The band released their debut self-titled album, Young the Giant, on 25 January 2011, which was preceded by a digital-only release in October 2010. The first single, "My Body," reached #5 on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart, and a second single, "Cough Syrup," reached #3 on the same chart.
Previously, the band was known as The Jakes. They released a 7 song EP, Shake My Hand, in 2008, which including two songs ("Garands" and "Cough Syrup") now on the current self-titled album Young the Giant.
Call Me Back
Young the Giant Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
By the phone, by the phone
My head was stuck in the clouds
Feet would not touch the ground
You didn't have to leave that way
Didn't have to leave that way
'Cause I was just
Just a boy
I've been holding on to all your promises
Why'd you tell me you were on your way back?
I've been waiting so long
Days have come and they've gone
Don't leave me hanging
Call me back, call me back, call me back, call me back
Baby call me back, call me back, call me back, call me back
I've been waiting by the phone, love, I've been waiting by the phone, love
So just call me back, call me back, call me back, call me back
You didn't have to be that way
Didn't have to be that way
'Cause I was just
Just a boy
By the phone, by the phone
I've been holding on to all your promises
Why'd you tell me you were on your way back?
I've been waiting so long
Days have come and they've gone
Don't leave me hanging
Call me back, call me back, call me back, call me back
Baby call me back, call me back, call me back, call me back
I've been waiting by the phone, love, I've been waiting by the phone, love
So just call me back, call me back, call me back, call me back
The song "Call Me Back" by Young the Giant is about waiting for someone to come back and feeling helpless in the situation. The first verse describes the singer as a boy with his head in the clouds, waiting by the phone. The singer feels like he is stuck, unable to move forward until the person he is waiting for returns.
The chorus repeats the phrase "Call me back" multiple times, emphasizing the singer's desire for the person to come back and to alleviate his feelings of loneliness and longing. He expresses how he has been waiting for so long, and how the days have come and gone without any sign of the person.
The second verse repeats the sentiment of the first verse, with the added emphasis on the promises that the person had made before leaving. The singer is left wondering why the person would lead him on if they had no intention of returning.
Overall, "Call Me Back" is a song about the pain of waiting for someone who may never come back. The repetitive chorus drives home the singer's feelings of desperation and his need for the person to reach out and alleviate his loneliness.
Line by Line Meaning
When I was just a boy
As a boy, I was young, naive, and inexperienced.
By the phone, by the phone
I spent a lot of time waiting for something important to happen.
My head was stuck in the clouds
I was not grounded in the reality of what was happening around me.
Feet would not touch the ground
I was so focused on what might happen that I lost touch with what was actually happening.
You didn't have to leave that way
You could have ended our relationship differently, but you chose to leave suddenly and without explanation.
Didn't have to leave that way
I wish you would have been more considerate of my feelings and been more communicative about why you were leaving.
'Cause I was just
Just a boy
By the phone, by the phone
I was not mature enough to handle the situation but that does not mean it did not hurt.
I've been holding on to all your promises
I have been keeping the faith in the things you said and hoping that they weren’t just empty words.
Why'd you tell me you were on your way back?
I believed that you would return to me, but you misled me and left me waiting for nothing.
I've been waiting so long
I have been waiting for an exceedingly long time, and it feels like it will never end.
Days have come and they've gone
Time has passed, and nothing has changed. It is a painful reminder of how little control I have over the situation.
Don't leave me hanging
Please do not let me wait and suffer in this way any longer.
Call me back, call me back, call me back, call me back
Baby call me back, call me back, call me back, call me back
I've been waiting by the phone, love, I've been waiting by the phone, love
So just call me back, call me back, call me back, call me back
Please call me and let me know what is going on. I am desperate for some kind of closure or resolution.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Ammar Malik, Eric Matthew Cannata, Francois Paul Comtois, Jacob John Tilley, John Hill, Payam Reza Doostzadeh, Sameer Gadhia
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Apurva
When I was just a boy
By the phone, by the phone
My head was stuck in the clouds
Feet would not touch the ground
You didn't have to leave that way
Didn't have to leave that way
'Cause I was just
Just a boy
By the phone, by the phone
I've been holding on to all your promises
Why'd you tell me you were on your way back?
I've been waiting so long
Days have come and they've gone
Don't leave me hanging
Call me back, call me back, call me back, call me back
Baby call me back, call me back, call me back, call me back
I've been waiting by the phone, love, I've been waiting by the phone, love
So just call me back, call me back, call me back, call me back
You didn't have to be that way
Didn't have to be that way
'Cause I was just
Just a boy
By the phone, by the phone
I've been holding on to all your promises
Why'd you tell me you were on your way back?
I've been waiting so long
Days have come and they've gone
Don't leave me hanging
Call me back, call me back, call me back, call me back
Baby call me back, call me back, call me back, call me back
I've been waiting by the phone, love, I've been waiting by the phone, love
So just call me back, call me back, call me back, call me back
Pyroguy92
This band just simply cannot create anything less than perfection, seriously blows my mind how unique and beautiful every last song is that they put out
Graham
from 2010 at age 16.. to 2018 at 24... I’ve grown up listening to you guys and your music means so much to me !!!!
Michele Amber
gracker me too! Same age and everything 😮
Jolonda Lowe
I was 19, but same. I still remember the first time I heard them.
caratinyzen
Same! <3 I feel like I grew up alongside them and the music has always been there for me. Seeing them in concert was so magical
Toni Rod
Hey mee too, i´ve been listening them since high school. I saw them live last year. They´re awesome! you have to go to one of their concerts
SamHere
Hey we have similar age experiences haha
polycube
wow sameer's voice is absolutely gorgeous in this song.
McPepaPigTheThird
This is the band.. it is the only band that doesn't disappoint
Paulina A.
Sameer's voice is stellar, ALWAYS. I agree that this type of song shows off his silky smooth vocalizations more