Cole began his recording career with producer Duke Reid, scoring a hit with his 1962 debut, “Rough & Tough,” a full-tilt ska number with a wild harmonica solo. His Louis Jordan revival song, “Run Joe,” was a hit in 1965, and featured members of the Techniques on harmony vocals.
Stranger frequently used duet partners, most notably Millicent “Patsy” Todd and Ken Boothe, and later in his career, Gladstone Anderson (their version of “Just Like a River” is one of Cole’s finest songs), stemming from an apparent shyness in the studio, but Cole developed into a soulful vocalist, and his songs radiate a kid of joyful personality that is rare in most reggae.
When You Call My Name
Stranger Cole Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You pay me no mind
When I call your name
Would you leave me aside?
Though I held your hand
Tell me, what am I to do
When I call your call
When you called my name
I couldn't explain
When you called my name
Oh, my heart was in pain
How you held my hand
Do what you want to do
When you called my name
I couldn't explain
I'm going to woo you, please you
Tell you all my love
I let the world know, oh dear,
That my love for you is true
When you called my name
I couldn't explain
When you called my name
Oh, my heart was in pain
How you held my hand
Do what you want to do
When you called my name
I couldn't explain
When you called my name
I couldn't explain
When you called my name
Oh, my heart was in pain
You held my hand
Do what you want to do
When you called my name
I couldn't explain
The song "When You Call My Name" by Stranger & Patsy feat. Patsy Todd is a classic example of a love song that expresses the romantic feelings and emotions of the singer towards their lover. The lyrics depict a situation where the singer feels ignored or unloved by their partner when they call out for them. The first stanza describes the singer's disappointment when they call their lover's name, and their lover doesn't seem to care or respond. The line “When I call your name, you pay me no mind, would you leave me aside?” highlights the singer's feelings of insecurity and neglect.
The second stanza describes how the singer feels when their lover calls out their name. The singer's heart is filled with pain, and they are unable to explain their emotions. The line "When you called my name, I couldn't explain, oh, my heart was in pain," further emphasizes the singer's feelings of love and abandonment.
The third and final stanza intensifies the singer's feelings of love and desperation as they vow to woo and please their partner. The singer expresses their desire to let the world know about their love and loyalty to their lover. The repetition of the lines in the chorus expresses the theme of unrequited love, where the singer is unable to express their emotions effectively to their partner.
Overall, "When You Call My Name" is a classic love song that expresses the pain and beauty of love. The song is a heartfelt expression of the emotions and feelings of the singer towards their lover.
Line by Line Meaning
When I call your name
I am trying to get your attention by saying your name
You pay me no mind
You ignore me and don't respond to me
Would you leave me aside?
Are you intentionally avoiding me and excluding me from your life?
Though I held your hand
Even though we have physical contact and I try to connect with you
Tell me, what am I to do
I am asking for advice or guidance on how to handle this situation
When you called my name
When you addressed me by saying my name
I couldn't explain
I didn't understand or couldn't describe the feelings or emotions I had in that moment
Oh, my heart was in pain
I felt hurt or distressed in my emotional state
Do what you want to do
You have the freedom to act or behave however you choose
I'm going to woo you, please you
I will try to attract you and make you happy through my words and actions
Tell you all my love
I will express and share all of my feelings of love with you
Let the world know, oh dear,
I want to make it public and known to everyone that I love you
That my love for you is true
My feeling of love for you is genuine and sincere
You held my hand
You physically touched me and we had a moment of connection
Contributed by Lily R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.