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Primitive Radio Gods — Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth...
Album: Rocket
Avg rating:
7.4

Your rating:
Total ratings: 1914









Released: 1994
Length: 4:31
Plays (last 30 days): 0
(I been downhearted baby
I been down- I been downhearted baby
Ever since the day we met
Ever since the day we met

I been downhearted baby
I been down- I been downhearted baby
Ever since the day we met
Ever since the day we met)

Jan lays down and wrestles in her sleep
Moonlight spills on comic books
And superstars in magazines
An old friend calls and tells us where to meet
Her plane takes off from Baltimore
And touches down on Bourbon Street

We sit outside and argue all night long
About a god we've never seen
But never fails to side with me
Sunday comes and all the papers say
Ma Teresa's joined the mob
And happy with her full time job

Do do do do doo do
Do do do do doo do
Do do do do doo do
Do do do do doo do
Do do do do doo do
Do do do do doo do

(I been downhearted baby
I been down- I been downhearted baby
Ever since the day we met
Ever since the day we met

I been downhearted baby
I been down- I been downhearted baby
Ever since the day we met
Ever since the day we met)

Am I alive or thoughts that drift away?
Does summer come for everyone?
Can humans do as prophets say?
And if I die before I learn to speak
Can money pay for all the days I lived awake
But half asleep?

Do do do do doo do
Do do do do doo do
Do do do do doo do
Do do do do doo do

A life is time, they teach us growing up
The seconds ticking killed us all
A million years before the fall
You ride the waves and don't ask where they go
You swim like lions through the crest
And bathe yourself on zebra flesh

Do do do do doo do
Do do do do doo do
Do do do do doo do
Do do do do doo do
Do do do do doo do
Do do do do doo do
Do do do do doo do
Do do do do doo do

I've been downhearted baby,
I've been downhearted baby,
Ever since the day we met
Ever since the day we met

(I've been downhearted baby
I've been down- been downhearted baby
Ever since the day we met.)
Comments (142)add comment
They certainly hit it out of the park with this one. It's the BB sample that seals it. One of my fave songs from the 90s. 
Lotsa Royalties need to mailed out off this lil pastiche. Start with BB, and New Order
Oh wow, haven't thought about this one in a long while. Thanks, RP!
A one hit wonder, but damn is it a good one. It is a random cocktail of parts, but everything just fits together.
What's a phone booth?
 Wilfrue wrote:

And suddenly I am back in college, huddled under a cramped entryway, smoking cigarettes and falling in love with my greatest mistake. I wouldn't change a thing. 


Not exactly my  experience, but I can certainly relate.  "I've been downhearted, baby ... ever since the day we met."


Brings back memories of sucky drives to and from work in late 1996.  The radio would either be playing this, "Mouth" by Merrill Bainbridge, or Savage Garden's "I Want You" (Cherry Cola).  Sure wish I had Radio Paradise back then, unfortunately it was either the Clear Channel monopoly or buying expensive CDs.
 megmoves wrote:

Do Do N Do Do N Do


It was really bothering me that there weren't enough "do's" in the chorus, but really N's better punctuate the phrase. Either way, the lyrics are off..
 sjccroquet wrote:

Is the piano in the bridge out of tune? Don't get me wrong, I love this song and PRG, and I suspect that if it is, it is intentional.


I don't know that it's out of tune - more like it hasn't recently been tuned.  If you get the distinction ....
Is the piano in the bridge out of tune? Don't get me wrong, I love this song and PRG, and I suspect that if it is, it is intentional.
 ziggytrix wrote:

Moby got famous in '99 with Play. This song is 4 years older, so I'm not saying Moby ripped them off, but well... I guess I sort of am.


Moby didnt want to return the CDs  https://gimletmedia.com/shows/...
 Wilfrue wrote:

And suddenly I am back in college, huddled under a cramped entryway, smoking cigarettes and falling in love with my greatest mistake. I wouldn't change a thing. 



Only if they’re clove cigarettes.
Love it here thanks for being awesome!
As I work in the day I love the mellow but electronic flare on MAIN today
 ziggytrix wrote:

Moby got famous in '99 with Play. This song is 4 years older, so I'm not saying Moby ripped them off, but well... I guess I sort of am.
 
Yeah but Moby's been making tracks that sample vocals that way since the late 80s/early 90s when digital sampling became commonplace. See "Go" (originally a single from 1991) or"Everything" from the album Moby (1992). Though he wasn't the first to do this, I don't think anyone got ripped off here (even the songwriters sampled get some royalties!).
This song has been in the recesses of my head for years. Never could find it, never heard it online, never could add it to my playlists, til today! Thank you, RP. 
Those lyrics are amazing to me
Yeah, I can see that a 20 something wrote it

But I can still relate to 20 year olds.

I really hope you can too... Love
 DavidFromHouston wrote:

Twenty years. :)  Still going strong.
 
