“Adult” is a loaded thing to call someone in this day and age, since adults have basically wrecked our planet. But for Chromeo, to be an adult doesn’t mean being a cog in the square world’s machinery. Rather, it signifies evolution, sophistication, and nuance. Aging like wine or cheese, not like fruit or milk. While we do so, how much of our groove do we actually choose to hold on to? Chromeo says: “all of it.” As you already know (unless you’ve been living in a vibes vacuum since the early 2000s), Chromeo is the paramount funk band of our time. Friends since childhood, Dave and Pee have built an empire of soigné, danceable, and intelligent music over the course of two decades. Few duos can claim this kind of psychic togetherness and evergreen staying power. Really, who else? One must venture into the stratosphere to find precedents. And now that Dave’s double-breasted suits are popping and Pee’s turtlenecks are in effect mode, it’s safe to say that we can rely on Chromeo to stick around for years to come.
Wait, do you want to hear something really adult? Try this on for size: the anguish of late-stage capitalist monogamy is very much a thing. Here, we come to the essence of Adult Contemporary, the most lyrically cohesive Chromeo opus to date: it’s a 14-track meditation on mature relationships. This is perhaps best conveyed in the song “BTS,” which sounds like a classic Chromeo funk jam but, as is often the case with these guys, hides a deeper message. An ode to just going to sleep (“rest can be Better Than Sex”), it’s about that moment in an affair of the heart when you can just say, “Baby, this week was a doozy and I really just need to crash.” How real is that? Or there’s a song like “Personal Effects,” in which Dave reminisces over a partner after seeing her phone charger left at his house. Modern romance, indeed. Throughout the album, songs function like short stories, each a variation on what it’s like to be in love in 2024 – from joyful commitment to crippling co-dependency, from the platonic to the profane. It’s no picnic…yet lo and behold, it can also be hilarious, and Dave and Pee tackle it all in their signature straight-faced style. Lest we forget the core Chromeo value: there is no such thing as irony.
Onto that other word. “Contemporary.” An interesting choice for a band who has always been equally of-the-moment and openly indebted to its ancestors. But in an era when everything is available all the time, seamlessly melding together the new and the old might just be the most contemporary act an artist can commit. Chromeo offers us a singularity of funk, with music more elegant and considered than ever before. Take for instance the lush horn arrangements on “Words With You” and “Lost And Found” or the banging electro-synths in “(I Don’t Need A) New Girl.” This is Chromeo in full two-man studio muso mode, danceable and delicate, simultaneously wielding deft live instrumentation and a relentless four-on-the-floor kick drum that scans the entire record. For the first time in a while, it really is a tandem affair. The previous albums were very much about collaborating. Getting other people involved and going big. Adult Contemporary is more ambitious specifically because it revolves solely around two besties at the top of their game, doing absolutely everything on their own. Hence a deeply intimate feel, with Dave and Pee accomplishing two things at once: getting back to basics in terms of method while also expanding the songwriting and atmosphere. The Chromeo blueprint of maximum funk earnestness sits front and center.
So with that in mind, we invite you to join not only our contemporary times but also the ranks of the grown. Contrary to our infantilizing culture – which would prefer you stunted –, adulthood is a blast. And with a soundtrack such as Adult Contemporary, it’s a place of pleasure, discernment, groove, and comradeship. Come now, dip your toe into the infinity pool of maturity. You’ll find yourself, before too long, happy to evolve funkily alongside Chromeo.
Call Me Up
Chromeo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
[Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah]
Call me up.
[Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah]
Call me up.
You can call me up,
Day and night,
Whenever you need someone to talk to, girl.
All the time,
These fourteen numbers never felt so right.
I know it seems somewhat extraneous,
You ain't heard of this,
'Cuz I hung up on you many times before.
But now this ocean seperates us,
And I can't fake it,
But I've been wanting to hear your voice.
How do I explain this kind of feeling?
I never got enough attention as a child.
