The Outlaw
Outlaw's Desperate Gift: A Tale of Love, Crime, and Redemption
Lyrics
Among the possessions of an outlaw of a low class kind
It's a description of possessions belonging to a lower-class outlaw.
Is this little bottle of French perfume
The outlaw has a small bottle of French perfume among his possessions.
Taken as a last thought from a drug store in suburbia
The perfume was taken as a last-minute thought from a drug store in the suburbs.
He said, "Lady, look what I`ve got for you."
The outlaw presents the perfume to a lady, claiming to have got it for her.
She said, "Jesse, I don`t hardly even know you anymore.
The lady, named Jesse, expresses unfamiliarity and disappointment with the outlaw's actions.
And judging from your grin, you`d think you held up Henry Ford.
Jesse observes the outlaw's apparent joy as if he accomplished something significant.
And I don`t believe I want you a comin` `round here anymore. Ooh."
Jesse indicates she doesn't want the outlaw around anymore.
Jesse, he was hurt, boy, and he left there, and he slammed the door.
Jesse is hurt, and the outlaw leaves, slamming the door behind him.
And he wandered through the alleyways.
The outlaw wanders through alleyways.
Thinkin` all the while that she`d be proud of what he stole for her,
He thinks that stealing something for Jesse might make her proud.
And he tried to think of better ways.
He contemplates better ways of expressing his feelings for her.
Dreamin` of a movie that he`d seen one afternoon,
He dreams about a movie he watched and draws out his savings to buy a gun.
He drew out all his savings and he went and bought a gun.
The outlaw purchases a gun after dreaming about criminal behavior.
And he ran right home and stood before his mirror
He goes home and pretends to be a tough person in front of the mirror.
Acting like a thug, ooh.
He acts like a thug, playing a role.
He waited for a dark night; he was frightened, boy, the fog rolled in,
The outlaw waits for a dark night, feeling scared as fog rolls in.
As a rich man, he came walkin` by,
A wealthy man approaches.
"Hold your hands up high," he cried,
The wealthy man demands the outlaw's fortune at gunpoint.
"I`ve come to make your fortune mine."
The outlaw attempts a robbery but hesitates.
But his eyes, they gave him right away,
The wealthy man notices the outlaw's fear.
Jesse dropped the gun and they both stared at to where it lay.
The outlaw drops the gun, and they both stare at it.
And Jesse asked the man if he`d please leave him in his pain.
The outlaw asks the man to leave him in his misery.
And the man tried to forgive him, but there`s not much he could say. Ooh.
The man struggles to forgive but can't find words to console the outlaw.
Among the possessions of an outlaw of a low class kind
Repetition of line #1, emphasizing the outlaw's possessions.
Is this little bottle of French perfume
Repetition of line #2, reiterating the presence of the French perfume.
Taken as a last thought from a drugstore in suburbia.
Repetition of line #3, reemphasizing where the perfume was taken from.
He said, "Lady, look what I`ve got for you."
The outlaw presents the perfume again, expressing fatigue and poverty.
"Ah, take it, ah, please take it; I`m tired and I`m poor.
He insists the lady take the perfume, equating it with his soul.
And this crappy French perfume is nothin` less than my own soul.
He feels incomplete and devalued, wanting to feel whole again.
I was feelin` half a man; I wanted to feel whole, ooh."
He expresses a sense of inadequacy and a desire for completeness.
Oooh...ooh,ooh.
Repeated vocalization expressing emotions.
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