You Never Even Called Me By My Name (The Perfect Country And Western Song) Lyrics
David Allan Coe
Lyrics
It was all that I could do to keep from cryin'
Sometimes it seems so useless to remain
You don't have to call me darlin', darlin'
You never even call me by my name.
You don't have to call me Waylon Jennings
And you don't have to call me Charlie Pride.
You don't have to call me Merle Haggard, anymore.
Even though your on my fightin' side.
CHORUS
And I'll hang around as long as you will let me
And I never minded standin' in the rain.
You don't have to call me darlin', darlin'
You never even call me by my name.
I've heard my name a few times in your phone book
I've seen it on signs where I've Played But the only time I know, I'll hear David Allan Coe
Is when Jesus has his final judgement day.
CHORUS...
Well, a friend of mine named Steve Goodman wrote that song
and he told me it was the perfect country and western song
I wrote him back a letter and told him it was NOT the perfect
country and western song because he hadn't said anything about
Momma, or trains, or trucks, or prison, or gettin' drunk.
Well, he sat down and wrote another verse to the song and he sent
it to me and after reading it, I realized that my friend had written
the perfect country and western song. And I felt obliged to include it
Well, I was drunk the day my Mom got outta prison.
And I went to pick her up in the rain.
But, before I could get to the station in my pickup truck
She got runned over by a damned old train.
CHORUS:
So I'll hang around as long as you will let me
And I never minded standin' in the rain. No,
You don't have to call me darlin', darlin'
You never even call me, I wonder why you don't call me
Why don't you ever call me by my name.
Song & Lyrics Facts
David Allan Coe's "You Never Even Called Me By My Name" is a classic country and western song released in 1975. It was written by David Allan Coe and Steve Goodman and included on Coe's album, Once Upon a Rhyme.
The song has been covered by many artists since its release and remains a favorite amongst fans of the genre. The lyrics tell the story of a man who is dissatisfied with his life and longs for a woman to call him by name. The song features references to country music icons such as Hank Williams and Johnny Cash. The chorus line of “you never even called me by my name” became an iconic phrase and is often used in popular culture today.