Fan Reviews / Comments

Woman, when you make love you close your eyes

Oh woman I need you
Oh woman I love you

(total playing time 5:53)

Rick says about the opening dialog:
It's a father talking to his son about women. And it's not particularly sage advice. The point is that the father is completely out of touch with where his son is regarding girls and sex and tried to talk him in a way that he understands, but he doesn't. I don't know. It may be something from my past.

Song Facts: This appears on Rock of Life and Legendary, 

First, I'll say that this is one of my favorites on this CD. I see it as an ode to true love.  The guy, in this case, Rick, after having many love affairs where he thinks he might be in love is able to separate those feelings and move on. However, the woman (Barbara, I'm sure) in this song is the one he falls hard for. He can't get her out of his thoughts the way he could the others. And  because of that it's a mystery that he can't figure out. It's true love! The words in this song are so heartfelt. That's Rick though, always dealing with the deepest of thoughts and feelings. Gosh, I wonder that Barbara just melted when she heard this song?? Ah, another of my voyeuristic thoughts! LOL Wouldn't you just love to be the fly on the wall when he sang this one for her? Do you think he did?

I could listen to this song over and over and over and over.

I have to throw my hat into the ring of think-it-is-about-an-affair .  Try as I might there is just no way I can make it past the first 2 lines..And I say no, no more, I can't see you again; that just does not speak long-term relationship to me.  I think of "seeing" someone as either not very committed or illicit, both of which would not apply to his wife.  The angst expressed seems like it is connected with an act that should not be happening.....but it is so good he just cannot pull himself away.  These lines lead me down the affair road as well....And I know that I had the feeling.  That something's wrong
It's been out of my control for much too long....

My favorite line has to be I always seem to want to fall in love With the iron hand inside the velvet glove But it feels so good  It is just plain sexy and so descriptive.  As for the timeline in which this song was written, my gut has always told me it was between Tao and ROL......written for ROL.  That was, according to Rick himself, an extremely rocky period.  Whether it was written then about an act that happened long ago or not, I have no clue.  I do have the feeling that it is personal, just because it is so emotional.  For many years I have battled with myself over my view of Rick Springfield, is he that infallible god from the 1980's who is perfect in my 15 year old eyes?  Or...is he a real man?  I must admit I still go back and forth.  In the end however, I think he is a human being, period.  He is not perfect and I am sure he has made mistakes.  Who has not?  But I love him for his incredible musical talents and  his generous spirit.  Which is probably why I think this song is autobiographical.  But then again, if he were to put on a pea coat and walk on stage-all this would go out the window and I would start screaming "Jamie Roberts".  Just kidding ;)

There is a point in some relationships where you can't go on and get closer, but you don't want to let go. I guess I see this song as more of a statement of that chasm between men and women that you have to bridge to survive as a couple. Because I see it that way, I don't really get the infidelity angle that some of the group does. I remember
saying,"No, I can't see you again," "But I don't know if I mean it..." I draw a more general viewpoint from it now than I did before I experienced something similar myself. I felt that the song was more analytical than emotional. I guess I think that it's both:-)

First off,  I checked with my Rick bud (who is my go-to person for Rick trivia and tidbits), and she said that she had heard this song was about Barbara too.  I hadn't heard that before I read it in that first review. 

I always thought this song sounded like it was about a lover, not necessarily about Barbara, but not necessarily not about her either.  With some truth, both present and past all mixed together and some fiction. 

I too saw the pain/confusion in this song. A wanting to figure it out, to have the answers.  Wanting her to open up completely to him, so that he can experience it all, but does he love her, or is it just the sex, or just needing someone in his life (but not necessarily love), so that he won't be alone.  Like it's purely physical, with a fear of abandonment issue holding him there with her.

I do not think this about Barbara. I can see the viewpoint of the affair though.  I'm starting to think our man is/was probably not as monogamous as I had dreamt my white knight to be.

