They made their first recordings available in late 1979 via the SF Underground 7" compilation series released via Steve Tupper's newly-formed Subterranean Records. In 1981 a 7" followed Love Canal and Ha Ha Ha and the original lineup made 2 full-length studio albums on Subterranean, 1982's Generic and the 1984 followup Gone Fishin'.
Flipper's music was very shambolic and noisy, and oft considered "slow" for a punk band of the time. In many early shows, the band had half the audience on stage with them singing backup vocals, and encouraged horn players to join them for their anthem, Sex Bomb -- and the crowding on stage usually knocked the stringed instruments out of tune. Guitarist Ted Falconi installed spikes in the head of his guitar to help prevent this, but blaring, out-of-tune dissonance became part of the band's signature sound.
Bassist/vocalist Will Shatter died in 1987 of a heroin overdose. The remaining members reformed for the 1993 album American Grafishy on Def American Recordings which re-issued Generic, and a compilation called Sex Bomb Baby on Rick Rubin and Henry Rollins' Infinite Zero label. This relationship soured and the surviving Flipper members allegedly were duped out of their rights to their back catalog. Bassist/vocalist Bruce Loose got in a car accident which severely injured his spine resulting in a crippling injury which requires him to use a cane. Apparently drummer Steve Depace was in the works of writing an autobiography of his Flipper experiences to the irk of his band mates. Bruce most recently performed as Not Flipper at 924 Gilman and reunited as Flipper for a show in SF with surviving members Falconi and Depace. In December 2006, former Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic joined the band. On 22 September 2008, due to responsibilities at home, Novoselic announced his departure from the band.
Telephone
Flipper Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I need to hear your voice on the telephone
That's just what I need to feel at home
No matter how far away I am, how bad I feel
'cause there's no greater thrill in my life
Than to hear your sweet voice in my ear, it's nice
It makes the miles apart not so far
Brings hope to me like a shining star
I get so tired out when I reach over and dial out
And all I get is the stupid machine it says
"I'm not at home right now
If you know what I mean
So if you will leave your name and number
Sometime I'll give you a call back and if you don't
I won't make time for you no more, jack"
See I'm sick and tired of layin' alone
I get these cold sweats when I'm far away from home
And if I could just hear your voice one more time
I might have a little inspiration to continue
My life in a way that I can that doesn't seem
So destructive as I am but it's ok if I don't
Get you today, I'll just listen to your
Answering machine ok fucked up piece of
Shit 30 seconds and I'm cut off
No return calls (once a week)
The lyrics of Flipper's song Telephone express the singer's longing for intimacy and comfort in the midst of being away from home, feeling sick and tired, and struggling with personal issues. The singer yearns to hear the voice of someone they care about on the telephone, as it brings them hope and makes the distance between them feel less significant. The connection they experience through the voice on the other end of the line is a source of inspiration that gives them the strength to continue with their life.
However, the frustration and disappointment of never being able to reach the person they want to talk to is palpable in the lyrics. The answering machine becomes a symbol of their inability to fulfill their need for human interaction and affection. The impersonal and abrupt message of the machine only reminds them of their isolation and the feeling of being cut off from the rest of the world. Nevertheless, the singer admits that even this small taste of connection is better than nothing, and they keep trying despite the difficulties.
In summary, the song Telephone is a raw and emotional expression of the human need for connection and intimacy, and the pain of not being able to fulfill that need.
