Phone Down

Album: But U Cain't Use My Phone (2015)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This sensual ballad details one of the biggest dilemmas for a girl in the 2010s: How can she make her guy put his phone down and concentrate on her? The song was recorded for Erykah Badu's phone-related But U Cain't Use My Phone mixtape, which contain a collection of tunes inspired by Drake's "Hotline Bling" hit. "I'm in love with this mixtape, it feels good. I think it's a whole new frequency for the planet and I just wanted to do it because it's inspiring me to write my new album - it's kind of like the buffer in between," Badu told The Fader.
  • Badu filmed the music clip using the live video streaming app Periscope. "For 'Phone Down,' one of the things I wanted to do was shoot a video live on Periscope and I made up the video as we went," she said during an interview on Power 105.1's The Breakfast Club. "There's something really alluring about to me - having one chance to do something and then it self-destructs."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Chris Frantz - "Genius of Love"

Chris Frantz - "Genius of Love"They're Playing My Song

Chris and his wife Tina were the rhythm section for Talking Heads when they formed The Tom Tom Club. "Genius of Love" was their blockbuster, but David Byrne only mentioned it once.

Deconstructing Doors Songs With The Author Of The Doors Examined

Deconstructing Doors Songs With The Author Of The Doors ExaminedSong Writing

Doors expert Jim Cherry, author of The Doors Examined, talks about some of their defining songs and exposes some Jim Morrison myths.

Top American Idol Moments: Songs And Scandals

Top American Idol Moments: Songs And ScandalsSong Writing

Surprise exits, a catfight and some very memorable performances make our list of the most memorable Idol moments.

Victoria Williams

Victoria WilliamsSongwriter Interviews

Despite appearances on Carson, Leno and a Pennebaker film, Williams remains a hidden treasure.

Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of Wayne

Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of WayneSongwriter Interviews

The guy who brought us "Stacy's Mom" also wrote the Jane Lynch Emmy song and Stephen Colbert's Christmas songs.

Steve Morse of Deep Purple

Steve Morse of Deep PurpleSongwriter Interviews

Deep Purple's guitarist since 1994, Steve talks about writing songs with the band and how he puts his own spin on "Smoke On The Water."