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Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand

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"Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand"
Single by Primitive Radio Gods
from the album Rocket and The Cable Guy: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
B-side
  • "Feel Me"
  • "Mona Lisa"
ReleasedMarch 18, 1996 (1996-03-18)
StudioThe Master Bedroom (Carlsbad, California, US)
GenreAlternative rock[1][2]
Length5:39
Label
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

"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. The song was released in the United Kingdom on March 18, 1996, and was serviced to US radio on June 11, 1996.

"Standing" peaked at number one on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks and Triple A charts. It became a crossover radio hit over the following few months, reaching number two in Canada and number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart. Primitive Radio Gods have not had another chart hit, making them a one-hit wonder.[3] The success of the song bolstered sales for Rocket, helping it sell over 500,000 copies.[4]

Background

[edit]

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.[5][6] 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.[7] Like the rest of Rocket, O'Connor recorded the song on an Ampex 16-track recorder inside a friend's garage.[8][9] Afterwards, O'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.[8]

Composition

[edit]

"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.[10] 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.[3] The sound of church bells can be heard intermittently throughout the song, and a piano solo constitutes the track's bridge.[10][3] 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".[10]

Reception

[edit]

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."[11]

Track listings

[edit]

UK 7-inch and cassette single[12][13]

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

UK maxi-CD single[14]

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

Australian maxi-CD single[15]

  1. "Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand" (edit)
  2. "Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand" (album version)
  3. "Mona Lisa"
  4. "Feel Me"

Credits and personnel

[edit]

Credits are lifted from the UK maxi-CD single and US promo CD liner notes.[14][16]

Studios

Personnel

  • Chris O'Connor – writing, production
  • Leonard Feather – writing ("How Blue Can You Get")
  • Jane Feather – writing ("How Blue Can You Get")
  • David Vaught – engineering
  • Ray Staff – mastering
  • Lisa Wright – photography

Charts

[edit]

Release history

[edit]
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United Kingdom March 18, 1996
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
[34]
United States June 11, 1996 Contemporary hit radio [35]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Cosores, Philip (July 4, 2017). "Ranking: Every Alternative Rock No. 1 Hit from Worst to Best". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved December 29, 2021.
  2. ^ Brian Galindo, Alex Naidus & Ryan Creed (November 5, 2023). "37 Alt Rock Songs You Haven't Thought About Since The Late '90s". BuzzFeed. Retrieved November 19, 2015.
  3. ^ a b c 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.
  4. ^ Kenney, Kevan (June 11, 2020). "Throwback Thursday: Primitive Radio Gods". Radio.com. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  5. ^ "Bruce Cockburn". Trouser Press. Retrieved October 20, 2017.
  6. ^ "Interview with Primitive Radio Gods". Tomatrax. May 19, 2015. Retrieved October 20, 2017.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ a b Borzillo, Carrie (June 8, 1996). "Popular Uprisings" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 23. p. 18. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  9. ^ Bambarger, Bradley (July 13, 1996). "The Modern Age" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 28. p. 105. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  10. ^ a b c 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.
  11. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Rocket". AllMusic. Retrieved March 11, 2012.
  12. ^ 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.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. ^ Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand (UK cassette single sleeve). Primitive Radio Gods. Columbia Records. 1996. 662769 4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  14. ^ a b Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand (UK maxi-CD single liner notes). Primitive Radio Gods. Columbia Records, Ergo Records. 1996. COL 662769 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  15. ^ Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand (Australian maxi-CD single liner notes). Primitive Radio Gods. Columbia Records, Ergo Records. 1996. 663307 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  16. ^ Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand (US promo CD liner notes). Primitive Radio Gods. Columbia Records, Ergo Records. 1996. CSK 7752.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  17. ^ "Primitive Radio Gods – Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  18. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 9929." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 1, 2018.
  19. ^ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 9513." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 1, 2018.
  20. ^ "Top RPM Rock/Alternative Tracks: Issue 9519." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 1, 2018.
  21. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 1, 2018.
  22. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 1, 2018.
  23. ^ "Radio Songs". Billboard. September 14, 1996. Retrieved October 14, 2023.
  24. ^ "Adult Pop Airplay". Billboard. September 28, 1996. Retrieved October 14, 2023.
  25. ^ "Mainstream Rock Airplay". Billboard. August 24, 1996. Retrieved October 14, 2023.
  26. ^ "Alternative Airplay". Billboard. July 27, 1996. Retrieved October 14, 2023.
  27. ^ "Pop Airplay". Billboard. August 24, 1996. Retrieved October 14, 2023.
  28. ^ "Adult Alternative Airplay". Billboard. July 27, 1996. Retrieved October 14, 2023.
  29. ^ "RPM Year End Top 100 Hit Tracks". RPM. Retrieved April 1, 2018 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  30. ^ "RPM Year End Alternative Top 50". RPM. Retrieved April 1, 2018 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  31. ^ a b "The Year in Music" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 52. December 28, 1996. p. YE-36, YE-78. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  32. ^ "Airplay Monitor Best of '96: Top 40/Mainstream". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 4, no. 53. December 27, 1996. p. 30.
  33. ^ "Airplay Monitor Best of '96: Triple A Tracks". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 4, no. 53. December 27, 1996. p. 24.
  34. ^ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. March 16, 1996. p. 35. Retrieved May 28, 2021.
  35. ^ "Selected New Releases" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1149. June 7, 1996. p. 35. Retrieved April 24, 2021.
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