I had read somewhere a while back that the beginning "voice" on this song was supposed to be representative of a man giving advice about women to his son.  I'm pretty sure that this was asked of Rick in an on-line chat way back when he would just pop into the RLS chats, but heck if I can find that quote right now.  Rick couldn't remember what the voice was specifically saying (go figure) but that was the way he was going with the beginning of this particular song.   Since I heard that my interpretation of this song changed.   I used to feel (along with popular opinion) that this was another love song about how Rick loved his "woman".   He needed her, he wanted her...yadda yadda, let's have that emotional spiritual sex that I keep looking for.  The father-son connection Rick referenced turned on a light bulb in my head though.  That father-son reference also goes with the theme of this album of Rick now being a father and having a son.

I see this song as being about women in general.  About the male race being unable to live without females, no matter how much they think they could.  Men are raised to be tough, non-feeling beings, the breadwinners, the ones who go off to war.  Throughout time, a strong man always blamed his downfalls on the love of a woman.  "And I say no, no more, I can't see you again but I don't know if I mean it" Man's head tells him love will make him weak, yet his heart pulls him back.  "I make up my mind the feeling's dead but who's fooling who inside my head"

I have seen and read time and again how men are always surprised at a woman's inner strength.  I think the line, "I always seem to want to fall in love with the iron hand inside the velvet glove" is an excellent description of women nowadays.   We are all "hard and tough" when we need to be, yet can deceive the world by dressing up with that velvet glove to appear soft and feminine.

The chorus is loaded with typical "man" statements.  My how their story changes when you get them alone in a room, with that need they have for tenderness.   I need you, and I will beg for you because you already know I will beg for you.   "I lost my pride long ago, and you know it" "Oh Woman, I love you when you take me to bed (mission accomplished) my private beatings never show"    I'm thinking private beatings is referring to whatever man is berating himself for.  "Woman when you make love you close your eyes and I don't get any closer to the mystery" I know I've heard countless songs, read endless poems, seen hundreds of movies all written by men claiming that women are a mystery to them.  So Rick is saying, "I'm as close to you as I can ever be physically and mentally (while making love) and I think by looking in your eyes I can see what it is that makes you, You...yet you close your eyes /turn your head/don't let me in."  It's not because woman doesn't love the man she is making love with, it is because man will never understand what it is to be a woman unless he is a woman.  Whether she closes her eyes or not.  "Oh Women (notice here in the lyrics Rick does go from saying woman-singular- to women-plural) I need you you must be the one, don't cut me free cause I can't be myself".  Realization of man realizing he would not be the same person he is today without woman.

"The voices say stand up, I wish that I could".  Take charge, get a job, have a family, go to war - be a man!  "I feel the nail being driven in, but there's something about it that feels so good" This (job, family, responsibility) could kill me, yet I enjoy it.  Still, after the day is done, the war is won, the deal is sealed, the man goes back to the woman.  "Tho' the keys are in the getaway machine I just can't go"

I love the melodies in this song.  Rick's voice sounds excellent.  I've always been attracted to this cut on the album because of it's title, I had always wondered if this was Rick trying to copy John Lennon. :-)   My favorite Lennon song is also titled "woman".  I also have to giggle whenever this song starts up from a memory I have of a friend of mine's interpretation of what Rick was saying.  She made the ultimate friend sacrifice for me and did a 4 hour one-way road trip with me to see Rick once.  Driving home at 3am (we had to be back the next day due to work obligations) we were listening to ROL and this song came on.  Halfway through the song, she says to me, "Is he saying OLD woman?"  After being horrified at her, we laughed until we cried.  Boy, that would sure make a different interpretation of this song, eh?

I've always thought this song was about an affair, or at the very least, a forbidden relationship. Take away the first two lines, and the song would have a totally different meaning for me, but with the song starting out with the struggle of the need to end it, I can't see it any other way. And the first verse is so strong - how many times have we told ourselves "that's it" knowing we didn't mean it. 

I always seem to want to fall in love 
With the iron hand inside the velvet glove 
But it feels so good

He's attracted to strong, beautiful women with a mind of their own.

This is one line I don't understand "Til the king is crowned". I'm not sure what that represents.

I think this is my favorite verse:
And I know that I know you like it, hard and tough 
There's a lot of heat and spark, but that's not enough 
The actor wants to skip the final scene 
Tho' the keys are in the getaway machine 
I just can't go

It seems to be mostly a sexual thing, he knows that in the long run it won't be enough to sustain him, but he just can't walk away.

