They incorporated the sounds of string ensembles, vocoders and dub echos into rock songs, thereby creating a very sophisticated studio version of rock. The musical content of ELO songs often went far beyond usual chord structures, mixing pop songwriting with classical romanticism and synthesized sounds. The band claim that their music ‘picks up where The Beatles left off.’
Formed in 1970 by Roy Wood, Jeff Lynne and Bev Bevan (the remaining members of the 1960s rock group The Move). The band used cellos, violin, horns and woodwinds to give their music a classical sound. This was an idea Roy Wood initially had while with The Move, to take rock music in a new direction. In 1970 when Carl Wayne left the The Move, Jeff Lynne, front man with fellow Brum band Idle Race, responded to Wood’s second invitation to join the line-up, with the lure of starting the new band. To help finance the fledgling project, two more Move albums were released during the recording of their eponymous first album in 1971 which produced the UK hit 10538 Overture. In the US this album was released with the mistaken title of No Answer, due to a mix-up with an uncompleted telephone call to the American label and subsequent secretarial message.
However, tensions soon surfaced between Roy Wood and Jeff Lynne. With most of the media attention focused on Roy Wood, differences in musical direction, and a disastrous first live outing, it was no surprise when the band went through the first of its many line-up changes as Wood took Hugh McDowell and Bill Hunt with him to form Wizzard. Despite the music press’s predictions that the band would fold without Wood, Jeff Lynne stepped up to lead the band, with Bevan remaining on drums, bassist Richard Tandy switching to moog synthesizer, Michael d’Albuquerque on bass, Mike Edwards, Colin Walker (cello) and Wilfred Gibson replacing Steve Woolam on violin. They released ELO 2 in 1973, from which came their first U.S. chart hit, a hugely elaborate version of the Chuck Berry classic Roll Over Beethoven. After their second album, violinist Gibson was dismissed and replaced by Mik Kaminski. They also released On the Third Day in 1973, with Mike Edwards playing all the cello parts due to Colin Walker leaving the band. Later that same year saw the return of Hugh McDowell, who had jumped ship the year previous, to replace cellist Colin Walker.
In 1974 Lynne hired a thirty-piece orchestra, choir and Louis Clark, then began work on the next LP Eldorado, A Symphony, a concept album about dreams, scoring their first U.S. Top Ten hit with Can’t Get It Out Of My Head in 1975. Eldorado would become ELO’s first gold album.
After the release of Eldorado, bassist and vocalist Kelly Groucutt and cellist Melvyn Gale joined, replacing de Albuquerque and Edwards respectively.
Telephone Line
Elo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Have you been all right
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
Are you still the same?
Don't you realize the things we did, and 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
Do-wop, doobie do-do-wop
Do-wah, do-lang
Blue days, black nights
Do-wah, do-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)
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, oh, I'll just sit tight
In shadows of the night
Let it ring forevermore, oh
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Do-wop, doobie do-do-wop
Do-wah, do-lang
Blue days, black nights
Do-wah, do-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)
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
The lyrics of ELO's Telephone Line depict a lonely person desperately calling a loved one, hoping for a response. The singer appears to be talking to an answering machine or voicemail, as they beg the person on the other end to pick up the telephone. Throughout the song, the singer expresses feelings of longing and loneliness, wondering why their plans and dreams have not come true.
The use of repetition in the lyrics - "lonely, lonely, lonely," "yeah, yeah, yeah," and "do-wop, doobie do-do wop" - serves to reinforce the sense of emptiness and desperation. The repetition of the phrase "give me some time" suggests that the singer is aware that their loved one may not want to talk to them, but is begging for a chance to be heard nonetheless. The lyrics also include references to "twilight" and to "shadows of the night," further emphasizing the sense of longing and isolation.
Overall, the lyrics of Telephone Line are a poignant and emotional reflection on the pain of unrequited love and the struggle to make a connection with others.
Line by Line Meaning
Hello, how are you?
Asking the person on the other end of the line how they are doing
Have you been all right
Through all those lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely nights?
Wondering if the other person has been okay despite experiencing many lonely nights
That's what I'd say
I'd tell you everything
If you'd pick up that telephone
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Expressing a desire to confide in the other person but needing them to answer the phone first
Hey, how're you feeling?
Are you still the same?
Don't you realize the things we did, and 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
Asking the person about their well-being and reminiscing about old times and expressing disbelief that those memories have become hazy
Do-wop, doobie do-do-wop
Do-wah, do-lang
Blue days, black nights
Do-wah, do-lang
Repeating a phrase to create a musical interlude
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)
Reflecting on the failures in the person's love life and expressing confusion and disappointment about it
Oh, oh, telephone line
Give me some time
I'm living in twilight
Bemoaning the lack of response from the other end of the line and expressing a sense of uncertainty about the current state of things
Okay, so no one's answering
Well, can't you just let it ring a little longer, longer, longer?
Oh, oh, I'll just sit tight
In shadows of the night
Let it ring forevermore, oh
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Acknowledging that no one has answered the phone but urging them to let it ring longer anyways and accepting that he will be left in darkness
Do-wop, doobie do-do-wop
Do-wah, do-lang
Blue days, black nights
Do-wah, do-lang
Repeating a phrase to create a musical interlude
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)
Reflecting on the failures in the person's love life and expressing confusion and disappointment about it
Oh, oh, telephone line
Give me some time
I'm living in twilight
Bemoaning the lack of response from the other end of the line and expressing a sense of uncertainty about the current state of things
Oh, oh, telephone line
Give me some time
I'm living in twilight
Bemoaning the lack of response from the other end of the line and expressing a sense of uncertainty about the current state of things
Oh, oh, telephone line
Give me some time
I'm living in twilight
Bemoaning the lack of response from the other end of the line and expressing a sense of uncertainty about the current state of things
Oh, oh, telephone line
Give me some time
I'm living in twilight
Bemoaning the lack of response from the other end of the line and expressing a sense of uncertainty about the current state of things
Contributed by Ryan Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@davidhipo3396
Lyrics:
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
Hey, how're 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-ooh
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)
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
In shadows of the night
Let it ring forevermore, oh-whoa
Yeah, yeah, yeah
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)
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
@purplezen4261
Who else is here in march 2024 ?
@WormholeNavigator
I'm always here. I'll be taking my lil girls to see it in Austin in October. That's what a good dad does. That's how I justify the cost ;)
@franm2167
This is mine and my grandads song ☺️
@TonyElyod
Meeeee...
@lyndamcdougald8071
I'm here and I can't believe they're having their Farwell tour!
@jasonmalley1443
Only 9 likes..... Doesn't look like many 🤷♂️🤷🤷🤷♂️
@pinheadlarry8401
This song makes me feel sad, happy, inspired, uncomfortable, comfortable and nostalgic at the same time.
@killerkirby366
Pinhead Larry cool pinhead but I,m dirty dan
@anthonyfreeman7278
Pinhead Larry One of a kind
@christaylor2529
SAME