Released: June 18, 1976
Songwriter: Wayne Walker Arlie Carter
Producer: Tom Dowd
[Verse 1]
You wouldn't read my letters if I wrote them
You ask me not to call you on the phone
But there's something I've been waiting for to tell you
So I wrote it in the words of this song
[Chorus]
I didn't know God made honky tonk angels
I might have known you'd never make a wife
You gave up the only one that ever loved you
And went on back to the wild side of life
[Verse 2]
The glamour of the gay nightlife has lured you
To the places where the wine and liquor flow
Where you wait to be somebody else's baby
And forget the truest love you'll ever know
[Chorus]
I didn't know God made honky tonk angels
I might have known you'd never make a wife
You gave up the only one that ever loved you
And went on back to the wild side of life
[Verse 3]
The glamour of the gay nightlife has lured you
To the places where the wine and liquor flow
Where you wait to be somebody else's baby
And forget the truest love you'll ever know
[Chorus]
I didn't know God made honky tonk angels
I might have known you'd never make a wife
You gave up the only one that ever loved you
And went on back to the wild side of life
You wouldn't read my letters if I wrote them
You ask me not to call you on the phone
But there's something I've been waiting for to tell you
So I wrote it in the words of this song
[Chorus]
I didn't know God made honky tonk angels
I might have known you'd never make a wife
You gave up the only one that ever loved you
And went on back to the wild side of life
[Verse 2]
The glamour of the gay nightlife has lured you
To the places where the wine and liquor flow
Where you wait to be somebody else's baby
And forget the truest love you'll ever know
[Chorus]
I didn't know God made honky tonk angels
I might have known you'd never make a wife
You gave up the only one that ever loved you
And went on back to the wild side of life
[Verse 3]
The glamour of the gay nightlife has lured you
To the places where the wine and liquor flow
Where you wait to be somebody else's baby
And forget the truest love you'll ever know
[Chorus]
I didn't know God made honky tonk angels
I might have known you'd never make a wife
You gave up the only one that ever loved you
And went on back to the wild side of life
more tracks from the album
A Night on the Town (Deluxe Edition)
- Tonight’s the Night (Gonna Be Alright)
- Fool for You (Early Version)
- The Balltrap (Early Version)
- The Wild Side of Life (Early Version)
- Pretty Flamingo (Early Version)
- Get Back (Early Version)
- Rosie
- Share (Studio Outtake)
- Big Bayou (Early Version)
- Trade Winds (Early Version)
- Tonight’s the Night (Gonna Be Alright) [Early Version]
- The First Cut Is the Deepest (Early Version)
- Big Bayou
- The First Cut Is the Deepest
- The Balltrap
- The Killing of Georgie, Pts. 1 & 2
- The Wild Side of Life
- Pretty Flamingo
- Trade Winds
- Fool for You
- The Killing of Georgie, Pt. 1 (Early Version)
- Rosie (Early Version)
From the albums
- A Night on the Town (Deluxe Edition) (1976)
- A Night on the Town (1976)
- Trilogy: Three Classic Albums (2005)
Rod Stewart popular songs
- I Don’t Want to Talk About It
- Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?
- Young Turks
- Maggie May
- Forever Young
- Love Is
- Sailing
- Handbags & Gladrags
- Da Ya Think I’m Sexy? (Remix)
- Maggie May (Live)
- Faith of the Heart
- Tonight’s the Night (Gonna Be Alright)
- Every Picture Tells a Story
- Have I Told You Lately
- Didn’t I
- Baby Jane
- You’re in My Heart (The Final Acclaim)
- The First Cut Is the Deepest
- When I Need You
- Downtown Train
- Rhythm of My Heart
- Hot Legs
- I Only Have Eyes for You
- Missing You