Hanging On The Telephone – English Lyrics

• By: Blondie

Lyrics & Translation

[English]

[TELEPHONE RINGING]

♪ 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 ♪

♪ DON'T LEAVE ME HANGING ON THE TELEPHONE ♪

♪ DON'T LEAVE ME HANGING ON THE TELEPHONE ♪

♪ 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 ♪

♪ OH, WHY CAN'T WE TALK AGAIN ♪

♪ OH, WHY CAN'T WE TALK AGAIN ♪

♪ OH, WHY CAN'T WE TALK AGAIN ♪

♪ DON'T LEAVE ME HANGING ON THE TELEPHONE ♪

♪ DON'T LEAVE ME HANGING ON THE TELEPHONE ♪

♪ 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 ♪

♪ DON'T LEAVE ME HANGING ON THE TELEPHONE ♪

♪ 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 ♪

♪ OH, I CAN'T CONTROL MYSELF ♪

♪ OH, I CAN'T CONTROL MYSELF ♪

♪ OH, I CAN'T CONTROL MYSELF ♪

♪ DON'T LEAVE ME HANGING ON THE TELEPHONE ♪

♪ 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, OH, OH, OH, RUN TO ME, YEAH ♪

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
hang /hæŋ/ A2	verb - to suspend or be suspended from above verb - to be delayed or left waiting
telephone /ˈtɛlɪfoʊn/ A1	noun - a system for transmitting voices over distances
ring /rɪŋ/ A1	verb - to make a sound, as a bell noun - a sound made by a bell
booth /buθ/ B1	noun - a small enclosed space, especially for a specific purpose
answer /ˈænsər/ A1	verb - to respond to a call or question
interrupt /ˌɪntəˈrʌpt/ B1	verb - to stop or hinder something in progress
conversation /ˌkɑːn.vərˈseɪ.ʃən/ A2	noun - a talk between two or more people
affection /əˈfɛk.ʃən/ B2	noun - a gentle feeling of fondness or liking
control /kənˈtroʊl/ A2	verb - to exercise authority or direction over noun - the power to influence or direct people's behavior
run /rʌn/ A1	verb - to move swiftly on foot
voice /vɔɪs/ A1	noun - the sound produced in a person's larynx
strange /streɪndʒ/ A2	adjective - unusual or surprising
sensation /ˌsɛnˈseɪ.ʃən/ B1	noun - a physical feeling or perception
ignore /ɪɡˈnɔr/ A2	verb - to refuse to acknowledge or notice
long /lɔŋ/ A1	adjective - having a great linear extent adverb - for a considerable time

Key Grammar Structures

• ♪ I'M IN THE PHONE BOOTH, IT'S THE ONE ACROSS THE HALL ♪

  ➔ Present Continuous Tense

  ➔ The phrase 'I'M ...' highlights the use of the present continuous tense to describe an action happening now.

• ♪ IF YOU DON'T ANSWER, I'LL JUST RING IT OFF THE WALL ♪

  ➔ Conditional Sentence (Type 1)

  ➔ The structure 'IF ... WILL' is a type 1 conditional sentence, used for likely or real conditions.

• ♪ I KNOW HE'S THERE, BUT I JUST HAD TO CALL ♪

  ➔ Present Simple with 'know'

  ➔ The phrase 'I KNOW' uses the present simple to express a fact or certainty.

• ♪ DON'T LEAVE ME HANGING ON THE TELEPHONE ♪

  ➔ Imperative Mood

  ➔ The phrase 'DON'T LEAVE' is in the imperative mood, used to give a command or make a request.

• ♪ OH, WHY CAN'T WE TALK AGAIN ♪

  ➔ Modal Verb 'can'

  ➔ The phrase 'CAN'T TALK' uses the modal verb 'can' to express inability or impossibility.

• ♪ I WANT TO TELL YOU SOMETHING YOU'VE KNOWN ALL ALONG ♪

  ➔ Present Perfect Tense

  ➔ The phrase 'YOU'VE KNOWN' uses the present perfect to describe an action that started in the past and is relevant now.

• ♪ OH, I CAN'T CONTROL MYSELF ♪

  ➔ Reflexive Pronoun

  ➔ The phrase 'CONTROL MYSELF' uses the reflexive pronoun 'myself' to indicate that the action is directed back to the subject.