For me, the difference between this song and Soul to Soul is that the focus of this song seems purely sexual and the object in Soul to Soul seems to be more of a Soul Mate.

Such a beautiful, sad and haunting song.  The lyrics on this one are just so damn good. Makes me sad to think of this one as autobiographic for Rick. That is for sure. You can feel so much from this song. Pain, confusion, sadness, desperation, uncertainty. Love....

I feel like this is a continued plea from Soul to Soul. In love. Wants more than something physical. "There's a lot of heat and spark, but that's not enough." Sound familiar?? Wants to make that even deeper connection, but she is holding back. Keeping herself from letting him in. She just can't give him everything he is searching for. Everything he needs and he just can't let go. "the keys are in the get away machine. I just can't go."

There's such desperation in the line "don't cut me free 'cause I can't be by myself". You can almost feel it. 

The line that for some reason gets me the most is "Do you want me to beg. I lost my pride long ago. And you know it".  That vulnerability thing again. He's done everything for her. Given everything of himself to her and she knows she has that power over him. She has the upper hand so to speak and can keep things on her terms, and she knows it. He would do anything to keep her with him and to get her to let him in.

"Oh woman I love you. When you take me to bed. My private beatings never show"..... <sigh> Somebody pick MY freakin' heart off the floor.

I  know I'm totally wrong here, since Rick has said this was about his wife, but I always thought that it was a song about an affair (not necessarily one he had), simply because of the first line "And I say no,no more I can't see you again".  It sounds like someone trying to break off an affair, because he knows he has to,not because he really wants to. Then when he goes on about it being out of his control, like he figured it'd be simple, he'd call the shots, but now he's getting in too deep.

After I heard it was about his wife, I saw it in a different light, about how the relationship was supposed to be simple (he thought), he'd be in control, but he fears he's getting in too deep, and its scaring the heck out of him, basically a man getting cold feet over commitment. And it sounds like she's keeping a part of herself from him, which may be part of the attraction for him, a challenge kinda thing.

I'm totally convinced that this beautiful song is about Rick and Barb.  He is giving us yet another "peek" into his sometimes rocky relationship with the "Woman" he loves. And there's no doubt that he loves her. These metaphorically powerful lyrics prove that he will do anything to keep this love alive. I do get the impression that Rick is trying to tell Barb, that no matter what happens, he'll never stop loving her or fighting for their marriage to work.....a constant struggle as any married person will tell you.

Even though he "can't get any closer to the mystery" he'll keep trying, striving,  struggling. She may want to "cut him free", but he "just can't go". He may have made up his mind, "the feeling's dead"....but he knows the  trouble will pass.."but who's kidding who, inside my head".   He wants her. He needs her..sigh

I love this romantic song so here goes:

I've always assumed the song was about Rick and Barb before they were actually married. We know they had their ups and downs before tying the knot from songs like I can't stop hurting you etc.

"And I say no, no more; I can't see you again; But I don't know if I mean it; I don't know if I just pretend; I make up my mind the feeling's dead; But who's fooling who inside my head"

In this song it seems to me they have a rocky patch and split up and he's trying to convince himself that he could live without her and live without the breakups  but knows that he is just trying to fool himself  and really he wants her back.

"And I know that I had the feeling; That something's wrong; It's been out of my control for much too long; I always seem to fall in love; With the iron hand inside the velvet glove; But it feels so good"

Rick had realized for some time that something wasn't quite right in their relationship but perhaps didn't know quite what it was or what to do about it. And even though they had arguments and ups and downs he enjoyed the making up part and all the emotions!

"You're always the talk of the town; And the town won't shut up talking; 'til the King is crowned"

I'm sure his wife had many male admirers and Rick wanted to make sure that he was the one that was going to marry her! He's mentioned in interviews that all the guys were asking her out all the time, which is no surprise!

"Oh woman I need you; Do you want me to beg; I lost my pride long ago; And you know it; Oh woman I love you; When you take me to bed; My private beatings never show"

When I first heard this song I thought he was meaning begging her for sex but once I'd heard it a few times and thought they'd had a break up, I changed my mind and think he was begging her to forgive him and come back so they'd be together again as he'd realized by now she was the one for him.

