☝️ Key Points
- The song tells the story of a romance between the singer and the son of a preacher.
- The singer felt that the preacher's son was the only one who truly understood her and could reach her.
- Despite her attempts to be good, the singer couldn't resist the sweets and temptations of the preacher's son.
- The singer remembers stolen kisses and shared times.
- The song is a nostalgic reflection on an innocent but passionate romance in her youth.
Interpretation
The song 'Son of a Preacher Man' by
Dusty Springfield tells the story of a young woman who falls in love with the son of a preacher. She describes how she always longed to spend time with him whenever his father, the preacher, would visit. In the lines 'The only one who could ever reach me, Was the son of a preacher man', she expresses that he was the only one who truly understood her and could reach her. Despite her attempts to be good ('Being good isn't always easy'), she couldn't resist his sweetness and temptation ('When he started sweet talking to me, He'd come tell me everything is alright'). She remembers the stolen kisses and the precious time they shared ('Stealing kisses from me on the sly, Taking time to make time'). So, the song is a nostalgic reflection on an innocent yet passionate romance in her youth with the son of a preacher, who had a deep and unforgettable impact on her.