I'm no quitter
But I finally quit livin' on dreams
I'm hungry for laughter and here ever after
I'm after whatever the other life brings
In the mirror, I saw him and I closely watched him
I thought how he looked out of place
He came to the woman who sat there beside me
He had a strange look on his face
The big hands were calloused, he looked like a mountain
For a minute I thought I was dead
But he started shaking, his big heart was breaking
He turned to the woman and said

You picked a fine time to leave me, Lucille
With four hungry children and a crop in the field
I've had some bad times, lived through some sad times
But this time your hurting won't heal
You picked a fine time to leave me, Lucille

After he left us, I ordered more whiskey
I thought how she'd made him look small
From the lights of the barroom
To a rented hotel room
We walked without talking at all
She was a beauty but when she came to me
She must have thought I'd lost my mind
I couldn't hold her 'cause the words that he told her
Kept coming back time after time

You picked a fine time to leave me, Lucille
With four hungry children and a crop in the field
I've had some bad times, lived through some sad times
But this time your hurting won't heal
You picked a fine time to leave me, Lucille

You picked a fine time to leave me, Lucille
With four hungry children and a crop in the field
I've had some bad times, lived through some sad times
But this time your hurting won't heal
You picked a fine time to leave me, Lucille
You picked a fine time to leave me, Lucille


Lyrics submitted by fez

Lucille Lyrics as written by Roger Bowling Hal Bynum

Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC

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Lucille song meanings
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9 Comments

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  • +2
    My Interpretation

    My Interpretation:

    So the person narrating the song is in a bar & sees a good looking woman who takes off her wedding ring, so he takes the opportunity to chat her up. She says that she is fed up with her life & wants some excitement. Meanwhile a huge man comes up & addresses the woman (Lucille), "You picked a fine time to leave me Lucille" Lucille had left this man at a bad time in his life (at some previous time I should imagine). The man then leaves the situation but it is obvious he was broken. The narrator then carries on with his pursuit of the woman & proceeds to a hotel room with the Lucille to spend the night with her. but the narrator's conscience is bothering him that this woman is deliberately cheating & being cruel & unfaithful to her partner, this taints the situation & he can't go through with it. It appears to me as though the narrator can't do to another man what he wouldn't want to happen to himself

    IanMorrison July 02, 2013   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Don't know if other places do this but in Ohio State bars when he sings the line "You picked a fine time to leave me Lucille"... the entire bar yells "slut, bitch, fucking whore" or something like that. Rather funny

    defuncton January 31, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    although its now like something i'm doin, why bother commentin if you're only gonna run down the singer or the song. grow up. great song, full of emotion. could be based on sum kinda experience in Kenny's like but den again maybe not like.

    crazy smurfon April 10, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This is one of the greatest country songs ever written. Hal Bynum wrote this masterpeice, and Kenny Rogers elevated into a classic. As the 1977 CMA Song of the year, this hit topped the country charts for several weeks.

    raiderroadtrip00on May 19, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This song was popular when I was a little kid. I'm 40 now. I always thought he said, "You picked a fine time to leave me Lucille, 400 children and a crop in the field." It's "4 hungry children". I just thought he was exaggerating to make a point.

    michael14on June 30, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I couldn't hold her 'cos the words that told her Kept coming back time after time<<

    Best line from the song. The protagonist realizes that if she can do that to a man she married, that speaks volumes about the kind of person she is. Once a tramp, always a tramp! He uses his rational mind to override his emotions and stop himself from being seduced by her sex appeal.

    Karakalpakon December 03, 2013   Link
  • -1
    General Comment

    Don't know if other places do this but in Ohio State bars when he sings the line "You picked a fine time to leave me Lucille"... the entire bar yells "slut, bitch, fucking whore" or something like that. Rather funny

    defuncton January 31, 2005   Link
  • -4
    General Comment

    i wonder how many time good ol' kenny got laid after singing this song? probably about as many times as i went to his restaurant.. bout 3 times....

    jld_slickon June 26, 2004   Link
  • -4
    General Comment

    this song is clearly Kenny Roger's outlet of his cloaked homosexual tendencies...

    "in the mirror i saw him and i closely watched him"?? c'mon! he obviously sees something he likes in the man...

    nunoo767on March 06, 2005   Link

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