In it, the male narrator, presumably a truck driver, is attempting to make contact with a female ("such a strange combination of a woman and a child") named Samantha, whom he met the night before in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Brooks provided the following background information on the song in the CD booklet liner notes from The Hits: "I have always been a fan of "Baton Rouge."

When we recorded it, it seemed only natural to bring in the guys from New Grass Revival – Pat Flynn, Bela Fleck, John Cowan, and Sam Bush, teamed with Jerry Douglas.

Brooks’ version is also played during the nightly dances at 4-H University, the Louisiana State 4-H Convention, held at LSU.

The song is usually the last to be played nightly at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center after LSU Tigers men's and women's basketball games and gymnastics meets.