Mayer Hawthorne (real name Andrew Mayer Cohen) grew up in Ann Arbor, Michig… Read Full Bio ↴Mayer Hawthorne (real name Andrew Mayer Cohen) grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and vividly remembers, as a child, driving with his father and tuning the car radio in to the rich soul and jazz history the region provided. “Most of the best music ever made came out of Detroit,” claims the singer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist, who counts Isaac Hayes, Leroy Hutson, Mike Terry, and Barry White among his influences, but draws the most inspiration from the music of Smokey Robinson, Curtis Mayfield and the legendary songwriting and production trio of Lamont Dozier, Brian Holland and Eddie Holland Jr.

The “retro” tag is added to almost any contemporary work that sounds like it was originally recorded between 1966 and 1974, and Hawthorne, among the newest contributors to the genre, is aware of how trends come and go. After being introduced to Stones Throw Records label head Peanut Butter Wolf by mutual friend Noelle Scaggs of the Rebirth, even his current boss was skeptical. “He showed me two songs and I didn’t understand what I was listening to,” Wolf recalls. “I asked him if they were old songs that he did re-edits of – I couldn’t believe they were new songs and that he played all the instruments.”

And after meeting in person, it was even harder for Wolf to believe that Hawthorne was also the lead vocalist. Few expect such heartfelt sentiment to come from a 29-year-old white kid from Ann Arbor, but he has caught the ear of his family at Stones Throw, as well as BBC Radio 1 host Gilles Peterson and producer/DJ Mark Ronson. Expectations are high for the admitted vinyl junkie who never planned on taking his crooning public. Hawthorne’s hanging-by-a-string falsetto and breakbeat production on his first recorded effort, the tender “Just Ain’t Gonna Work Out,” are simultaneously Smokey and J Dilla – equal parts “The Tracks of My Tears” and “Fall in Love.” “It’s soul,” he explains, “But it’s new.”

Hawthorne has produced and played instruments for much of his life, but never intended to become a singer. He isn’t formally trained, and never sang in a choir or in any of the bands he was in before founding the County (formerly the County Commissioners). But here he is, new school soul sensation, who has taken the Motown assembly-line production model and eliminated nearly every element but himself and a few hired hands. “I think Mayer is the only artist in the history of the label that I’ve signed after hearing only two songs,” says Peanut Butter Wolf. “Sometimes, you just know it’s the right thing to do.”

And for those willing to believe anything is possible, be grateful to have Mayer Hawthorne on the scene. It’s not just throwback music anymore – this revival is all about progression.

You Called Me
Mayer Hawthorne Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

This morning
In a rush to get ready for work
I've spilled hot coffee on my shirt
It hurt
I ran to catch the bus to be on time
Yeah
But the driver sped away
And left me running behind

Well then my knees dropped to the ground
And I was really feeling down
Then baby you called me
You called me to tell me you love me
And everything was alright

I wanted to buy you a real nice dress
So I saved up some money from my paychecks
I went down to your favorite department store
Yeah
Oh and everything they had was more than I could afford
Oh my Lord

That's when my knees dropped to the ground
And I was really feeling down
Then baby you called me
You called me just to tell me you love me
And everything was alright

Oh baby baby
Oh you turn me around

Whenever you pick up that line
Well I'm so thankful for that dime
Every time you call me
You call me
Just to tell me you love me
Oh baby you called me
You called me just to tell me you love me
You called me
You called me just to tell me you love me

You called me
You called me just to tell me you love me

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Mayer Hawthorne's "You Called Me" describe a series of frustrating events that have led the singer to feel downtrodden and hopeless until he receives a phone call from his significant other. The day from which the lyrics start seems to be bad from the beginning, as the singer spills hot coffee on his shirt and misses his bus - an absolute nightmare for anyone trying to make it to work on time. Then, despite his best efforts to purchase a nice dress for his partner, he finds that everything in her favorite department store is beyond his budget, and he is left feeling disheartened once again. However, it's not long until he gets a phone call from his significant other, which turns his whole day around. She tells him she loves him, and suddenly everything is okay again. The lyrics convey the power of love and the way that it can make even the most difficult times seem bearable.

The song is also notable for its upbeat, retro-infused sound, with an emphasis on tight, groove-heavy instrumentation and smooth vocal harmonies. The song's production draws heavily from the soul and R&B music of the 1960s and 1970s, with a focus on vintage drum sounds, funky guitar riffs, and melodic bass lines. These musical elements give the song a timeless quality and make it feel like a throwback to an era of classic soul and funk music.

Line by Line Meaning

This morning
At the beginning of the day

In a rush to get ready for work
Hurry to prepare for work

I've spilled hot coffee on my shirt
Coffee fell on my shirt

It hurt
It caused pain

I ran to catch the bus to be on time
Started running to get on the bus on time

But the driver sped away
The driver left quickly

And left me running behind
I had to keep running

Well then my knees dropped to the ground
I collapsed on the ground

And I was really feeling down
I was feeling sad

Then baby you called me
You called me on the phone

You called me to tell me you love me
You said 'I love you'