The Red Telephone (song)

1967 song by Love

"The Red Telephone"

Song by Love
from the album  Forever Changes
Released| November 1967 (1967-11)
Recorded|

* September 25, 1967

Genre|

* Folk rock
* baroque pop
* psychedelic pop

Length| 4:45
Label| Elektra
Songwriter(s)| Arthur Lee
Producer(s)|

* Bruce Botnick
* Arthur Lee

"The Red Telephone" is a song written by Arthur Lee and first released by American rock band Love on their third studio album Forever Changes (1967).

## Lyrics and music

[edit]

According to legend, the house that the members of Love lived in had a red telephone, although the song lyrics do not relate to this. "The Red Telephone" is built on a set of folk-inspired chords.[1] The song has been compared to Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd. Themes of the song include race, imprisonment, and death.[2] It contains a harpsichord and 12-string guitar, and has an ominous feel. "Sometimes my life is so eerie," Lee sings, but then inverts the dark mood with "and if you think I'm happy / Paint me white."[3]

## Reception

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Allmusic's Matthew Greenwald called "The Red Telephone" "exquisite" and wrote, "it's one of the more engaging and interesting songs on Love's Forever Changes album."[1] Ken Barnes called it "bleakly philosophical" and "apocalyptic".[4] Jim Bickhart of Rolling Stone gave it a mixed review, writing "it contains both excellent and mediocre portions."[5]

Jocelyn Manchec listed the song among the 2000 songs for your MP3 Player.[6] In 2002 the Italian Rock Magazine Il Mucchio Selvaggio listed the song on its 17 Critics & Their Top 50 Songs.[7]

## References

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1. ^ a b Greenwald, Matthew. "The Red Telephone Song Review". Allmusic. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
2. ^ Fowle, Kyle (February 10, 2015). "Forever Changes is a stunning indictment of The Summer Of Love". The A.V. Club. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
3. ^ Barker, David (2006). 33 1/3 Greatest Hits, Volume 1. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 1441112340.
4. ^ Barnes, Ken (August 6, 2006). "Arthur Lee, the legend rock almost forgot". USA Today. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
5. ^ Bickhart, Jim (February 10, 1968). "Love: Forever Changes". Rolling Stone. ISSN 0035-791X. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
6. ^ "Playlist Pop Rock". SensCritique. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
7. ^ "17 Critics & Their Top 50 Songs". Il Mucchio Selvaggio. September 2, 2002.

* v
* t
* e

Love

* Arthur Lee
* Bryan MacLean
* Johnny Echols
* Ken Forssi
* Alban "Snoopy" Pfisterer
* Michael Stuart-Ware
* Tjay Cantrelli

Studio albums|

* Love
* Da Capo
* Forever Changes
* Four Sail
* Out Here
* False Start
* Reel to Real
* Black Beauty

Other albums|

* Out There
* The Forever Changes Concert

Songs|

* "My Little Red Book"
* "Hey Joe"
* "7 and 7 Is"
* "She Comes in Colors"
* "Orange Skies"
* "Stephanie Knows Who"
* "¡Que Vida!"
* "Alone Again Or"
* "A House Is Not a Motel"
* "Andmoreagain"
* "The Red Telephone"
* "Everybody's Gotta Live"

Related articles|

* Discography
* We're All Normal and We Want Our Freedom - A Tribute to Arthur Lee and Love

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