Long Distance Call
Muddy Waters Lyrics


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You say you love me, darling
Please, call me on the phone sometime
You say you love me, darling
Please, call me on the phone sometime
When I hear your voice
Ease my worried mind

One of these days
I'm gonna show you how nice a man can be
One of these days
I'm gonna show you just how nice a man can be
I'm gonna buy you a brand new Cadillac
If you only speak some good words about me

Hear my phone ringing
Sound like a long-distance call
Hear my phone keep ringing
Sound like a long-distance call





When I picked up my receiver
The party said "another mule kicking in your stall"

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Muddy Waters's song Long Distance Call speak to the theme of wanting to hear from someone who is far away but loves you. He pleads with his beloved to call him because he needs to hear her voice to ease his worried mind. The repetition of the line "Please, call me on the phone sometime" emphasizes his desire for her to reach out to him. The first verse also highlights the power of words to soothe us, as Muddy notes that hearing her voice has a calming effect on him.


In the second verse, Muddy makes a promise to show her "how nice a man can be." He plans to do so by buying her a brand-new Cadillac, which shows that he is willing to go to great lengths to prove his love to her. He also acknowledges that her words hold a lot of weight and that he hopes she will speak positively about him. This is likely because he understands that her opinion will impact the way others view him, and he wants to be seen in a positive light.


The final verse takes a darker turn, as Muddy receives a long-distance call that brings bad news. The metaphor of "another mule is kicking in your stall" suggests that something has gone wrong on his property, and he needs to tend to it. This verse brings some tension to the song, as it disrupts the romantic tone of the previous verses.


Overall, Long Distance Call is a song about longing to hear from someone you love but is far away. It explores the power of words to comfort and hurt us, and the lengths we are willing to go to prove our love.


Line by Line Meaning

You say you love me darling
The singer is addressing their lover and acknowledging that they have expressed love for them.


Please, call me on the phone sometime
The singer is requesting that their lover reach out to them via phone at some point in time.


When I hear your voice
The singer is stating that they find comfort in hearing their lover's voice.


Ease my worried mind
The artist is implying that their lover has the ability to calm their anxieties.


One of these days
The artist is expressing that an event will occur in the future, although not specifying when that will happen.


I'm gonna show you how nice a man can be
The singer is promising to demonstrate kindness to their lover in a way that they have not experienced before.


I'm gonna buy you a brand-new Cadillac
The singer is committing to purchasing their lover a new car as a gesture of their affection.


If you only speak some good words about me
The artist is implying that their actions are dependent on their lover speaking kindly of them to others.


Hear my phone ringing
The artist is identifying that their phone is currently ringing.


Sound like a long-distance call
The artist is identifying that the call they are receiving is likely coming from someone who is far away.


When I picked up my receiver
The singer is describing the action of answering the phone.


The party said 'another mule is kicking in your stall'
The artist is quoting what the person on the other end of the line said, which is likely a euphemism for trouble or problems.




Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: MC KINLEY MORGANFIELD

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@MSCrumeMSC

Lyrics:

You say you love me darling
Please, call me on the phone sometime
You say you love me darling
Please, call me on the phone sometime
When I hear your voice
Ease my worried mind
One of these days
I'm going to show you how nice a man can be
One of these days
I'm going to show you just how nice a man can be
I'm going to buy you a brand, new Cadillac
If you only speak some good words about me
Hear my phone ringing
Sound like a long distance call
Hear my phone keep ringing
Sound like a long distance call
When I picked up my receiver
The party said another mule kicking in your stall



All comments from YouTube:

@tonyspada2744

Had a great time meeting Muddy and his wife Marva in 77. Drank some champagne with them. I was a guest on his Hard Again tour. A few friends were in the band. Johnny Winter,James Cotton etc. Was a real treat getting to meet him. I was a blues guitarist at that point.

@williamclark6233

Champagne & reefer?

@PERKIODURKIO

Thank you for sharing

@malcolmcrotty3387

What an honor!

@tonyspada2744

@@PERKIODURKIO you're very welcome. Muddy received a Grammy for that album that Johnny produced. 🎼🎸😊

@adamlthompson4966

The opening riff of the song had every single rock song ever made inside it. Heavy metal included!

@susandavidson3344

not sure I really understand that -- sure'd like to --

@chrishuber8374

@@susandavidson3344 I heard a lick from Led Zeppelin's "You Shook Me" in there. Perhaps something like that is what Adam meant!

@rebeccawagner4167

Muddy Waters, is the blues, and that's a fact🎉🎉.He's just the real deal, no glitz no glamor, just real blues music at it's finest 🎉🎉. RIP,Muddy Waters, play the blues up in heaven 🎉🎉

@SleepyArchaeology-kg4vl

Muddy Waters was the boss man way way before anybody else.
I particularly enjoy muddy Waters with James Cotton and Johnny Winter all on the same disc same song.
It's outstanding😮

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