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Songs

On the Radio

Description

"On the Radio" is a song originally composed, performed, recorded, and released by Regina Spektor. The song was first performed live on 2005-06-07 at Radio City Music Hall in New York. "On the Radio" was first released on the LP Begin to Hope on 2006-06-13. Less than a month later, the song was released as the first single from the album on 2006-07-03. Various versions of this single release exist, with b-sides varying depending on the country of release. Two music videos for the song were released later that year, the official music video featuring Regina as a teacher and an alternate music video taking place in a chocolate factory.


After its release, "On the Radio" would go on to be a regular feature of live sets. Two of these performances were recorded and released, first for Live in London in 2010 and then again for Live on Soundstage in 2017.

Official Releases

There are no known official releases associated with this song.

Music Videos

Demos
 

There are no known demos associated with this song.

Lyrics

This is how it works
It feels a little worse
Than when we drove our hearse
Right through that screaming crowd
While laughing up a storm
Until we were just bone
Until it got so warm
That none of us could sleep
And all the Styrofoam
Began to melt away
We tried to find some worms
To aid in the decay
But none of them were home
Inside their catacomb
A million ancient bees
Began to sting our knees
While we were on our knees
Praying that disease
Would leave the ones we love
And never come again
On the radio
We heard November Rain
That solo's really long
But it's a pretty song
We listened to it twice
'Cause the DJ was asleep
This is how it works
You're young until you're not
You love until you don't
You try until you can't
You laugh until you cry
You cry until you laugh
And everyone must breathe
Until their dying breath
No, this is how it works
You peer inside yourself
You take the things you like
And try to love the things you took
And then you take that love you made
And stick it into some
Someone else's heart
Pumping someone else's blood
And walking arm in arm
You hope it don't get harmed
But even if it does
You'll just do it all again
And on the radio
You hear November Rain
That solo's awful long
But it's a good refrain
You listen to it twice
'Cause the DJ is asleep
On the radio
(Oh, oh, oh)
On the radio
On the radio, uh oh
On the radio, uh oh
On the radio, uh oh
On the radio

Sheet Music

There's no sheet music associated with this song.

Song Facts

Release Status:

Released

Originally By:

Original

Collaborators:

Solo

Alternate Titles:

N/A

Written:

Unknown

Demo:

N/A

First Official Release:
First Live Performance:
Last Live Performance:

Song Stats

First Known Date:
Last Known Date:
Time Between First Known Date and Last Known Date:

about 19 years and 2 months

Time Between First and Last Performance:

about 19 years and 2 months

# of Appearances on Official Releases:

4

# of Times Performed Live:

282

Themes & References

Trivia

Media Features

• "On the Radio" was featured on S02E24 of ABC's Grey's Anatomy entitled "Damage Case" on 2006-05-07.

• "On the Radio" was used in the film Beastly, released in theaters on 2011-03-04.

• A cover of "On the Radio" by Chip Taylor was featured on S02E08 of Netflix's Sex Education on 2020-01-17.

• "On the Radio" was featured on S01E08 of FX on Hulu's Fleishman Is in Trouble entitled "The Liver" on 2022-12-29.

There are no known media features associated with this song.

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