It seems this woman is holding back a bit and not falling for him completely as she's scare of getting hurt and he wants to get closer as he knows they are destined to be soulmates.  This is one of my favorites on the album.

I've always believed this song to be about Barbara, but I don't think it's romantic or beautiful or anything like that. To me, what it says is that she's constantly causing him pain, but he doesn't have the strength to leave her.

"Do you want me to beg...I lost my pride long ago..." Sure, the fact that he's WILLING to throw away his pride and beg says he really loves her...but why does he have to? What's going on in this relationship that she's TAKEN his pride, that he's reduced to begging to try to get close to her?

"when we make love you close your  eyes"--that's never come across to me as a romantic image but as a way that she was shutting him out, distancing herself from him even in what should have been an intimate moment. The next line "I don't get any closer to the mystery" seems to support that.


Until I started reading these reviews, it never occurred to me that it might be positive in any way.

I feel like it is written out of pure desperation.  A plea to give him something of her that he is not getting.  I think it shows how deeply he is in love with her but sometimes that seems to be causing him more pain than pleasure.

I don't think he wants to leave her in the opening lines but he wonders if it is the only way to feel better.  Like he has to leave or the situation they are in now will never be resolved.  His head is telling him to go but his heart won't let him leave.

Though it is a somewhat sad song, I've always liked it.

One of the things that gets me so much about this song is it seems you can almost feel his pain and feel his struggle within his own emotion.    It feels so personal to me.

I've always seen this song as a precursor to Lust.

"when we make love, you close your eyes" just reeks of lust to me, and then I believe he is saying that one of the reasons he is soooo in love is the mystery of this woman.  He was used to women falling all over him possibly and she did hold back but in a teasing way is how I see it just pure lust and extreme lovemaking as Rick put it is all I think of when I hear this song.  No pain really ...it seems he thinks whatever  pain there is feels good!

This song, from the first time I ever heard it, has always struck me as being about an affair.  "And I say no, no more... I can't see you again"  This doesn't exactly sound like something you'd think about in reference to your wife, you know?

"But who's fooling who inside my head"  This line says (to me)  'I know I need to end this thing, but I really don't want to'. 

"I always seem to want to fall in love... with the iron hand inside the velvet glove... but it feels so good"  Damn, can I just say I love the way Rick uses metaphors??? :-P  This is probably one of my favorite lines in the song.  (Gee, I wonder why?  LOL)

"Oh woman I love you... when you take me to bed... my private beatings never show"  Private beatings, to me, means all the inner turmoil he feels over having the affair in the first place.  The guilt, and knowing he needs to bring it to an end...  but that it's all forgotten when he's with her.  At least, for a while...

"The voices say 'stand up'... I wish that I could"  Meaning, do the right thing, and end the affair, perhaps?  That's what it makes me think anyway.

"I feel the nail being driven in... but there's something about it that feels so good"  Maybe he can see that he's close to being found out... but the danger of that is a very heady thing.  (This is another favorite line of mine.)

"And I know that I know you like it hard and tough... there's a lot of heat and spark but that's not enough"  Physically, it's exciting to be with her... but he ultimately needs more than that.

"The keys are in the getaway machine... I just can't go"  Still, in spite of everything, he's unable or unwilling to break it off.

The way the song basically repeats itself at the end brings to mind the vicious circle of his thoughts... telling himself to end it, it's not giving him everything he needs, but still not wanting it to be over. 

"Don't cut me free 'cause I can't be by myself"  (I nearly overlooked this line as I was writing out my review.)  Perhaps he felt alone at this time of his life, regarding his marriage, and was holding onto this other woman (even though he knew he shouldn't be with her) because he couldn't stand the thought of feeling alone.

This is probably one of my favorite songs off ROL, and has been since the first time I heard it.  I nearly wore out my cassette, from repeatedly playing this song over and over again.  

I read some think it's about Barbara, but honestly, I just can't see it that way.  To me, the song doesn't make sense if it's about her... but makes a great deal of sense if it's about another woman.

