Pay Phone
Austin Meade Lyrics
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DEA started hanging around
Fine cocaine, it covered every street
For the next state counties, it'd come through me
Church every Sunday, a God-fearing man
Lord up above figured out my plan
Man with two kids, and a third on the way's
Run through the mountains, and hide in the hills
Packed the kids and the wife in the automobile
Gas and the shop, and the matches on the pit
Turned a 30-year mortgage into smoldering bits
Some days I wanna tell the world
But I can't tell a soul
It wouldn't change a thing
And it wouldn't bring you home
My boys look up to their daddy with pride
They take after me like I did mine
Got her smile but they got my eyes
Mouths like sailors and a fightin' side
Some days I wanna tell the world
But I can't tell a soul
It wouldn't change a thing
And it wouldn't bring you home
22 miles due southeast
'Neath the shadow of a 60-year-old oak tree
My first love, sweet Savannah lies
Cold and blue on the dirt and dust
Can't raise my boys behind concrete
From pay phone call twice a week
Some days I wanna tell the world
But I can't tell a soul
It wouldn't change a thing
And it wouldn't bring you home
In Austin Meade's song "Pay Phone," the lyrics tell the story of a man who has turned to illegal activity to provide for his family after hard times fell on a town where drug-related problems became rampant. The first verse establishes the setting for the story, with a businessman and DEA agents present due to the town's drug problems. The man himself, however, is a church-going person who believes in God, but has resorted to illegal means to survive. He is a father of two with a third on the way, and holds down a regular job as well, punching eight hours a day.
The second verse describes how the man reasoned his way into criminal activity, saying that he started by running drugs through the mountains and hiding in the hills with his family. This soon escalated, with him even burning down his own house (which he had a 30-year mortgage on) to try and cover his tracks. He struggles with the weight of his wrongdoing and the desire to tell someone, but fears the consequences it would bring. The third verse reveals a heartbreaking twist, as the man's "first love," Savannah, lies dead and buried nearby, and he cannot raise his children around the criminal activity that has become his life. Despite his deep sadness and sense of despair, the man cannot tell anyone about the extent of his problems, and it won't bring Savannah back.
Overall, "Pay Phone" paints a vivid picture of a man who has been forced to make terrible choices in a society where drugs and crime run rampant, and he is unable to extricate himself or his children from the situation. The lyrics showcase the complex emotions he feels, from the guilt of his involvement in illegal activity, to the sadness of his lost love, and the pain of not being able to confide in anyone about his situation.
Line by Line Meaning
Businessman come to own this town
A wealthy businessman has taken control of the town
DEA started hanging around
The Drug Enforcement Agency has started to investigate the town for drug trafficking
Fine cocaine, it covered every street
The town is rife with cocaine which is sold all around
For the next state counties, it'd come through me
The artist is the go-to person for the distribution of cocaine to other counties
Church every Sunday, a God-fearing man
The artist appears to be a religious person who goes to church every Sunday
Lord up above figured out my plan
God knows what the singer is up to
Man with two kids, and a third on the way's
Supposed to get by punching eight hours every day
The singer is a family man, with two kids and expecting a third, who is supposed to earn a living by working eight hours a day
Run through the mountains, and hide in the hills
Packed the kids and the wife in the automobile
Gas and the shop, and the matches on the pit
Turned a 30-year mortgage into smoldering bits
The artist tries to run away with his family with whatever little resources he has in hand even though it means leaving everything he owned behind
My boys look up to their daddy with pride
They take after me like I did mine
Got her smile but they got my eyes
Mouths like sailors and a fightin' side
The artist's sons look up to him as a role model and have inherited both his positive and negative traits
22 miles due southeast
'Neath the shadow of a 60-year-old oak tree
My first love, sweet Savannah lies
Cold and blue on the dirt and dust
Can't raise my boys behind concrete
From pay phone call twice a week
The artist's former lover Savannah has passed away and the only way to keep in touch with his family is through a pay phone.
Some days I wanna tell the world
But I can't tell a soul
It wouldn't change a thing
And it wouldn't bring you home
The singer is acutely aware of the fact that no amount of remorse or confession can bring back his loved one
Contributed by Colin N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.