I Wanna Make Her Love Me

This is a song of unrequited love, in a manner of speaking.  But the dilemma that Stevie is facing doesn’t read as if the apple of his eye is disinterested.  Rather, as implied in the second first, she’s from a different, higher class.  Or a simpler way of understanding the situation, all lyrics considered, is that this girl is “rich” and used to the finer things in life.  That’s why Stevie is “(working) three jobs trying to get what might please her”.  And that would also be the basis of why he’s intimidated by the likes of “Baby Face Pete” and “Lou”, the latter of whom “gave her… a diamond ring the other week”.  By the looks of things this girl is pretty hot stuff, “a ditty and as pretty as Mona Lisa”.  So the vocalist, to his chagrin, has competition for her heart who are better financed than he is.

But Stevie doesn’t sound like he’s about to give up.  His “papa used to tell him that a man could do anything he ever put his heart into”, and the singer is using that encouragement in pursuit of his elusive sweetheart.  Also, he’s banking on her realizing and appreciating that unlike the other guys, his love is “true”, with the singer coming off as if he’s ready to settle down with her for life.