The song tells an intriguing story of a failed relationship and a new and questionable direction for the woman, Sylvia. Why is her mother so protective and why is she marrying this “fella down Galveston way” when she clearly doesn’t want to? Why did the relationship with the caller, who still loves her, fail?

The snatches of this story are tantalizing and fascinating, and the emotions conveyed intense; hence the song’s popularity.