Twenty four years.  Holdin' on.
 ziggytrix wrote:

Moby got famous in '99 with Play. This song is 4 years older, so I'm not saying Moby ripped them off, but well... I guess I sort of am.
 
Nailed it. That's why I've got that strange, "I've been in this house before, feeling...."
New Order already did this w/o BB.
I think I heard this on a life insurance commercial. 
Between the imagery conveyed by the lyrics and the sampling of B.B. King, I am helplessly enamored by this song. 
 ziggytrix wrote:

Moby got famous in '99 with Play. This song is 4 years older, so I'm not saying Moby ripped them off, but well... I guess I sort of am.
 
Moby has been releasing albums since 1992 and had a few hit records by the time this song was released.  Anyhow, "ripped off" is an overused phrase on this site. Sampling beats and bits of instrumental and vocal performances and then singing or talking over it was already an old technique by the 1990s.

Walk on the Wild Side, 1972.
 Wilfrue wrote:
And suddenly I am back in college, huddled under a cramped entryway, smoking cigarettes and falling in love with my greatest mistake. I wouldn't change a thing. 
 

That's fucking poetic, man.
While the song itself isn't bad I am rather perplexed by the title. As NelsonBlack notes there's a near identically titled Bruce Cockburn song - something I'm sure Bill knows as he just played Cockburn. NelsonBlack posted the lyrics but go find it and LISTEN - it is a gorgeous deeply moving song, whereas this... well, Moby-lite comes to mind.
Haha, wild!  Chris was a friend during the mid to late 80's, used to go and see his band the I-Rails play at Charlie's Seaside Cafe in Ventura quite frequently as well.  Wonder how he is doing these days?
Its a great song, understated but well put together. I've always been curious to see if the album is as bad as the reviews say it is
And the colored girls go......
Nice to see this song remembered. Yes, the lyrics are pretty stupid.
Clever song title. Awful lyrics.
 1wolfy wrote:
 I understand ..It has a certain style reminiscent of Moby    Ahnyer_Keester wrote:
I really love this song but I ain't gonna lie: I thought it was by Moby.

 
 
Moby got famous in '99 with Play. This song is 4 years older, so I'm not saying Moby ripped them off, but well... I guess I sort of am.
straight up wackness
 I understand ..It has a certain style reminiscent of Moby    Ahnyer_Keester wrote:
I really love this song but I ain't gonna lie: I thought it was by Moby.

 

  7.2 got it.. {#Dancingbanana_2} {#Motor}
90ies in a nutshell. Nice reminder {#Daisy}
Good lord, 1000x no.
Spellbinding! The longer one listens to it, the better it gets! {#Stupid}
Horrible.
 lophrequa wrote:
feeling suddenly Life in a Northern Town ?
 
{#Yes}  {#Clap}

Yass, yass! Also has a Moby feel as Ahnyer_Keester notes directly below me. Sadly, The Dream Academy was largely a one-hit wonder. Can we say the same about Primitive Radio Gods?


I really love this song but I ain't gonna lie: I thought it was by Moby.
i love this song so much....great song....dont know anything else by them, but I bought the album for this song...love it!
First time I've heard this on RP - a classic.
There's a much better song with a similar name by Bruce Cockburn - Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand. To wit:

I've got planets in my palm — there's a red smear on the sky
A star has just exploded somewhere behind my eyes
In the dead of night the city seems to break down into tribes
You stare at too much concrete — you forget the earth's alive Young men see visions and old men dream dreams
See them pluck bright pebbles out of circles in the stream
Life's not always like they tell you in the fashion magazines
When I set eyes on wonders, I've got to wonder what they mean Outside in the starshine you can see beyond the wall
So take a look and tell me, can you hear those black holes call?
Everything is thunder under the celestial waterfall
You get close enough to real things — you don't need your self at all
 Grammarcop wrote:
I still like this.

 
Ditto. Always intend to.
 ick wrote:
Another musician that played Charlie's Seaside Cafe in Ventura quite frequently.  At that time the band he played in was known as the I-Rails.

 
I'll be damned, never knew the connection.
When I first heard this it kind of blew me away.  I loved the feel, the "found sound" the lyrics.  Took it into the studio and worked some more sounds into the mix etc...anyway - loved the inspiration and the artistry I found in this track.  Still great to hear.
 
And suddenly I am back in college, huddled under a cramped entryway, smoking cigarettes and falling in love with my greatest mistake. I wouldn't change a thing. 
I still like this.
Haven't heard this in years. Thanks. 
Another musician that played Charlie's Seaside Cafe in Ventura quite frequently.  At that time the band he played in was known as the I-Rails.
 themotion wrote:
Good memories.
I think this song was just ahead of the time.
If released now, it would have seen much more popularity.
. . .
god . . . it's weird that '96 was ten years ago.
not enough time in this life.
 
