Anaïs (uh-nay-is) Mitchell (born 26 March 1981) is an American singer-songw… Read Full Bio ↴Anaïs (uh-nay-is) Mitchell (born 26 March 1981) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and playwright from Vermont, USA, who attended Middlebury College. Anaïs' voice is akin to Cyndi Lauper's & song-writing / delivery's inspired by the confessional styling of artists such as Ani DiFranco.

In 2002, she released The Song They Sang... When Rome Fell. In 2003, she was a winner of the New Folk Competition, at the Kerrville Folk Festival. In 2004, her second album, Hymns for the Exiled, was released (Waterbug Records).

On 8 Dec 2006, Anaïs' 'folk opera' "Hadestown" débuted (written / produced in collaboration with composer Michael Chorney & director Ben T. Matchstick). On 13 Feb 2007, her third album, The Brightness was released (Righteous Babe).

Hadestown, a concept album based on the ancient Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, was released on March 9, 2010. It features contributions from Justin Vernon as Orpheus, Ani DiFranco as Persephone, Greg Brown as Hades, and Ben Knox Miller as Hermes; Anais herself sings the part of Eurydice.

Her album, 'Young Man in America' was released on Wilderland Records in the UK on February 13, 2012 and in the US on February 28, 2012.

The Calling
Anaïs Mitchell Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I am
I am
I am calling
I am calling you out
I am
I am calling
I am calling you
I am calling you out

I am
I am calling
I am calling you
I am calling you out
I am
I am calling
I am calling you
I am calling you
I am calling you out

I saw you first of all
Leaning into the wall through the crowd
And it was a circus of purposeful glances
And drunken advances
And laughing out loud
And hey haven't I seen this obscenery
Don't I abuse all the very same lines
You caught my attention
Hey what's your extension
I'm thinking we should play music some time
But I am calling you out of the hustle
Calling you back to the muscle and blood
Cause I want you free when you come to me
And I want you naked

Cause I know you, baby
You think women are crazy
You talk them up and down
You like them to look and to touch
But not feel too much
You can't take all the talking about it
Less talk about this when you kiss me
Just let the justice of kissing be done
I don't want your taste laced with the sweet lies
That you keep at the tip of your tongue
That's why I'm calling you out of the hustle
Calling you back to the muscle and blood
You can start with your shoes if you want to
Come on and get naked

Cause hey hey how long do I get a body
How long do I get the use of a brain
I can't afford any less than nakedness
Can't afford to feel any more shame
So tell me what is your weekliest secret
Show yours to me and I'll show mine to you
We'll have a few mavering moments of radical romance
And see if we can't serve the truth
That's why I'm calling you out of the hustle
Calling you back to the muscle and blood
I'm calling you out of the hustle
Calling you back to the muscle and blood
I'm calling you out of the hustle
Calling you back to the muscle and blood

Let's not be afraid of what we're made of
Come on and get naked

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Anaïs Mitchell's The Calling appear to be a call for intimacy and vulnerability. The repeated statement "I am calling you out" could be taken as a challenge to the subject of the song, to become more emotionally exposed and to leave behind the superficialities of their current lifestyle. The singer seems to be both familiar with and critical of the subject’s tricks and games, and is trying to convince them to let go of their defenses and to embrace the natural rawness of human connection. The song builds to a climax with the repeated request to "come on and get naked", which might be interpreted as a metaphor for shedding pretense and revealing one's true self.

The verse beginning with "cause I know you, baby" is especially telling. It seems to suggest that the subject is a player, who is more comfortable fetishizing women than connecting with them on a deeper level. The singer expresses a longing for an authentic, "radical romance" that transcends surface-level attraction. By inviting the subject to reveal their "weakest secret", the singer is inviting them to open up in a way that may be uncomfortable, but ultimately rewarding. The song ends with a final plea to "not be afraid of what we're made of" and to embrace the inherent vulnerability and beauty of the human experience.

Line by Line Meaning

I am
The singer is repeating that she exists and is present in this moment.

I am calling
The singer is reaching out to someone, trying to get their attention.

I am calling you out
The singer is specifically calling someone out, which means to criticize their behavior or actions.

I am calling you
The singer is continuing to try and get someone's attention.

I am calling you out
The singer is still calling someone out for their actions.

I am calling
The singer is repeating her intent to reach out to someone and get them to pay attention.

I am calling you
The singer is still trying to connect with someone, calling out to them.

I am calling you out
The singer is again calling someone out for their actions or behavior.

I am calling
The singer is still trying to reach out to someone for attention.

