‘It Takes A Woman’ by Chris Stapleton - Lyrics & Meaning

Despite referencing all his flaws and imperfections in his 2023 single, ‘It Takes A Woman’, it's safe to say patience should not be counted as one of Chris Stapleton's defects.

The chart-topping, record-smashing, Diamond-certified crooner has been holding onto ‘It Takes A Woman’ for the best part of ten years, with Stapleton having performed it a number of times since he penned the ballad alongside Ronnie Bowman and Jerry Salley.

In July 2023, Chris Stapleton announced his brand new album, Higher, would be arriving on November 10 and - to fans’ delight - ‘It Takes A Woman’ appeared on the 14-song tracklist.

It sometimes feels like there are two sides to Stapleton's allure - the ferocious, thundering rocker that lights up tracks such as ‘White Horse’ and ‘Watch You Burn’, juxtaposing the sweet, romantic lover that drives the likes of ‘Tennessee Whiskey’ and ‘Joy of My Life’.

‘It Takes A Woman’ is unmistakably an instance of the latter, as Chris Stapleton serenades his wife and co-producer, Morgane, with a flurry of endearing compliments.

The third song to be released off Higher, following the comparatively uptempo ‘White Horse’ and ‘Think I'm In Love With You’, ‘It Takes A Woman’ immediately struck a chord with fans, and has already emerged as one of the undoubted highlights from the new record.

The composition of ’It Takes A Woman’ is pointedly stripped-back and intricate, with Chris Stapleton's distinctive, husky vocals cascading across a warm acoustic guitar.

The combination of the easygoing strums and Stapleton's charismatic, unhurried delivery allows each line plenty of room to breathe, giving the track a serene, peaceful ambience.

As Chris Stapleton seamlessly transitions into the chorus, the feeling of unbounded love and passion is heightened by the introduction of Morgane's beautiful harmonies.

This brings an accentuated sense of intimacy to ‘It Takes A Woman’, and symbolises the dependence on his wife that Stapleton sings so touchingly about throughout the ballad.

“Whenever I'm broken
Honey, you heal me
When I'm in the dark
You are the light”

Stapleton opens by movingly crediting his wife as the antidote to all his troubles, before going on to use the metaphor of Morgane being the light that illuminates the path whenever he's struggling to find his way out of the darkness.

“When I get lost
You know right where to find me
When I have my doubts
You make me believe”

Chris Stapleton continues this series of contrasts by outlining how Morgane knows exactly how to get to him when he's lost. It's interesting he chooses to depict Morgane as finding him, rather than crediting her as guiding him out of his quandary.

In taking this lyrical approach, Chris Stapleton emphasises how his wife is not only the person who can bring him onto surer footing, but she's also the one who knows how to get through to him in the first place, whenever he's in a state of uncertainty.

“It takes a woman
It takes a woman
A woman who sees
The best part of me
Through all that I am
It takes a woman
Oh, it takes a woman
To be all I can
To feel like a man
It takes a woman“

The Kentucky native takes the case of Morgane to seemingly make a broader point about the unique ability of “a woman” to help their husband to become the man they want to be.

Although the hook appears to revolve around a relatively unspecific statement, when singing about ‘a woman’, Stapleton is of course referring to his wife, rather than generalising.

It's poignant that he praises Morgane for seeing “the best part of me” and making him feel like the most confident version of himself, rather than trying to change him.

“You are my comfort
Whenever I'm troubled
When I'm alone
You are my friend”

This verse is reminiscent of Don Williams’ iconic track, ‘You're My Best Friend’, during which he sings, “You're my bread when I'm hungry / You're my shelter from troubled winds”.

Stapleton's ‘It Takes A Woman’ mirrors Williams’ own ode to one's wife, which was written by Wayland Holyfield, as he delves into how Morgane offers him reassurance and companionship.

“You make me high
And keep my feet on the ground
Whatever I need
You give it to me”

Arguably the most lyrically satisfying piece of juxtaposition in the song arrives in this verse, as Chris Stapleton describes how his wife gives him a feeling of sky-high elation and jubilance, while at the same time ensuring he always remains grounded.

Heartwarmingly, when asked by SiriusXM's The Highway whether there would be any duets on the new album, Chris Stapleton affably remarked, “There [are] no collaborations on the record. My wife is my eternal collaborator, so she’s on there singing with us as usual”.

As for the doting subject matter of the rose-tinted track, Chris Stapleton has spoken a number of times about the perfect symbiosis he enjoys with Morgane. For example, in a conversation with The New York Times in 2017, Stapleton explained, “We’re married so we hold each other accountable. We can lift each other up on bad nights, kind of give each other a wink when we screw up or do something funny”.

“Whenever I'm broken
Honey, you heal me
When I'm in the dark
You are the light
When I get lost
You know right where to find me
When I have my doubts
You make me believe

It takes a woman
It takes a woman
A woman who sees
The best part of me
Through all that I am
It takes a woman
Oh, it takes a woman
To be all I can
To feel like a man
It takes a woman

You are my comfort
Whenever I'm troubled
When I'm alone
You are my friend
You make me high
And keep my feet on the ground
Whatever I need
You give it to me

It takes a woman
It takes a woman
A woman who sees
The best part of me
Through all that I am
It takes a woman
Oh, it takes a woman
To be all I can
To feel like a man
It takes a woman
Oh, to be all I can
To feel like a man
It takes a woman”

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