Hanging on the Telephone Lyrics

[Verse 1]
I'm in the phone booth, it's the one across the hall
If you don't answer, I'll just ring it off the wall
I know he's there, but I just had to call

[Chorus]
Don't leave me hanging on the telephone
Don't leave me hanging on the telephone

[Verse 2]
I heard your mother, now she's going out the door
Did she go to work or just go to the store?
All those things she said, I told you to ignore

[Bridge 1]
Oh, why can't we talk again?
Oh, why can't we talk again?
Oh, why can't we talk again?

[Chorus]
Don't leave me hanging on the telephone
Don't leave me hanging on the telephone

[Verse 3]
It's good to hear your voice, you know it's been so long
If I don't get your calls, then everything goes wrong
I want to tell you something you've known all along
[Chorus]
Don't leave me hanging on the telephone

[Verse 4]
I had to interrupt and stop this conversation
Your voice across the line gives me a strange sensation
I'd like to talk when I can show you my affection

[Bridge 2]
Oh, I can't control myself
Oh, I can't control myself
Oh, I can't control myself

[Chorus]
Don't leave me hanging on the telephone

[Outro]
Hang up and run to me (oh)
Hang up and run to me (oh)
Hang up and run to me (oh)
Hang up and run to me
Oh, woah, woah, woah
Run to me, yeah

How to Format Lyrics:

  • Type out all lyrics, even repeating song parts like the chorus
  • Lyrics should be broken down into individual lines
  • Use section headers above different song parts like [Verse], [Chorus], etc.
  • Use italics (<i>lyric</i>) and bold (<b>lyric</b>) to distinguish between different vocalists in the same song part
  • If you don’t understand a lyric, use [?]

To learn more, check out our transcription guide or visit our transcribers forum

About

Genius Annotation

Blondie’s well-known version of “Hanging on the Telephone” by US West Coast power pop band The Nerves.

Like Aretha Franklin’s famous cover of “Respect,” Blondie’s version changes the voice of the original, male speaker to a female one. As a result, Blondie’s version inverts traditional gender roles and subverts the sexual double-standard that demonizes sexually assertive women while rewarding the same behavior in men.

The cover was released as the second single from Blondie’s 1978 album Parallel Lines, reaching number 5 in the UK chart in November 1978.

Comments