The narrator reflects on his lack of luck in picking up women and his desire to impress a waitress named Sonja. He wishes he could write a song about her, but ultimately she is gone forever, leaving him stuck with the unfulfilled desire to express his feelings for her.

Meaning of "Sonja" by Lyle Lovett

The lyrics of "Sonja" encapsulate the theme of unrequited love and missed opportunities. The narrator's longing for Sonja and his struggle to find the right words to express his feelings reflects a universal experience of yearning for someone who remains out of reach. The emphasis on wanting to impress her and the regret of not being able to do so effectively conveys the sense of longing and frustration that comes with unrequited love. The repetition of the need to impress her and the refrain to sing a song about Sonja highlights the narrator's desperate desire to make a connection with her, symbolizing the universal human desire for love and connection that often goes unfulfilled.