Long distance information, give me Memphis, Tennessee
Help me find the party trying to get in touch with me
She could not leave her number, but I know who placed the call
'Cause my uncle took the message and he wrote it on the wall

Help me, information, get in touch with my Marie
She's the only one who'd phone me here from Memphis Tennessee
Her home is on the south side, high up on a ridge
Just a half a mile from the Mississippi Bridge

Help me, information, more than that I cannot add
Only that I miss her and all the fun we had
But we were pulled apart because her mom did not agree
And tore apart our happy home in Memphis, Tennessee

Last time I saw Marie she's waving me goodbye
With hurry home drops on her cheek that trickled from her eye
Marie is only six years old, information please
Try to put me through to her in Memphis, Tennessee


Lyrics submitted by peacewarrior21

Memphis Tennessee Lyrics as written by Chuck Berry

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, ENTERTAINMENT ONE U.S. LP

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Memphis, Tennessee song meanings
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11 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment

    Can anyone tell me whether this is a young boy talking about his girlfriend, or a man talking about his daughter?

    ShineYouDiamondon August 27, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    As far as i know it's a guy talking about his daughter. Aren't there more verses?

    deranged_66on September 24, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    It is about his daughter. This line indicates it: And tore apart our happy home in Memphis Tennessee

    I assume there was a breakup and she got the daughter.

    D_Caton December 17, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    It's clearly a break up and the mother doesn't want him to see his daughter. No girlfriend could be six years old! I thought this song's name was 'Memphis Tennessee', not just 'Memphis'.

    Tiger Kingon May 06, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    this song has always made me think of elvis and lisa marie presley.

    starfckangelon June 25, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I agree with Tiger and deranged. Seems to be a man trying to contact his daughter after a divorce where the wife got custody of the little girl. Awesome song.

    MrLongroveon June 26, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Then again, it could be a about a little boy is calling information to find out about the little girl he was in love with. The happy home could have been an imaginary one for the author and little Marie.

    MrLongroveon June 26, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I always thought the mom was his mother-in-law, but Tiger is right: He wouldn't sing about a romance with a six-year-old - even if it had been written in this era.

    'Little Marie' is the sequel to this song, and gives the second half of the story. The mom calls and leaves a message with his uncle; he calls her back and she asks him to come back and provide financial support.

    Jesdiscipleon June 05, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Woops, I thought they were about the same call but they're not. Sometime after this song, she makes a collect call and asks him to come back.

    Jesdiscipleon June 05, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I originally thought of this song in a different context i.e. he's a little boy and Marie is his white playdate. He does sing in a gentler voice for the song, kind of like a kid.

    ascribe2thelordon January 05, 2010   Link

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