Call And Answer
I think it’s getting to the point where I can be myself again
I think it’s getting to the point where we have almost made amends
I think it’s the getting to the point that is the hardest part
And if you call, I will answer
And if you fall, I’ll pick you up
And if you court this disaster,
I’ll point you home
You think I only think about you when we’re both in the same room
You think I’m only here to witness the remains of love exhumed
You think we’re here to play a game of who loves more than whom
If you call, I will answer
And if you fall, I’ll pick you up
And if you court this disaster...
I’ll point you home
You think it’s only fair to do what’s best for you and you alone
You think it’s only fair to do the same to me when you’re not home
I think it’s time to make this something that is more than only fair
So if you call, I will answer
And if you fall, I’ll pick you up
And if you court this disaster
I’ll point you home
I’m warning you, don’t ever do
Those crazy, messed-up things that you do
If you ever do, I promise you
I’ll be the first to crucify you
Now it’s time to prove that you’ve come back here to rebuild
Rebuild
The Music
This is another quiet, acoustic sounding song. Its very restrained - a good chill out song, with a sad note to it. It's an easy song to miss, if heard in the background. Its slow, relaxed, and unassuming. But when you give it the time to listen, you begin to notice the powerful lyrics, pleasant guitar and quiet, steady, almost marching drum beat. The bass is very slow, which gives the song its relaxing tone.
My View
This is a song which I always took for granted. I used to enjoy it musically as a chill out song - nothing special, but pleasant. Lyrically it went straight over my head - I could never really relate to or understand the lyrics. No line jumped out at me, nothing caught my interest. Just another nice BnL song about some guy giving his support to some girl.
It wasn't until after I came out of a long term relationship that I understood the powerful emotional complexity of this song. The song is basically about a couple trying to reconcile their differences after a break up. Importantly, this is from a male point of view - so naturally the blame will be put on the woman. Reading the lyrics - it seems that all of the blame is put on her. Maybe this is fact, maybe its conceit. This is one of the song's little secrets. Behind the simplistic story (man trying to get back with woman) is a whole host of ideas and feelings.
After my break up, alot of the lyrics here really appealed to me. I played this song thinking 'I wish I could say these words to her'. It's basically an offer. He tells her that if she asks (if she 'calls'), he will come back and support her, love her. But if she should play around, court with disaster, not take things seriously, then its over. He wants to be there for her, but she doesn't seem to take him, or the relationship, seriously. The important thing is that he's willing to give it another go. I dearly, dearly wish that I could have made such an offer, and said it half so elegantly. Of all the themes of this song, this idea of reconciliation is what strikes me most. Actually its more than that - it's him going out on a limb for her. It is up to Her to call - but if she should, He is waiting. Supporting. I think also I am partly comforted by the idea of the relationship being destroyed by Her, and that He is the good guy in this instance. My Call And Answer is about this, and speaks to me mostly of these things.
Of course, there is more going on here, and far more subtle ideas being explored. I imagine that other listeners will pick up on these ideas from a different persective, giving the song a different meaning to someone else. Is this not the beauty of great music?
Stephen Page is an extemely clever song writer. His songs will typically exhibit male faults - machismo, difficulty in commiting, pride - and yet turn preconceptions of this upside down. Think feminism in reverse. He sings about the sensitive side of men everywhere, yet fits it into the constant battle with pride, arrogance and testosterone that guys have. Clashing preconceptions with actuality, it you will. This song is an excellent example of this (see also 'Break Your Heart'). Typically, one would imagine the guy to play around in a relationship, to not take it seriously, to not want to commit. Such things are typically blamed on men. But in this song, its the guy who is wounded, who wants to be serious, who is suffering: while the woman plays around, doesn't take it seriously. The line 'you think you're only here to play a game of who loves more than whom' is a brilliant one, and captures this idea well. She thinks its only a game, where certain words are exchanged every now and again.
The line 'I think it’s getting to the point where I can be myself again' seems to deal with one of the problems that guys have. Having had the break up, and having been angry at each other, he feels like he should behave in a certain way. Call it pride, testosterone, whatever: he acts a certain way because he feels its how he should act, not because it's something he would typically do - or indeed want to do. Any guys reading now can probably relate to this. To give the line a little context, imagine that She has been seeing someone else behind His back. Naturally, he is going to be angry about this. But he wil be torn: on the one hand, he loves her, and wants to forgive her, and not end the relationship because she won't take it seriously. On the other hand, he will feel angry, betrayed, and hurt. Moreover, he will feel like this is how he _should_ feel, and he'll think he should get angry. I guess it's a guy thing.