The Thermals' sixth LP and debut for Saddle Creek, Desperate Ground, was produced by John Agnello (Dinosaur Jr, Sonic Youth) in Hoboken, NJ. Agnello and The Thermals completed the record and evacuated the studio just hours before Hurricane Sandy ravaged New Jersey, a fate quite fitting when you consider the product. Desperate Ground is a true scrappy and scratchy return-to-form for The Thermals, with all the raw power and unhinged adolescent energy that made their early LP's so insanely enjoyable. Lyrically, Desperate Ground is a brash and irresponsible ode to human violence, a black celebration of the inevitability of war and death. A dark and yet joyous affair, Desperate Ground tells the (murky) tale of a lone rogue in the night. One man, one path, one sword. An unceasing urge to destroy. A never-ending battle against the forces of nature. A destiny impossible to avoid.
In early 2013 The Thermals signed to Saddle Creek, a label they've known and admired for many years. The Thermals and Saddle Creek have a long history of sleeping on floors together: The Thermals have toured with Cursive and Ladyfinger, and Hutch and Kathy organized the first Bright Eyes show in Portland way back in 1999.
The Thermals were most famous for turning down $50,000 from Hummer, discovering the elusive fourth chord in punk rock (F#m) and for soundtracking that scene in Weeds where Mary-Louise Parker jumps in the pot-filled pool in her underwear.
The Thermals announced they were splitting in April 2018.
The Thermals lineup was Hutch Harris, Kathy Foster and Westin Glass.
I Called Out Your Name
The Thermals Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I called out your name.
With nothing I could feel
Nothing I knew was real
I called out your name
Vision a blur, voice in a slur, crying in the rain
One thing I knew, baby it was you.
I called out your name.
I was dreaming of a place where my body never aged,
I called out your name.
I was dreaming of a time when I never lost my mind,
I called out your name.
My vision turned the threat, I woke up in a sweat,
Feeling my spirits drain!
One thing I knew baby it was you.
I called out your name.
I was feeling so old, my body so cold,
Only you I needed to see.
I had fallen so low, you were all I had known
I had to love before I had to leave!
Under the sky, the cold morning light
I called out your name.
With nothing I could feel,
Nothing I knew was real,
I called out your name.
My time was running out!
Still I had to shout, I held my refrain! Whoa!
One thing I knew, baby it was you!
I called out your name.
The Thermals' "I Called Out Your Name" resonates with listeners who have experienced an exhausted, hopeless state. The song strikes a deep emotional chord by depicting a person who feels lost and alone, but finds comfort by calling out the name of someone who they care about. The opening lyrics "Under the sky, the cold morning light, I called out your name" set the tone for the song and describe a lonely and confusing situation. The lyrics "With nothing I could feel, nothing I knew was real, I called out your name" express a sense of detachment from reality and a desperate need for connection.
The second verse of the song builds on this theme of desperation and longing, as the singer dreams of a place and time free of the pain of aging and mental decline. The lyrics "My vision turned the threat, I woke up in a sweat, feeling my spirits drain," convey the fear and anxiety that the singer is experiencing. Despite this fear and anxiety, however, the singer still finds comfort and strength in calling out the name of the person they love.
The final verse of the song brings the themes of loneliness and desperation to a climax, as the singer faces the end of their life. The lyrics "My time was running out! Still I had to shout, I held my refrain! Whoa! One thing I knew, baby it was you! I called out your name" are powerful and emotional, conveying the depth of the singer's love and the intensity of their need for connection in the face of death.
Line by Line Meaning
Under the sky, the cold morning light,
The setting is a cold, early morning in the open air.
I called out your name.
The singer was yelling out for someone.
With nothing I could feel
The singer was numb and disconnected.
Nothing I knew was real
The artist was unsure of what was happening and could not discern reality.
I called out your name
The only thing the artist could do was yell for the person they were thinking of.
Vision a blur, voice in a slur, crying in the rain
The singer was disoriented and emotional, likely crying in the rain.
One thing I knew, baby it was you.
The only thing the singer was sure of was that the person they were calling out for was their baby.
I was dreaming of a place where my body never aged,
The artist was dreaming of a place where they could live forever young.
I called out your name.
Even in their dreams, the artist was still seeking the person they were thinking of.
I was dreaming of a time when I never lost my mind,
The artist was dreaming of a time when they were not confused or conflicted.
I called out your name.
Even in their dreams, the singer was still yearning for the person they were thinking of.
My vision turned the threat, I woke up in a sweat, Feeling my spirits drain!
The artist had a nightmare where something scary happened, and they woke up terrified and exhausted.
One thing I knew baby it was you.
The person the singer needed at all times was still the one they were calling out for.
I was feeling so old, my body so cold, Only you I needed to see.
The singer was feeling lonely and cold, and the only thing that could comfort them was seeing the person they were calling for.
I had fallen so low, you were all I had known I had to love before I had to leave!
The singer had hit rock bottom and realized that they needed to love the person they were calling for before they could die.
My time was running out! Still I had to shout, I held my refrain! Whoa!
The artist was running out of time to find the person they loved, but they kept yelling and hoping for the best.
One thing I knew, baby it was you!
Even in their darkest moments, the artist was sure that the person they loved was the one they were calling for.
Lyrics © TERRORBIRD PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: HUTCH HARRIS, KATHLEEN MICHELLE FOSTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Martin Rose
I tweeted my thanks to The Thermals for this song back in 2014 when I first discovered this song and they actually replied to me. Biggest achievement of my life!
Mr Happy
Martin S.
That's awesome dude! They are a very kind and incredibly talented band. I still remember what great hugs they give. 😁
Milk Steak
Great accomplishment!
Martin Rose
Still my biggest achievement to date.
dankhank
Awesome, I hadn't heard this song before, and it was my favorite performance of the four KEXP videos!
Richard
1:37 - 2:08 = sweet solo made out of chords thingy!
creature marionette
i am officially in love with the thermals.
Duo Maxwell
just saw them last thursday pure amazing
Smintjes
Belgium finds this brilliant!
dexter marcus
philippines finds this brilliant!