Carly Rae Jepsen’s 2011 song “Call Me Maybe” is now emblazoned onto the pop culture ether. But how did the song come together and who wrote the pop hit?
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American Songwriter dives into Jepsen’s breakout hit.
The Song’s Origins
It’s a flirtatious song. It’s a hopeful song. It’s also a song of empowerment.
And all the other boys try to chase me / But here’s my number, so call me, maybe, Jepsen sings.
In this way, while she’s offering her attention to another, it’s done with strength. It’s a hard line to walk, but Jepsen does it admirably on the track.
But where did the song come from?
Recorded by Jepsen for her 2012 EP, Curiosity, the song also appeared on her sophomore studio album Kiss, which was released later that year.
Written by Jepsen and Tavish Crowe, “Call Me Maybe” was originally composed as a folk song. When producer Josh Ramsay teamed up with the pair, the tune quickly turned into a bubblegum pop production. The song was released as Jepsen’s lead single for her EP in 2012 and its since gone on to earn attention all over the world.
Jepsen
The Canadian artist grew up studying musical theater. She garnered mainstream attention after placing third on the fifth season of the singing competition show Canadian Idol in 2007. She released her folk debut studio album, Tug of War, in 2008 in Canada. After she signed her record deal, Jepsen’s Tug of War was released internationally in 2011.
Tavish Crowe
Tavish Crowe, like Jepsen, is a Canadian songwriter and performer. He is based in Vancouver, B.C. and he plays guitar as part of Jepsen’s touring outfit. The two have been working together for years and their first co-written release was, yes, “Call Me Maybe.”
The Song’s Release
“Call Me Maybe” sold more than 18 million copies upon its release, hitting No. 1 in more than 19 countries, from Canada to the U.S. to many more. It also hit the top 5 in seven other counties, including Japan and Germany. With the song’s success, Jepsen became the first Canadian female artist to top the Billboard Hot 100 charts since Avril Lavigne in 2007 with her song “Girlfriend.”
The music video for the song showcases Jepsen trying to earn the attention of a hunk next door. To promote the song, Jepsen performed it on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, where she made her U.S. television debut.
The song was nominated for two Grammy Awards, for Song of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance, losing out to “We Are Young” by Fun and “Set Fire to the Rain” by Adele, respectively. Today, Rolling Stone has it ranked as the No. 436 song on its list of the greatest 500 songs ever written.
Writing “Call Me Maybe”
Written first by Jepsen and Tavish as a folk song while the two were on tour, Jepsen said writing the song was easy and that she worked to not overthink it. “We brought in Josh [Ramsay] and he helped us kind of pop-if it,” she said to Canada’s MuchMusic.
She recorded the song at Umbrella Studios in Richmond, B.C. Of the song, Jepsen said to journalist Markos Papadatos, “What person hasn’t wanted to approach somebody before and stopped because it’s scary? I know I have.”
Bieber
The song earned some helpful promotion when Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez heard it while in Canada and posted about it on their Twitter accounts. Bieber wrote that the track “is possibly the catchiest song I’ve ever heard…”
I guess, upon hearing it, he gave Jepsen a call and, well, her career would never be the same. Jepsen eventually signed with Bieber’s manager, Scooter Braun, and his Schoolboy Records. She’d go on to perform the song several times and collaborate with Bieber.
Photo by Gus Stewart/Redferns
