Last Call (Lee Ann Womack song)

"Last Call" is a song written by Erin Enderlin and Shane McAnally, and recorded by American country music artist Lee Ann Womack. It was released in June 2008 as the lead-off single from Womack's album Call Me Crazy, which was released in October 2008. In December the song reached the Top 20 on Billboard Country Chart, becoming Womack's first Top 20 hit in three years.

"Last Call"
Single by Lee Ann Womack
from the album Call Me Crazy
ReleasedJune 30, 2008
GenreCountry
Length3:17
LabelMCA Nashville
Songwriter(s)Erin Enderlin
Shane McAnally
Producer(s)Tony Brown
Lee Ann Womack singles chronology
"Finding My Way Back Home"
(2006)		 "Last Call"
(2008)		 "Solitary Thinkin'"
(2009)
Music video
"Last Call" at CMT.com

Content

The song is a country ballad that begins with the female narrator noticing her phone ringing, and refusing to answer it because she recognizes the number. The woman is aware that the male character is most likely in a bar and drinking alcohol. Therefore, she refuses to answer her phone because she knows that she is always his "last call". This is a play on the bartending term "last call", which refers to the last round of alcohol served before the bar closes for the night.[1]

Critical reception

"Last Call" was well received by critics, being met with several positive reviews and was nominated for two awards.

Allmusic reviewer Thom Jurek called the song " a classic example of what makes Womack such a fascinating and emotionally resonant singer."[1] Country Universe gave it an A rating, and considered that "Last Call" was reminiscent of her 2005 hit, "I May Hate Myself in the Morning".[2] The song received a "thumbs up" review from Engine 145 reviewer Brady Vercher, who also compared the song to "I May Hate Myself in the Morning" and said that "although the lyric doesn't accentuate the emotional conflict, Womack's vocal dips with indecision as she delivers a splendid performance."[3] This song was number 52 on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Best Songs of 2008.[4] Editors at Billboard wrote, "Haunting single “Last Call” is song-of-the-year material on a number of levels: songwriting, vocal performance and production."[5] Chuck Arnold of People Magazine listed the song as a hot download and wrote, "Lee Ann Womack will have you busting out the hankies with the touching breakup ballad "Last Call."[6]

In December 2008, the song received a Grammy award nomination for Best Female Country Vocal Performance.[7] "Last Call" also received a nomination for Female Video of the Year in the 2009 CMT Music Awards.[8]

Music video

A music video directed by Trey Fanjoy was released for "Last Call." The video is done entirely in black and white, and was shot in New York City. In it, Womack is seen strolling down the street and standing on a balcony of a skyscraper, while scenes of a man drinking in a bar follows the song's lyrics. He attempts to call Womack, which prompts her to examine her phone and not answer. Singer Clayton Stroope of the band Thriving Ivory is featured as Womack's lover in the video.[9]

Chart performance

"Last Call" debuted at number 56 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in July 2008. The song reached a peak of number 14 in February 2009, after spending 36 weeks on the chart.

Chart (2008–2009) Peak
position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[10] 14
US Billboard Hot 100[11] 77

References
  1. Jurek, Thom. "Call Me Crazy album review". allmusic. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
  2. Coyne, Kevin J. "Review: Lee Ann Womack, "Last Call"". country universe.com. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
  3. Vercher, Brady (2008-06-18). "Lee Ann Womack - "Last Call"". Engine 145. Archived from the original on 2014-12-18. Retrieved 2008-11-08.
  4. "The 100 Best Songs of 2008 Archived 2009-04-01 at the Wayback Machine". Rolling Stone (December 25, 2008). Retrieved 2008-12-25
  5. K.T. Billboard album review (October 27. 2008)
  6. Arnold, Chuck. "HOT DOWNLOADS." People 70.4 (2008): 48. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 6 June 2011.
  7. Shelburne, Craig. "Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, George Strait Among Leading Grammy Nominees". Country Music Television. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
  9. Grierson, Tim. "Thriving Ivory - A Profile of Thriving Ivory". about.com. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
  10. "Lee Ann Womack Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
  11. "Lee Ann Womack Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
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