It was written by Steve Goodman and John Prine. Prine asked not to be credited because he thought it was a "goofy, novelty song." Well, that goofy novelty song was David Allan Coe's first top 10 hit, and you won't find a honky tonk where the band plays this that the audience doesn't sing along. It's simply hilarious as Country Music pokes loving fun at itself. Enjoy.
You Never Even Called Me by My Name (Songwriters: Steve Goodman, John Prine)
Well, it was all
That I could do to keep from crying'
Sometimes it seemed so useless to remain
But you don't have to call me darlin', darlin'
You never even called me by my nameYou don't have to call me Waylon Jennings
And you don't have to call me Charlie Pride
And you don't have to call me Merle Haggard anymore
Even though you're on my fighting' sideAnd I'll hang around as long as you will let me
And I never minded standing' in the rain
But you don't have to call me darlin', darlin'
You never even called me by my nameWell, I've heard my name
A few times in your phone book (hello, hello)
And 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 judgment daySo I'll hang around as long as you will let me
And I never minded standing' in the rain
But you don't have to call me darlin', darlin'
You never even called me by my name(Spoken)
Well, a friend of mine named Steve Goodman wrote that song
And he told me it was the perfect country & western song
I wrote him back a letter and I told him it was not the perfect country & western song
Because he hadn't said anything at all about mama
Or trains, or trucks, or prison, or getting' 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 & western song
And I felt obliged to include it on this album
The last verse goes like this here(Sung)
Well, I was drunk the day my mom got out of 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 run over by a damned old trainAnd I'll hang around as long as you will let me
And I never minded standing' in the rain, no
But you don't have to call me darlin', darlin'
You never even called me
Well, I wonder why you don't call me
Why don't you ever call me by my name
8 comments:
I'm a simple guy and this simple song sings to me. Having played in bands in the 50's (Yeah, I'm old :( ) it brings back the fun that was to be had in that pursuit. Thanks for posting it.
One of our favorite driving songs on them long trips down south. Yes, the wife and I do sing along.
Yep, great sing along song! :-)
That's America, right there!
Love that.
My wife, 1-year-old son and I were driving from Grand Prairie, Texas, to Lake Grapevine to meet up with other n’eer do well newspaper types for Labor Day picnic 1977, a hot day, windows rolled down on my 1970 taxicab yellow Chevrolet Nova, with no air conditioning. I drove over a hill and into the flats below and saw sitting at a stop sign to the right a vinyl top red Cadillac, the driver wearing a straw cowboy hat and a blonde sitting dangerously close. I said to my wife, “Look at that goat roper in the Cadillac.” We got closer, and I could read the license tag: DA COE. Weeell doggies. I said, “Y’all just go ahead on with what you’re doing.” Never judge a book or a Cadillac.
It's a great song, one of my favorites. Toby Keith's "Ain't As Good As I Once Was" (my, how the years have flown...) is another good 'un in that vein.
he played a song I heard once and never forgot. no no, it wasn't you picked a fine time to loose wheel. That was the USO group in Korea mocking another song. It was his dear abby song. I heard it 40 years ago. God I got old before I knew it. I'm sure my daughter is getting the feeling too. If I heard it in a room at the frat, that makes it 40 years ago. Drat is a mild expletive. My daughter has way new better ones that I would not understand. I'm kind of looking forward to hearing them. Kids always have the best words.
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