The Nerves - Hanging On The Telephone

Original Release 1976

From The Nerves EP

The Nerves were a mid-'70s power pop trio based in Los Angeles, California, featuring guitarist Jack Lee, bassist Peter Case, and drummer Paul Collins. All three members composed songs and sang. They managed a national tour, including a few dates with The Ramones, but they lasted just a short time and self-released only one self-titled four-song EP in 1976, featuring the songs "Hanging on the Telephone" (Lee), "When You Find Out" (Case), "Give Me Some Time" (Lee), and "Working Too Hard" (Collins). The EP was distributed by independent Bomp! Records.

I'm in the phone booth, it's the one across the hall

If you don't answer, I'll just ring it off the wall

I know he's there, but I just had to call

Don't leave me hanging on the telephone (2x)

I heard your mother now she's going out the door

Did she go to work or just go to the store

All those things she said, I told you to ignore

Oh why can't we talk again (3x)

Don't leave me hanging on the telephone (2x)

It's good to hear your voice, you know it's been so long

If I don't get your call then everything goes wrong

I want to tell you something you've known all along

Don't leave me hanging on the telephone

I had to interrupt and stop this conversation

Your voice across the line gives me a strange sensation

I'd like to talk when I can show you my affection

Oh I can't control myself (3x)

Don't leave me hanging on the telephone

Hang up and run to me

Whoah, hang up and run to me (3x)

Whoah oh oh oh run to me
They left us hanging. :(

Bummerino Metropolis! Remember when

I got all psyched

that Peter Case and Paul Collins (both of The Nerves and The Breakaways, and of The Plimsouls and The Beat, respectively) were slated to play Mercy Lounge's High Watt stage on April 19? Well scratch that. It looks like "the final leg" of their tour will be canceled. And our date, my fellow Nashvillians, dwelled on that leg. From

a curiously worded release

:

We regret to announce that the final leg of the Peter Case/Paul Collins spring tour will be cancelled. Despite a promising start, much excitement in the local press, and a batch of highly publicized SXSW dates, Paul Collins was sent home from the tour early last week. Shortly thereafter, we received news that the last batch of shows would be cancelled altogether, including the performance scheduled for April 19th at The High Watt.
This LA Times story

sheds a little more light, not to mention a claim from Case that Collins "was continually abusive to the band and others supporting the tour, and when I stuck up for them, he repeatedly showered me with loud abuse. ... The Nerves didn't work out in the seventies and they couldn't now." Well. There went a little piece of my soul.

For those of you who had already purchased tickets for the April 19 show, there are details for getting your money back via this link.

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