You Never Even Called Me By My Name

Written By Steve Goodman As Recorded By David Allan Coe WELL, IT WAS ALL THAT I COULD DO TO KEEP FROM CRYIN’ SOMETIMES IT SEEMED SO USELESS TO REMAIN BUT 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 AND YOU DON’T HAVE TO CALL ME MERLE HAGGARD/ANYMORE EVEN THOUGH YOU’RE 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 BUT YOU DON’T HAVE TO CALL ME DARLIN’, DARLIN’ YOU NEVER EVEN CALLED ME BY MY NAME WELL, 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 DAY REPEAT CHORUS RECITATION: 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: 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 NED OVER BY A DAMNED OLD TRAIN CHORUS: AND I’LL HANG AROUND AS LONG AS YOU WILL LET ME AND I NEVER MINDED STANDIN’ IN THE RAIN NO, A’ YOU DON’T HAVE TO CALL ME DARLIN’, DARLIN’ YOU NEVER EVEN CALL ME WELL I WONDER WHY YOU DON’T CALL ME WHY DON’T YOU EVER CALL ME BY MY NAME