Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: garage
Song Meaning of “(Don’t You) Call Me Out My Name” by Protomartyr
“‘(Don’t You) Call Me Out My Name’ by Protomartyr reflects on our search for true identity, and how we are capable of allowing ourselves to feel freedom rather than stagnation. The main protagonist in the song feels deprived of recognition and respect in various ways, and though they seek a sense of autonomy they find themselves still held down by expectations and past traumas. There is a strong feeling of liberation when they defy expectations and find a sense of liberation that they are owning for themselves.
The song speaks to the inner power of the self to find their independent identity, and the importance of not allowing themselves to be defined by what society or others have to say. The chorus in particular emphasises how the protagonist will not tolerate being called out by a name that does not fit them— they will not submit to the labels that have been placed upon them. To the protagonist, discovering an identity that is uniquely theirs is essential to their self-worth.
Overall, ‘(Don’t You) Call Me Out My Name’ is an anthem of freedom and self-assertion, in which we are encouraged to break away from the boxes that have been created for us and define our own paths.”