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 pick up that telephone, yeah, yeah, yeah

Hey, how you feelin'?
Are you still the same, don't you realize 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

Blue days, black nights
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 comin' 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
Through shadows of the night
Let it ring forever more, oh

Blue days, black nights, doo wah doo 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 comin' 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


Lyrics submitted by Kenobi65, edited by benno118, Gruntcake

Telephone Line Lyrics as written by Jeff Lynne

Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Telephone Line song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

41 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +6
    General Comment

    this song is amazing. but it's sad. it's about missing someone and waiting for them to call, i think. or calling them and they won't answer

    pandora_ash_avalieon June 29, 2007   Link
  • +5
    General Comment

    this song is all about despair, and catches the narrator at a highly desperate point - you can feel the hopelessness in his voice, and that's the genius in Jeff's performance - it doesn't seem to me that he's overtly blaming himself for all the failure; rather, he just can't understand why it's all gone; and that may be worse

    rockboy52on February 28, 2013   Link
  • +4
    My Interpretation

    I feel like this one is an existential song. Like how these artists are always giving voice to not only thoughts but feelings in their lyrics. They will be talking about a relationship in one verse, and the next they're addressing the real questions and wonders not only of the individual, but of humanity itself. This song seems like it's about someone trying to reconnect with an old flame, then it becomes a song about loss, and about loneliness and life itself, and the living of life. The speaker seems to say to hold on to the things we have and the things we had, and don't give up hope for more to come in the future.

    I've seen people bring God into the equation, to say that the voice is God trying to connect to us. But it could even be us, the human spirit trying to connect to the divine, or the Universe, to no longer be so alone in our humanity, in our existence. And the same might be said for God, or an isolated divine that maybe created life simply because it was alone in the Universe. And these two things are forever to try to reach, if it takes eternity but we won't hang up the phone because we know something is on the other end.

    I have this pet theory, as above, so below, our connections and relationships are analogous to the phenomena and characteristics of the cosmos. So the connection between two people is analogous to the connection between particles or forces, or two divines. I think this song speaks about that nature, and our basic questions about ourselves and reality itself. Living in twilight is to not know, and to not be able to move on. Stuck between day and night.

    grimjackon January 20, 2013   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    this is about a man, after breaking up with his girl, sitting at home, calling her. she has plans that night even though he doesn't, he just longs to talk with her, and see how she's been doing, and remind her of all the good times they had together.

    that is all.

    nunoo767on March 06, 2005   Link
  • +2
    Memory

    The time we have is a gift. Don't waste it. Tomorrow may not come and spend your time with those who love you and you them. Don't take anything for granted. Also broken hearts teach us to be better people, thru heartache we grow and learn so much and we have an obligation to teach our children and also to introduce them to all genres of music. Music is a gift and I'm sure God is turning up the volume in heaven. Even if you hate the music your kids like, accept it and by doing so they may take time to listen to songs like Telephone line. Music lifts our soul, it gets us off it makes us cry and makes us laugh, makes us think and remember. Thank you ELO for all you have given us.

    Cathyvalon April 15, 2024   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I always pictured a guy at a pay phone, standing in the rain (wait, that\'s a different song), putting his last dime in and hoping against hope for an answer.

    gpciieon April 23, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    this song is amazing. but it's sad. it's about missing someone and waiting for them to call, i think. or calling them and they won't answer

    pandora_ash_avalieon June 29, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Awesome song. I don't find it too depressing, though. On the contrary I think it's rather hopeful. Yea, his circumstance sucks, but he's not giving up which is half the fight. Also, while there are memories seemingly directed at an individual, in my mind they could just be generic impressions left from past lovers and the man is making a metaphorical/hypothetical/fantasized phone call to whoever will pick up and recognize that he still has something to offer.

    I like to see a lot of people with parents who got them into ELO. Makes me think I'm not the only 22 year old listening to these guys! :p My mother owned A New World Record when she was my age, but I found ELO on my own while downloading mad tunes in high school for my spiffy iRiver. Went on to buying their entire discography and have been listening to them ever since. Great stuff and really cool to see the band's dramatic transformation through the years from heavy prog-rock ala The Move, to straight up orchestral rock in Eldorado, to pop-rock as they started getting really popular, on to disco along with their decline in chart ratings and finally head first into synth-pop starting with Xanadu, but taking full force in albums Time and Balance of Power. Pretty wild stuff. Don't forget Moment of Truth, though! Breaking Down The Walls and Twist Of The Knife are freakin' raw. ELO Part II had some good stuff, but Jeff, where'd your painfully poetic touches go? They needed you.

    DamnUniversePoliceon October 26, 2010   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Whoa. Dunno if this was the intent of ELO or not, but this song bears a few distinct similarities to the Twilight Zone episode "Night Call".

    Salvaron November 17, 2011   Link
  • +1
    Song Meaning

    It's about a guy trying to talk to someone - could be a break up, could be God, could be humanity, could be himself - about how the dreams/goals/visions of the past didn't come true. He's also losing hope that they ever will.

    Nookohon June 02, 2016   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

More Featured Meanings

Album art
Techno Ted
Audioslave
Techno Ted may be a person who caused Chris incredible emotional pain & trepidation as well as moments of peace & happiness but now is removed and awaiting his fate. Darling may be a different person who is also free of him and can live her life free of Ted's tyranny. "In between all the laughing, and daydreams ... lies: a desert of truth" Lies are like a desert or the omission of Truth: Where there were Lies then Truth was absent. The song, "Techno Ted", may be a cathartic celebration of the downfall of this person.
Album art
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines: "Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet" So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other: "I had all and then most of you" Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart "Some and now none of you" Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship. This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Album art
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Album art
Holiday
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday". I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
Album art
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.