According to the Hanging On The Telephone Songfacts), Lee regretted his own version was never a hit, but said he always knew it was a special song: "Even people who hated me ā and there were plenty ā had to admit it was great."
Hanging on the Telephone
Blondie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If you don't answer, I'll just ring it off the wall
I know he's there, but I just had to call
Don't leave me hanging on the telephone
Don't leave me hanging on the telephone
I heard your mother, now she's going out the door
All those things she said, I told you to ignore
Oh, why can't we talk again?
Oh, why can't we talk again?
Oh, why can't we talk again?
Don't leave me hanging on the telephone
Don't leave me hanging on the telephone
It's good to hear your voice, you know it's been so long
If I don't get your calls, then everything goes wrong
I want to tell you something you've known all along
Don't leave me hanging on the telephone
I had to interrupt and stop this conversation
Your voice across the line gives me a strange sensation
I'd like to talk when I can show you my affection
Oh, I can't control myself
Oh, I can't control myself
Oh, I can't control myself
Don't leave me hanging on the telephone
Hang up and run to me
Oh, hang up and run to me
Oh, hang up and run to me
Oh, hang up and run to me
Oh, oh, oh, oh, run to me, yeah
The song "Hanging on the Telephone" by Blondie is a fast-paced rock classic that presents the story of a woman who is trying desperately to get in touch with someone she cares about. The lyrics reveal that the woman is in a phone booth across from the person's residence and she is waiting for their answer. She knows they are there, but they are not picking up the phone, so she is threatening to ring their phone off the wall. The woman is hanging on the telephone, eagerly awaiting their response, without any guarantees that the other person will answer or even call back.
The lyrics reveal that the woman has a history with the person she's trying to reach. They've spoken before, but there's been some kind of a falling out, most likely related to the other person's mother who the woman has just heard leaving the house. The woman is desperate to reconnect, to talk again and to have a conversation that doesn't involve any of the "things" that she was told to ignore. The woman tells the other person to not leave her hanging on the telephone, as she draws her last straw.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm in the phone booth, it's the one across the hall
I'm currently in a phone booth situated across the hall.
If you don't answer, I'll just ring it off the wall
If you're not going to respond, I'm going to keep calling until you do.
I know he's there, but I just had to call
I'm aware that you're with someone, but I still needed to call and talk to you.
Don't leave me hanging on the telephone
Please don't make me wait for your response for too long, it's frustrating.
I heard your mother, now she's going out the door
I heard your mother in the background and now she's leaving.
Did she go to work or just go to the store?
I wonder if she's gone to work or went to the store.
All those things she said, I told you to ignore
I advised you not to pay attention to whatever your mother may have said to you.
Oh, why can't we talk again?
I wish we could talk like we used to in the past.
It's good to hear your voice, you know it's been so long
It's great to hear from you, it feels like it's been forever since we spoke.
If I don't get your calls, then everything goes wrong
If I don't hear from you, everything feels off.
I want to tell you something you've known all along
I want to share something with you that I'm sure you're already aware of.
I had to interrupt and stop this conversation
I've had to interrupt our conversation for a moment.
Your voice across the line gives me a strange sensation
Hearing your voice over the phone gives me a peculiar feeling.
I'd like to talk when I can show you my affection
I'd like to have a conversation with you where I can express my feelings for you fully.
Oh, I can't control myself
I'm feeling overwhelmed and unable to control myself.
Hang up and run to me
Hang up the phone and come to me.
Oh, oh, oh, oh, run to me, yeah
I'm eager for you to come to me.
Lyrics Ā© BMG Rights Management
Written by: Jack Lee
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jfk19780
She nails it , with her look, her wardrobe, her slight dance, her earthy voice . Incomparable and Sassy
@TheBlueOwl21
My favourite Blondie record ! Who else is still enjoying it in 2024 ? š
@seangogginsofficial
š
@andrenovroth6010
šāāļø
@davegabeler
Yesz!
@charlesottowilliamwade5328
@seangogginsofficialĀ why are there always bloody comments like this
@bongdonkey
Blondie is killer. And this is a great version of this cover song. Deborah can rap as well . lol!
@The.Ghost.of.Tom.Joad.
I've had a crush on Debbie Harry since 7th grade. So I've been head-over-heels for over 45 years! Because she's strong, smart, sexy, sassy, and talented AF.
@andu1854
Man New York produced some great bands in the 1970ās (Ramones and Blondie among many others
@sniparchomp
True, johnny thunders was also from New York