Radio Waves (Roger Waters song)

"Radio Waves"
"Radio Waves"
Single by Roger Waters
from the album Radio K.A.O.S.
B-side	"Going to Live in L.A."
Released	11 May 1987
Recorded	1986
Studio	Billiard Room (London)
Length	4:59 (album version); 3:47 (single version); 6:58 (extended version)
Label	Columbia/CBS (US); EMI (UK)
Songwriter(s)	Roger Waters
Producer(s)	Roger Waters; Ian Ritchie; Nick Griffiths;
Roger Waters singles chronology
Music video
	"Radio Waves" on YouTube

"Radio Waves" is the opening track from Roger Waters' second solo studio album, Radio K.A.O.S. It was chosen as the lead single for the album, released worldwide in May 1987

Background[edit]

"Radio Waves" introduces the main character, Billy, a disabled man who finds a way to talk and become friends with a radio disc jockey (DJ). Billy is gifted and has the miracle of hearing and interpreting radio waves in his head. He explores a cordless phone which was hidden in his wheelchair by his brother Benny, after destroying and robbing a store. Recognising its similarity to a radio, he experiments with the phone and is able to access computers and speech synthesizers, he learns to speak through them. He calls a radio station in L.A. named Radio KAOS, a completely fictitious radio station based in Los Angeles and tells them of his abilities and his life story throughout the album.

Track listings[edit]

US 7" single
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Radio Waves (Edit)"	4:13
2.	"Going to Live in L.A."	5:50

International 7" single
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Radio Waves"	3:47
2.	"Going to Live in L.A."	5:50

CD / 12" single
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Radio Waves (Extended Remix)"	6:58
2.	"Going to Live in L.A."	5:50
3.	"Radio Waves (7" Version)"	3:47

Mainstream promotional single
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Radio Waves (Edit)"	4:13
2.	"Radio Waves (Single Version)"	3:47

Charts[edit]

Chart (1987)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)^[1]	43
UK Singles (OCC)^[2]	74
US Mainstream Rock Songs (Billboard)^[3]	12

References[edit]

^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 334. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
^ "Roger Waters - Radio Waves". Billboard. Retrieved 12 May 2012.

External links[edit]

"Radio Waves" at Discogs (list of releases)

[aus-1] Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 334. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.

[sc_UK_Roger_Waters-2] "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.

[Billboard-3] "Roger Waters - Radio Waves". Billboard. Retrieved 12 May 2012.

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v t e Roger Waters
Studio albums	The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking (1984) Radio K.A.O.S. (1987) Amused to Death (1992) Is This the Life We Really Want? (2017) Igor Stravinsky's The Soldier's Tale (2018) The Lockdown Sessions (2022) The Dark Side of the Moon Redux (2023)
Soundtracks	Music from The Body (1970) When the Wind Blows (1986)
Live albums	The Wall – Live in Berlin (1990) In the Flesh – Live (2000) Roger Waters: The Wall (2015) Roger Waters: Us + Them (2020)
Operas	Ça Ira (2005) Another Brick in the Wall: The Opera (2017)
Compilations	Flickering Flame: The Solo Years Volume 1 (2002)
Singles	"The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking" "Radio Waves" "Sunset Strip" "The Tide Is Turning" "What God Wants, Part I" "The Bravery of Being Out of Range" "To Kill the Child/Leaving Beirut" "Hello (I Love You)" "We Shall Overcome" "Smell the Roses" "Déjà Vu" "The Last Refugee" "Comfortably Numb 2022" "Money" "Time" "Speak to Me" / "Breathe"
Other songs	"Perfect Sense, Pt. I" "Perfect Sense, Pt. II" "Each Small Candle"
Films	The Wall – Live in Berlin In the Flesh – Live Roger Waters: The Wall Roger Waters: Us + Them
Tours	K.A.O.S. On the Road In the Flesh The Dark Side of the Moon Live The Wall Live Us + Them Tour This Is Not a Drill
Related articles	Discography Songs Harry Waters Pink Floyd The Bleeding Heart Band Carolyne Christie Judith Trim David Gilmour The Madcap Laughs
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