The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Hello, how are you?
Have you been alright through all those lonely
Lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely nights?
That's what I'd say, I'd tell you everything
If you pick up that telephone, yeah, yeah, yeah
Hey, how you feelin'?
Are you still the same, don't you realize the things we did
We did were all for real, not a dream
I just can't believe they've all faded out
Of view, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, ooh
Blue days, black nights
I look into the sky (the love you need ain't gonna see you through)
And I wonder why (the little things you planned ain't comin' true)
Oh, oh, telephone line, give me some time, I'm living in twilight
Oh, oh, telephone line, give me some time, I'm living in twilight
Okay, so no one's answering
Well, can't you just let it ring a little longer
Longer, longer oh, I'll just sit tight
Through shadows of the night
Let it ring forever more, oh
Blue days, black nights, doo wah doo lang
I look into the sky (the love you need ain't gonna see you through)
And I wonder why (the little things you planned ain't comin' true)
Oh, oh, telephone line, give me some time, I'm living in twilight
Oh, oh, telephone line, give me some time, I'm living in twilight
Oh, oh, telephone line, give me some time, I'm living in twilight
Oh, oh, telephone line, give me some time, I'm living in twilight
Have you been alright through all those lonely
Lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely nights?
That's what I'd say, I'd tell you everything
If you pick up that telephone, yeah, yeah, yeah
Hey, how you feelin'?
Are you still the same, don't you realize the things we did
We did were all for real, not a dream
I just can't believe they've all faded out
Of view, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, ooh
Blue days, black nights
I look into the sky (the love you need ain't gonna see you through)
And I wonder why (the little things you planned ain't comin' true)
Oh, oh, telephone line, give me some time, I'm living in twilight
Oh, oh, telephone line, give me some time, I'm living in twilight
Okay, so no one's answering
Well, can't you just let it ring a little longer
Longer, longer oh, I'll just sit tight
Through shadows of the night
Let it ring forever more, oh
Blue days, black nights, doo wah doo lang
I look into the sky (the love you need ain't gonna see you through)
And I wonder why (the little things you planned ain't comin' true)
Oh, oh, telephone line, give me some time, I'm living in twilight
Oh, oh, telephone line, give me some time, I'm living in twilight
Oh, oh, telephone line, give me some time, I'm living in twilight
Oh, oh, telephone line, give me some time, I'm living in twilight
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this song is amazing. but it's sad. it's about missing someone and waiting for them to call, i think. or calling them and they won't answer
@pandora_ash_avalie this IS an amazing song. Jeff Lynne kinda gets overshadowed as an individual musician/songwriter (in The Travelling Wilburys anyway, he's surely the least-known member, even if his contributions equal (at least) the other members. Which is fine, the other Wilburys were all HUGE stars, and Lynne seems to not seek the spotlight. His music speaks for itself, he's just brilliant.
this song is all about despair, and catches the narrator at a highly desperate point - you can feel the hopelessness in his voice, and that's the genius in Jeff's performance - it doesn't seem to me that he's overtly blaming himself for all the failure; rather, he just can't understand why it's all gone; and that may be worse
I feel like this one is an existential song. Like how these artists are always giving voice to not only thoughts but feelings in their lyrics. They will be talking about a relationship in one verse, and the next they're addressing the real questions and wonders not only of the individual, but of humanity itself. This song seems like it's about someone trying to reconnect with an old flame, then it becomes a song about loss, and about loneliness and life itself, and the living of life. The speaker seems to say to hold on to the things we have and the things we had, and don't give up hope for more to come in the future.
I've seen people bring God into the equation, to say that the voice is God trying to connect to us. But it could even be us, the human spirit trying to connect to the divine, or the Universe, to no longer be so alone in our humanity, in our existence. And the same might be said for God, or an isolated divine that maybe created life simply because it was alone in the Universe. And these two things are forever to try to reach, if it takes eternity but we won't hang up the phone because we know something is on the other end.
I have this pet theory, as above, so below, our connections and relationships are analogous to the phenomena and characteristics of the cosmos. So the connection between two people is analogous to the connection between particles or forces, or two divines. I think this song speaks about that nature, and our basic questions about ourselves and reality itself. Living in twilight is to not know, and to not be able to move on. Stuck between day and night.
