Released in 1975
Written by Paul McCartney • Linda Eastman / McCartney
Last updated on January 31, 2020
Album This song officially appears on the Venus and Mars Official album.
Timeline This song was officially released in 1975
This song was recorded during the following studio sessions:
Home recordings (aka "The Piano Tape")
Circa 1974
Recording "Medicine Jar", "Call Me Back Again"
Feb 03, 1975
Overdubs for "Call Me Back Again"
Mar 10, 1975
Jul 26, 1975 • From New Musical Express (NME)
From Wikipedia:
“Call Me Back Again” is a song credited to Paul and Linda McCartney and performed by Wings. It was originally released on the album Venus and Mars. It was performed throughout their world tours in Australia and America and a live version was included on the album Wings Over America. It was also included on the compilation album Wingspan: Hits and History. The song was also included on the theatrical version of the film Rockshow, documenting the Wings 1976 tour, but was excluded from the laserdisc version of the film.
McCartney primarily wrote the song at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Beverly Hills, California in 1974 and completed the song in New Orleans, Louisiana, where most of the recording sessions for Venus and Mars, including those for “Call Me Back Again,” took place. Although the song does not reference the city of New Orleans, it is one of the few songs on Venus and Mars to betray the influence of the city. The song is a bluesy New Orleans-style soul ballad. Paul Nelson of Rolling Stone Magazine described it as being “well-sung” and “urban-blues-and-Sixties-soul-influenced.” The lyrics tell of the singer’s grief that his girlfriend no longer returns his phone calls. Although the phone calls from his girlfriend used to bring him joy, now that she stopped returning his calls he pleads for her to call him back again. Allmusic critic Donald A. Guarisco compares the lyrics to lyrics in classic singles by such soul singers as Wilson Pickett and Otis Redding.
“Call Me Back Again” is in the key of F major and in 12/8 time. The structure is relatively simple, alternating the verse and the refrain, with an intro and an outro at the beginning and end. The melody incorporates gospel music elements. The song incorporates a prominent horn part arranged by Tony Dorsey. Other instrumentation includes what Guarisco describes as “searing guitar riffs and pulsating piano lines.”
McCartney’s vocal performance has received considerable praise from critics. John Blaney describes his singing as “a killer vocal that underlines a recording to relish,” which “has a depth of emotion rarely equaled and reveals what a supreme vocalist he is.” Guarisco described his singing as “a wild-eyed wail of a vocal that is a perfect blend of soulful grit and rock energy.” Vincent Benitez particularly praised the vocal performance in the outro, stating that “McCartney shines as a bluesy vocal soloist, ad-libbing as the music fades out.” In the book The Rough Guide to the Beatles, Chris Ingham noted a similarity between McCartney’s vocal in “Call Me Back Again” and that in The Beatles’ song “Oh! Darling,” although he considered “Call Me Back Again” to be “an inert sludge rocker.” Author Tim Riley also remarked on the similarity between “Call Me Back Again” and “Oh! Darling.” Robert Rodriguez, calling the song “a piano-based soul shouter” took the “Oh! Darling” analogy further, stating that it “fully achieved what the Fabs’ ‘Oh! Darling’ only hinted at, with a full-throated vocal unheard since the coda of ‘Hey, Jude’ seven years before.” McCartney himself stated “I ended up just sort of ad-libbing a bit, stretching out a bit. I like that myself. I had a chance to sing.”
Although the lyrics seem straightforward, music professor Vincent Benitez has postulated a possible alternative interpretation. Benitez notes that in the documentary Wingspan-An Intimate Portrait, intersperses a live performance of “Call Me Back Again” with McCartney’s explanation of a short poem he had written at the time about his feelings about the possibility of a Beatles reunion:
Benitez takes this as evidence that the lyrics of “Call Me Back Again” may have included a message that the Beatles were not interested in reuniting. In particular, he notes that this may be the case if the “you” in the chorus “But I ain’t never no no no no no never heard you calling me” refers to a reunion.
Well when I, when I was
Just a little baby boy
Every night I would call
Your number brought me joy
I called your house, every night since then
But I ain't never, no no never
Heard you calling me
Come on and call me back again
Come on and call me back again
I’ve heard your name
every night since then
But I ain't never, no no never
Heard you calling me
Come on and call me back again
Yeah call me back again
Well when I, when I was
just a little baby boy
Every night,
every night I would call
because your number brought me joy
Oh -– I’ve called your name
every night since then
But I ain't never, no no no no never
Heard you calling me
Come on and call me back again
I’ve called your name
Every night since then
But I ain't never, no no no no never
Heard you calling me
Come on and call me back again
Come on and call me back again
Come on and call me back again
Boo hoo, boo hoo babe
Call me back again
Call me back again
Call me back again
Why won’t you call me back again?
Official album • Released in 1975
5:01 • Studio version • A
Paul McCartney : Bass, Clarinet, Piano, Producer, Strings arrangement, Vocals Linda Eastman / McCartney : Mellotron flutes Denny Laine : Backing vocals, Electric guitar Jimmy McCulloch : Electric guitar Joe English : Drums Steve Howard : Trumpet Tony Dorsey : Strings arrangement Alan O'Duffy : Mixing engineer, Recording engineer Biff Dawes : Assistant mixing engineer Clyde Kerr : Trumpet John Longo : Trumpet Michael Pierce : Alto sax Alvin Thomas : Alto sax Carl Blouin : Baritone sax
Session Recording: Feb 03, 1975 • Studio Sea-Saint Recording Studio, New Orleans, USA
Session Overdubs: Mar 10, 1975 • Studio Wally Heider Studios, Los Angeles, USA
Session Mixing: Mar 26, 1975 • Studio Wally Heider Studios, Los Angeles, USA
Official live • Released in 1976
5:16 • Live • L1
Paul McCartney : Piano, Producer, Vocals Linda Eastman / McCartney : Keyboard, Vocals Denny Laine : Bass, Vocals Jimmy McCulloch : Electric guitar, Vocals Howie Casey : Saxophone Joe English : Drums, Vocals Thaddeus Richard : Saxophone Mark Vigars : Assistant mixing engineer Phil McDonald : Mixing engineer, Overdubs recording Steve Howard : Trumpet Tony Dorsey : Trombone Jack Maxson : Recording engineer Tom Walsh : Assistant recording engineer
Concert From the concert in Cincinnati, USA on May 27, 1976
Official album • Released in 1993
5:01 • Studio version • A1993 • 1993 remaster
Paul McCartney : Bass, Clarinet, Piano, Producer, Strings arrangement, Vocals Linda Eastman / McCartney : Mellotron flutes Denny Laine : Backing vocals, Electric guitar Jimmy McCulloch : Electric guitar Joe English : Drums Steve Howard : Trumpet Tony Dorsey : Strings arrangement Alan O'Duffy : Mixing engineer, Recording engineer Biff Dawes : Assistant mixing engineer Clyde Kerr : Trumpet John Longo : Trumpet Michael Pierce : Alto sax Alvin Thomas : Alto sax Carl Blouin : Baritone sax Peter Mew : Remastering
Session Recording: Feb 03, 1975 • Studio Sea-Saint Recording Studio, New Orleans, USA
Session Overdubs: Mar 10, 1975 • Studio Wally Heider Studios, Los Angeles, USA
Session Mixing: Mar 26, 1975 • Studio Wally Heider Studios, Los Angeles, USA
Wingspan Hits And History (US version)
Official album • Released in 2001
5:00 • Studio version • A2001 • 2001 remaster
Paul McCartney : Bass, Clarinet, Piano, Producer, Strings arrangement, Vocals Linda Eastman / McCartney : Mellotron flutes Denny Laine : Backing vocals, Electric guitar Jimmy McCulloch : Electric guitar Geoff Emerick : Remastering Joe English : Drums Steve Howard : Trumpet Tony Dorsey : Strings arrangement Alan O'Duffy : Mixing engineer, Recording engineer Biff Dawes : Assistant mixing engineer Clyde Kerr : Trumpet John Longo : Trumpet Michael Pierce : Alto sax Alvin Thomas : Alto sax Carl Blouin : Baritone sax Peter Mew : Remastering
Session Recording: Feb 03, 1975 • Studio Sea-Saint Recording Studio, New Orleans, USA
