Ives began his career as an itinerant singer and guitarist, eventually launching his own radio show, The Wayfaring Stranger, which popularized traditional folk songs. In 1942, he appeared in Irving Berlin's This Is the Army and became a major star of CBS Radio. In the 1960s, he successfully crossed over into country music, recording hits such as "A Little Bitty Tear" and "Funny Way of Laughin'". Ives was also a popular film actor through the late 1940s and '50s. His film roles included parts in So Dear to My Heart (1948) and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958), as well as the role of Rufus Hannassey in The Big Country (1958), for which he won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
Ives is often associated with the Christmas season. He did voice-over work as Sam the Snowman, narrator of the classic 1964 Christmas television special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Ives also worked on the special's soundtrack, including the songs "A Holly Jolly Christmas" and "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer", both of which continue to chart annually on the Billboard holiday charts into the 2020s.
Call Me Mr. In Between
Burl Ives Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Pickin's mighty lean, Mr. In-Between)
Well, I'm too old for girls and I'm too young for women
I've looked all around and my hopes are a-dimmin'
I feel like a fish not allowed any swimmin'
And it makes a fella mean
To feel he's a part of the Lost Generation
I feel like a choo-choo that can't find the station
They call me Mr. In-Between
(Mr. In-Between, Mr. In-Between)
(Makes a fella mean, Mr. In-Between)
Got a hotrod Chevy with a twin carburetor
And I know a gal that's a real sharp tomater
And she's got a Daddy with a Caddy that'll date 'er
You see what I mean
Those sweet little things just set me a-droolin'
I'm too big for sodas and I'm too old for schoolin'
Too young for lovin' but I'm too old for foolin'
They call me Mr. In-Between
(Mr. In-Between, Mr. In-Between)
(Tries to live so clean, Mr. In-Between)
I feel like a sailboat kept in a bottle
I feel like an engineer that can't find the throttle
I'm too small to walk but I'm too big to toddle
And, Lordy, I'm turnin' green
To see all the men makin' time with the ladies
The high school kids at the show with their babies
While I run around like a dog with the rabies
They call me Mr. In-Between
(Mr. In-Between, Mr. In-Between)
(Better leave the scene, Mr. In-Between)
In "Call Me Mr. In Between," Burl Ives laments his position as a man in limbo, in between the stages of life, unable to find his place. Ives sings that he's "too old for girls and too young for women," feeling like he's part of the "Lost Generation." He can't find a girlfriend and is stuck in a state of confusion, frustration, and loneliness. His hotrod Chevy has twin carburetors, and he knows a "real sharp tomater," but her father has a Cadillac that will take her out on dates, leaving Ives alone once again.
The lyrics suggest a sense of aimlessness and disorientation, with Ives feeling like a sailboat in a bottle or an engineer without a throttle. He's too small to walk but too big to toddle, and he's turning green with envy watching other men enjoying the company of women. The song has a lighthearted tone, but the lyrics express a real sense of pain and longing for someone to share his life with. "Call Me Mr. In Between" is a timeless song that anyone who's ever felt left out and alone can relate to.
Line by Line Meaning
Mr. In-Between, Mr. In-Between
The title of the song, highlighting the singer's feeling of being stuck in the middle
Pickin's mighty lean, Mr. In-Between
There are few options available for the singer
Well, I'm too old for girls and I'm too young for women
The singer feels stuck in an age range where they're not sure what they want or what's appropriate for them
I've looked all around and my hopes are a-dimmin'
Despite searching, the artist has lost hope in finding someone or something to fit their in-between status
I feel like a fish not allowed any swimmin'
The artist feels trapped and unable to do what they want
And it makes a fella mean
Their frustration is turning to bitterness
To feel he's a part of the Lost Generation
The singer identifies with a generation that struggled to find their way after World War I
I feel like a choo-choo that can't find the station
The artist feels lost and without direction
I work like a dog with no recreation
The artist feels like they're working hard with nothing to show for it
They call me Mr. In-Between
Reinforcing the song's title and the artist's status
Got a hotrod Chevy with a twin carburetor
The singer has a flashy car but still feels incomplete
And I know a gal that's a real sharp tomater
The artist knows a woman who catches their eye
And she's got a Daddy with a Caddy that'll date 'er
The woman's father can provide her with luxurious things, which the singer can't
You see what I mean
The singer wants the listener to understand their position
Those sweet little things just set me a-droolin'
The singer is attracted to young women, but feels it's inappropriate for them to act on it
I'm too big for sodas and I'm too old for schoolin'
The artist feels too mature for certain activities, but too young for others
Too young for lovin' but I'm too old for foolin'
The artist feels unsure of where they fit in the world of romance
They call me Mr. In-Between
Repeating the song's title yet again, as a reminder of the singer's status
I feel like a sailboat kept in a bottle
An image of being trapped and unable to move
I feel like an engineer that can't find the throttle
A metaphor for feeling stuck and powerless
I'm too small to walk but I'm too big to toddle
Feeling like they don't quite fit into any category
And, Lordy, I'm turnin' green
Green with envy, frustrated with their situation
To see all the men makin' time with the ladies
Watching other men successfully pursue women is upsetting for the singer
The high school kids at the show with their babies
Again, the artist feels like everyone else has figured out how to navigate romance except for them
While I run around like a dog with the rabies
Describing themselves as aimlessly searching and unhappy
They call me Mr. In-Between
Reinforcing the song's title and the singer's status for the final time
Better leave the scene, Mr. In-Between
The singer feels the best option is to remove themselves from their current situation
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: HOWARD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@allenmurray7893
For some reason, I was thinking about this song today ( 22 Nov 22 ). I remember when it came out in the early sixties. Even the rock stations played it. Fine song, fine singer. I never realized that Harlan Howard, an excellent country writer, wrote it.
@hecklerproductions9517
Anything by Burl is always amazing… RIP Burl… you made the greatest musician hits I’ll always enjoy…
@bruehahaha
....I'm a rocker and I love Burl Ives .....can't think of Christmas without hearing his reassuring voice....sighhhh....we need that these days....
@KittnzNChz
Whenever i hear this song i always go back to those long car rides with my grandpa before he passed away. A part of this song will always belong to him, and me, and those drawn out summers that i didn't want to end.
@hunt4muleys
My grandpa is alive but this is one of his songs he plays 😔 when he dies I'll remember him by those long car rides with him ☺️
@hunt4muleys
☺️☺️☺️
@reyknudson7091
I STILL LOVE THIS SONG BY THE LATE AND GREAT ACTOR, SINGER AND STORY TELLER BURL IVES!! R.I.P. BURL IVES! THANKS FOR SHARING! R.K. 3/17/2021.
@1949yorkielover
I loved Burl Ives songs. His music always seemed to play over and over in your mind. I wish we had singers like him today.
@mr.warmth1511
+1949yorkielover he was in a great movie called wind across the everglades see it if you get chance
@dynamic881964
My grandma used to play this all the time when I was a kid I LOVE IT !!! Thanks for sharing it !!! :-)