She Talks To Angels - The Black Crowes

Artist: The Black Crowes
Song: She Talks To Angels
Year: 1990
Album: Shake Your Moneymaker

"She Talks To Angels" is a surprising ballad hit for a very blues influenced band. Even though it really shouldn't, the song fits in perfectly with the vibe of the album and the mood of the band. Chris Robinson shows off his vocal chops in this sad, yet touching song.

When I first heard this song, I lumped it in with ballads from Slaughter and Mr. Big. It seemed everybody was coming out with ballads around that time. They all started to sound the same. "She Talks To Angels" separated itself from the rest of the pack, when I heard the acoustic version of the song. Stripped down, the song still had the raw power of the vocals and the sense of urgency and frailty in the lyrics.

Further cementing my love of this song, was the fact that the Black Crowes were the first band I ever saw perform live. They opened up for Aerosmith on their Pump tour in 1990. It was a rude awakening, having Chris Robinson's filthy mouth swear constantly during the set, with my mom and uncle sitting next to me. My uncle enjoyed it. My mom enjoyed it, except for the swearing. I just enjoyed it.

Since its release, "She Talks To Angels" has enjoyed a healthy secondary career. You can hear the song in everything from karaoke to video games. It's a song that I haven't grown tired of, mostly because it's that good.

Lyrics:
She never mentions the word addiction
In certain company.
Yes, she'll tell you she's an orphan
After you meet her family.

She paints her eyes as black as night now.
She pulls those shades down tight.
Yeah, she gives me a smile when the pain comes.
The pain gonna make everything alright.

Says she talks to angels.
They call her out by her name.
Oh yeah, she talks to angels.
Says they call her out by her name.

She keeps a lock of hair in her pocket.
She wears a cross around her neck.
The hair is from a little boy,
And the cross from someone she has not met, well, not yet

Says she talks to angels.
They call her out by her name.
Oh yeah, she talks to angels.
Says they call her out by her name.

She don't know no lover,
None that I ever seen.
Yeah, to her that ain't nothing
But to me it means, means everything.

She paints her eyes as black as night now.
Pulls those shades down tight.
There's a smile when the pain comes.
Pain's gonna make everything alright.

Says she talks to angels.
They call her out by her name.
Oh yeah, she talks to angels.
Says they call her out by her name.