William Michael Albert Broad, known professionally as Billy Idol, is a Brit… Read Full Bio ↴William Michael Albert Broad, known professionally as Billy Idol, is a British singer, songwriter, musician and actor. He also holds United States citizenship. He first achieved fame in the 1970s emerging from the London punk rock scene as the lead singer of the group Generation X. Subsequently, he embarked on a solo career which led to international recognition and made Idol a lead artist during the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" in the US. The name "Billy Idol" was inspired by a schoolteacher's description of him as "idle".

Idol began his music career in late 1976 as a guitarist in the punk rock band Chelsea. However, he soon left the group. With his former bandmate Tony James, Idol formed Generation X. With Idol as lead singer, the band achieved success in the United Kingdom and released three studio albums on Chrysalis Records, then disbanded. In 1981, Idol moved to New York City to pursue his solo career in collaboration with guitarist Steve Stevens. His debut studio album, Billy Idol (1982), was a commercial success. With music videos for singles "Dancing with Myself" and "White Wedding" Idol soon became a staple of then newly-established MTV.

Idol's second studio album, Rebel Yell (1983), was a major commercial success, featuring hit singles "Rebel Yell" and "Eyes Without a Face". The album was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipment of two million copies in the US. In 1986, he released Whiplash Smile. Having accumulated three UK top 10 singles ("Rebel Yell", "White Wedding" and "Mony Mony"), Idol released a 1988 greatest hits album titled Idol Songs: 11 of the Best; the album went platinum in the United Kingdom. Idol then released Charmed Life (1990) and the concept album Cyberpunk (1993).

Idol spent the second half of the 1990s focusing on his personal life out of the public eye. He made a musical comeback with the release of Devil's Playground (2005) and again with Kings & Queens of the Underground (2014).

Crank Call
Billy Idol Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

If you're waiting for a call
It is double trouble the pressure of it all
This line is due for communication
Not if you've lost all reason

Crank call
Ain't no fun at all

They want love they want a pantomime
To cut you in two that's a sexual crime
They dig the dirt they deal in
They dig the dirt they feed on

Crank call
Ain't no fun at all

Oh yeah, all right
We don't waste time tonight
Oh yeah, all right
Why waste time tonight
Oh yeah, all right
I'm mad I'm all right
That tonight

We drop in you in heaven or hell
Ape has taken control
They're breakin' the kids
They're beating the bids
And that is all they feed on

Crank call
Ain't no fun at all

Oh yeah, all right
We don't waste time tonight
Oh yeah, all right
I'm mad I'm all right
Oh yeah, all right
Why waste time tonight
Oh yeah, all right
I'm mad I'm all right
That tonight

Oh yeah, all right
Why waste time tonight
Oh yeah, all right
I'm mad I'm all right

Oh yeah, all right
Why waste time tonight
Oh yeah, all right

I'm mad I'm all right
That tonight

Overall Meaning

In "Crank Call," Billy Idol warns against the dangers of waiting for an important phone call. The pressure of waiting can be overwhelming, especially if the person waiting has lost all reason. The song then shifts its focus to the ominous nature of anonymous phone calls, or crank calls. These calls are dangerous because the person on the other end wants to cut you in two and feed on the dirt they dig up on you. Idol warns that these calls are not fun at all and are a type of sexual crime.

The lyrics suggest that the world is in a state of chaos, with apes taking control and beating children and their bids. The violent and disruptive nature of the world is mirrored in the crank calls, which seek to break individuals down and feed on their fears and vulnerabilities. However, Idol does not want listeners to give in to this chaos. He encourages them to live in the moment and not waste time waiting for something that may never come. Despite the madness of the world, he declares that he is mad but all right, and he encourages others to feel the same.

Line by Line Meaning

If you're waiting for a call
The pressure of waiting for a call can be overwhelming

It is double trouble the pressure of it all
Waiting for a call is a stressful experience that doubles as pressure builds up

This line is due for communication
This phone line was meant for communication

Not if you've lost all reason
But if you've lost your sanity, it's not suitable for you

Crank call
Getting prank called by someone is not amusing

Ain't no fun at all
It's not at all enjoyable

They want love they want a pantomime
The pranksters want attention, and they want to make a show of it

To cut you in two that's a sexual crime
Their actions of pranking can demoralize and leave you feeling exploited

They dig the dirt they deal in
They thrive on staging cheap stunts and creating trouble

They dig the dirt they feed on
They use scandalous information to satisfy their need for attention

Oh yeah, all right
Let's get going now