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Released in 1975

Call Me Back Again

Written by Paul McCartney • Linda 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

Master album

Related sessions

This song was recorded during the following studio sessions:

Related interview

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.

Lyrics

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?

Officially appears on

Bootlegs

See all bootlegs containing “Call Me Back Again”

Related film

Live performances

“Call Me Back Again” has been played in 60 concerts.

Latest concerts where “Call Me Back Again” has been played

See all concerts where “Call Me Back Again” has been played

Going further

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.

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gris • 6 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 • 6 years ago

Thanks for sharing those wonderful memories, Gris !

Enrique Ramos • 1 year 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?

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