Telephone
Shelby Lynne Lyrics
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Just want it to be over. (Over.)
Wanna walk where the clouds are big,
An' covered in clover (Clouds of clover.)
I'm sorry I ever called.
Shoulda never, ever, ever picked up the 'phone. (Shoulda forgot your number.)
It's turned into a scary dream.
I never want it back at all.
I never really thought you would answer.
Now it's a big blown up thing.
I wish you hadn't been at home when the telephone rang.
When the telephone rang.
I've looked in faces that just looked away.
The eyes were dim and cloudy. (Can't see a thing.)
The pain of livin' with the hand that's dealt,
Is more than I can stand. (Can you take it? Can you take it? Can you take it?)
I can't forget all the mistakes I made,
It'd take a lifetime to erase them. (No, I can't go back.)
An' even I would never change a thing,
I can't waste any more time. (Time's a wastin', time's a wastin'.)
I never really thought you would answer.
Now it's a big blown up thing.
I wish you hadn't been at home when the telephone rang.
When the telephone rang.
Instrumental break.
I'm gettin' old an' my friends are few;
We're crossin' that big mountain. (Almost to the top, almost to the top.)
The sky fills of with the stars and moon and rain,
Pours like a fountain. (Water fallin' down.)
Oh, I could sit here in the midnight air,
An' look at what this life takes from me. (An' what it gives to you.)
An' count the reasons why I can't stand myself.
Just had to say these things anyway.
I never really thought you would answer.
Now it's a big blown up thing.
I wish you hadn't been at home when the telephone rang.-acap
In the song "Telephone" by Shelby Lynne, the singer is expressing her desire to escape from a situation that has become overwhelming and scary. She wants to leave everything behind and walk among the clouds and clover. The regret of ever making the call in the first place is evident throughout the song. The pain of living with the mistakes she's made is too unbearable, and she wishes the telephone hadn't rang at all. While the singer is getting old, she finds solace in the stars, moon, and rain, as if nature is the only thing that offers her comfort. In the end, she admits to all the things she can't stand about herself and that she had to say them anyway, despite the consequences.
The lyrics of "Telephone" can be interpreted as a metaphor for the past and the regrets that come with it. The singer's desire to walk among the clouds and clover can be seen as a longing for a better time before those regrets set in. The regret of making the call refers to the singer's decision to face the past and all the lingering pain that comes with it. The metaphor of the mountains represents the journey of life, and the stars, moon, and rain represent the beauty that can still be found even in the darkest moments.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't be here anymore,
Feeling overwhelmed and hopeless, I need to leave this place and situation behind.
Just want it to be over. (Over.)
I am so exhausted and done with everything. I just want this to end.
Wanna walk where the clouds are big,
I long to be in a place where the sky is vast and the possibilities feel endless.
An' covered in clover (Clouds of clover.)
A peaceful and idyllic place where nature thrives.
I'm sorry I ever called.
Regretting the decision to reach out and open up to someone. It only caused more pain.
Shoulda never, ever, ever picked up the 'phone. (Shoulda forgot your number.)
Realizing that calling the person was a mistake and wishing that they could undo it entirely, even erase their contact information.
It's turned into a scary dream.
The situation has spiraled out of control and become a nightmare.
I never want it back at all.
The thought of going back to how things were is too much to bear. It's better to move forward and leave it behind.
I never really thought you would answer.
Surprised and caught off guard that the person actually picked up the phone when they called.
Now it's a big blown up thing.
The situation has escalated into something bigger and more complicated than anticipated.
I wish you hadn't been at home when the telephone rang.
Wishing that the person had not been available to answer the phone, avoiding the subsequent painful conversation.
I've looked in faces that just looked away.
Feeling ignored and dismissed by others who don't want to confront personal struggles and pain.
The eyes were dim and cloudy. (Can't see a thing.)
The individuals around her are unable to see or acknowledge the pain she's going through. They lack understanding and empathy.
The pain of livin' with the hand that's dealt,
Suffering under the weight of the difficult circumstances that life has given her.
Is more than I can stand. (Can you take it? Can you take it? Can you take it?)
The struggle is overwhelming and unbearable. She questions her ability to cope with it all.
I can't forget all the mistakes I made,
Ruminating on past mistakes and regrets, wishing she could undo them.
It'd take a lifetime to erase them. (No, I can't go back.)
Realizing that some mistakes are irreversible and that she cannot change the past.
An' even I would never change a thing,
Despite the pain and sadness, she acknowledges that she wouldn't change anything, even if given the chance.
I can't waste any more time. (Time's a wastin', time's a wastin'.)
Feeling the urgency to move on and not dwell on the past. Time is slipping away and she can't afford to waste it.
I'm gettin' old an' my friends are few;
As she ages, she realizes that her circle of friends has shrunk and that time is running out.
We're crossin' that big mountain. (Almost to the top, almost to the top.)
Life is full of challenges and obstacles, but she and her friends are determined to overcome them, even if it's a slow climb.
The sky fills of with the stars and moon and rain,
Despite the struggles and pain, there is still beauty and wonder in the world around her.
Pours like a fountain. (Water fallin' down.)
Nature's beauty is overwhelming and refreshing, like a cool drink of water.
Oh, I could sit here in the midnight air,
Finding solace and peace in the quiet of the night and the natural world around her.
An' look at what this life takes from me. (An' what it gives to you.)
Reflecting on both the good and bad that life has brought her, grateful for the positive moments, but also unable to ignore the pain.
An' count the reasons why I can't stand myself.
Struggling with self-hatred, blaming herself for the pain and suffering she's experienced.
Just had to say these things anyway.
Despite the pain and difficulty, it was necessary to speak her truth and share her struggles, even if it's hard to do so.
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