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.
No phone No phone I just want to be alone today
No phone no phone
Ringing stinging
Jerking like a nervous bird
Rattling up against his cage
Calls to me throughout the day
See the feathers fly
No phone No phone I just want to be alone today
No phone No phone
No phone no phone I just want to be alone today
Rhyming chiming got me working all the time
Gives me such a worried mind
Now I don't want to seem unkind
But god (it's such a crime)
No phone No phone I just want to be alone today
No phone no phone
No phone No phone I just want to be alone today
No phone no phone
Shaking quaking
Waking me when I'm asleep
Never lets me go too deep
Summons me with just one beep
The price we pay is steep
I've been on fire
And yet I've still stayed frozen
So deep in the night
My smooth contemplations will always be broken
My deepest concerns will stay buried and unspoken
No I don't have any change but here's a few subway tokens
No phone No phone I just want to be alone today
No phone No phone
No phone no phone I just want to be alone today
No phone no phone
No phone No phone I just want to be alone today
No phone No phone
No phone no phone
Ringing stinging
Jerking like a nervous bird
Rattling up against his cage
Calls to me throughout the day
See the feathers fly
No phone No phone I just want to be alone today
No phone No phone
No phone no phone I just want to be alone today
Rhyming chiming got me working all the time
Gives me such a worried mind
Now I don't want to seem unkind
But god (it's such a crime)
No phone No phone I just want to be alone today
No phone no phone
No phone No phone I just want to be alone today
No phone no phone
Shaking quaking
Waking me when I'm asleep
Never lets me go too deep
Summons me with just one beep
The price we pay is steep
I've been on fire
And yet I've still stayed frozen
So deep in the night
My smooth contemplations will always be broken
My deepest concerns will stay buried and unspoken
No I don't have any change but here's a few subway tokens
No phone No phone I just want to be alone today
No phone No phone
No phone no phone I just want to be alone today
No phone no phone
No phone No phone I just want to be alone today
No phone No phone
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OK, my thoughts: Perhaps he is actually telling the phone "NO". He is absolutely sick of the phone. He wants just one day of peace. He sees the phone as something that is continually seeking his attention and is something that is actually behaving slightly violently. The fact that it rings so much makes him almost paranoid and he has reached his limit. This is the "price" you pay for a girlfriend-she calls all the time. When he says that he has been on fire but now he stays frozen I think he is saying that he used to take it and just get mad (a feeling related to heat) but now he stays frozen and doesn't even move when he hears the phone and knows that she wants to talk. There is no benefit for him to talk to her. He can't be alone in his thoughts because he is always interrupted, he can't talk to her about anything because she keeps talking (and perhaps now he doesn't even want to tell her things anymore). The part where he sounds like he is speaking to someone asking him for money seems to me to be saying that his girlfriend is acting just like that, he has nothing more for her except something that will take her far away. And his way of giving her "a few subway tokens" is to just ignore her calls.