☝️ Key Points
- The song is about a man who, despite his wife's spending on unnecessary things, is still willing to give her money and take her back.
- It also deals with the idea that love can endure despite all difficulties and disputes.
- The man embarks on a journey to win back his wife, following her and being willing to do anything to get her back.
- At the end of the song, the two have reconciled and are back together, along with the mischievous cat.
- The song shows that trust can be abused, but the willingness to forgive and reconcile can save a relationship.
Interpretation
The lyrics of the song "Mean Eyed Cat" by
Johnny Cash are about a man who convinces his wife to go shopping with his money, but she spends it on unnecessary things. She buys an expensive can of cat food for a mean cat and spends a lot of money on a hat. The man is frustrated, but he is still willing to give her money because he thinks she will come back to him when she leaves.
One morning, he wakes up and his wife is gone. On her side of the bed, he finds a farewell letter in which she tells him that she has left. The man is desperate and determined to get her back. He goes to the train station and asks the man there if he has seen her. The man confirms that he saw her on the train.
The man buys a train ticket and sets off to find her. When he arrives, he calls his mother-in-law and asks for her address. She gives him the information and he goes to her workplace. When she sees him, she takes off her apron and puts on her "going home hat". She takes the money she has earned as a tip and buys a train ticket to return with him.
The lyrics of the song show how the man forgives his wife over and over again and is willing to take her back, even though she has abused his trust. It also talks about how love can endure despite all difficulties and disputes. In the end, they are together on the sofa, along with the mean cat, and have reconciled.