Session Overdubs: Mar 10, 1975 • Studio Wally Heider Studios, Los Angeles, USA
Session Mixing: Mar 26, 1975 • Studio Wally Heider Studios, Los Angeles, USA
Wingspan Hits And History (Japanese version)
Official album • Released in 2001
5:00 • Studio version • A2001 • 2001 remaster
Paul McCartney : Bass, Clarinet, Piano, Producer, Strings arrangement, Vocals Linda Eastman / McCartney : Mellotron flutes Denny Laine : Backing vocals, Electric guitar Jimmy McCulloch : Electric guitar Geoff Emerick : Remastering Joe English : Drums Steve Howard : Trumpet Tony Dorsey : Strings arrangement Alan O'Duffy : Mixing engineer, Recording engineer Biff Dawes : Assistant mixing engineer Clyde Kerr : Trumpet John Longo : Trumpet Michael Pierce : Alto sax Alvin Thomas : Alto sax Carl Blouin : Baritone sax Peter Mew : Remastering
Session Recording: Feb 03, 1975 • Studio Sea-Saint Recording Studio, New Orleans, USA
Session Overdubs: Mar 10, 1975 • Studio Wally Heider Studios, Los Angeles, USA
Session Mixing: Mar 26, 1975 • Studio Wally Heider Studios, Los Angeles, USA
Official album • Released in 2001
5:00 • Studio version • A2001 • 2001 remaster
Paul McCartney : Bass, Clarinet, Piano, Producer, Strings arrangement, Vocals Linda Eastman / McCartney : Mellotron flutes Denny Laine : Backing vocals, Electric guitar Jimmy McCulloch : Electric guitar Geoff Emerick : Remastering Joe English : Drums Steve Howard : Trumpet Tony Dorsey : Strings arrangement Alan O'Duffy : Mixing engineer, Recording engineer Biff Dawes : Assistant mixing engineer Clyde Kerr : Trumpet John Longo : Trumpet Michael Pierce : Alto sax Alvin Thomas : Alto sax Carl Blouin : Baritone sax Peter Mew : Remastering
Session Recording: Feb 03, 1975 • Studio Sea-Saint Recording Studio, New Orleans, USA
Session Overdubs: Mar 10, 1975 • Studio Wally Heider Studios, Los Angeles, USA
Session Mixing: Mar 26, 1975 • Studio Wally Heider Studios, Los Angeles, USA
Wings Over America - Archive Collection
Official live • Released in 2013
5:16 • Live • L1.2013 • 2013 remaster
Paul McCartney : Piano, Producer, Vocals Linda Eastman / McCartney : Keyboard, Vocals Denny Laine : Bass, Vocals Jimmy McCulloch : Electric guitar, Vocals Howie Casey : Saxophone Joe English : Drums, Vocals Thaddeus Richard : Saxophone Mark Vigars : Assistant mixing engineer Phil McDonald : Mixing engineer, Overdubs recording Steve Howard : Trumpet Tony Dorsey : Trombone Jack Maxson : Recording engineer Tom Walsh : Assistant recording engineer Guy Massey : Remastering Steve Rooke : Remastering Simon Gibson : Remastering
Concert From the concert in Cincinnati, USA on May 27, 1976
EP • Released in 2014
5:01 • Studio version • A2014
Paul McCartney : Bass, Clarinet, Piano, Producer, Strings arrangement, Vocals Linda Eastman / McCartney : Mellotron flutes Denny Laine : Backing vocals, Electric guitar Jimmy McCulloch : Electric guitar Joe English : Drums Steve Howard : Trumpet Tony Dorsey : Strings arrangement Alan O'Duffy : Mixing engineer, Recording engineer Biff Dawes : Assistant mixing engineer Clyde Kerr : Trumpet John Longo : Trumpet Michael Pierce : Alto sax Alvin Thomas : Alto sax Carl Blouin : Baritone sax
Session Recording: Feb 03, 1975 • Studio Sea-Saint Recording Studio, New Orleans, USA
Session Overdubs: Mar 10, 1975 • Studio Wally Heider Studios, Los Angeles, USA
Session Mixing: Mar 26, 1975 • Studio Wally Heider Studios, Los Angeles, USA
Venus And Mars - Archive Collection
Official album • Released in 2014
5:01 • Studio version • A2014
Paul McCartney : Bass, Clarinet, Piano, Producer, Strings arrangement, Vocals Linda Eastman / McCartney : Mellotron flutes Denny Laine : Backing vocals, Electric guitar Jimmy McCulloch : Electric guitar Joe English : Drums Steve Howard : Trumpet Tony Dorsey : Strings arrangement Alan O'Duffy : Mixing engineer, Recording engineer Biff Dawes : Assistant mixing engineer Clyde Kerr : Trumpet John Longo : Trumpet Michael Pierce : Alto sax Alvin Thomas : Alto sax Carl Blouin : Baritone sax
