Call and Answer
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| "Call and Answer" | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
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| Single by Barenaked Ladies | ||
| from the album Stunt | ||
| Released | 1999 | |
| Format | CD | |
| Recorded | 1998 | |
| Genre | Alternative rock | |
| Length | 5:48 (Album) 4:09 (Radio Mix) |
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| Label | Reprise Records | |
| Producer(s) | Barenaked Ladies, David Leonard, Susan Rogers |
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| Barenaked Ladies singles chronology | ||
| "It's All Been Done" (1998) |
"Call and Answer" (1999) |
"Get In Line" (1999) |
Call and Answer is a song by the Canadian group Barenaked Ladies. It was the third single from their highly successful 1998 album, Stunt (though the song Alcohol was released as a radio sampler between It's All Been Done and Call and Answer, it wasn't considered a "real" single, as evidenced by the lack of video, and lack of inclusion on their 2001 singles compilation, Disc One). The song was also included on the soundtrack for the film EdTV. In its album version, Call and Answer is the band's longest studio album track.
The song was a collaboration between Steven Page and his longtime collaborator, Stephen Duffy. Its most notable property is that all the vocals on the album track are those of Page, and none of his other bandmates. This includes overlapping vocals, harmonies and octaves, and a call-and-response type of chorus. These vocals are handled by his bandmates during live performances. This, in addition to a long ad-lib outro makes the song a showcase of Page's vocal abilities. The song seems to be about the reconcilliation of a tumultuous relationship.
When released as a single, the song was both remixed and edited into a radio mix which cut from the second verse to the third chorus, skipping a chorus, an instrumental break and the third verse. The remix was a slight adjustment of EQ and levels, and not a comprehensive remix involving adding or replacing musical elements.
The video for the song used the radio mix version, and involved the band living in a world of duplicates. All the houses look the same, all the cars are white Volkswagen Beetles, and there are several "copies" of each band member. Notably, there are multiple Steves that sing the multiple vocal lines he sings on the song. Steve is the main band member seen in the video, and the other band members are only in a few shots. Steve is paired with a female character in the video. There are two versions of the video; one which includes scenes from EdTV, and one which does not.
The liner notes in 'Disc One' disclose that Pat Hearn, father of keyboardist Kevin Hearn, mistitles the song as 'Cash and Carry'.
The song was performed on CBC Radio as a tribute to Peter Gzowski on his death in 2002.
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