LUCILLE ~ KENNY ROGERS

"Lucille" is the title of a song written by Roger Bowling and Hal Bynum, and recorded by Kenny Rogers. It was released in January 1977 as the second and final single from the album Kenny Rogers. It became Rogers' first major hit as a solo artist after leaving the successful Country/Rock group The First Edition the previous year. An international hit, it reached #1 on the Billboard Country Singles chart and #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached the top of the UK singles chart in June 1977, Rogers’ second single to top a sales chart on that side of the Atlantic. The song tells the story of a wife and mother whom the unnamed protagonist (sung from Rogers' point of view) meets at a bar in Toledo, Ohio, and immediately lusts after. It is implied he plies her with drink, and she eventually reveals that she is in a mid-life crisis. The woman's husband enters the bar, and though according to the song, is physically able to do the protagonist harm, he instead emotionally chastises his wife for turning her back on her family and her responsibilities and then leaves quietly. In spite of this, the narrator still has feelings for the woman, and invites her back to his hotel. But as they are about to have sex, he finally gets cold feet, as her husband's words haunt him.