Session Recording: Feb 03, 1975 • Studio Sea-Saint Recording Studio, New Orleans, USA
Session Overdubs: Mar 10, 1975 • Studio Wally Heider Studios, Los Angeles, USA
Session Mixing: Mar 26, 1975 • Studio Wally Heider Studios, Los Angeles, USA
Venus And Mars (Limited Red & Yellow LP)
Official album • Released in 2017
5:01 • Studio version • A2014
Paul McCartney : Bass, Clarinet, Piano, Producer, Strings arrangement, Vocals Linda Eastman / McCartney : Mellotron flutes Denny Laine : Backing vocals, Electric guitar Jimmy McCulloch : Electric guitar Joe English : Drums Steve Howard : Trumpet Tony Dorsey : Strings arrangement Alan O'Duffy : Mixing engineer, Recording engineer Biff Dawes : Assistant mixing engineer Clyde Kerr : Trumpet John Longo : Trumpet Michael Pierce : Alto sax Alvin Thomas : Alto sax Carl Blouin : Baritone sax
Session Recording: Feb 03, 1975 • Studio Sea-Saint Recording Studio, New Orleans, USA
Session Overdubs: Mar 10, 1975 • Studio Wally Heider Studios, Los Angeles, USA
Session Mixing: Mar 26, 1975 • Studio Wally Heider Studios, Los Angeles, USA
Unofficial live
5:51 • Live
Concert From the concert in Los Angeles, USA on Jun 23, 1976
Unofficial live
6:25 • Live
Concert From the concert in Seattle, USA on Jun 10, 1976
Call Me Back Again (Lyric Video)
2014 • For Wings • Directed by Thomas Hicks
“Call Me Back Again” has been played in 60 concerts.
London • Empire Pool • United Kingdom
Oct 21, 1976 • Part of Wings Over the World tour
London • Empire Pool • United Kingdom
Oct 20, 1976 • Part of Wings Over the World tour
London • Empire Pool • United Kingdom
Oct 19, 1976 • Part of Wings Over the World tour
Munich • Olympiahalle • Germany
Sep 27, 1976 • Part of Wings Over the World tour
Venice • Piazza San Marco • Italy
Sep 25, 1976 • Part of Wings Over the World tour
Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989
With 25 albums of pop music, 5 of classical – a total of around 500 songs – released over the course of more than half a century, Paul McCartney's career, on his own and with Wings, boasts an incredible catalogue that's always striving to free itself from the shadow of The Beatles. The stories behind the songs, demos and studio recordings, unreleased tracks, recording dates, musicians, live performances and tours, covers, events: Music Is Ideas Volume 1 traces McCartney's post-Beatles output from 1970 to 1989 in the form of 346 song sheets, filled with details of the recordings and stories behind the sessions. Accompanied by photos, and drawing on interviews and contemporary reviews, this reference book draws the portrait of a musical craftsman who has elevated popular song to an art-form.
Notice any inaccuracies on this page? Have additional insights or ideas for new content? Or just want to share your thoughts? We value your feedback! Please use the form below to get in touch with us.
gris • 7 years ago
I was at the concerts in venice and munich ,see mccartney on st marc square was like a fairy tale to me even though the band seemed a little tired or maybe a little too much Italian wine ,but the munich concert musically speaking was exceptional maybe the best of the whole 1976 tour I say that because I know a lot of recordings from the american tour and that night the rickenbaker man exploded with his voice and talent especially on "call me back again"
Thanks again Paul for a magical night
The PaulMcCartney Project • 7 years ago
Thanks for sharing those wonderful memories, Gris !
Enrique Ramos • 2 years ago
On this link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHPfD8bIRq0
at exactly 3:48 he says "I've called your Name (JOHN??)...every night since then"
so is it a song meant for John Lennon?