Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand

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.{{cite web|url=http://www.trouserpress.com/entry.php?a=bruce_cockburn|title=Bruce Cockburn|work=Trouser Press|access-date=October 20, 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://tomatrax.wordpress.com/2015/05/19/interview-with-primitive-radio-gods/|title=Interview with Primitive Radio Gods|work=Tomatrax|date=May 19, 2015|access-date=October 20, 2017}} 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.{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/90s/1996/BB-1996-06-08.pdf|title=Benefit Concert Rocks Foundation; K-tel Brings Back '70s Classic|last=Newman|first=Melinda|magazine=Billboard|volume=108|issue=37|page=14|date=September 14, 1996|access-date=January 21, 2021}} Like the rest of Rocket, O'Connor recorded the song on an Ampex 16-track recorder inside a friend's garage.{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/90s/1996/BB-1996-06-08.pdf|title=Popular Uprisings|last=Borzillo|first=Carrie|author-link=Carrie Borzillo|magazine=Billboard|volume=108|issue=23|page=18|date=June 8, 1996|access-date=January 21, 2021}}{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/90s/1996/BB-1996-07-13.pdf|title=The Modern Age|last=Bambarger|first=Bradley|magazine=Billboard|volume=108|issue=28|page=105|date=July 13, 1996|access-date=January 21, 2021}} 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.

"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.{{cite web|url=https://glidemagazine.com/127513/back-jerk-primitive-radio-gods-standing-outside-broken-phone-booth-money-hand/|title=Back Off, Jerk: Primitive Radio Gods' "Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand"|last=Yellin|first=Michael|website=Glide|date=November 26, 2014|access-date=January 21, 2021}} 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. The sound of church bells can be heard intermittently throughout the song, and a piano solo constitutes the track's bridge. 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".

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."{{cite web|title=Rocket|last=Erlewine|first=Stephen Thomas|publisher=AllMusic|url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r239490/review|pure_url=yes}}|access-date=March 11, 2012}}

UK 7-inch and cassette single{{cite AV media notes|title=Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand|others=Primitive Radio Gods|year=1996|type=UK 7-inch vinyl disc|publisher=Columbia Records, Ergo Records|id=662769 7}}{{cite AV media notes|title=Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand|others=Primitive Radio Gods|year=1996|type=UK cassette single sleeve|publisher=Columbia Records|id=662769 4}}

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

UK maxi-CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand|others=Primitive Radio Gods|year=1996|type=UK maxi-CD single liner notes|publisher=Columbia Records, Ergo Records|id=COL 662769 2}}

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

Australian maxi-CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand|others=Primitive Radio Gods|year=1996|type=Australian maxi-CD single liner notes|publisher=Columbia Records, Ergo Records|id=663307 2}}

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 are lifted from the UK maxi-CD single and US promo CD liner notes.{{cite AV media notes|title=Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand|others=Primitive Radio Gods|year=1996|type=US promo CD liner notes|publisher=Columbia Records, Ergo Records|id=CSK 7752}}

Studios

• Recorded at the Master Bedroom (Carlsbad, California, US)
• Mastered at Whitfield Street Recording Studios (London, England)

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

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Category:1996 debut singles

Category:1996 songs

Category:Columbia Records singles

Category:Primitive Radio Gods songs

Category:Songs written by Leonard Feather