Twenty years. :)  Still going strong.
I found this song on RP years ago, and raced out to get it.  It is still one of my faves!!!  A solid ten.  Catchy and unusual.  I can't get enough of music like this, especially the off the beaten path sounds and percussion, and the slighty off piano—sounds like an old tavern piano where I used to work.  Oh, and did I mention BRILLIANT lyrics?  
This is the only song this guy managed to get on the radio, and it always reminds me of my youth. It doesn't get old.
Not only is this song catchy, it's very unique. Such creativity is refreshing when so many other songs sound so similar. Love this song!
Sucko-Barfo.  I feel ebarassed to have even wasted the time to poorly rate this rediculously weak excuse for music.  (and then write about it).

A little bit of a Lou Reed vibe happening here?

I like it.


Waterfall by The Stone Roses and now this, cool
Teko wrote:
This song will always make me feel the way I felt when I first heard it on the radio. It was summer, I'd just moved to San Francisco, and the world was full of amazing possibilities.
Then what happened???
greengarden wrote:
I feel the same way about '66.
he he. Me too. and 76, 86. A friend in London sent me this CD when it first came out there, and I fell in love with them, especially this song. Probably why I like the Moby cd Play, the sampling.
sad, haunting - I've always associated this song with nihilism. I like it, very much. Reminds me to live life fully.
Do Do N Do Do N Do
Ahhh... a true time capsule back to my high school days. I'll never grow out of this one. The video is pretty trippy, too.
feeling suddenly Life in a Northern Town ?
jedzep wrote:
Sampling B.B. King....very cool!!!
I agree
Nice..2 Thumbs Up!
Love the intro and groove of this song. The whole thing is pretty good. I sorta remember buying the whole PRG CD based on this one song. Bad idea. One of the worst albums imaginable. An early reinforcement to my rule to listen to and like at least half the tracks on an album before buying the whole thing. Added: looks like several others had the same experience.
i love this one. stopped work just to listen...(that dosen't get to happen much).
I liked the I-rails better...
Don't like the song at all, but I do like the idea of "Primitive Radio Gods."
Long name. Good song. 'Nuff said(true believers).
TimeWaster wrote:
Don't like this one, but I've never heard it before, and that's why I listen to RP. "I may disagree with what RP plays, but I will defend to the death RP's right to play it"
I do like this one, and I do like what you just said!
boring to repeat what a lot of people say, but never heard this...excellent reason to listen to RP.
they got it right with this one
Not to be confused with Bruce Cockburn. Coincidence? I wonder. How blue can you get? 7.
ploba wrote:
i love love love this song!!!
Me too too too.
themotion wrote:
Good memories. I think this song was just ahead of the time. If released now, it would have seen much more popularity. . . . god . . . it's weird that '96 was ten years ago. not enough time in this life.
I feel the same way about '66.
Dear god I thought this was an old U2 song for the longest time until RP played it a few months ago.
Teko wrote:
This song will always make me feel the way I felt when I first heard it on the radio. It was summer, I'd just moved to San Francisco, and the world was full of amazing possibilities.
This song will always make me feel the way I felt when I first heard it on the radio. It was summer, I'd just moved to San Francisco, and the world was full of amazing possibilities.
ploafmaster wrote:
Oh man, this is another one of those songs that fosters my illusion that high school might actually have been a good time of my life...
:LOL: :LOL: :LOL: :LOL: :LOL:
i love love love this song!!!
Am I alive or thoughts that drift away? Does summer come for everyone? Can humans do what prophets say? If I die before I learn to speak Can money pay for all the days I lived awake But half asleep? awesome.
Don't like this one, but I've never heard it before, and that's why I listen to RP. "I may disagree with what RP plays, but I will defend to the death RP's right to play it"
Koan wrote:
If this song were released today, I might not think as much of it as I do. But at the time, this sounded very fresh. It came out 3 yrs before Moby popularized the blues-sampling electronica sound in Play. Anyway, since I was so receptive to it at the time, I'll probably always love this song. Rest of the album sucked, I think. Then and now.
What you said.
Always loved this song. It's nice to hear it again.
The full title is "Standing outside a broken phone booth with money in my hand". The name is almost as long as the song!
Koan wrote:
If this song were released today, I might not think as much of it as I do. But at the time, this sounded very fresh. It came out 3 yrs before Moby popularized the blues-sampling electronica sound in Play. Anyway, since I was so receptive to it at the time, I'll probably always love this song.
Ah, you have explained it perfectly!
If this song were released today, I might not think as much of it as I do. But at the time, this sounded very fresh. It came out 3 yrs before Moby popularized the blues-sampling electronica sound in Play. Anyway, since I was so receptive to it at the time, I'll probably always love this song. Rest of the album sucked, I think. Then and now.
ploba wrote:
