The Creation of "Love Phone"

*SOMETHING STUPID*

“Just write something fun and stupid that sounds like it’s from the 80s. Call it ‘love phone’ or something dumb like that.”

I don’t think my friend thought I’d actually use the title because I’m pretty sure he just pulled random words out of his ass, but when I heard it, I was sold.

The phrase “love phone” is just magic. I had absolutely no idea what it would be about, but I had a title and a nostalgic feeling, and that was all I needed.

Do you remember the first time you gave your phone number to a crush? I do. Filled with butterflies, I’d wait anxiously by the phone for her call. We’d talk for hours, and I would pace around the room, releasing all that nervous energy. Together we would laugh, cry, and share stories until one of us had to go. Then I would miss her until we could talk again.

Like Pavlov’s dog, I craved the sound of that phone’s ring. It was a song straight from my lover, played just for me. I could never resist.

“Love Phone” was written to capture a little taste of that simple but universal feeling – the desire to connect with somebody who has your heart.

*SOMETHING BORROWED*

“Love Phone” is actually recycled from another song I had been writing, called “Roar.” It’s quite different in subject – it’s a ballad about the deep, raw expression of yourself to Spirit. Even though I’ve used the material in “Love Phone,” I’m still going to complete and release the song. Despite the shared chord progression and phrasings, the two are very different in style, personality, and meaning, so it will still make for a very unique contribution to my catalogue. Keep an ear out for it!

I love the irony that one of my deepest songs will use the same foundation as one of my “silliest” songs. And even though “Love Phone” has such irreverential beginnings, it is actually still quite meaningful and powerful to me. It is a meditation on a very pure feeling that most of us can relate to, and for me, it reactivates the high-energy state that comes with young love.

*SOMETHING REMEMBERED*

Okay I have a confession.

I unironically love vaporwave.

If you’ve never heard the genre, please get on youtube and allow yourself to fall down a deep, neon-colored rabbit hole.

These trippy tracks are fueled by sweet nostalgia, amalgams of 80s/90s sounds that are chopped up, processed, warped, and recycled into something strange yet familiar. Beautifully uncomfortable, there’s something addictive about the genre’s uncanny nature. The perfectly manicured sounds of 80s pop are spliced up with heavy machinery, emphasizing the ultra-manufactured qualities of the style. Slowed, deepened voices lull you into an unsettling trance. Warped pitches and de-tuned melodies create a darkness that compliments poppy sweetness.

In case it isn’t obvious, I am massively inspired by this sound. I was absolutely drawing from that place when I wrote “Love Phone.” It’s not technically vaporwave, but I think it borders the genre, and I actually intend to release a vaporwave-styling of the track.

For those interested in exploring the genre, I recommend starting with an album that has come to define the sound and aesthetic: Floral Shoppe by Macintosh Plus (an artist also known as Vektroid). It’s a surreal experience, composed largely of sampled classics that have been warped and rearranged. Grab a joint, kick up your feet, and let the sound wash over you.

Even better, call your bae to share that joint with you, and then finish off your listening sesh by blasting “Love Phone.”

*LYRICS*

This bed is big and empty
Just like the place you met me

You saw me standing there, and I
I couldn't help but stop and stare, and babe
That's how you got my

Love phone
You got my number and I'm all alone
Yeah boy I want your love phone
Just ring me up
And don't hold back
Cuz I want you bad

Well parting is such sweet sorrow
So why wait until tomorrow?
The moon's high, the lights are down low
I'll wait for your call, then let's go

And now that we've known each other's love,
We just can't get enough
That's why you call my

Love phone
You got my number and I'm all alone
Yeah boy I want your love phone
Just ring me up
And don't hold back
Cuz I want you bad

Love me, lovely
Love me, lovely lover

And now you call my

Love phone
You got my number and I'm all alone
Yeah boy I want your love phone
Just ring me up
And don't hold back
Cuz I want you bad