Songs (and more) About Calling and Writing

[DMAFl]

Once upon a time, we grabbed our phone's receiver when we wanted to dial out or answer a call.  We pulled out a pen and paper to write a letter and we couldn't wait to get cards and letters from far away friends and loved ones.  Now having a "landline" is becoming more of a punchline and a lot of people think that Palmer penmanship is something to be shunned.  Running out of postage stamps used to be a real problem (remember?), now a small quantity of Forever stamps might last us a very long time.

No doubt that our smartphones are almost as important to us as food, shelter, and clothing.  They do it all. When my phone battery gets too  low, and must be charged, I start experiencing separation anxiiety.  And it is hard to imagine living without emails, texting, social media, etc..  

But once those old phones and letters were all over the place in popular music once. Those old songs would never be the same if they used "today's" communications.  "Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)" is kind of a sweet upbeat old song.   Not nearly as endearing if it involved a docusigned (signed!) private message (sealed!) with a read receipt (delivered!)

So:  Songs About Telephones, Phone Calls, and Written Communications

and if you'd like to contemplate how those songs might be different today (and so bad) it would be fun to see those comments)

[DarcyFarrow]

Dan, My Fling (Carly Simon)

"I thought I'd try and write you

I thought I'd try and phone you"

[DarcyFarrow]

A Letter to Both Sides (Fixx)

[DarcyFarrow]

"Maria Elena (Letter From L.A.)" (Concrete Blonde)

[DarcyFarrow]

Letting the Telephone Ring (Ani Difranco)

[DarcyFarrow]

Gloria (Laura Branigan)

"If everybody wants you, why isn't anybody callin'?
You don't have to answer
Leave them hangin' on the line, oh-oh-oh, calling Gloria
Gloria (Gloria), I think they got your number (Gloria)"

[DarcyFarrow]

Sealed with a Kiss (Brian Hyland)

[DarcyFarrow]

Operator Give Me 609 (Modern Talking)

[1968Hoya46]

Back In My Arms Again: Supremes (All day long I hear my telephone ring, friends calling giving their advice).

[DarcyFarrow]

I'm Only One Call Away (Charlie Puth)

[1968Hoya46]

Pom Pom Play Girl: Beach Boys

[DarcyFarrow]

If the Phone Doesn't Ring It's Me (Jimmy Buffett)

[DarcyFarrow]

Letter to Kodak (Young Boy Never Broke Again)

[1968Hoya46]

Twistin' Postman: Marvelettes

[cm9889168]

"Operator"  by Jim Croce

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rw01trwmul0

[1968Hoya46]

Mr. Lonely: Bobby Vinton (he never gets any letters and has no one to call on the phone).

[EricC28201]

Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh (a Letter From Camp) - Allan Sherman

[DarcyFarrow]

Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High (Arctic Monkees)

[DarcyFarrow]

“You Know My Name (Look Up the Number)” (Beatles)

[1968Hoya46]

Chantilly Lace: Big Bopper

[EricC28201]

Echo Valley 26809 - The Partridge Family

[DarcyFarrow]

Writing Wrongs (Monkees)

"Well I heard you finally got my letter.
It should have come about this time last year."

[DarcyFarrow]

Kiss Me through the Phone (Hip Hop Heroes)

[1968Hoya46]

Love Letter: Bonnie Raitt

[DarcyFarrow]

1-800-273-8255 - Logic

[DarcyFarrow]

Alarm Call (Bjork)

[DarcyFarrow]

Cold Part of Town (Concrete Blonde)

"Dear darling,
Haven't seen you in a while.
Found some change in my pocket,
I thought I'd take a chance and dial."

[DarcyFarrow]

Telephone Song (Astrud Gilberto)

[DarcyFarrow]

Postcards from Richard Nixon (Elton John)

[1968Hoya46]

Dear Landlord: Dylan