The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Girl on the phone keeps a-ringing back
Her voice is smooth but the tone is bland
She's telling me this and she's telling me that
She talks about me and I must agree
With what she says about me
About how nice I can be
But it makes no difference to my mind
Girl on the phone keeps a-ringing back
She knows all my details she's got my facts
She tells me my height and she knows my weight
She knows my age and says she's knows fate
And I must say its logical
What foresight she must have
I've got to meet her whenever I get time
Says she knows everything about me
Every word I've ever said
Every book I've ever read
She told me that we met along time ago
I can't think when but she should know
Girl on the phone keeps a-ringing back
Knows where I get my shirts and where I get my pants
Where I get my trousers where I get socks
My leg measurements and the size of my cock
And I must say its un-nerving
To think that she knows me
Knows me so well better than anyone
Better than myself
Says she knows everything about me
Every record I've listened to
Every window that I've looked through
She told me that we met along time ago
I can't think when but she should know
Girl on the phone keeps a-ringing back
She's telling me this and she's telling me that
Her voice is smooth but the tone is bland
She's telling me this and she's telling me that
She talks about me and I must agree
With what she says about me
About how nice I can be
But it makes no difference to my mind
Girl on the phone keeps a-ringing back
She knows all my details she's got my facts
She tells me my height and she knows my weight
She knows my age and says she's knows fate
And I must say its logical
What foresight she must have
I've got to meet her whenever I get time
Says she knows everything about me
Every word I've ever said
Every book I've ever read
She told me that we met along time ago
I can't think when but she should know
Girl on the phone keeps a-ringing back
Knows where I get my shirts and where I get my pants
Where I get my trousers where I get socks
My leg measurements and the size of my cock
And I must say its un-nerving
To think that she knows me
Knows me so well better than anyone
Better than myself
Says she knows everything about me
Every record I've listened to
Every window that I've looked through
She told me that we met along time ago
I can't think when but she should know
Girl on the phone keeps a-ringing back
She's telling me this and she's telling me that
Lyrics submitted by planetearth
Girl on the Phone Lyrics as written by Paul John Weller
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
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