Telephone Line (song)

"Telephone Line"
File:Telephone Line Cover.jpg
Single by Electric Light Orchestra
from the album A New World Record
B-side	"Poor Boy (The Greenwood)" (US) "Poor Boy (The Greenwood)" and "King of the Universe" (double B-side UK only)
Released	21 May 1977 (UK) May 1977 (US)
Format	7" single
Recorded	1976 Musicland Studios, Munich
Genre	Progressive pop soft rock
Length	4:39 (album/UK single version) 3:56 (US single edit)
Label	Jet (UK) United Artists (US)
Writer(s)	Jeff Lynne
Producer(s)	Jeff Lynne
Certification	Gold (RIAA)
Electric Light Orchestra singles chronology
"Do Ya" (1977) "Telephone Line" (1977) "Turn to Stone" (1977)
A New World Record track listing 9 tracks Side one "Tightrope" "Telephone Line" "Rockaria!" "Mission (A World Record)" Side two "So Fine" "Livin' Thing" "Above the Clouds" "Do Ya" "Shangri-La"

"Telephone Line" is a song by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO).

Release

The song is track two on their 1976 album, A New World Record, and was the final single to be released from the album until September 2006, when "Surrender" was released from the expanded reissue of the album. It became their biggest single success in the US and was their first UK gold award for a single. With ELO's continuing success in America it seemed obvious to Jeff Lynne to use an American ring tone during the song." Writer/guitarist, Lynne explained:

To get the sound on the beginning, you know, the American telephone sound, we phoned from England to America to a number that we know nobody would be at, to just listen to it for a while. On the Moog we recreated the sound exactly by tuning the oscillators to the same notes as the ringing of the phone.

The song charted in the Top Ten in both the UK and the US, peaking at number 8 in the UK and number 7 in the US. The tune was on the Hot 100 for 23 weeks, nearly a full month longer on that chart than any other ELO tune. Billboard ranked it as the No. 15 song of 1977. In 1977, the song would reach number 1 in New Zealand and Canada. As was the norm, many ELO singles were issued in different colours, but the US version of this single was the only green single ELO issued. It became the band's first single to achieve Gold sales figures.

Covers and other uses

"Telephone Line" is the theme song of the 1977 film Joyride starring Desi Arnaz, Jr., Robert Carradine, Melanie Griffith, and Anne Lockhart, directed by Joseph Ruben. The song is also featured in the movie Billy Madison when Billy (Adam Sandler) phones a former high school classmate, played by Steve Buscemi, to apologise for picking on him.

It was also used on the HBO series Big Love in the season 2 episode "Vision Thing".

It was also played in a car during the "Malcolm Holds His Tongue" episode of Malcolm in the Middle.

The song has been covered by Irish band Aslan and also by the French well-known singer Claude François (Sacrée chanson).

Duo Jack And White, featuring American Idol finalist Brooke White recorded a cover of "Telephone Line" on their covers EP Undercover, digitally released in 2012. The version also featured guest vocals from Fitz of the band Fitz & The Tantrums.

Chart performance

Weekly singles charts

Chart (1977)	Peak Position
Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart	10
Canadian RPM Top Singles	1
French SNEP Singles Chart	10
German Media Control Singles Chart	32
New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart	1
UK Singles Chart	8
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	7
U.S. Cash Box Top 100 Singles	4
U.S. Record World Singles	7
U.S. Radio & Records (R&R)	4

Year-end charts

Chart (1977)	Position
Australia	68
Canada	21
UK	82
US Billboard	15
US Cash Box	29
US American Top 40	22

Jeff Lynne version

"Telephone Line"
Song

Jeff Lynne re-recorded the song in his own home studio. It was released in a compilation album with other re-recorded ELO songs, under the ELO name.

External links

• In-depth Song Analysis at the Jeff Lynne Song Database (jefflynnesongs.com)
• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics