"(Margie's At) The Lincoln Park Inn" is a song made famous by

country music Country (also called country and western) is a popular music, music genre originating in the southern regions of the United States, both the American South and American southwest, the Southwest. First produced in the 1920s, country music is p ...

singer Bobby Bare. Written by

Tom T. Hall Thomas Hall (May 25, 1936 – August 20, 2021), known professionally as Tom T. Hall and informally nicknamed "The Storyteller," was an American country music singer-songwriter and short-story author. He wrote 12 number-one hit songs, with 26 more ...

, the song became a major hit for Bare in the spring of 1969, peaking at No. 4 on ''

Billboard magazine ''Billboard'' (stylized in lowercase since 2013) is an American music and entertainment magazine published weekly by Penske Media Corporation. The magazine provides music charts, news, video, opinion, reviews, events and styles related to th ...

's''

Hot Country Singles Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States. This 50-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly by collecting airplay data along with digital sales and streaming. ...

chart.

Song plot

The song is told first-person style through the eyes of a family man, who describes everyday domestic life in the verses of his song. However, this is all background, as the main subject of the song is about his recent adulterous relationship with a woman named Margie. The two, as the song's title implies, had a sexual liaison at a

motel A motel, also known as a motor hotel, motor inn or motor lodge, is a hotel designed for motorists, usually having each room entered directly from the Parking lot, parking area for motor vehicles rather than through a central Lobby (room), lo ...

called the Lincoln Park Inn. The protagonist regrets his affair, and states that he has made a promise not to cheat anymore. However, he still harbors deep temptation for Margie (''"I know why she's there/I've been there before"''), and — still having her telephone number — knows full well that she is often a client at the inn and is probably there as he speaks. At the end of the song it is implied he will go to meet her.

Chart performance

Cover versions

In addition to Bare and Hall, "The Lincoln Park Inn" (as the song is sometimes known) has also been recorded by country performers

Johnny Darrell Johnny Darrell (July 23, 1940 – October 7, 1997) was an American country music artist. Darrell was born in Hopewell, Cleburne County, Alabama, Hopewell, Alabama but grew up in Marietta, Georgia. After a stint in the army, he moved to Nashville ...

, Johnny Duncan, Jimmy C. Newman, Ray Price,

The Statler Brothers The Statler Brothers (sometimes simply referred to as The Statlers) were an American country music, gospel, and vocal group from Staunton, Virginia. The quartet was formed in 1955 performing locally, and from 1964 to 1972, they sang as opening a ...

Cal Smith Calvin Grant Shofner (April 7, 1932 – October 10, 2013), known professionally as Cal Smith, was an American country musician, most famous for his 1974 hits " Country Bumpkin" and " It's Time to Pay the Fiddler". Career Calvin Grant Shofner was ...

Mel Tillis Lonnie Melvin Tillis (August 8, 1932 – November 19, 2017) was an American country music singer and songwriter. Although he recorded songs since the late 1950s, his biggest success occurred in the 1970s as part of the outlaw country movement, ...

, and

Jack White John Anthony White (; born July 9, 1975) is an American musician who achieved international fame as the guitarist and lead singer of the rock duo the White Stripes. As the White Stripes disbanded, he sought success with his solo career, subse ...

References

"(Margie's At) The Lincoln Park Inn"
at

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

. *Whitburn, Joel, "Top Country Songs: 1944-2005," 2006. 1969 singles Bobby Bare songs Songs written by Tom T. Hall 1969 songs {{1960s-country-song-stub