Call Me

Album

American Gigolo

Label

Chrysalis Records

Genre

Stage & Screen

Composer(s)

Deborah Harry;Giorgio Moroder

Entered Chart

Feb 16, 1980

Peak Date

Apr 19, 1980

Released

January 29, 1980 (US)

Recorded

August 1979, New York

Catalog #

Chrysalis 2414

B-Side

"Call Me" (instrumental)

This song is about a prostitute. It was written for the film American Gigolo, where it plays in a scene where the lead character is "working." European disco producer Giorgio Moroder wrote this with Blondie lead singer Debbie Harry, who thus became the first woman in British chart history to write three #1 hits. However she wasn't Moroder's first choice. The Italian disco king had originally wanted Stevie Nicks to provide vocals on the track but the Fleetwood Mac vocalist declined the offer. "Call Me" was the most successful of all Blondie singles in their native USA, where it was the best-selling single of 1980. Giorgio Moroder told Billboard magazine that his difficult experience of recording this song with Blondie taught him not to work with rock bands. "There were always fights," he recalled. "I was supposed to do an album with them after that. We went to the studio, and the guitarist was fighting with the keyboard player. I called their manager and quit." In 2009, Franz Ferdinand covered this song for the War Child Presents Heroes charity album. In addition to American Gigolo, "Call Me" has been used in these films: Pitch Perfect 3 (2017) For the Love of Money (2012) Zoolander (2001) Bride of Chucky (1998) Partners (1982) And these TV shows: Mindhunter ("Episode #2.2" - 2019) RuPaul's Drag Race ("New Wave Queens" - 2016) Family Ties ("Double Date" - 1984) In 2002, The Box Tops recorded this for the compilation album When Pigs Fly: Songs You Never Thought You'd Hear. Cevin Soling, who was executive producer on the album, explains: "I got the Box Tops back together again, and that was a blast. That was so much fun working with the Box Tops. Especially with Alex Chilton there singing. I didn't produce that. I was in the studio, but the producer on that one was a buy named Benji King, who was the keyboard player for the band Scandal. That studio experience was pretty funny, because he's so full of energy. He's always excited and always really into things. The Box Tops are each one degree more laid back to the next. Coming from the South, they're all kind of very chill. Until you get to Alex Chilton, who's practically catatonic. And so you have that contrast." Ten different songs called "Call Me" have made the Hot 100, but only this one landed in the Top 10. The others: 1970 - Aretha Franklin - #13 1958 - Johnny Mathis - #21 1966 - Chris Montez - #22 1982 - Skyy - #26 2002 - Tweet - #31 1997 - Le Click - #35 1985 - Go West - #54 1986 - Dennis DeYoung - #54 1997 - Too Short & Lil' Kim - #90 Debbie Harry sang this on her 1981 appearance on The Muppet Show. This song was covered by the heavy metal band In This Moment on their 2008 album, The Dream. >>

Color me your color, baby
Color me your car
Color me your color, darling
I know who you are
Come up off your color chart
I know where you're comin' from

Call me (call me) on the line
Call me, call me any, anytime
Call me (call me) my love
You can call me any day or night
Call me

Cover me with kisses, baby
Cover me with love
Roll me in designer sheets
I'll never get enough
Emotions come, I don't know why
Cover up love's alibi

Call me (call me) on the line
Call me, call me any, anytime
Call me (call me) oh love
When you're ready we can share the wine
Call me

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, he speaks the languages of love
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, amore, chiamami, chiamami
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, appelle-moi mon cheri, appelle-moi
Anytime, anyplace, anywhere, any way
Anytime, anyplace, anywhere, any day-ay

Call me (call me) my love
Call me, call me any, anytime
Call me (call me) for a ride
Call me, call me for some overtime
Call me (call me) my love
Call me, call me in a sweet design
Call me (call me), call me for your lover's lover's alibi
Call me (call me) on the line
Call me, call me any, anytime
Call me (call me)
Oh, call me, oh, oh, ah
Call me (call me) my love
Call me, call me any, anytime