And now I'm staring at the ceiling,
With the phone in my hand,
Hoping you'll make it ring.
- Chorus -
Alright, so I gotta card and I got his number,
So...is it...
Is it 0-1-1, 3-3,
How 'bout this 6, Is there like a 6 in there? Or is it 0-6?
Um,
I cant even really hear anything,
Goddamit, Ugh!
Call me when you're sad,
Call me when you're mad,
Call me when you're home alone.
Call me when you're freaky,
Call me when you're nasty,
Call me when you wanna...
And if you're really upset you can call me collect,
'Cuz you know I'm not gonna mind.
At the drop of a dime you could drop me a line,
And I'll make it worth your time.
- Chorus -
You can call me up,
Call me up.
The lyrics of "Call Me Up" by Chromeo are about the singer longing for a connection with someone special. The chorus repeats the phrase “Call me up,” emphasizing the singer's desire to be there for the person whenever they need someone to talk to. The singer expresses a feeling of extraneousness while admitting to his past behavior of hanging up on the person, but the distance between them has made him miss the sound of her voice. The singer finally gets to sing to her what he couldn't express before: Here's my card with 14 numbers printed on them, and they never felt as right as it does now. He reveals that he never got enough attention when he was younger, and now he is left waiting for the phone to ring in the hopes that she will call him up.
The second verse shifts to a dialogue between the singer and someone else, probably his friends. He's trying to get the digits of the girl he's interested in, but he's having trouble hearing clearly. The ending lines of the verse transition back to the chorus, highlighting the central theme of the song: “Call me up, call me up, whenever you need someone to talk to.”
The lyrics of "Call Me Up" evoke a sense of old-school romance and also emphasize the need for companionship. The song speaks to a person's innate longing to connect with others and to feel valued for who they are. The song shows how technology like the telephone can create a bond with people, irrespective of their physical proximity.
Line by Line Meaning
Call me up.
Asking the woman to call him whenever she wants to talk.
Call me up.
Repeating his request to call him.
You can call me up,
Confirming that she can always reach him by phone.
Day and night,
Emphasizing that she can call him at any time.
Whenever you need someone to talk to, girl.
Explaining the reason why she should call him.
She can call me up,
Subject change, referring to any woman.
All the time,
Repeating that he is always available.
These fourteen numbers never felt so right.
Stating that he is happy to share his phone number with her.
I know it seems somewhat extraneous,
Acknowledging that his behavior might seem strange.
You ain't heard of this,
Suggesting that she might not be familiar with his unusual offer.
'Cuz I hung up on you many times before.
Explaining why he is awkward about this situation.
But now this ocean separates us,
Explaining why he is more open to communication now.
And I can't fake it,
Acknowledging that he cannot pretend anymore.
But I've been wanting to hear your voice.
Admitting his desire to talk to her.
How do I explain this kind of feeling?
Wondering how to describe his emotions.
I never got enough attention as a child.
Revealing a possible reason for his behavior.
And now I'm staring at the ceiling,
Indicating his current state of mind.
With the phone in my hand,
Describing his physical position.
Hoping you'll make it ring.
Expressing his hope that she will call him back.
Call me when you're sad,
Listing the different times when she should call him.
Call me when you're mad,
Repeating the list items.
Call me when you're home alone.
Repeating the list items.
Call me when you're freaky,
Repeating the list items.
Call me when you're nasty,
Repeating the list items.
Call me when you wanna...
Repeating the list items.
And if you're really upset you can call me collect,
Offering to pay for her phone calls when she needs him the most.
'Cuz you know I'm not gonna mind.
Reassuring her that he will be happy to help.
At the drop of a dime you could drop me a line,
Suggesting that he responds quickly to her calls.
And I'll make it worth your time.
Promising to make their conversations meaningful or rewarding.
You can call me up,
Repeating his opening line.
Call me up.
Repeating his chorus.
Contributed by Ellie E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.