He could be asking tor a place in line at the bakery or meat counter. I guess that expresses the feeling of wanting to be part of a group, but the feeling of the song is about being with friends, not anonymous strangers, so it doesn't make a lot of sense.
He could be asking for a celebratory joint, spliff, doobie, as in "Pass me that number." But the context of the following lyric seems to suggest the third option:
"Number" could refer to a song. This is reinforced by the immediately following lyric, "Give me one more song..." So he's asking for a number, a song to perform? The most logical answer, but it seems a bit screwed up emotionally to me. As if "give me one more song" is a request to be moved, inspired, so that he will write a song about it - this song, in fact. But to call it a "number," as in performance, that's troubling. Like the whole thing of being home with loved ones isn't really genuine, but rather just grist for his ego as a performer, one more song, one more "number," to perform. Maybe really diehard Loggins fans are so into him that they don't mind this, but it puts me off. I'm hoping for:
4.Some other interpretation? Anyone?
So this is a couple years too late, but I think it is number 3 as you suggest, but not another song to write or inspiration. But, rather, it is another one to revel in, to dance to, to be surrounded by friends with. He's asking that his family and friends' celebration call him home with music and love--give me a number, just one more song that I'll always remember, something that I can recall when I'm all alone, celebrate me home. So, in other words, just play me a song that will call me home.
So this is a couple years too late, but I think it is number 3 as you suggest, but not another song to write or inspiration. But, rather, it is another one to revel in, to dance to, to be surrounded by friends with. He's asking that his family and friends' celebration call him home with music and love--give me a number, just one more song that I'll always remember, something that I can recall when I'm all alone, celebrate me home. So, in other words, just play me a song that will call me home.
@inkling Methinks you're thinking a bit too deeply about it. Maybe, just maybe, the term "gimme a number" was the only thing he felt sounded good when placed into that particular part of the song. Alternatively, maybe it just wasn't deeply thought out, and he was writing more from an emotional standpoint than anything else. Regardless, just cause you don't like the sound of the lyric, doesn't mean he's an egotistical jerk who can't enjoy time with his family without somehow being performed to.
@inkling Methinks you're thinking a bit too deeply about it. Maybe, just maybe, the term "gimme a number" was the only thing he felt sounded good when placed into that particular part of the song. Alternatively, maybe it just wasn't deeply thought out, and he was writing more from an emotional standpoint than anything else. Regardless, just cause you don't like the sound of the lyric, doesn't mean he's an egotistical jerk who can't enjoy time with his family without somehow being performed to.
Re: the meaning of "Gimme a number"
So this is a couple years too late, but I think it is number 3 as you suggest, but not another song to write or inspiration. But, rather, it is another one to revel in, to dance to, to be surrounded by friends with. He's asking that his family and friends' celebration call him home with music and love--give me a number, just one more song that I'll always remember, something that I can recall when I'm all alone, celebrate me home. So, in other words, just play me a song that will call me home.
So this is a couple years too late, but I think it is number 3 as you suggest, but not another song to write or inspiration. But, rather, it is another one to revel in, to dance to, to be surrounded by friends with. He's asking that his family and friends' celebration call him home with music and love--give me a number, just one more song that I'll always remember, something that I can recall when I'm all alone, celebrate me home. So, in other words, just play me a song that will call me home.
@inkling Methinks you're thinking a bit too deeply about it. Maybe, just maybe, the term "gimme a number" was the only thing he felt sounded good when placed into that particular part of the song. Alternatively, maybe it just wasn't deeply thought out, and he was writing more from an emotional standpoint than anything else. Regardless, just cause you don't like the sound of the lyric, doesn't mean he's an egotistical jerk who can't enjoy time with his family without somehow being performed to.
@inkling Methinks you're thinking a bit too deeply about it. Maybe, just maybe, the term "gimme a number" was the only thing he felt sounded good when placed into that particular part of the song. Alternatively, maybe it just wasn't deeply thought out, and he was writing more from an emotional standpoint than anything else. Regardless, just cause you don't like the sound of the lyric, doesn't mean he's an egotistical jerk who can't enjoy time with his family without somehow being performed to.