Exploring 5 Versions of “Hanging on the Telephone,” Including the Original that Blondie Made into a Famous Cover

If not for “Heart of Glass,” Blondie might be remembered as a new wave band that merely had a cult following in the U.S. But we shouldn’t overlook the important role “Hanging on the Telephone” played in keeping Blondie in the ears and minds of rock fans who listened to FM radio in the late 1970s, even after “Heart of Glass” faded from the charts. “Hanging on the Telephone” was a key to Blondie’s future success, and in turn, Debbie Harry and company gave the song a level of exposure that has kept it in the culture for decades.

Blondie are the artists most strongly associated with the tune, but they were not the first ones to record it, and they were far from the last. “Hanging on the Telephone” first appeared on The Nerves’ 1976 self-titled EP, and was written by the band’s guitarist Jack Lee. Blondie only knew of the song because Jeffrey Lee Pierce of the punk band The Gun Club sent it to the band on a cassette. After listening to “Hanging on the Telephone” during a taxi ride in Tokyo, the members of Blondie decided to record their own version for their breakthrough album Parallel Lines.

The song has since been recorded by nearly 50 other artists spanning five decades. Much as Blondie put their own spin on The Nerves’ raw-but-catchy original, three other well-known artists have recorded versions of the song that reflect their unique sound.

The Nerves by The Nerves (EP, 1976)

All it takes is one listen to The Nerves’ original to understand why Blondie wanted to cover it. Their version begins with an old-fashioned ringtone that is emulated on nearly all of the covers featured here. Then Lee ushers in the song, sounding angst-ridden right from his first notes. Lee’s anxiety over trying to reach the object of his affection on the phone is countered by his lilting guitar lines and Peter Case’s steadily chugging bass.

Though The Nerves’ version didn’t catch on when it was released, hordes of music fans have sought it out in the streaming era. Their rendition of “Hanging on the Telephone” has been played more than 2.2 million times on YouTube.

Parallel Lines by Blondie (1978)

Blondie thought enough of their cover to make it the leadoff track on Parallel Lines. It gets the album off to a rollicking start, and the reverb on Harry’s vocals gives the track a huge sound, as do Jimmy Destri’s keyboards. The addition of a guitar solo before the fourth verse also adds to the energy of Blondie’s version. These touches didn’t necessarily make an already great song by The Nerves even better (though it’s still pretty great), but they definitely made it ready for radio. That’s exactly what one would have expected from a song produced by Mike Chapman, who co-wrote hits for Sweet and would go on to produce The Knack and Pat Benatar.

The Jerky Boys (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) by L7 (1995)

The energy is off the charts on L7’s take on “Hanging on the Telephone,” which speeds up the already-uptempo song. The L.A.-based quartet keeps the tune catchy, but they turn up the fierceness while putting less emphasis on the playfulness that The Nerves and Blondie brought to the song. It’s only fitting that vocalist Donita Sparks exits the song with a loud, anguished groan. This is easily the most head-banging version of “Hanging on the Telephone” featured here. In addition to being included on the soundtrack to The Jerky Boys, L7 put this cover version on their 2016 compilation album Fast and Frightening.

Yeah! by Def Leppard (2006)

By the time Def Leppard recorded “Hanging on the Telephone” for their 2006 covers album Yeah!, landlines and pay phones were being supplanted by cell phones, and iPhones were just around the corner. Still, the band decided to open their cover with an old-school ringtone. The choice was very much in character for an album in which Def Leppard doesn’t stray too far from the sound of the originals. On “Hanging on the Telephone,” Def Leppard doesn’t sound much like the ‘80s version of themselves, but the cover shows the band still has the knack for straddling the line between rock and pop.

Suddenly Last Summer by Jimmy Somerville (2009)

Of the versions of “Hanging on the Telephone” featured here, Somerville’s is the most original interpretation. There is no ringing telephone at the beginning and no electric guitar or bass. It’s just the former Bronski Beat frontman on vocals, accompanied by acoustic guitar, strings, and piano. The quiet, subtle treatment gives the song a sad and vulnerable feel rather than the anxious, frustrated vibe that permeates the original and the other versions included here. Slowing down a high-voltage number doesn’t always serve the song well, but in this case, Somerville made an inspired choice. 

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