The Breeders is an alternative rock band based in Dayton, Ohio, USA. The ba… Read Full Bio ↴The Breeders is an alternative rock band based in Dayton, Ohio, USA. The band was first formed by Kim Deal and Tanya Donelly in 1989. Originally intended as a side-project for Deal and Donelly while still in their full-time bands Pixies and Throwing Muses, respectively, The Breeders quickly became Deal's primary recording outlet. The original line-up also included bassist Josephine Wiggs of The Perfect Disaster, and drummer Britt Walford of Slint. The band has had several lineup changes over the years, with frontwoman Kim Deal being the band's sole continuous member; Deal's twin sister Kelley Deal joined in 1992, and has remained in the band ever since.

Don't Call Home
The Breeders Lyrics

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Phone by the cash register
Quarter in your pocket
Miles away but you can't call home
No, you can't call home
Home is where you are [2x]
Miles away, no one knows where
Miles away, don't call home
Anyway, don't call this way

Hey, don't call
You never can call
Don't even write
No one can help you
You don't know what to do
Don't call home
No one likes you
Wants your call

You couldn't care less
You don't know what is happening
You don't know why you're angry
You don't know why you left her
You can't call, you never can call

Hey, don't call, you never can call [4x]
Don't even write

Overall Meaning

The Breeders' "Don't Call Home" song seems to be about a person on the run or someone who has left home and is unable to come back, maybe because they've caused some kind of trouble or because they cannot face the consequences of their actions. The first few lines mention a phone by the cash register with a quarter in the pocket, which suggests that the person is physically far from home but still unable to call. It seems like home is still on their mind and they want to call but can't, maybe because they're ashamed or guilty of something. The line, "Home is where you are," could mean that the person feels homesick or that they're searching for a place to call home.

As the song progresses, it becomes clear that the person is in a bad place emotionally. They're angry and confused, and they don't know why they left their significant other. The lyrics suggest that they're hopeless and that no one can help them. The lines, "No one likes you/ Wants your call," suggest that the person is feeling rejected by the people they've left behind. Overall, the song seems to be about the pain of leaving home and the consequences of one's actions.

Line by Line Meaning

Phone by the cash register
A reminder that the phone is just a tool, and it should never control one's life

Quarter in your pocket
Despite being prepared, one cannot use the phone to connect with home

Miles away but you can't call home
The physical distance from home is not the reason why you can't connect with your loved ones

No, you can't call home
There are situations and emotions that keep a person from reaching out and making that call home

Home is where you are [2x]
The definition of home is subjective and can be anywhere as long as one is at peace and comfortable

Miles away, no one knows where
The distance and unknown location of the person only make it harder for them to connect with anybody

Miles away, don't call home
The person is advised not to call home because they are not in the right state of mind

Anyway, don't call this way
No matter how hard you try you cannot get the right words out or the right emotions across

Hey, don't call
When a person is in distress or struggling, they may not want to admit it to their loved ones and would rather suffer in silence

You never can call
The person may feel like whatever they say or do will not be enough to convey their emotions and pain

Don't even write
Even if the person cannot verbally speak out, they are still advised not to write to their loved ones for their own and their loved ones' sake.

No one can help you
When somebody is down and can't reach out, feeling isolated and unrecognizable in their life, there might be nothing that can help them, only time and the strength to carry on.

You don't know what to do
The confusion and uncertainty of the situation weigh so heavily on a person that they can't decide what to do.

Don't call home
Even though it may seem like a good idea, the person is advised not to call their loved ones because they might drag them down with them

No one likes you
An all-encompassing feeling of abandonment and rejection may surround the person and their self-esteem is damaged.

Wants your call
Despite everything, deep down, the person still yearns to connect and communicate with their loved ones

You couldn't care less
The feelings of self-loathing and low self-worth in a person might lead them to believe that nobody cares about them

You don't know what is happening
When in a dire situation, it's common for a person to feel lost and hopeless about their surroundings

You don't know why you're angry
Your emotions are all jumbled up and you may feel intense anger but can't pinpoint a specific reason why

You don't know why you left her
A painful experience has shattered the initial reason why you decided to break up with your loved one and you question your decision

You can't call, you never can call
Despite the urge to do so, the person cannot call and express their innermost feelings

Hey, don't call, you never can call [4x]
Repeated emphasis on the fact that the person should not attempt to make that call home and should instead seek help elsewhere.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: KIM DEAL

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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