Song Meaning
The lyrics paint a stark, almost mythic image of a solitary figure in a desolate landscape. The narrator is immediately captivated by this woman, describing her cry as a "black guitar" – a sound that is both mournful and intensely resonant, causing his "heart [to] begin to pound." This initial encounter sets up a powerful, almost primal attraction that the narrator feels is doomed from the start, admitting, "I know that I won't get far.
This doomed fascination is amplified by the repeated, almost incantatory chorus: "She's so evil." This isn't a simple condemnation; it feels more like an acknowledgment of a dangerous, irresistible allure. The narrator is drawn to her despite, or perhaps because of, this perceived malevolence. The descriptions that follow – "eyes shinin' like a silver spoon" and "mouth is a burning red" – are striking, conjuring images of both allure and danger, like a precious but sharp object or a vibrant, consuming flame.
The imagery of "snakes in her hair" directly evokes classical depictions of dangerous, alluring women, like Medusa. Yet, the narrator's response, "I don't really care," underscores his complete surrender to her power. He's not repelled by these dangerous attributes; instead, he's consumed by the need to "get her out of my head," a futile desire given the intensity of his fixation. The repetition of the chorus, especially the extended section after the second verse, hammers home the inescapable nature of this "evil" influence on the narrator's psyche.