Blake Shelton has many hits, but his first time topping the country charts was with “Austin.” The lulling ballad instantly made headway with listeners, priming Shelton for an enduring career. Revisit the meaning behind this name-making hit, below.
Videos by American Songwriter
[RELATED: Blake Shelton Tour 2024: How to Buy Tickets and Upcoming Dates]
Behind the Meaning
“Austin” was penned by David Kent and Kirsti Manna and brought to life by Shelton. In classic country storytelling fashion, the lyrics tell the tale of a woman trying to reconnect with an old flame. Despite ending things on her terms and heading out west to clear her mind, she finds that the love she left was what she wanted. She calls him up only to get his voicemail. Like many country songs, the chorus buries the lede, waiting for the precise moment to reveal the kicker:
If you’re calling ’bout the car, I sold it
If this is Tuesday night I’m bowling
If you’ve got something to sell
You’re wasting your time, I’m not buying
If it’s anybody else, wait for the tone
You know what to do
And P.S. if this is Austin
I still love you
The song title has a double meaning. In the opening line, Shelton reveals the woman went back to Austin, the city. But, in the chorus, the voicemail message addresses the woman as “Austin.”
The next verse carries on the story chronologically. The woman is taken aback that her former partner is still in love with her: What kind of man would hang on that long / What kind of love that must be. It’s no surprise this song connected with listeners in the way that it did. Everyone loves a good heartwarming story. The final chorus suggests that the two will reconcile their issues.
If you’re calling ’bout my heart, it’s still yours
I should’ve listened to it a little more
Then it wouldn’t have taken me so long
To know where I belong
And by the way, boy
This is no machine you’re talking to
Can’t you tell, this is Austin
And I still love you
I still love you
“Austin” went No. 1 for five weeks on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. It even made it to the Top 20 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart, which is no easy feat for a country artist. It remains one of Shelton’s signature tunes—and for good reason. Country has no shortage of well-told stories, but Kent and Manna wowed with this one.
Photo by Justin Kahn/WireImage
