Though he’s since dedicated the song to both parents, Pete Droge originally wrote “You Called Me Kid” for his father after he passed away.
“When I was a young boy, he’d hand me a few bucks and say, ‘Knock yourself out, kid,’” says Droge. “And into my adult life, he continued to call me ‘kid.’ Now, 10 years after his passing, I can still hear his voice in my head, with an affectionate tone, saying, ‘How you doin’, kid?’”
The unapologetically tender, quietly upbeat tribute is the opening track on Droge’s first proper solo LP in 19 years. Available August 22 via Missing Piece, Fade Away Blue is made up of songs written while Droge battled a particularly pesky case of chronic fatigue. Droge’s stellar run of ’90s albums kicked off on a high note with 1994’s Necktie Second, which featured his only radio hit, “If You Don’t Love Me (I’ll Kill Myself).” In 2003, Droge teamed up with Matthew Sweet and Shawn Mullins for short-lived “supergroup” the Thorns. Thus far, Droge’s career spans six solo albums. It might’ve been more if it wasn’t for the mystery illness that leveled him without explanation.
Convalescing at home, Droge recorded Fade Away Blue with help from Grammy-winning producer Paul Bryan (Aimee Mann). Meanwhile, an impressive lineup of session help—guitarist Rusty Anderson (Paul McCartney), drummer Jay Bellerose (Robert Plant & Alison Krauss), pianist Lee Pardini (Dawes, Chris Stapleton), pedal-steel ace Greg Liesz (Jackson Browne) and fiddle player Gabe Witcher (Punch Brothers)—added their parts in Los Angeles. Inspired by the search for his birth mother, Fade Away Blue is a model of narrative precision and melodic efficiency, proving yet again why the Oregon native is one of the most underrated singer/songwriters of his generation.
“As an adoptee, I’m grateful for the sacrifices my folks made to raise me,” says Droge, shifting the focus back to “You Called Me Kid.” “The heart of the song is the last line in the chorus: ‘Never in this life could anybody find a more generous or precious gift to give.’ From a songcraft perspective, I love how that lyric hangs on the melody. It’s so satisfying when you get exactly what you want to say to fit perfectly into the space you have to say it in.”
For the video, director John Jeffcoat (Outsourced, Big In Japan) came up with the idea to mix Droge’s family photos with contributions from fans. “I knew it was going to be incredibly moving when sifting through the submissions,” says Droge. “Even without any music playing, I got choked up.”
We’re proud to premiere Pete Droge’s “You Called Me Kid.”
—Hobart Rowland
