Story Behind The Song

I have lived similar circumstances, and I've found the greatest peace in forgiving others, and in being forgiven.

Song Description

A Ballad: Love and lust at first sight, then a torrid love scene in a motel room. But the fellow wakes up in the morning, finds the girl gone, and his wallet and watch are missing. Conspicuously missing, too, is the Gideon's Bible, which had been on th

Lyrics

I met her in Buddy's Cantina.

A tiara, she wore like a crown

as she sang to a worn grand piana,

in a tight-clingin', red-sequined gown.


Her singin' was sweet as an angel's,

and I found myself softly entranced.

On her break, we got better acquainted,

as we drank margueritas and danced.


We tumbled, headlong, into passion,

got a room at ol' Manny's Motel.

An' the Gideon's Bible just lay there,

with its words about Heaven and Hell.


Well I felt like religion had found me.

For Heaven was there, in her arms,

and I drifted, in love, with the sandman,

as I dreamed of her beauty and charms.


Chorus: She's a lady in red, with a heavenly voice

and I knew it was love, from the start.

She returned what she took, 'cept the one thing she kept,

for she still holds a piece of my heart.


But the dark was replaced by the sunrise,

and my innocence left with the dawn,

for my watch and my wallet were missing,

and the Gideon's Bible was gone.


I found her again, south of Tulsa,

singin' sweetly and wonderfully dressed,

but I noticed that something was different,

and a tiny, gold cross graced her breast.


She said she'd discovered religion,

and was sorry she'd done what she did--

that she knew it was wrong, that she'd stolen,

to afford a few things for her kid.


She gave back my watch and my wallet,

and I noticed a smile on her face,

as the anger, I'd harbored was lifted,

by the thought of forgiveness and grace.


Chorus: She's the lady in red, with a heavenly voice

and I knew it was love, from the start.

She returned what she took, 'cept the one thing she kept,

for she still holds a piece of my heart.


As we hugged, I remembered the evening,

and the pressboard nightstand, with that book,

and a shepherd who searched in the darkness,

snagging little lost lambs, with his crook.


The Gideon's Bible was never returned,

but another was sent, in its place.

Two lives had been changed by the message it held,

of forgiveness and infinite grace.


Chorus: She's the lady in red, with a heavenly voice

and I knew it was love, from the start.

She returned what she took, 'cept the one thing she kept,

for she still holds a piece of my heart.