Exactly ten years ago today, Carly Rae Jepsen released “Call Me Maybe,” which went on to be one of the defining songs of its era and the one that launched Jepsen’s career. To mark the occasion, Jepsen has shared a funny story from a few months before the song was released, when she encountered some people who were annoyed by one of her other songs, all while she was working as their waitress.
One of Jepsen’s early singles, “Tug Of War,” was successful in her home country of Canada, and while waitressing, Jepsen overheard some customers complaining about how much the song was playing on the radio. After initial uneasy feelings, Jepsen was excited by the feeling of people knowing her music, even if they hated it.
She then had a lighthearted confrontation with the diners about it: “That night before they left I printed off their bill and signed my name confidently in bold letters on the back of the receipt. I said, ‘Thanks for letting me take care of you tonight! Also, I signed the back of your receipt since I hear you are all such big fans!’ Their jaws dropped, we had a laugh, and I may have received a slightly bigger tip than usual.”
Jepsen then revealed the impetus behind sharing that story, writing, “The point is, don’t give up on your dreams, kids. Not three months later ‘Call Me Maybe’ was released and let’s just say I hope that song really annoyed them. Hehe.”
Check out Jepsen’s full message below.
“‘Call Me Maybe’ was like a lightning bolt to my little life. I can remember waitressing one day not too long before things poked up and hearing one of the tables outside talk about my music. The table was seated with about 12 people who had all returned from a camping trip in Canada and had sung along to the radio the whole time. I think it was an earlier song (that only played in Canada) called ‘Tug of War’ that was on repeat a lot back then and they were not exactly fans. A direct quote I overheard was something like, ‘This girl Carly Rae Jepsen was on repeat over and over our whole trip and we are so sick of it.’ Some of them sang the song in a mocking voice, oblivious to the fact that I was serving them food.
So I poured the wine, engaged shyly behind my big floppy bangs, and hoped/prayed to not be recognized as their — ahem — waitress. But then something warm in my belly began to make me feel giddy because this was the first time I had heard someone else know my name or my music. I skipped behind the bar and excitedly explained to my manager that, ‘These people outside KNOW ME! Okay they don’t know ME per se but they know my MUSIC! (A giggle.) And they HATE IT but they KNOW IT and I’m kinda weirdly proud of that!’
That night before they left I printed off their bill and signed my name confidently in bold letters on the back of the receipt. I said, ‘Thanks for letting me take care of you tonight! Also, I signed the back of your receipt since I hear you are all such big fans!’ Their jaws dropped, we had a laugh, and I may have received a slightly bigger tip than usual.
The point is, don’t give up on your dreams, kids. Not three months later ‘Call Me Maybe’ was released and let’s just say I hope that song really annoyed them. Hehe.
Mostly I want to say thank you all for the joyous videos, silly dances. and wild nights together in different countries! You have opened my world and my heart with this adventure of a song and I could not be more grateful to you all.
To Josh and Tavish who helped me pen this bad boy… who would have thunk it, hey? When lightning strikes feel lucky and feel grateful. I know I do every single day! Also I know my former boss is very relieved, because I was a TERRIBLE waitress.”