I am calling you
The singer is still attempting to connect with someone.

I am calling you out
The singer is once again criticizing someone's behavior or actions.

I am calling
The singer is continuing to express her intent to connect with someone.

I am calling you
The singer is still trying to get someone's attention.

I am calling you
The singer is repeating her intention to connect with someone in this moment.

I am calling you out
The singer is consistently calling someone out for their actions or behavior.

I saw you first of all
The singer is describing a moment when she first noticed someone who has caught her attention.

Leaning into the wall through the crowd
The person the singer has noticed is standing in a crowded area, leaning against the wall.

And it was a circus of purposeful glances
The situation around the singer and the person she has noticed is hectic and full of deliberate looks or glances.

And drunken advances
People in the situation around the singer and the person she has noticed are making advances in a sloppy, drunken manner.

And laughing out loud
Amidst the craziness of the situation, people are loudly laughing.

And hey haven't I seen this obscenery
The singer recognizes this kind of behavior and the situation it creates because she has seen it before.

Don't I abuse all the very same lines
The singer is aware that she often falls into the same patterns of behavior and wants to break free from them.

You caught my attention
The person the singer has noticed has caught her attention in a way that is different from the rest of the situation.

Hey what's your extension
The singer is making an effort to connect with the person she has noticed by asking for their contact information.

I'm thinking we should play music some time
The singer is suggesting a future activity with the person she has noticed in order to connect and get to know them better.

But I am calling you out of the hustle
The singer is criticizing the chaotic behavior and environment around them and is asking the person she has noticed to step away from it and take a break.

Calling you back to the muscle and blood
The singer wants the person she has noticed to come back to their physical body and what's real, rather than be caught up in the chaos.

Cause I want you free when you come to me
The singer desires the person she has noticed to be in a clear and free mindset when they meet.

And I want you naked
The singer wants the person she has noticed to be open and honest with her, revealing more of themselves.

Cause I know you, baby
The singer has gotten to know the person she has noticed and thinks she knows what they're about.

You think women are crazy
The person the singer has noticed has a particular perspective about women and their behavior.

You talk them up and down
This person talks about women in both positive and negative ways.

You like them to look and to touch
The person the singer has noticed enjoys looking at and physically interacting with women.

But not feel too much
The person the singer has noticed is hesitant to emotionally connect or feel deeply for women.

You can't take all the talking about it
The person the singer has noticed doesn't want to discuss their feelings or emotions in relation to women.

Less talk about this when you kiss me
The singer doesn't want to engage in conversations about this topic, preferring to simply be intimate.

Just let the justice of kissing be done
The singer wants the act of kissing to be the focus for the moment, rather than any discussions or emotions.

I don't want your taste laced with sweet lies
The singer doesn't want to be misled or lied to by the person she has noticed.

That you keep at the tip of your tongue
The person the singer has noticed is keeping certain lies close, ready to use them when needed.

That's why I'm calling you out of the hustle
The singer is once again criticizing the chaotic environment they're in and is trying to bring the person she has noticed back to reality.

Calling you back to the muscle and blood
The singer wants the person she has noticed to be grounded in what's real and present.

You can start with your shoes if you want to
The singer is inviting the person she has noticed to begin undressing as a way of becoming more vulnerable and honest with her.

Come on and get naked
The singer wants the person she has noticed to be completely open and honest with her, without hiding behind any lies or pretenses.

How long do I get a body
The singer is considering the finite nature of time and the body, wondering how long they can inhabit it.

How long do I get the use of a brain
The singer is wondering how long they can continue to use their brain effectively and efficiently.

I can't afford any less than nakedness
The singer believes that she needs complete honesty and openness to feel connected and intimate with someone.

Can't afford to feel any more shame
The singer is tired of feeling shameful or hiding behind any kind of mask.

So tell me what is your weekliest secret
The singer wants the person she has noticed to reveal something that they're hesitant to share, hoping to build trust and intimacy between them.

Show yours to me and I'll show mine to you
The singer is willing to be open with the person she has noticed and is hoping they will reciprocate.

We'll have a few mavering moments of radical romance
The singer is hoping that by being honest and vulnerable with each other, they can create a moment of true intimacy.

And see if we can't serve the truth
The singer is hoping that by revealing their true selves, they can find a deeper understanding of the truth.

Let's not be afraid of what we're made of
The singer wants the person she has noticed to embrace their true self, without fear or shame.

Come on and get naked
The singer is inviting the person she has noticed to be completely open and honest with her.

Contributed by Mason P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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