Six Ways To Sunday

Song Meaning

The narrator declares an intense, almost overwhelming desire to love someone, promising to do so "six ways to Sunday." This phrase, a folksy hyperbole for an extreme degree, sets a tone of fervent, all-encompassing devotion. The repeated desire to do it "like it's never been done" and to hear their lover "speaking in tongue" suggests a yearning for a profound, almost spiritual or ecstatic connection, pushing beyond ordinary experience. It's a bold, almost desperate plea for an ultimate form of intimacy. The lyrics pivot from this passionate declaration to a confession of past missteps and a sense of being lost. Phrases like "back siding us a little too long" and "chasing my tail" paint a picture of someone who has strayed or felt directionless. There's an acknowledgment of moral ambiguity – "You think I know by now what's right and what's wrong" – and a struggle to live well even when circumstances are bleak. This internal conflict between a desire for pure, elevated love and a history of personal failings creates a compelling tension. The craft here hinges on the juxtaposition of sacred and profane imagery. The narrator offers to "drink the straight line" – a metaphor for embracing discipline or perhaps even hardship – as long as it leads to physical closeness. This is followed by the striking image of a "halo" and then the dramatic shift where a lover "knocked the angel right out off of my shoulder," allowing a "little devil" to take over. The idea of a "revival" with a "disciple" further blends religious fervor with carnal desire, suggesting that this love is a transformative, almost religious experience for the narrator. This intense, almost paradoxical blend of spiritual yearning and earthly desire is what makes the lyrics hit so hard. The narrator isn't just promising love; they're promising a complete, all-consuming experience that transcends normal boundaries. The repeated, almost incantatory phrase "six ways to Sunday" becomes a mantra for this all-encompassing devotion, while the imagery of angels, devils, and revivals underscores the profound, life-altering impact this love is intended to have.