Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand

"Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand" is a song by American alternative rock group Primitive Radio Gods. Their debut single, it was released from the soundtrack to the 1996 black comedy film The Cable Guy and was also included on the band's first album, Rocket. Its chorus consists of a sample from the 1964 B.B. King song "How Blue Can You Get", and the enigmatic lyrics of the song describe a troubling relationship in which two people cannot connect on an emotional level.

"Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand"
Single by Primitive Radio Gods
from the album The Cable Guy: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack and Rocket
B-side"Feel Me"
Released1996
Length5:39
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Chris O'Connor
Primitive Radio Gods singles chronology
"Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand"
(1996)		 "Motherfucker"
(1996)
Audio
"Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand" on YouTube

Soon after its release in 1996, the song peaked at number one on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks and Adult Alternative Songs charts. It became a radio hit over the following few months, reaching number two in Canada and number 10 on the US Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart. Primitive Radio Gods have not had another chart hit, making them a one-hit wonder.[1] The success of the song bolstered sales for Rocket, helping it sell over 500,000 copies.[2]

Background

The song's title is a reference to the unrelated song "Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand" by Bruce Cockburn, from his 1978 album, Further Adventures Of.[3][4] Primitive Radio Gods frontman Chris O'Connor stated that he was struggling to name his new song, so he picked up Further Adventures Of and adapted the title "Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand" from it.[5] Like the rest of Rocket, O'Connor recorded the song on an Ampex 16-track recorder inside a friend's garage.[6][7] Afterwards, Connor tried to sign onto a record label, but none were interested. Several months later, he tried again by sending tapes of his songs to the labels, this time attracting the attention of Columbia Records, with whom he eventually signed.[6]

Composition

"Standing" is a modern rock song whose lyrics, which are seemingly nonsensical, describe the relationship between a man and his partner, who are unable to connect emotionally.[8] The song starts with a quiet bass guitar and a clacking percussion beat, then transitions to the main instrumentation with a vocal sample from "How Blue Can You Get", a 1964 song by American singer-songwriter B.B. King.[1] The sound of church bells can be heard intermittently throughout the song, and a piano solo constitutes the track's bridge.[8][1] Toward the end of the song, O'Connor sings the sampled line of "How Blue Can You Get": "I've been downhearted baby / ever since the day we met".[8]

Reception

AllMusic critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote "With its loping, unthreatening hip-hop beats and its looped B.B. King sample, 'Standing' had all the appeal of an adult novelty for most listeners—it was something that was out of the ordinary, to be sure, but not something that you would want to investigate much further."[9]

Track listings

US promo CD[10]

  1. "Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand" (edit) – 4:35
  2. "Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand" (album version) – 5:39

UK 7-inch vinyl[11]

A. "Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand"
B. "Feel Me"

UK maxi-single[12]

  1. "Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand"
  2. "Mona Lisa"
  3. "Feel Me"

Charts

References
  1. b.liebman (August 31, 2017). "Throwback Thursday: Primitive Radio Gods – Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand". The Indy Review. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  2. Kenney, Kevan (June 11, 2020). "Throwback Thursday: Primitive Radio Gods". Radio.com. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  3. "Bruce Cockburn". Trouser Press. Retrieved October 20, 2017.
  4. "Interview with Primitive Radio Gods". Tomatrax. May 19, 2015. Retrieved October 20, 2017.
  5. Newman, Melinda (September 14, 1996). "Benefit Concert Rocks Foundation; K-tel Brings Back '70s Classic" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 108 no. 37. p. 14. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  6. Borzillo, Carrie (June 8, 1996). "Popular Uprisings" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 108 no. 23. p. 18. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  7. Bambarger, Bradley (July 13, 1996). "The Modern Age" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 108 no. 28. p. 105. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  8. Yellin, Michael (November 26, 2014). "Back Off, Jerk: Primitive Radio Gods' "Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand"". Glide. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  9. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Rocket". AllMusic. Retrieved March 11, 2012.
  10. Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand (US promo CD liner notes). Primitive Radio Gods. Columbia Records. 1996. CSK 7752.CS1 maint: others (link)
  11. Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand (UK 7-inch vinyl disc). Primitive Radio Gods. Columbia Records, Ergo Records. 1996. 662769 7.CS1 maint: others (link)
  12. Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand (UK maxi-single liner notes). Primitive Radio Gods. Columbia Records, Ergo Records. 1996. COL 662769 2.CS1 maint: others (link)
  13. "Australian-charts.com – Primitive Radio Gods – Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  14. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 9929." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 1, 2018.
  15. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 9513." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 1, 2018.
  16. "Top RPM Rock/Alternative Tracks: Issue 9519." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 1, 2018.
  17. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 1, 2018.
  18. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 1, 2018.
  19. "Primitive Radio Gods Chart History (Radio Songs)". Billboard.
  20. "Primitive Radio Gods Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved July 17, 2019.
  21. "Primitive Radio Gods Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard.
  22. "Primitive Radio Gods Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard.
  23. "Primitive Radio Gods Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard.
  24. "Primitive Radio Gods Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard.
  25. "RPM Year End Top 100 Hit Tracks". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 1, 2018.
  26. "RPM Year End Alternative Top 50". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 1, 2018.
  27. "The Year in Music" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 108 no. 52. December 28, 1996. p. YE-36, YE-78. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
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