If all my lovers sing the big words
And all my brothers keep them small
Then I get lost in the difference, between their whisper and the echo of their call
So I am headed for the ocean,
to let the sea-smoke guide me in.
I'll give up my belongings and questions,
they only ever taught me to begin.

So I will not turn around,
as I step up to the train,
But I'll hear it when you call my name.
And I will not be the sound,
of your roof under the rain,
But I'll hear it when you call my name.

So I am taking off my wrist watch,
to let the time move how I please.
To let my day be guided by the sunlight,
Through mornings knell and twilights soft release

So if you want to get to know me,
follow my smile down into it's curves
All these lines are born in sorrows and in pleasures,
and every man ends up with the face that he deserves.

So I will not give you bread,
As you reach out from your cage,
But I'll hear it when you call my name.
And I will not give applause,
as you step off of the stage,
But I'll hear it when you call my name.

There's a river running through the city
Gently reminding me what's what.
Of course, you are invited to come with me
But I don't think that's really what you want.
I think you want a world that will hold you,
Through security, and gravity, and love
And I can't think of anyone who'd blame you,
And I can't think of how that'd be enough.

So I won't come back around,
When you've cursed the ground you've tamed,
But I'll hear it when you call my name
And when you realize once I'm gone
That I never really came,
Oh, I'll hear it when you call my name.

And when the burden of the sun,
Reveals to you it's pain,
Oh, I'll hear it when you call my name.
And when you realize that you're wrong,
But you still give me all the blame,
I'll hear it when you call my name.


Lyrics submitted by blueisthecolor8, edited by laulaurah

When You Call My Name song meanings
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  • +1
    General Comment

    Love Dawes. Surprised no one has discussed this song yet.

    He is walking away from a lover who wants more from him. He wants to live free of commitment (“taking off my wristwatch”) and not bound to plans of a future. He lives a spontaneous life, and maybe he tried it her way for awhile, but is now moving on. He tells her although he won’t be there physically for her (“I will not be your roof”, “I will not give you bread” and “I will not give you applause”) she is still in his heart and he will hear when she calls his name, he just won’t answer it.

    My favorite verse in the song is the most moving to me:

    “There's a river running through the city Gently reminding me what's what. Of course, you are invited to come with me But I don't think that's really what you want. I think you want a world that will hold you, Through security, and gravity, and love And I can't think of anyone who'd blame you, And I can't think of how that'd be enough.”

    He wants her to come, but he knows she can’t settle for this spontaneous, unplanned life he needs to live. She wants to be settled down. He tells her that anyone would understand her desire for wanting a man who would settle down with her. But he also doesn’t see how that will be enough to feel fulfilled. Maybe he means it isn’t enough for him, but I think he means it also won’t be enough for her, either. She just doesn’t know it yet. That’s why he continues in the next two verses, ending with the sun bringing the truth to light. She will one day regret letting him go.

    hateusernameson June 03, 2012   Link

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