Calling America
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Vinyl single - USA - 1st edition. |
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Calling America is a rock song by Electric Light Orchestra. The single was recorded in 1985 and released on 1986-01-24, with Caught in a Trap as the B-side, and it was also track 8 on the album Balance of Power released on 1986-02-17. Calling America was written and produced by Jeff Lynne, and is a good example of British synth pop in the mid-1980s.
In the song, a British woman leaves for America, but leaves a number for a man to call her, however, the man discovers that the number doesn't actually connect to anything. But, rather than understand that she gave him a fake number, the man keeps calling it over and over, blindly trusting that she will eventually pick up the phone. The song has a similar theme to the earlier ELO song, Telephone Line. But the subject of the song isn't why I like it, the primary reason I love this song is due to the amazing sound it has. The intro is perfect, beginning a capella, and very quickly introducing a nice dance beat. All of the backing vocals are highly overdubbed, and occasionally the lead vocals are mechanized or echoed. Also, there is wonderful use of synthesizers to perform little ditties throughout the whole song.
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Personal
I assume I first heard this song on the radio, but I can't say when. It has since become my favorite ELO song.
Lyrics
Some-bod-y Told her that there was a place like heaven Across the water on a 747 Yeah, we're living in In a modern world. And pretty soon she's really got the notion Of flying out across the big blue ocean Yeah, we're living in In a modern world. Talk is cheap on satellite But all I get is static Information, I'm still here Re-dial on automatic. Calling America. Can't get a message through. Calling America. That's what she said to do. Calling America. That's where she has to be. Calling America. She left a number for me. Calling America. But I'm just talking to a satellite Twenty thousand miles up in the sky each night Yeah, we're living in In a modern world. All I had to do was pick up the phone I'm out in space, trying to talk to someone Yeah, we're living in In a modern world. She left a number I could call But no one's there, no one at all There must be something going wrong That number just rings on and on. Calling America. Can't get a message through. Calling America. That's what she said to do. Calling America. That's where she has to be. Calling America. She left a number for me. Calling America. Said she'd call when she'd been gone a while Guess she's missing me across the miles Yeah, we're living in In a modern world. Calling America. Can't get a message through. Calling America. That's what she said to do. Calling America. That's where she has to be. Calling America. She left a number for me. Calling America, calling America, Calling America, calling America.
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