Donna Summer – On the Radio Lyrics | Genius Lyrics

On the Radio Lyrics

[Verse 1]
Someone found a letter you wrote me on the radio
And they told the world just how you felt
It must have fallen out of a hole in your old brown overcoat
They never said your name but I knew just who they meant
Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh
I was so surprised and shocked, and I wondered too
If, by chance, you heard it for yourself
I never told a soul just how I've been feeling over you
But they said it really loud, they said it on the air

[Chorus]
On the radio, whoa-oh-oh-oh
On the radio, whoa-oh-oh-oh
On the radio, whoa-oh-oh-oh
On the radio, whoa-oh-oh-oh

[Verse 2]
Now, now, don't it kinda strike you sad when you hear our song
Things are not the same since we broke up last June
The only thing that I wanna hear is that you love me still
And that you think you'll be comin' home real soon
Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh
Yeah, it kinda made me feel proud when I heard him say
You couldn't find the words to say it yourself
And now in my heart I know I can say what I really feel
'Cause they said it really loud, they said it on the air
[Chorus]
On the radio, whoa-oh-oh-oh
On the radio, whoa-oh-oh-oh
On the radio, whoa-oh-oh-oh
On the radio, whoa-oh-oh-oh
On the radio

[Verse 3]
If you think that love isn't found on the radio
Then tune right in, you may find the love you lost
'Cause now I'm sitting here with the man I sent away long ago
It sounded really loud, they said it really loud

[Chorus]
On the radio, whoa-oh-oh-oh
On the radio, whoa-oh-oh-oh
On the radio, whoa-oh-oh-oh
On the radio, whoa-oh-oh-oh
On the radio

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About

Genius Annotation

“On the Radio” became Donna Summer’s tenth top 10 hit in the US in early 1980 and was also successful overseas. Her husband told Songfacts she wrote it about “somebody hoping that the song on the radio will let the person know that they are in love with them”. It was nominated for a Grammy but lost to Bette Midler’s “The Rose”. A different recording of the song was featured in the 1980 film Foxes.

Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

What did Donna Summer say about "On the Radio"?
Genius Answer

I love [“On the Radio”] because it’s a fun song. It took me a long time to write it and I love the lyric on that song. It seems to mean a lot to a lot of people, especially people that listen to the radio.

— Donna Summer, Long Island Weekly, 2008

What was the writing process behind this song?
Genius Answer

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