Midnight Caller
Badfinger Lyrics


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Beneath the midnight caller
She thinks of paper green
You never hear them calling her name
They just know where they've been

You never hear her holler
The tears no longer come
She reads her daily book of the past
That shows of everyone

Grey years that show in her hair
Can't be, but don't seem to care
She unlocks the door and there's no one there

She sees a daytime stroller
Walk from the night before
And though she paints a smile on her face
He won't be back no more

She's got no saint to follow
She's got no place to go
Too proud to ask an old friend for help
Too proud to let him know

Grey years that show in her hair
Can't be, but don't seem to care
She knocks the door and there's no one there





Nobody (nobody), nobody (nobody), nobody's gonna help you now.

Overall Meaning

The song Midnight Caller by Badfinger tells a story about a woman who leads a lonely life. The opening lines, "Beneath the midnight caller, she thinks of paper green," suggest that she might be a call girl who is working late at night. She thinks of "paper green" or money, as it is the only thing that keeps her going. However, no one is calling her name or asking her how she feels. They just know where they have been. This implies that her clients are not interested in her as a person and only seek her services for their pleasure.


The second verse of the song describes her sadness as she reads a book about her past. The lyrics suggest that she has had a difficult life, full of pain and regret. The grey years show in her hair, and she seems to have given up on life. She is too proud to ask for help, and she has no one to turn to. She paints a smile on her face to hide her pain, but she knows that no one will be back to help her. The chorus repeats that "nobody is going to help you now," emphasizing her loneliness.


The song creates a sympathetic portrait of a woman who has been left alone by society. It is a poignant reminder that while one might have friends, family, and money, true happiness and fulfillment require genuine human connection.


Line by Line Meaning

Beneath the midnight caller
Late at night when she is alone


She thinks of paper green
She thinks of money


You never hear them calling her name
She is lonely, and nobody tries to communicate with her


They just know where they've been
People know where they have been in life, and don't care about her struggles


You never hear her holler
She doesn't express or show her feelings anymore


The tears no longer come
She has cried all she could, and has no more tears left


She reads her daily book of the past
She contemplates on her past regrets


That shows of everyone
Her past mistakes are known to others as well


Grey years that show in her hair
Signs of aging are visible, making her feel old


Can't be, but don't seem to care
She knows she is getting old, but doesn't seem to be concerned


She unlocks the door and there's no one there
She feels alone and abandoned


She sees a daytime stroller
She sees a person walking by in the morning


Walk from the night before
That person is walking from the previous night


And though she paints a smile on her face
Even though she tries to hide her sadness, it's still visible


He won't be back no more
Someone she cared for won't return


She's got no saint to follow
She has no one to look up to for guidance


She's got no place to go
She feels like she has nowhere to go in life


Too proud to ask an old friend for help
She doesn't want to appear vulnerable or weak in front of others


Too proud to let him know
She won't let anyone know that she is struggling


Nobody (nobody), nobody (nobody), nobody's gonna help you now.
No one is going to come to her rescue, she has to figure things out on her own




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: PETER WILLIAM HAM

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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