"Pick Up the Phone" was the debut single from Brakes. It is a political rant bemoaning the failure of the world's leaders to sort out major issues. It implores the leaders of Israel, Palestine, America and the United Kingdom to simply "pick up the phone" and talk to each other. This version is distinguished from the album version by the changing of "Yasser" to "Abbas" in recognition of the death of the former Palestinian leader. The B-side, "Cheney", is blunter, simply telling Dick Cheney to "stop being such a dick". It is unique amongst singles, in that it is only 28 seconds long.
The video was directed by Hamilton of British Sea Power, at a cost of £70. All three tracks were later re-recorded and released as part of the band's debut album, Give Blood.
Famous quotes containing the words pick up the, pick up, pick and/or phone:
“My only companions were the mice, which came to pick up the crumbs that had been left in those scraps of paper; still, as everywhere, pensioners on man, and not unwisely improving this elevated tract for their habitation. They nibbled what was for them; I nibbled what was for me.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“Pick up and read, pick up and read.”
—St. Augustine (354–430)
“I will be the gladdest thing
Under the sun!
I will touch a hundred flowers
And not pick one.”
—Edna St. Vincent Millay (1892–1950)
“Remember that as a teenager you are at the last stage in your life when you will be happy to hear that the phone is for you.”
—Fran Lebowitz (b. 1951)