About The Song
“The Call of the Wild” was co-written and recorded by American country music artist Aaron Tippin. It was released in October 1993 as the second single from his third studio album, Call of the Wild, on RCA Records Nashville. The song reached No. 17 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart, following the album’s lead single “Honky-Tonk Superman.”
The song was recorded in Nashville, produced by Scott Hendricks. The track features Tippin’s distinctive vocals, supported by a lively country arrangement with guitars and drums, reflecting his neotraditional style. The track runs approximately 4:31.
The lyrics describe a woman’s restless spirit, with lines like “She’s been staring out the window four nights in a row.” Tippin wrote the song with Buddy Brock and Michael P. Heeney, crafting a narrative about a woman’s wild, uncontrollable energy that drives her to break free, observed by the singer who must let her go when she feels the “call of the wild.”
The recording showcased Tippin’s ability to blend honky-tonk with storytelling, marking a shift from his earlier productions with Emory Gordy, Jr. to Hendricks’ approach. The album itself included other singles like “Workin’ Man’s Ph.D.” and “Whole Lotta Love on the Line.”
Upon release, “The Call of the Wild” contributed to the album’s modest chart performance. The album, released in 1993, reached a peak position but did not achieve the same commercial success as Tippin’s previous works like Read Between the Lines.
Tippin, born on July 3, 1958, in Pensacola, Florida, and raised in South Carolina, promoted the single with live performances. After beginning as a songwriter for Acuff-Rose Music and signing with RCA in 1990, this song was part of his effort to maintain his presence in the country music scene during the early 1990s.
Video
Lyric
She’s been staring out the window four nights in a row
Like a caged up tiger, she’s pacing the floor
And she just can’t resist when she feels the pull
She’s got a restless spirit that she can’t control
And when she gets like this, I gotta let her goShe hears the call of the wild every once in a while
She lets down her hair, she’s gotta get somewhere
She can turn it loose and howl
I know what’s in store, Katie bar the door
When she winks at me and smiles
She’s in a foot stompin’, honky-tonkin’
Love makin’ state of mind
So excuse me, y’all, I gotta answer the call of the wildIf there’s ever been a lady, well, baby is
Just more of a woman at times like this
Now, don’t you worry about baby steppin’ out of line
Yeah, she drives me crazy, but it suits me fine
She’s hard to handle, so I hold on tight
And Lord knows I got my hands full tonightShe hears the call of the wild every once in a while
She lets down her hair, she’s gotta get somewhere
She can turn it loose and howl
I know what’s in store, Katie bar the door
When she winks at me and smiles
She’s in a foot stompin’, honky-tonkin’
Love makin’ state of mind
So excuse me, y’all, I gotta answer the call of the wildI said pardon me, y’all, I gotta answer the call of the wild