Callin
Garth Lyrics
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And though I'm out on the highway, my thoughts are still with her
Such a strange combination of a woman and a child
Such a strange situation stoppin' every hundred miles
Callin' Baton Rouge
A replay of last night's events roll through my mind
Except a scene or two erased by sweet red wine
I need a cup of coffee and a couple dollars change
Callin' Baton Rouge
Operator, won't you put me on through
I gotta send my love down to Baton Rouge
Hurry up, won't you put her on the line
I gotta talk to the girl just one more time
Hello, Samantha dear, I hope you're feelin' fine
And it won't be long until I'm with you all the time
But until then, I'll spend my money up right down to my last dime
Callin' Baton Rouge
Operator, won't you put me on through
I gotta send my love down to Baton Rouge
Hurry up, won't you put her on the line
I gotta talk to the girl just one more time
Callin' Baton Rouge
Sweet Baton Rouge
My Baton Rouge, oh oh oh
The lyrics to Garth Brooks's song Callin' Baton Rouge revolve around the story of a man who spent the previous night with a woman in Louisiana. Even though he's currently on a highway far away from her, he can't stop thinking about her. The woman seems to have a childlike innocence about her, which creates an odd juxtaposition with her being a romantic interest. This strange new situation prompts the man to frequently stop every hundred miles on his journey. As he approaches a truck stop, he realizes he needs some coffee and a few dollars in change. As he steps out of the car, he knows he needs to call Baton Rouge to talk to his love interest. He needs to hear her voice, which makes him feel more connected to her. He can't wait to see her again, but in the meantime, he'll have to make do with what he's got at his disposal.
The lyrics present a picture of a man who is both in love and physically distant from his lover. By calling Baton Rouge and talking to his dear Samantha on the phone, he feels a little less disconnected from her. The song's backstory, however, was not about love but about football. It was originally recorded by The Oak Ridge Boys, a Country Gospel group, in 1978. The original song was referencing the LSU Tigers football team and its fans when they were callin' Baton Rouge while playing at home. Brooks heard the Oak Ridge Boys' song when he was opening for them. Brooks then recorded his own version of the song in 1993 for his album In Pieces, which went on to become a smash-hit.
Line by Line Meaning
I spent last night in the arms of a girl in Louisiana
Last night, I was physically intimate with a woman in Louisiana
And though I'm out on the highway, my thoughts are still with her
Even though I am currently driving on the highway, my mind is focused on thoughts of her
Such a strange combination of a woman and a child
She is a unique combination of being both a mature woman and youthful in spirit
Such a strange situation stoppin' every hundred miles
The frequency of my stops on this journey is unusual, causing me to ponder my situation
Callin' Baton Rouge
I am making a phone call to Baton Rouge
A replay of last night's events roll through my mind
Memories of what we did last night play over and over in my head
Except a scene or two erased by sweet red wine
Some of the details are hazy, perhaps because of the effects of the wine we drank
And I see a truck stop sign ahead, so I change lanes
I notice a sign for a rest stop up ahead, prompting me to switch lanes to exit the highway
I need a cup of coffee and a couple dollars change
I require coffee to wake me up, and some small bills for the vending machines
Operator, won't you put me on through
I am asking the operator to connect me to my desired recipient
I gotta send my love down to Baton Rouge
I want to convey a message of love to the person in Baton Rouge
Hurry up, won't you put her on the line
I am requesting the operator to expedite connecting the call so I can speak to her
I gotta talk to the girl just one more time
I need to have one more conversation with her, as if it could be our last
Hello, Samantha dear, I hope you're feelin' fine
I address the person on the other line by name and express my wishes for her well-being
And it won't be long until I'm with you all the time
I reassure her that we will be together soon and often
But until then, I'll spend my money up right down to my last dime
Until we are reunited, I plan to spend all the money I have left to stay connected to her
Sweet Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge is special and dear to me
My Baton Rouge, oh oh oh
I love Baton Rouge and everything it represents to me
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Dennis Linde
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Danimal1177
"Hello Samantha, dear, I hope you're doing fine!" That still gives me chills!
@sammioj6911
I'm named after this line. ❤️
@bigbossman7991
Likewise 😉
@Eline_Meijer
Grow up
@edrinablissg
Always does to me
@Krop_King
i wish my name was Samantha just so i'd be in a garth brooks song
@s.e.ecanada3558
its a testament to Garth - all his same bandmates from back in the day and his college Roommate Ty England!
@johndoe-ih4pm
Except the background singers are replaced, and one fired now.
@Andy28548
and not origional violinist...origionally piano player in back left corner
@jenij1287
When this gets played at an LSU football game, its just everything! being an study abroad student there for a year and hearing this and the crowd go absolutely WILD was just the besttttttttttttttttttttt