Don’t You Make Me High (Don’t You Feel My Leg)

Song Meaning

Maria Muldaur's slyly suggestive "Don't You Make Me High (Don't You Feel My Leg)" operates on multiple levels of enticement and resistance. It's a masterclass in lyrical double entendre, using simple, repetitive verses to build a complex power dynamic. The song's meaning rests not just in its overt sensuality but also in its protagonist's firm control of the situation. The initial verses, with their escalating progression from leg to thigh to being "high," paint a clear picture of physical and perhaps emotional escalation, but always with the singer dictating the terms. She acknowledges the obvious trajectory of desire, but pointedly warns against initiating it. There's agency here; it's a playful negotiation, not a passive yielding. The repeated admonition, "Don't you buy no rye / 'Cause if you buy me rye / You're gonna make me high," adds another layer of meaning. Rye, presumably whiskey, becomes a metaphor for loosening inhibitions and the potential for exploitation. The "big surprise" that awaits if she's made high isn't explicitly defined, but the implication is clear: the suitor will be met with a response he doesn't expect, one that subverts his presumed control. The chorus reinforces this theme, contrasting the suitor's stated intentions ("take me dancing, buy me gin and wine") with the singer's knowing awareness of his ulterior motives. Ultimately, "Don't You Make Me High (Don't You Feel My Leg)" is a song about setting boundaries and reclaiming agency within a traditionally imbalanced romantic or sexual pursuit. It's a humorous, blues-infused assertion of self-possession, a reminder that desire is a two-way street, and that the woman in this scenario is very much in the driver's seat. Muldaur’s delivery is key; the playful tone keeps the message from becoming preachy, instead landing as a wink and a challenge to any would-be pursuer.