Calling America
"Calling America" is a song by the rock music group Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) released as a single from their 1986 (see 1986 in music) album Balance of Power. The single reached number 28 in the UK and peaked at number 18 on the Billboard singles chart, making it their final hit single in the United States.
Overview
The song is, like most of the songs on Balance of Power, musically upbeat and bright but lyrically darker, concerning a dishonest lover. This was similar to earlier ELO songs that were musically upbeat with lyrics about failed romance, such as "Turn to Stone," "Don't Bring Me Down," and "Yours Truly, 2095."
There was also a UK 12 inch EPIC 3 Track version with "Destination Unknown" as the B-Side.
Track listing
All songs written by Jeff Lynne.
Chart positions
Video
The video was shot in Paris and contains shots of Centre Georges Pompidou; the band plays in front of Pompidou.
Cold calling
Cold calling is defined as the solicitation of business from potential customers who have had no prior contact with the salesperson conducting the call. Cold calling is used to attempt to convince potential customers to purchase either the salesperson’s product or service. Cold calling is generally referred to as an over-the-phone process, making it a source of telemarketing, but can also be done in-person by door-to-door salespeople. Though cold calling can be used as a legitimate business tool, scammers can use cold calling as well.
Evolution
Cold calling, as a means to conduct business, has seen change as technology has increased. Salespeople who use cold calling once followed specific guidelines in order to produce more profit. These guidelines, now believed to be misconceptions by Wendy Weiss, were as follows:
Calling America
(Somebody...)
Told her that there was a place like heaven
Across the water on a 747
Yeah, we're living in
In a modern world.
And pretty soon she's really got the notion
Of flying out across the big blue ocean
Yeah, we're living in
In a modern world.
Talk is cheap on satellite
But all I get is (static!)
Information, I'm still here
Re-dial on automatic.
CHORUS:
Calling America (can't get a message through)
Calling America (that's what she said to do)
Calling America (that's where she has to be)
Calling America (she left a number for me)
Calling America.
But I'm just talking to a satellite
Twenty thousand miles up in the sky each night
Yeah, we're living in
In a modern world.
All I had to do was pick up the phone
I'm out in space, trying to talk to someone
Yeah, we're living in
In a modern world.
She left a number I could call
But no one's there, no one at all
There must be something going wrong
That number just rings on and on.
REPEAT CHORUS
Said she'd call when she'd been gone a while
Guess she's missing me across the miles
Yeah, we're living in
In a modern world.
REPEAT CHORUS
Calling America, Calling America
Calling America, Calling America...