exactly! I love this song, but the rest of the album is garbage.
Oh yeah, I bought this album when the song was getting a lot of airplay too. Took it back the next day and exchanged it for something that was listenable. All Hail the One Hit Wonder!
Making a return appearance from One Hit Wonderland!
I'd forgotten all about this. Way cool to hear this again, especially the shimmering piano solo.
new order rehash/tribute; 90s style; with mobyish "clever" sampling. yawn
ploba wrote:
exactly! I love this song, but the rest of the album is garbage.
FYI, I picked this song up on "The Cable Guy" soundtrack, which is (in hindsight) a pretty good cd with a good cross-sampling of 90's music (Filter's "Hey Man, nice shot", a good Cypress Hill track, and even a silverchair track I enjoyed). And this can be picked up real cheap on Amazon used.
beautiful.
Oh man, this is another one of those songs that fosters my illusion that high school might actually have been a good time of my life...
Out *%$king standing!
Good memories. I think this song was just ahead of the time. If released now, it would have seen much more popularity. . . . god . . . it's weird that '96 was ten years ago. not enough time in this life.
ndfan75 wrote:
Wow! I haven't heard this song in a long freakin time! sweet
Yeah...brings back some fond 90s memories, doesn't it?
Wow! I haven't heard this song in a long freakin time! sweet
kadsit wrote:
What a unique song! It's one of those songs that didn't get overplayed, and then got forgotten, so it's a treat when I hear it! Love it love it!
Didn't get overplayed? Where were you in the summer of '96? Strong, strong associations for me with this song and driving back and forth to my summer job as a waiter.
deneb wrote:
This song was played heavily where I was in New England, summer of '96, but somehow I never got sick of it. And it really brings back that summer for me. That, and "Where It's At" by Beck, and "Pepper" by the Butthole Surfers. Redolent pop song trio.
Ditto...those three songs were the soundtrack of that summer for me.
mojoman wrote:
Wait... if they have radio, then by defintion they can't be primitive. Am I right?
Hey, catch up to the times, dude. Didn't you hear that video killed the radio stars?
Oh wow. I haven't heard this song in years. oh freshman year..... thanks.
Wait... if they have radio, then by defintion they can't be primitive. Am I right?
I've been down hearted baby, ever since the day we met Good old B.B. :)
weqx? or wfnx? deneb wrote:
This song was played heavily where I was in New England, summer of '96, but somehow I never got sick of it. And it really brings back that summer for me. That, and "Where It's At" by Beck, and "Pepper" by the Butthole Surfers. Redolent pop song trio.
Vicey wrote:
A lovely, haunting single. I loved it so much when it came out that I found out who did and bought the album, hoping that anyone who did a song this rich, layered, and resonant could manage four or five more songs of at least a similar calibre. Wrong.
exactly! I love this song, but the rest of the album is garbage.
I'm not really sure why, but I do like this tune.
Sampling B.B. King....very cool!!!
djblitz wrote:
Don't you just damn yourself to the depths of One-Hit-Wonder-Hell by naming yourselves "Primitive Radio Gods"? Not that I have issues with the song...in fact I LOVE it, but come on....you're setting yourself up for that title guys!
"Yourself," actually, I think. If I recall correctly, PRG was just one guy. -mt-
Don't you just damn yourself to the depths of One-Hit-Wonder-Hell by naming yourselves "Primitive Radio Gods"? Not that I have issues with the song...in fact I LOVE it, but come on....you're setting yourself up for that title guys!
I love the lyrics on this one. "And if I die before I learn to speak Can money pay for all the days I lived awake But half asleep?"
As often with those sampling artists, the sample they use is the most interesting, moving and catchy part, while they make it seem it's their music and the sampled artists should be honoured because of them using it. Of course it's the other way around and the song probably wouldn't get any attention without the used sample. It only makes me want to listen to the original BB King song more, instead to these snobs. For what it's worth, I mostly find it kind of respectless, especially when the sampled artist doesn't get any credits.
man RP can really make me nostalgic sometimes
c'mon fellas, this is really good stuff! Perfectly at home on RP. And the rest of the album is well worth the listen too.
Platypus wrote:
sounds almost identical to just about everything that moby has recorded in the past 5yrs or so.
You're right! This song was played incessantly on the radio in 96. It was released 3 years before the Moby Record "Play" that you're probably referencing to say it's identical. 3 years is plenty of time for Moby to hear this song and make an album where half of the songs are this exact formula.
late '95, what a flashback. . . :sunny.gif: :umbrella.gif: :D
I still like the song, it's especially good in small doses. As others have said, though, the rest of the CD has no redeeming value whatsoever. I read somewhere when this track was huge that they had to scrape together some other material in order to get a CD out in order to fully capitalize on this song. If any group/song takes the term "one-hit-wonder" to another level, it's PRG and this track.