Besides these two songs, five more of Montgomery's singles have reached the top of the country charts: "I Love the Way You Love Me", "Be My Baby Tonight", "If You've Got Love", "I Can Love You Like That", and "The Little Girl", while thirteen more have reached Top Ten. Montgomery's recordings of "I Swear" and "I Can Love You Like That" were both released concurrently with R&B versions by the group All-4-One. Montgomery has also released eleven studio albums, counting a Christmas album.
John Michael joined the family band (which also included his brother, Eddie Montgomery, who would later join Troy Gentry in the duo Montgomery Gentry) as guitarist before taking the lead singing role when his parents divorced. Afterwards, he made a frugal living on the local honky-tonk scene as a solo artist playing what he referred to as "working man's country." Eventually, Atlantic Records signed him.
Sold
John Michael Montgomery Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where I saw something I just had to have
My mind told me I should proceed with caution
But my heart said, "Go ahead and make a bid on that"
And I said
"Hey pretty lady, won't you give me a sign?
I'd give anything to make you mine o' mine
Yeah, I've never seen anyone lookin' so fine
Man, I gotta have her she's a one of a kind
I'm goin' once, goin' twice, I'm sold
To the lady in the second row
She's an eight, she's a nine, she's a ten, I know
She's got ruby red lips, blonde hair, blue eyes
And I'm about to bid my heart goodbye
Well, the auctioneer was goin' about a mile a minute
He was takin' bids and callin' them out loud
And I guess I was really gettin' in it
'Cause I just shouted out above the crowd
And I said
"Hey pretty lady, won't you give me a sign?
I'd give anything to make you mine o' mine
I'll do your biddin' and be at your beck and call"
Yeah, I've never seen anyone lookin' so fine
Man, I gotta have her she's a one of a kind
I'm goin' once, goin' twice, I'm sold
To the lady in the long black dress
Plus she won my heart, it was no contest
With her ruby red lips, blonde hair, blue eyes
Well, I'm about to bid my heart goodbye
Yeah, we found love on the auction block
And I hauled her heart away
And we still love and laugh about the way we met that day
When I said
"Hey pretty lady, won't you give me a sign?
I'd give anything to make you mine o' mine
I'll do your biddin' and be at your beck and call"
Yeah, I've never seen anyone lookin' so fine
Man, I gotta have her she's a one of a kind
I'm goin' once, goin' twice, I'm sold
To the lady in the second row
She's an eight, she's a nine, she's a ten I know
She's got ruby red lips, blonde hair, blue eyes
And I'm about to bid my heart goodbye
The song “Sold” by John Michael Montgomery is a story about a man who goes to an auction and falls in love at first sight with a woman in the second row. Despite knowing nothing about her, he bids and wins her love “on the auction block”. The man admits that his mind told him to proceed with caution since he knew nothing about the woman, but his heart overruled this voice of reason.
Montgomery’s vocals set the tone for the song, coaxing the listener to relax and let them tell the story. A particularly interesting aspect of the song comes in the off-hand way that the man makes his decision to bid on the woman. It seems less like a conscious decision and more like he was under some sort of spell the moment he saw her. The line “My mind told me I should proceed with caution, but my heart said, go ahead and make a bid on that,” emphasizes that spell and creates a kind of tension that lasts through the song.
Another significant feature of the song is the auctioneer who reminds the listener of an old Western scene with his fast talking and high energy. He creates a sense of urgency and excitement, and it’s not hard to imagine the adrenaline rush in the man hearing the auctioneer’s rapid-fire speech. The auctioneer calling out the bids is more than just a background sound, he’s an integral part of the story. Overall, “Sold” is a catchy tune that tells the classic story of love at first sight in a fun and entertaining way.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I went down to the Grundy County Auction
The singer traveled to the Grundy County Auction, signifying his desire to acquire something.
Where I saw something I just had to have
At the auction, the singer saw something desirable and worth acquiring.
My mind told me I should proceed with caution
Despite his eagerness, the singer was aware of the risks involved in pursuing the acquisition.
But my heart said, "Go ahead and make a bid on that"
The artist's heart overruled his logical mind and encouraged him to pursue the acquisition at the auction.
"Hey pretty lady, won't you give me a sign?
The artist found a desirable lady at the auction and he is seeking for an indication that she is interested in him.
I'd give anything to make you mine o' mine
The singer wants the lady to be his and is willing to give everything he has to achieve that.
"I'll do your biddin' and be at your beck and call"
The singer offers to do everything the lady desires, signifying his unconditional love for her.
Yeah, I've never seen anyone lookin' so fine
The artist is enthralled by the lady's physical appearance and has never seen anyone as attractive as her.
Man, I gotta have her she's a one of a kind
The artist considers the lady to be unique and irreplaceable, and is determined to acquire her.
I'm goin' once, goin' twice, I'm sold
The artist wins the auction for the lady, indicating his successful acquisition of the lady's affection.
To the lady in the second row
The singer identifies the lady he won at the auction, who was seated in the second row.
She's an eight, she's a nine, she's a ten, I know
The artist believes that the lady he acquired is incredibly attractive, scoring between an eight and a ten on the beauty scale.
She's got ruby red lips, blonde hair, blue eyes
The singer describes the lady's physical features, further emphasizing her attractiveness.
And I'm about to bid my heart goodbye
The singer is completely infatuated with the lady he acquired, signifying his willingness to give up everything for her.
Plus she won my heart, it was no contest
The singer admits that the lady he acquired had already won his heart, and it was an easy victory for her.
Yeah, we found love on the auction block
The artist and the lady he acquired found love through the act of bidding, implying that love can be discovered in unexpected places.
And I hauled her heart away
The artist successfully won the heart of the lady he acquired, meaning he can take it away with him.
And we still love and laugh about the way we met that day
The singer and the lady he acquired still share love and rejoice in the way they met.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Richard William Fagan, Robert Wilson Royer
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind