Brooks was a phenomenal musical force in the 1990s. He had his chart breakthrough in 1989, having come apparently from nowhere, and was an immediate commercial success. Lacking the tall and lanky physical appearance typical of some male country stars, he successfully integrated pop and rock elements into his recordings and live performances. He soon began to dominate the country singles and country albums charts and quickly crossed over into the mainstream pop arena, selling records like no one else in country music ever had and exposing country music to a larger audience than previously thought possible.
Brooks enjoyed one of the most successful careers in popular music history, with over 70 hit singles and 15 charted albums to his credit and over 115 million albums sold in the US alone, breaking records for both sales and concert attendance throughout the 1990s. Possibly dissatisfied and looking to expand his career boundaries, he then attempted an artistically ambitious (but uncompleted) multimedia project involving a fictitious alter ego.
Troubled by the conflicts between career and family, the year after the decade ended Garth Brooks announced his retirement from recording and performing, thereby disappearing from the music world as suddenly as he had come.
Recently he has announced his return to live performances by agreeing to a 5 year 15 show a year contract in Vegas. His plan is to finish this contract, write some new stuff, and wait for his youngest daughter to go off to school, and then he plans to return to touring with his wife.
Much Too Young
Garth Brooks Lyrics
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Seems there ain't no end in sight
To sleep would be best, but I just can't afford to rest
I've got to ride in Denver tomorrow night
I called the house but no one answered
For the last two weeks no one's been home
I guess she's through with me, to tell the truth I just can't see
And the white line's getting longer and the saddle's getting cold
I'm much too young to feel this damn old
All my cards are on the table with no ace left in the hole
I'm much too young to feel this damn old
The competition's getting younger
Tougher broncs, you know I can't recall
The worn out tape of Chris LeDoux, lonely women and bad booze
Seem to be the only friends I've left at all
And the white line's getting longer and the saddle's getting cold
I'm much too young to feel this damn old
All my cards are on the table with no ace left in the hole
I'm much too young to feel this damn old
Lord, I'm much too young to feel this damn old
The lyrics to Garth Brooks's song, Much Too Young, are a tale of a man who is feeling the toll of time and the realities of his choices in life. The song tells a story of a man who is on the road constantly, working hard to make ends meet, and yet he still feels like he has nothing to show for it. He is tired, both physically and mentally, and the long highway that stretches out before him seems to have no end in sight. He longs for rest, but he cannot afford to take the time off.
The man's personal life is in shambles. When he tries to reach out to his family, there is no answer, and he realizes that no one has been home for two weeks. He regrets his actions and feels that his wife has given up on him; he cannot see what had kept her holding on this long. His once happy life has been stripped away, and all he has left are his lonely thoughts and the road, with nothing but his horse and the radio for company. He is much too young, he believes, to feel this damn old.
The lyrics showcase the dispirited nature of the man's life, the strain of working hard to make a living, and the toll these factors take on his emotional well-being. It captures the feelings of exhaustion, loneliness, and inadequacy that become more profound the longer he continues down his current path.
Line by Line Meaning
This ol' highway's getting longer
The journey ahead seems never-ending
Seems there ain't no end in sight
There doesn't seem to be any destination in sight
To sleep would be best, but I just can't afford to rest
As tired as I am, I can't afford to stop and rest
I've got to ride in Denver tomorrow night
I have to be in Denver for an event tomorrow night
I called the house but no one answered
I tried contacting my home but no one picked up
For the last two weeks no one's been home
No one has been seen or heard from at my home for the past two weeks
I guess she's through with me, to tell the truth I just can't see
I believe my significant other has left me, but I don't understand why
What's kept the woman holding on this long
I am unsure why she stayed with me for so long
And the white line's getting longer and the saddle's getting cold
The road is taking a toll on me emotionally and physically
I'm much too young to feel this damn old
I feel older than my age due to my experiences and hardships
All my cards are on the table with no ace left in the hole
I have put everything I have into this, but I have no backup plan
The competition's getting younger
The people around me seem to be getting younger while I am aging
Tougher broncs, you know I can't recall
The broncos I used to ride seem to be getting tougher, and I can't remember why I started doing this in the first place
The worn out tape of Chris LeDoux, lonely women and bad booze
The only things keeping me company now are the music of Chris LeDoux, feeling lonely, and drinking too much
Seem to be the only friends I've left at all
I don't have any real friends left, only these vices to help me cope
Lord, I'm much too young to feel this damn old
I feel like I have lived a lifetime, but I am still young and have so much ahead of me.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: GARTH BROOKS, RANDY TAYLOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind