About The Song
The song “You Never Even Called Me by My Name” isn’t credited to a single artist. There are two possibilities:
- David Allan Coe Version: This is the most likely source you’re thinking of. The song was written by Steve Goodman and John Prine. Here’s what we know about this version:
- Released in 1975 on David Allan Coe’s album “Once Upon a Rhyme”
- Genre: Country
- Lyrical Theme: A woman laments about a one-sided relationship where the man doesn’t even call her by name. She questions his affection despite all she’s done for him (“Sometimes it seemed so useless to repay / But you don’t have to call me darling darling / You never even called me by my name”).
- Steve Goodman Version: The song was originally written by Steve Goodman and John Prine, but Prine reportedly didn’t want credit because he thought it was a “goofy, novelty song.”
Here’s what you can do to find the right information:
- If you’re looking for the David Allan Coe version, you can search for “David Allan Coe – You Never Even Called Me By My Name” on streaming platforms or YouTube.
- If you’re curious about the original version by Steve Goodman (if it exists), it might be less readily available. You could search for “Steve Goodman – You Never Even Called Me By My Name” online, but finding an official recording might be difficult.
Let me know if you’d like to explore David Allan Coe’s version or if you have any other questions about this song!
Video
Lyrics
🎵 Let’s sing along with the lyrics! 🎤
Well, it was allThat I could do to keep from crying’Sometimes it seemed so useless to remainBut you don’t have to call me darlin’, darlin’You never even called me by my name
You don’t have to call me Waylon JenningsAnd you don’t have to call me Charlie PrideAnd you don’t have to call me Merle Haggard anymoreEven though you’re on my fighting’ side
And I’ll hang around as long as you will let meAnd I never minded standing’ in the rainBut you don’t have to call me darlin’, darlin’You never even called me by my name
Well, I’ve heard my nameA few times in your phone book (hello, hello)And I’ve seen it on signs where I’ve playedBut the only time I knowI’ll hear “David Allan Coe”Is when Jesus has his final judgment day
So I’ll hang around as long as you will let meAnd I never minded standing’ in the rainBut you don’t have to call me darlin’, darlin’You never even called me by my name
Well, a friend of mine named Steve Goodman wrote that songAnd he told me it was the perfect country & western songI wrote him back a letter and I told him it was not the perfect country & western songBecause he hadn’t said anything at all about mamaOr trains, or trucks, or prison, or getting’ drunkWell, he sat down and wrote another verse to the song and he sent it to meAnd after reading it I realized that my friend had written the perfect country & western songAnd I felt obliged to include it on this albumThe last verse goes like this here
Well, I was drunk the day my mom got out of prisonAnd I went to pick her up in the rainBut before I could get to the station in my pickup truckShe got run over by a damned old train
And I’ll hang around as long as you will let meAnd I never minded standing’ in the rain, noBut you don’t have to call me darlin’, darlin’You never even called meWell, I wonder why you don’t call meWhy don’t you ever call me by my name