Line by Line Meaning
Now when I'm sick and tired and I'm far away from home
When I feel unwell and exhausted while I'm away from home
I need to hear your voice on the telephone
I want to listen to your voice through the telephone line
That's just what I need to feel at home
Hearing you on the phone makes me feel at home
No matter how far away I am, how bad I feel
Regardless of the distance or illness, talking to you over the phone soothes me
'cause there's no greater thrill in my life
Hearing your sweet voice over the phone is the most exciting thing that happens to me
Than to hear your sweet voice in my ear, it's nice
It feels good to hear your lovely voice in my ear
It makes the miles apart not so far
Your voice shrinks the distance between us
Brings hope to me like a shining star
Your voice gives me hope and inspiration
I get so tired out when I reach over and dial out
I feel exhausted when I make the effort to call you
And all I get is the stupid machine it says
When I'm greeted by the answering machine I feel frustrated
"I'm not at home right now
The automated message informs me that you are unavailable at the moment
If you know what I mean
The message sounds dismissive and sarcastic
So if you will leave your name and number
The machine requests me to leave my details
Sometime I'll give you a call back and if you don't
It promises to return my call, or it might not
I won't make time for you no more, jack"
The machine threatens to ignore me if I don't leave a message
See I'm sick and tired of layin' alone
It bothers me to sleep alone
I get these cold sweats when I'm far away from home
I experience anxiety when I'm away from home
And if I could just hear your voice one more time
If I can talk to you again over the phone
I might have a little inspiration to continue
You might give me inspiration to keep going
My life in a way that I can that doesn't seem
I want to live a life that doesn't feel
So destructive as I am but it's ok if I don't
I recognize I can be self-destructive, but it's okay if we can't talk
Get you today, I'll just listen to your
If I can't reach you today, I will listen to your
Answering machine ok fucked up piece of
Although I don't like the answering machine, it's fine
Shit 30 seconds and I'm cut off
I only have a limited amount of time to leave my message
No return calls (once a week)
I might not receive a call back from you for a week
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRUCE RICHARD CALDERWOOD, STEPHEN JOSEPH DE PACE, JOHN W. DOUGHERTY, LAWRENCE EDWARD FALCONI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@lucbietry1287
On te donne trois balles, on te donne trois balles
On te donne trois balles, la première t'es un môme
Tu prends la cadence, tu entres dans la danse
Dans la violence dans chocs, tu comprends ta chance
Tu sais maintenant comment, tu sais maintenant comment
Tu sais maintenant comment, ton histoire commence
On joue sa vie comme on joue au flipper
Déjà tout môme on flippe de bumper en bumper
On gagne on perd, et toujours on espère
Pouvoir s'en refaire une petite
Gratuite, gratuite, gratuite, gratuite
On te donne trois balles, on te donne trois balles
On te donne trois balles, la deuxième t'es un grand
Il faut te démerder, tu commences a ruser, hein?
Tu cherche un abri et quand tu l'as trouvé
Tu te vois éjecter, à vitesse grand V
Vers le bumper d'en face, qui t'attend dans l'impasse
Vers le bumper d'en face, qui t'attend dans l'impasse
On joue sa vie comme on joue au flipper
Déjà tout môme on flippe de bumper en bumper
On gagne on perd, et toujours on espère
Pouvoir s'en refaire une petite
Gratuite, gratuite, gratuite, gratuite
Attention au tilt
Attention au tilt, t'as perdu la boule mon gars
Non!
On te donne trois balles, on te donne trois balles
On te donne trois balles, la troisième t'es un vieux
Vieux, vieux, vieux, vieux, vieux, vieux, trop vieux
Tu es très fatigué tu veux te reposer
Tu branles la machine, tu courbes l'échine, l'échine
Le dernier bumper t'envoie dans l'dernier trou
Le dernier bumper t'envoie dans l'dernier trou
Sur ta tombe y a écrit
Sur ta tombe y a écrit
Sur ta tombe y a écrit
More fun to compete, More fun to compete
More fun to compete, More fun to compete
More fun to compete, More fun to compete
More fun to compete, More fun to compete
On joue sa vie comme on joue au flipper
Déjà tout môme on flippe de bumper en bumper
On gagne on perd, et toujours on espère
Pouvoir s'en refaire une petite
Je dis petite, oh non non petite
Heiiiin gratuite, gratuite, gratuite, gratuite
@bellecampagne4596
Quelle chance nous avions adolescents d'écouter et danser comme des dingues sur du téléphone....debut du debut des années 80, rock alternatif, sons géniaux, de la pure liberté dans nos têtes 😍
@gauloisfurieux1365
Franchement, on n'a rien fait de mieux en matière de rock français. MERCI Téléphone pour toutes ces chansons qu'on écoute depuis près de 40 ans.
@MrJag072
Pas le même style mais en Rock il y a Thiéfaine. ;)
@thalysanchez3594
tu plaisante j'espère et trust noir desir ect ect
@thalysanchez3594
les beru, shaka ponk , la mano negra les wanpas ...
@patrickselaudoux3565
Les dogs étaient les meilleurs mais moins glamours….
@stephane546
@@thalysanchez3594😅
@unapresmididelibre4542
Le métro rouge et vert, le flipper dans les bistros, bienvenue dans les inoubliables années Téléphone!
@Samsung-pr4ch
50 ans que j'ecoute ce super groupe !!! Cassette achetee avec un cousin a Marseille et je l'ai encore. Rappelle de super bons moments. Sniff ...
@billylebraillard
Ce riff !!
l'une de mes préférées de Télèphone !
J'en suis à ma 3ème balle !...