I have a hard time believing that it is Barbara causing the problems.  Granted, I have absolutely NO CLUE what goes on between them, I only have what's allowed to be public.  I'm making my supposition based on the fact that Rick, no offense, has a lot more, shall we say, opportunities.  I've always heard that he'd never perform this live BECAUSE of Barbara.  someone has certainly had an affair here.  apparently he likes to be bossed around by his lady (the iron hand inside the velvet glove), shrug.  okay, fine.  if we're assuming that it's Barbara who is the destabilizing force in the relationship?

"the knife, I can't stick it in" to my mind, it would make a lot more sense for the depressed one in the relationship (ie, Rick) to be ready to trash his/her life and the other partner has to be the one to hold it all together, for whatever reason. 

just because Rick writes a song as a he/she thing, doesn't mean that it's really what happened.  a she character could just as easily be a he.  whatever makes a better story. 

all this said, woman is my favorite song from ROL.  it's a great song.  period.  and if it was a precursor to lust, even better. 

I have always viewed this song as Rick's personal account of a crossroads in his and Barbara's relationship - even before I knew that he said this song was about her. He has always said anyone that knows his music can go back and trace their history together through his songs. I have always thought that this song was about a period in time before they got married, even though it turns up on an album in 1988. Even if it wasn't about them in particular, the man is truly gifted when it comes to telling a story through a song.

And I say no, no more, I can't see you again / But I don't know if I mean it / I don't know if I just pretend / I make up my mind the feeling's dead / But who's fooling who inside my head  
They are having a rough time of it, and he just doesn't want to keep going through the issues they are having over and over again. He says "that's it! I don't want to do this anymore." He talks himself into thinking that he doesn't love her anymore - but he's just kidding himself. He does love her and really doesn't want it to be over.

And I know that I had the feeling / That something's wrong / It's been out of my control for much too long
There's something going on with her that he has no control over, but it's time for him to help her fix it.

I always seem to want to fall in love / With the iron hand inside the velvet glove / But it feels so good
I have always taken this line to be a sexual metaphor. He has often written about physical love at the start of a relationship and he likes it. When the relationship becomes serious, more committed, it's then he needs more.

The voices say stand up, I wish that I could / I feel the nail driven in / But there's something about it that feels so good   He's telling himself to just end it - that this whole thing is just torture - yet at the same time even with all the pain - the relationship itself still feels right.

You're always the talk of the town / And the town won't shut up talking 'til / The King is crowned   
She was always getting hit on and asked out when they were first dating. That won't stop until she settles into a committed relationship with one man.

And I know that I know you like it, /  hard and tough / There's a lot of heat and spark, / but that's not enough
Back to the theme that physical love is not the only thing he wants from this relationship. He needs to be more on a personal and spiritual level as well.

The actor wants to skip the final scene / Tho' the keys are in the getaway machine / I just can't go.
He doesn't want to have to go through the drama of ending this relationship, and he's in the frame of mind to just walk away from it - but he cannot bring himself to do it. In his heart - he doesn't want to.

Oh woman I need you (do you want me to beg) / I lost my pride long ago (and you know it)
He needs her, in spite of everything going on between them. What does she want from him?
O woman I love you (when you take me to bed) / My private beatings never show
He can lose himself when he's with her - lose all the baggage.
Woman when you make love you close your eyes / (And I don't get any closer to the mystery)
She's shutting him out. He can't help her through the problems they are having if she won't let him in.
O Woman I need you (you must be the one) / Don't cut me free 'cause I can't be by myself
In spite of everything going on, she is IT for him, but he's afraid that they won't work thru this issue between them. He doesn't want to end up alone without her.

Not all songwriters can paint a picture like Rick can, and have it open to so many interpretations. That is one of his best attributes as a writer, I think. So many songs in music are so cut and dried - what you hear is what it is. (that's not always a bad thing.....) That's why I love listening to his music more than anybody else's. I think that is why his music means so much to so many of us - we can all take away so many different things from it. I have listened to this song with some of your  different takes in mind, and can picture that could be what it's about as well. I remember the first time I heard "Free" and what went through my mind as to what it was about. I was waaaaay off base after hearing what it was really written about. (But that's another review, another time - LOL) I love this.....