John Michael Montgomery (born January 20, 1965, in Danville, Kentucky is an… Read Full Bio ↴John Michael Montgomery (born January 20, 1965, in Danville, Kentucky is an American country music artist. He has produced more than thirty singles on the Billboard country charts, including two of Billboard’s Number One country singles of the year: "I Swear" (1994) and "Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident)" (1995).

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.

When Your Baby ain't Around
John Michael Montgomery Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I don't recall the icebox ever humming quite so loud
That clock upon the wall, sounding like a crowd
My that dog is restless
He don't ever settle down
Now ain't it strange what occupies your mind
When your baby ain't around

When your baby ain't around

I swear the moon and stars won't shine
And nights get longer all the time
I'm so lonesome missing you
If you wanna know the truth
I never thought I'd ever be this down
That's all my body's got a mind to do
Now that my baby ain't around

I don't recall this bedroom ever being quite so large
Or this big old mattress ever sleeping quite so hard
My the days come early
When your sleep is less than sound
Dreams don't seem to matter much at all
When your baby ain't around

When your baby ain't around
I swear the moon and stars won't shine
And nights get longer all the time
I'm so lonesome missing you
If you wanna know the truth
I never thought I'd ever be this down
That's all my body's got a mind to do
Now that my baby ain't around

When your baby ain't around
I swear the moon and stars won't shine
And nights get longer all the time
I'm so lonesome missing you
If you wanna know the truth
I never thought I'd ever be this down
That's all my body's got a mind to do
Now that my baby ain't around

Well, that's all my body's got a mind to do
Now that my baby ain't around

Now that my baby ain't around
Now that my baby ain't around
Now that my baby ain't around

My baby baby ain't around
Now that my baby ain't around

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to John Michael Montgomery's song "When Your Baby Ain't Around" convey the feelings of loneliness and longing that a person experiences when their partner is not with them. The first verse describes the intrusive and almost unbearable sounds that take over the otherwise peaceful surroundings, such as the humming of the icebox and the ticking of the clock. These sounds amplify the silence left by the absence of the loved one. The second verse highlights how the bed and the mattress feel empty and uncomfortable without the presence of the loved one, leading to sleepless nights and lonely days. The chorus emphasizes the magnitude of the emotions felt during this time - the moon and stars lose their shine, and the person feels lonelier than they ever thought they could be.

The language used in the lyrics makes the emotions quite relatable, with the use of simple yet powerful images like the "icebox humming" and "big old mattress ever sleeping quite so hard." The repetition of the chorus accentuates the emotions further, making it a poignant ballad about the power of love.

Line by Line Meaning

I don't recall the icebox ever humming quite so loud
The silence is broken by the noise of the refrigerator. It is the only thing in the room making noise.

That clock upon the wall, sounding like a crowd
The sound of the clock ticking is echoing in the silence of the room and feels louder than usual.

My that dog is restless. He don't ever settle down
The dog is unable to relax and is constantly moving or making noise, adding to the tension of the empty house.

Now ain't it strange what occupies your mind, When your baby ain't around
One's thoughts can become consumed with trivial and unimportant things when feeling lonely without their significant other.

When your baby ain't around, I swear the moon and stars won't shine, And nights get longer all the time, I'm so lonesome missing you
The absence of one's loved one makes even the celestial bodies feel less bright and the nights longer. The feeling of loneliness is overwhelming.

If you wanna know the truth, I never thought I'd ever be this down
The depth of one's sadness and loneliness is unexpected and surprising to them.

That's all my body's got a mind to do, Now that my baby ain't around
One's entire being is consumed by the emptiness they feel without their significant other, leaving little room for anything else.

I don't recall this bedroom ever being quite so large, Or this big old mattress ever sleeping quite so hard
The space and comfort of the bedroom are now unfamiliar and unwelcoming without their loved one to share it with.

My the days come early, When your sleep is less than sound, Dreams don't seem to matter much at all, When your baby ain't around
The absence of one's significant other can lead to restless sleep and a lack of meaningful dreams, making the days seem longer and harder to face.

Well, that's all my body's got a mind to do, Now that my baby ain't around
Without their loved one, one's entire being feels consumed by the emptiness, leaving little room for anything else to occupy their thoughts or actions.

Now that my baby ain't around
The pain of missing one's significant other remains constant and all-encompassing.

My baby baby ain't around
The repetition of the phrase reinforces the all-encompassing pain of missing one's significant other and the constant thoughts of their absence.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BOB ALAN, STAN JR. MUNSEY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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