Electric Light Orchestra

Telephone Line is a song by the English rock band Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), released in May 1977 as part of their 1976 album A New World Record. It became one of ELO's most successful singles, topping the charts in Canada and New Zealand, and entering the top 10 in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Australia. The song peaked at number 8 in the UK and number 7 on the US Billboard Hot 100, where it remained for 23 weeks, the longest stay of any ELO song on that chart. It was ranked as the No. 15 song of 1977 by Billboard. The lyrics depict a man on a telephone, waiting for his lover to answer, expressing his loneliness and longing as he imagines what he would say if she picked up. The song opens with a distinctive American telephone ring, which frontman Jeff Lynne recreated by recording the sound from a call made from England to an unoccupied number in the US and then replicating it on a Moog synthesizer. This effect, combined with the song’s orchestral arrangements and doo-wop-inspired vocal bridge, gives it a nostalgic, emotional quality. Lyrics: [Verse 1] 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'd pick up that telephone Yeah, yeah, yeah [Verse 2] Hey, how you feelin'? Are you still the same? Don't you realise 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-ooh [Pre-Chorus] Doo-wop, doo-be-doo-doo-wop, doo-wah, doo-lang 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 coming true) [Chorus] 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 [Verse 3] 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 forevermore, oh Yeah, yeah, yeah [Pre-Chorus] Doo-wop, doo-be-doo-doo-wop, doo-wah, doo-lang 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 coming true) [Chorus] 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

Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) are an English rock band formed in Birmingham in 1970 by multi-instrumentalists Jeff Lynne and Roy Wood and drummer Bev Bevan. Their music is characterised by a fusion of pop and classical arrangements with futuristic iconography. After Wood's departure in 1972, Lynne became the band's sole leader, arranging and producing every album while writing nearly all of their original material. During their first run from 1970 to 1986, Lynne and Bevan were the group's only consistent members. Livin' Thing 00:00 Mr. Blue Sky 03:31 Don't Bring Me Down 08:08