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I Call Your Name Lyrics
I call your name, but you're not there
Was I to blame for being unfair?
Oh, I can't sleep at night since you've been gone
I never weep at night, I can't go on
Well, don't you know I can't take it?
I don't know who can
I'm not going to make it
I'm not that kind of man
Oh, I can't sleep at night since you've been gone
I never weep at night, I can't go on
Well, don't you know I can't take it?
I don't know who can
I'm going to make it
I'm not that kind of man
Oh, I can't sleep at night since you've been gone
I never weep at night, I can't go on
I call your name
Was I to blame for being unfair?
Oh, I can't sleep at night since you've been gone
I never weep at night, I can't go on
Well, don't you know I can't take it?
I don't know who can
I'm not going to make it
I'm not that kind of man
Oh, I can't sleep at night since you've been gone
I never weep at night, I can't go on
Well, don't you know I can't take it?
I don't know who can
I'm going to make it
I'm not that kind of man
Oh, I can't sleep at night since you've been gone
I never weep at night, I can't go on
I call your name
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I love this ong, but I prefer the Mamas and the Papas cover. I think what it's about is kinda obvious.
what do you think it's about Amy?
Ringo does a GREAT version on the tribute to John Lennon video...his "band"includes Tom Petty,Joe Walsh & Geoff Lynn(not the Travelling Wilbury's)
Yes he does, so much emotion from that one.
Yes he does, so much emotion from that one.
Hiya wok, took a while, but I just think it's about someone who's cut up about a split.
Asking himself over and over again what he did wrong, yadaya, you get the idea.
Amy, I'm guessing that Lennon wrote the song within the first few months of his mother's death (she was run over by an off-duty police officer...in front of John's house no less!). I think this is one of a couple of songs John wrote in that time period. That puts him at 16 to 17 years of age. Although John never explained the inspiraton behind "I Call Your Name", he did at least admit that he wrote it at a very young age "long before the Beatles existed".
Amy, I'm guessing that Lennon wrote the song within the first few months of his mother's death (she was run over by an off-duty police officer...in front of John's house no less!). I think this is one of a couple of songs John wrote in that time period. That puts him at 16 to 17 years of age. Although John never explained the inspiraton behind "I Call Your Name", he did at least admit that he wrote it at a very young age "long before the Beatles existed".
I like this song... but I am a fan of the earlier stuff because I like that happy-go-lucky 50s style. The style where a guy can be singing about how his girl dumped him and he wants to kill himself but the song still has an upbeat sound. I love how the guitars go from one part to the other like that, this song is hot!
this song perfectly sums up the way i feel about the fact that the one i love is in ireland.
very touching song, made me cry.
gotta love the beatles for always being there for you when you need to say something you can't.
This is a great song. Total heartbreak and desperation.
Catastrophysician, if the underlying sadness of this songs make you cry, wait 'till to hear what the song is really about....it will make you bawl I'm afraid.
@The Great Wok I agree. It was written in the early years of the Lennon/McCartney songwriting partnership and whilst they had worked together on the tune the lyrics had been presented complete by John. This was unusual but Paul didn't give much thought. However Paul McCartney recently revisited the song for his 'Lyrics' project and wonders if John was calling out to his dead mother? It wasn't many years since she had died. John famously wrote 'Help' a few years later expressing his inner feeling so 1could he have been doing the same with 'I Call Your Name'? On re-reading...
@The Great Wok I agree. It was written in the early years of the Lennon/McCartney songwriting partnership and whilst they had worked together on the tune the lyrics had been presented complete by John. This was unusual but Paul didn't give much thought. However Paul McCartney recently revisited the song for his 'Lyrics' project and wonders if John was calling out to his dead mother? It wasn't many years since she had died. John famously wrote 'Help' a few years later expressing his inner feeling so 1could he have been doing the same with 'I Call Your Name'? On re-reading the words as a young boy missing his mother and wondering if the reason she rushed across the road to catch the bus only to be hit by a car was because she had stayed longer with him at Mimi's than she should so perhaps her death was in part down to him. (Was I to blame for being unfair?) He may have felt guilt she had to visit him cos he was living with his Aunt Mimi instead of with his mother Julia.
The chorus "Don't you know I can't take it, I don't know who can, I'm not going to make it, I'm not that kind of man' could be interpreted as him feeling her loss so great he's not sure he'll survive. Who can survive the loss of a parent so young?Paul McCartney for he had survived the loss of his mum at a young age. Not being 'that kind of man' suggests he'd carried these feelings from childhood and they were still as strong as ever.
I dunno if Paul is correct but if he thinks it could explain John's lyric then The Great Wok is right in referring to the underlying sadness in the lyric.