The band is best known for their 1996 hit "Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth With Money in My Hand."
Years active:
1985–1991 (as I-Rails)
1991–1994 (O'Connor solo)
1996–present
Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth With Money in My Hand
Primitive Radio Gods Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Moonlight spills on comic books
And superstars in magazines
An old friend calls and tells us where to meet
Her plane takes off from Baltimore
And touches down on Bourbon Street
We sit outside and argue all night long
About a god we've never seen
But never fails to side with me
Sunday comes and all the papers say
Ma Teresa's joined the mob
And happy with her full time job
Do do do do do do
Am I alive or thoughts that drift away?
Does summer come for everyone?
Can humans do as prophets say?
And if I die before I learn to speak
Can money pay for all the days I lived awake
But half asleep?
Do do do do do do
A life is time, they teach us growing up
The seconds ticking killed us all
A million years before the fall
You ride the waves and don't ask where they go
You swim like lions through the crest
And bathe yourself on zebra flesh
I've been downhearted baby,
I've been downhearted baby,
Ever since the day we met
The lyrics to Primitive Radio Gods' song "Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth With Money in My Hand" can be interpreted in a few different ways, but one possible interpretation is that it's about the search for meaning in life and the fleeting nature of time. The first stanza introduces a few different images: Jan is wrestling in her sleep, there are comic books and magazines with superstars, an old friend gives directions for a meeting place, and a plane touches down on Bourbon Street. These images could represent different aspects of life, from dreams and fantasies to the mundane aspects of travel and communication.
The second stanza is a bit more philosophical, as the singer and someone else argue all night about a god they've never seen, but who always seems to be on the singer's side. The mention of Mother Teresa joining the mob with a full-time job also adds a layer of irony and commentary on societal values. The chorus has a repeated "do do do" melody and asks some big questions about life and humanity: "Am I alive or thoughts that drift away? Does summer come for everyone? Can humans do as prophets say? And if I die before I learn to speak, can money pay for all the days I lived awake but half asleep?"
The final stanza brings the song back to the idea of time and mortality, with the line "the seconds ticking killed us all." The singer suggests that we should embrace life and ride the waves without questioning where they go, using the metaphor of swimming like lions through the crest and bathing in zebra flesh. The song ends with repeated lines of being downhearted since the day the singer met someone, leaving the listener to wonder if this person represents something deeper or just a personal relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Jan lays down and wrestles in her sleep
Jan struggles with her thoughts while she sleeps
Moonlight spills on comic books
The moon's light shines on Jan's comic books
And superstars in magazines
Jan sees famous people on magazine covers
An old friend calls and tells us where to meet
An acquaintance contacts the artist and Jan with plans to meet
Her plane takes off from Baltimore
The acquaintance departs on a plane from Baltimore
And touches down on Bourbon Street
The acquaintance arrives at Bourbon Street
We sit outside and argue all night long
The singer and Jan debate for a long time outside
About a god we've never seen
They argue about a deity they haven't witnessed
But never fails to side with me
The deity always supports the artist's perspective
Sunday comes and all the papers say
News outlets report that Mother Teresa has joined a criminal organization on Sunday
Ma Teresa's joined the mob
Mother Teresa has become part of the underworld
And happy with her full-time job
She is content with her criminal career
Do do do do do do
The song's refrain
Am I alive or thoughts that drift away?
The singer questions their existence and the possibility of being lost in their thoughts
Does summer come for everyone?
The singer queries if everybody experiences summer
Can humans do as prophets say?
The artist wonders if people can follow prophets' words
And if I die before I learn to speak
The artist wonders what would transpire if they passed away without completely expressing themselves
Can money pay for all the days I lived awake but half asleep?
The singer wonders if monetary compensation could justify their experience of living without truly being conscious
A life is time, they teach us growing up
People's lifespan is taught to them as they mature
The seconds ticking killed us all
Time is responsible for everyone's demise
A million years before the fall
Life was present even before its eventual decline
You ride the waves and don't ask where they go
The artist advises to go with the flow and not seek answers for everything
You swim like lions through the crest
People should live courageously through life's challenges
And bathe yourself on zebra flesh
The artist uses a metaphor to urge people to feast and indulge in life's pleasures
I've been downhearted baby, I've been downhearted baby, Ever since the day we met
The singer has been disheartened since meeting their lover
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: CHRIS O CONNOR, JANE FEATHER, LEONARD FEATHER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind