Birthday: December 25th, 1948

First #1 Hit: The Midnight Oil (1973)<… Read Full Bio ↴Birthday: December 25th, 1948

First #1 Hit: The Midnight Oil (1973)

From 1980 to 1981, she and her two sisters hosted the last successful variety show, "Barbara Mandrell & the Mandrell Sisters", on NBC.

In 1984, she and her two children were involved in a severe automobile accident, leaving her with serious injuries. All three were taken to Baptist Hospital in Nashville.

After giving her final concert performance at the Grand Old Opry House on October 23rd, 1997, she later moved into acting on the short lived soap opera, "Sunset Beach" on NBC.

In October 2006, she was honored with the release of a new tribute album "She Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool: A Tribute To Barbara Mandrell" on BNA Records.

Tonight My Baby's Coming Home
Barbara Mandrell Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Last night he called from Dallas he was havin' a beer at the Crystal Palace
He said honey you won't be alone for long
I got to make just one more stop to pick up a ring in Little Rock
And I'm gonna head this semi straight for home
Fourteen wheels a whinin' four big headlights shinin'
Him and that semi been away too long
Hope he don't get stop from speedin' cause I've got everything he's needin'
Waitin' for him right here at home

He's got that big ole engine singin' singin' my favorite song
And I know he's headin' my way rollin' down the highway
Tonight my baby's comin' home
[ guitar ]
Ten thousand miles I've missed him it's been a week since I kissed him
And forty truckstops since I held him tight
A million chicks and he can get 'em they want to make love and he won't let 'em
The only thing he wants he'll get tonight
He's got that big ole engine singin'...
And I know he's headin' my way rollin' down the highway
Tonight my baby's comin' home

And I know he's headin' my way rollin' down the highway
Tonight my baby's comin' home

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Barbara Mandrell's country song, "Tonight My Baby's Coming Home," tell the story of a woman eagerly awaiting the return of her trucker husband after a long absence. The song starts with him calling to let her know he's on his way home, having picked up a ring as a surprise for her. The lyrics paint a picture of his truck on the road, with its "fourteen wheels a whinin'" and "four big headlights shinin'," as he makes his way back to her.

The lyrics also show the depth of their love and commitment to each other, as the woman describes the many temptations her husband faces on the road, with "a million chicks" wanting him, but he remains faithful to her. She has been waiting for him, missing him for "ten thousand miles," and the only thing he wants is to be with her, as expressed in the lyrics "the only thing he wants he'll get tonight." The chorus repeats the excitement of her anticipation, "He's got that big ole engine singin' singin' my favorite song, and I know he's headin' my way rollin' down the highway, tonight my baby's comin' home."

Overall, the song is a celebration of a persevering love that endures despite distance and difficulty. It expresses the longing and anticipation for a loved one and the joy of being reunited. The lyrics capture the essence of a certain type of American life, where truckers and their families deal with the challenges of long-distance love and the joys of homecomings.

Line by Line Meaning

Last night he called from Dallas he was havin' a beer at the Crystal Palace
He called from Dallas and said he was having beer at the Crystal Palace.

He said honey you won't be alone for long
He assured her that she won't be alone for a long time.

I got to make just one more stop to pick up a ring in Little Rock
He mentioned that he had to make one more stop to pick up a ring in Little Rock.

And I'm gonna head this semi straight for home
He mentioned that he will now head straight for home with his semi.

Fourteen wheels a whinin' four big headlights shinin'
He described the truck that he is driving with fourteen wheels and four big headlights.

Him and that semi been away too long
He realizes that he and his truck have been away from home for too long.

Hope he don't get stop from speedin' cause I've got everything he's needin'
She hopes that he doesn't get stopped for speeding because she has got everything he needs at home.

Waitin' for him right here at home
She is waiting for him at home.

He's got that big ole engine singin' singin' my favorite song
He is driving with his big engine humming her favorite song.

And I know he's headin' my way rollin' down the highway
She knows he is coming her way, driving down the highway.

Tonight my baby's comin' home
She is excited that her baby is finally coming home.

Ten thousand miles I've missed him it's been a week since I kissed him
She mentions the distance and time that she has missed him since she last kissed him.

And forty truckstops since I held him tight
She mentions that she hasn't hugged him since he left and drove through 40 truck stops.

A million chicks and he can get 'em they want to make love and he won't let 'em
She says that even though other women may want to sleep with him, he only wants her.

The only thing he wants he'll get tonight
She is happy that he finally gets what he wants tonight.

And I know he's headin' my way rollin' down the highway
She knows that he is driving towards her along the highway.

Tonight my baby's comin' home
She reiterates her excitement that her baby is finally coming home tonight.

Lyrics © SHERRILL MUSIC
Written by: BILLY SHERRILL, GLEN SUTTON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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