‘Call Me’ is a song by the American new wave band Blondie and the theme to the 1980 film American Gigolo. Produced and composed by Italian musician Giorgio Moroder, with lyrics by Blondie singer Debbie Harry, the song appeared in the film and was released in the United States in early 1980 as a single. ‘Call Me’ was No. 1 for six consecutive weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, where it became the band's biggest single and second No. 1. It also hit No. 1 in the UK and Canada, where it became their fourth and second chart-topper, respectively. In the year-end chart of 1980, it was Billboard's No. 1 single and RPM magazine's No. 3 in Canada.
Moroder turned to Debbie Harry of Blondie, presenting Harry with an instrumental track called "Man Machine". Harry was asked to write the lyrics, a process that Harry states took a mere few hours. The lyrics were written from the perspective of the main character in the film, a male prostitute. Harry said the lyrics were inspired by her visual impressions from watching the film and that "When I was writing it, I pictured the opening scene, driving on the coast of California."
The single was released in the United States in February 1980. It spent six consecutive weeks at number one and was certified Gold (for one million copies sold) by the RIAA. It also spent four weeks at No. 2 on the US dance chart. The single was also No. 1 on Billboard magazine's 1980 year-end chart. The song lists at No. 57 on Billboard's All Time Top 100. It was released in the UK two months later, where it became Blondie's fourth UK No. 1 single in little over a year. The song was also played on a British Telecom advert in the 1980s.
25 years after its original release, ‘Call Me’ was ranked at No. 283 on the list of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. In 1981, the Village Voice ranked "Call Me" as the third-best song of the year 1980 on its annual year-end critics' poll, Pazz & Jop. In 2017, Billboard ranked the song number three on their list of the 10 greatest Blondie songs, and in 2021, The Guardian ranked the song number four on their list of the 20 greatest Blondie songs. n 1981, the song was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, as well as for a Golden Globe for Best Original Song.
Labels – Polydor, Chrysalis, Salsoul
Songwriters – Debbie Harry, Giorgio Moroder
Producer – Giorgio Moroder
SONG LYRICS
[Instrumental Intro 00:00-00:29][Verse 1]
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 are coming from
[Chorus]
Call me (Call me) on the line
Call me, call me any, anytime
Call me (Call me) I'll arrive
You can call me any day or night
Call me
[Verse 2]
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
[Chorus]
Call me (Call me) on the line
Call me, call me any, anytime
Call me (Call me) I'll arrive
When you're ready we can share the wine
Call me
[Instrumental Break 01:52-02:25]
[Bridge]
Ooh, he speaks the languages of love
Ooh, amore, chiamami, chiamami
Ooh, appelle-moi, mon chéri, appelle-moi
Anytime, anyplace, anywhere, any way
Anytime, anyplace, anywhere, any day, any way
[Instrumental Break 02:55-03:30]
[Keyboard Solo]
[Refrain]
Call me
[Instrumental Break 03:31-04:04]
[Verse 3]
Take me out and show me off
And put me on the scene
Dress me in the fashions of the 1980s
You're a man, no in-between
You know what your words can mean
[Chorus]
Call me (Call me) on the line
Call me, call me any day or night
Call me (Call me) I'll arrive
Call me, call me into overtime
Call me
[Instrumental Break 04:38-04:52]
[Chorus]
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
[Breakdown]
Call me, ah-ha, call me, ah-ha-ha
Call me, ah-ha-ha, call me any day or night
Call me, ooh-ooh-ah-ha-ha, ooh-ooh-ha-ha-ha
Call me, ah-ah-ooh
Call me, my, my sleek designs
Call me for a ride, call me inside
Call me, all night, all day, ah-ha
Call me
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ah-ah-ah
[Instrumental Break 06:20-7:17]
[Guitar Solo]
[Outro]
Call me (Call me) in my life
Call me, call me any, any time
Call me (Call me) I'll arrive
Call me, call me for some overtime
Call me (Call me) in my life
Call me, call me and my sleek designs
Call me (Call me), call me for your lover's lover's alibi
Call me (Call me) in my life
Call me, call me any, any time
Call me (Call me)
Ooh-ooh-ooh
Call me, oh-oh
Call me (Call me) in my life
Call me, call me any, any time