If you’re waiting for a call
There’s double trouble, the pressure of it all
This line is due for communication
Not if you’ve lost all reason
Crank call, yeah
Ain’t no fun at all (ooh)
They want love, they want a pantomime
To cut you in two, that’s a sexual crime
They dig the dirt they deal in
They dig the dirt they feed on
Crank call, ow
Ain’t no fun at all
Oh yeah, all right
We don’t waste time tonight
Oh yeah, all right
Why waste time tonight?
Oh yeah, all right
I’m on, I don’t mind
Tonight
Ow!
There’s nothing new in heaven or hell
Hate has taken control
They’re breakin’ the kids
They’re beating the bids
And that is all they feed on
Crank call (oh)
Ain’t no fun at all (uh huh)
Oh yeah, all right
Why waste time tonight?
Oh yeah, all right
I’m mad and I’m right [?]
Oh yeah, all right
Why waste time tonight?
Oh yeah, all right
I’m on, I don’t mind
Tonight
Oh yeah, all right
Why waste time tonight?
Oh yeah, all right
I’m on, I don’t mind
Oh yeah, all right
Why waste time tonight?
Oh yeah, all right
I’m on, I don’t mind
Tonight
Breaking Down the Message in “Crank Call”
Billy Idol’s “Crank Call” confronts the anxieties and frustrations of modern communication, using the metaphor of a nuisance phone call to express deeper feelings of alienation and pressure. The song’s lyrics hint at betrayal and manipulation—lines like “They dig the dirt they deal in” suggest a world where people thrive on negativity and drama. The repeated chorus, “Ain’t no fun at all,” captures a sense of exhaustion and disillusionment with shallow connections. Idol’s energetic delivery transforms these frustrations into a cathartic anthem, urging listeners to break free from toxic patterns and reclaim their time and agency.
Song Credits
Artist: Billy Idol
Release Year: 1983
Label: Chrysalis Records