@grimjack Your comment blew my mind and made me cry... thankyou xo
this is about a man, after breaking up with his girl, sitting at home, calling her. she has plans that night even though he doesn't, he just longs to talk with her, and see how she's been doing, and remind her of all the good times they had together.
that is all.
The time we have is a gift. Don't waste it. Tomorrow may not come and spend your time with those who love you and you them. Don't take anything for granted. Also broken hearts teach us to be better people, thru heartache we grow and learn so much and we have an obligation to teach our children and also to introduce them to all genres of music. Music is a gift and I'm sure God is turning up the volume in heaven. Even if you hate the music your kids like, accept it and by doing so they may take time to listen to songs like Telephone line. Music lifts our soul, it gets us off it makes us cry and makes us laugh, makes us think and remember. Thank you ELO for all you have given us.
I always pictured a guy at a pay phone, standing in the rain (wait, that\'s a different song), putting his last dime in and hoping against hope for an answer.
this song is amazing. but it's sad. it's about missing someone and waiting for them to call, i think. or calling them and they won't answer
Awesome song. I don't find it too depressing, though. On the contrary I think it's rather hopeful. Yea, his circumstance sucks, but he's not giving up which is half the fight. Also, while there are memories seemingly directed at an individual, in my mind they could just be generic impressions left from past lovers and the man is making a metaphorical/hypothetical/fantasized phone call to whoever will pick up and recognize that he still has something to offer.
I like to see a lot of people with parents who got them into ELO. Makes me think I'm not the only 22 year old listening to these guys! :p My mother owned A New World Record when she was my age, but I found ELO on my own while downloading mad tunes in high school for my spiffy iRiver. Went on to buying their entire discography and have been listening to them ever since. Great stuff and really cool to see the band's dramatic transformation through the years from heavy prog-rock ala The Move, to straight up orchestral rock in Eldorado, to pop-rock as they started getting really popular, on to disco along with their decline in chart ratings and finally head first into synth-pop starting with Xanadu, but taking full force in albums Time and Balance of Power. Pretty wild stuff. Don't forget Moment of Truth, though! Breaking Down The Walls and Twist Of The Knife are freakin' raw. ELO Part II had some good stuff, but Jeff, where'd your painfully poetic touches go? They needed you.
@DamnUniversePolice <br /> <br /> I believe I was told when I was a child when I asked why doesn't Elo make music anymore, If I recall, I was told Jeff had it all, the world was his oyster. But traumatic events unfolded which Jeff took solice via drink and or drugs and he became severely depressed and lost everything. Through years of self destruction and emotional, mental and physical torture, Jeff fought like hell to get better with a long term goal of getting it all back. And he succeeded.<br /> Through times of trouble, you can write masterpiece's because your heart and mind become one in sync and communicate well and new material can be produced in abundance....one after another. But when all is good and well, your heart and mind become separated and are on 2 completely different wavelengths. When this happens, trying to write just one song seems almost impossible. To get back that magic you have to go down memory lane, but who in their right healed mind would want to? All the money in the world isn't worth a right turn down Memory Lane. Better to make a left turn and just be content with what you accomplished during those darker times. (I should self help with my own advice. Easier to advise others than to apply your own advice to one self I find). Lol
@DamnUniversePolice You have captured the meaning of this song precisely. My heartfelt condolences to you on the losses of your loved ones. It's this loss that gives one a sixth sense. Having lost my dad when I was only 8; years old, I know it well. It's been 61 years and only recently did he appear in a dream and speak to me. I know it's just a dream, but it felt so very good. He looked exactly as I remember him, in his Sunday suit. He asked me, "How is Mom? Ia she still living at our home?" I said she is (and actually she is at 95 years old), and he walked away from me toward our house. That was a great dream that I'll never forget.
@DamnUniversePolice Well, being new to this site, I placed my reply under the wrong comment and can not figure out how to remove it. My reply doesn't make sense with your comment, so please ignore it. I do think your interpretation is a good one too.
Whoa. Dunno if this was the intent of ELO or not, but this song bears a few distinct similarities to the Twilight Zone episode "Night Call".
It's about a guy trying to talk to someone - could be a break up, could be God, could be humanity, could be himself - about how the dreams/goals/visions of the past didn't come true. He's also losing hope that they ever will.