The Chicago-born singer-songwriter, was discovered by Kris Kristofferson. He collaborated with close friend John Prine throughout his career. His superb guitar ability (honed at Chicago's Old Town School of Folk Music) and creative songwriting ability led him to success in the 1970s folk scene. Often funny, sometimes heartbreaking, always unpredictable, Steve Goodman was the consummate performer whether in a small Chicago venue, Austin City Limits, or opening for Steve Martin (and often stealing the show!). Steve is probably best known for his song "City of New Orleans", which was later covered by Arlo Guthrie among others. He has also been covered by Jimmy Buffett and many others. Steve was the ultimate suffering Chicago Cub fan, writing the songs "Go, Cubs, Go" and the unfortunately very true "A Dying Cub Fans Last Request".
Steve's life was cut short in 1984 by leukemia, but fortunately an extensive catalog remains, including the recently released, "Live at the Earl" as well as the DVD "Steve Goodman Live at Austin City Limits and More."
You Never Even Call Me By My Name
Steve Goodman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sometimes it seems so useless to remain
You're the one who always tried to change me
That is why I'll always stay the same
And I'll hang around as long as you will let me
I never minded standing in the rain
You don't have to call me darlin', darlin'
You don't have to call me Waylon Jennings
No you don't have to call me Charlie Pride
And you don't have to call me Merle Haggard anymore
Even though you know you're on my fightin' side
And I'll hang around as long as you will let me
I never minded standing in the rain
You don't have to call me darlin', darlin'
But you never even call me by my name
I've seen my name a few times in the phone book
(Hello, hello, hello)
And on the neon sign above the bar I used to own
There is only one thing that I'm really sure of
I'm going to hear it when my Savior calls me home
Til that day I'm gonna hang around as long as you will let me
I never minded standing in the rain
You don't have to call me darlin', darlin'
But you never even called me by my name
It's not her heart Lord, it's her mind
She didn't mean to be unkind
And you never even call me by my name
Bye baby
The lyrics, "You never even call me by my name" conveys feelings of neglect and lack of recognition from the person addressed in the song. The singer feels like their identity is not acknowledged and that they are not appreciated for who they are. They say that the person always tried to change them, but they have remained the same despite this. The singer expresses their loyalty to the other person, stating that they will stay by their side as long as they are allowed to, even if it means enduring difficult situations. The repeated line, "You don't have to call me darlin', darlin'," seems to signify the singer's willingness to do without expressions of affection or terms of endearment, but that it would mean a lot to them just to be recognized by their name.
The song references various country artists, including Waylon Jennings, Charlie Pride, and Merle Haggard, who are known for their unique styles and sounds in the genre. In the context of the song, these references highlight the singer's identity as a country musician, and suggest that even though they are not as famous as these artists, they deserve to be acknowledged just as much. The line, "Even though you know you're on my fightin' side," suggests that the person addressed may have been a supporter of the singer's career but has since become distant and dismissive. The song ends with a melancholic note, as the singer acknowledges their mortality and the inevitability of hearing the call of their savior.
Line by Line Meaning
It was all that I could do to keep from crying
I was so heartbroken that it took all my willpower to hold back my tears
Sometimes it seems so useless to remain
At times, it feels pointless for me to stick around
You're the one who always tried to change me
You were constantly attempting to alter who I am
That is why I'll always stay the same
That's why I am determined to remain true to myself
And I'll hang around as long as you will let me
I'll stick around as long as you allow me to
I never minded standing in the rain
It never bothered me to be outside in the rain
You don't have to call me darlin', darlin'
It's not necessary for you to use terms of endearment with me
But you never even call me by my name
However, it hurts that you never refer to me by my actual name
You don't have to call me Waylon Jennings
You don't have to compare me to Waylon Jennings
No you don't have to call me Charlie Pride
You don't need to liken me to Charlie Pride
And you don't have to call me Merle Haggard anymore
You can stop making references to Merle Haggard when talking to/about me
Even though you know you're on my fightin' side
Even though you're on my team
I've seen my name a few times in the phone book (Hello, hello, hello)
There have been occasions where my name has appeared in the phone book (and people have called me)
And on the neon sign above the bar I used to own
My previous establishment had a flashy sign above it
There is only one thing that I'm really sure of
The only certainty I have
I'm going to hear it when my Savior calls me home
Is that I'll hear my savior's voice when I pass away
Til that day I'm gonna hang around as long as you will let me
Until then, I'll stick around as long as you'll permit me to
But you never even called me by my name
The fact that you've never used my name is still a source of pain for me
It's not her heart Lord, it's her mind
I don't think it's her heart that's the issue, but rather her head
She didn't mean to be unkind
I don't think she intended to be cruel
And you never even call me by my name
But it still hurts that she never addresses me by my actual name
Bye baby
An informal farewell, often used in a romantic context
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Steve Goodman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Chris M
A masterclass in leaving your audience feeling like they got every cent of their money's worth. RIP legend
Jonathan Osborn
I love the relish Goodman takes in the song’s audacity! His joy is a joy to behold!
Salty Carr
So true Jonathan. Thank You
druNkwriter
One of my all time favorite heroes. So wonderful to see him live like this. Really wish he was still here. Thanks so much for posting this.
Salty Carr
Happy to post it
Jeff Sartain
Maybe Prine and Goodman are out there knocking them dead tonight.
Travis Bickle
Great collaboration between Prine and Steve. David Allan Coe took this song to epic proportions. Three great musicians 🎶🎤🎸
jan hensley
RIP Steve Goodman
Thanks for the music 🎶🎸
Jim Hope
He was a genius.
Salty Carr
Yes he was