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)

[Cirice]

Nobody Home - Pink Floyd

"When I try to get through

On the telephone to you

There'll be nobody home"

[1968Hoya46]

I'll Be Home: The Flamingos (So darling, as I write this letter here's hoping you're thinking of me).     A great great doo wop classic.

[BobH07]

Beachwood 4-5789:  Marvelettes

[Raynyky]

If The Phone Doesn't Ring, It's Me-Jimmy Buffett

[1968Hoya46]

Love Letters In The Sand: Pat Boone (admittedly sand is a poor substitute for paper).

[BeatleloverKT]

Kiss on my list  Hall&Oates

[Raynyky]

Call Me Back Again-Wings

[1968Hoya46]

Roll Over Beethoven: Chuck Berry (gonna write a little letter, gonna mail it to my local DJ).

[1968Hoya46]

When I'm 64: Beatles (Send me a postcard, drop me a line).

[BobH07]

Why Don't You Write Me:  Simon and Garfunkel

[BeatleloverKT]

All I've got to do  Fab 4️⃣

"All I gotta do is call you on the phone"

[Raynyky]

She's Leaving Home-Beatles

Father snores as his wife gets into her dressing gown
Picks up the letter that's lying there

[1968Hoya46]

Don't Hang Up: The Orlons

[1968Hoya46]

Telephone Line: ELO

[BeatleloverKT]

Paperback Writer  Fab 4️⃣

[DMAFl]

Just got reminded of this one-hit wonder song and listened again.  The ending still made me mist over, it is unrelentingly sad to me, and I can still quote the whole song from memory."I hope this letter finds its way to you. Forgive me, love, for the shame I put you through, and all the tears. Hang on, love, to the memories of those happy years....".   Indiana Wants Me by R Dean Taylor

[1968Hoya46]

Burning Bridges Behind Me: Jack Scott (Found some letters you wrote me this morning; they told of a love we once knew).

[MaVolta]

Hello  -  Adele

[BeatleloverKT]

No reply  Fab 4️⃣

"I tried to telephone

They said you were not home

That's a lie"......

[1968Hoya46]

Roses Are Red: Bobby Vinton (Then I went far away and you found someone new; I read your letter dear and I wrote back to you...).

[BeatleloverKT]

You won't see me  Fab 4️⃣

"When I call you up, your lines engaged"

[1968Hoya46]

Beechwood 4-5789: The Marvelettes

[BeatleloverKT]

Operator  Jim Croce

[MaVolta]

Why Don't You Write Me  -  S&G   (same title, different song)

[fffred]

Bonnie Raitt and Write Me A Few Of Your Lines 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0MzH4P-43Y

[DMAFl]

Sylvia's Mother- Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show.    this song wouldn't even exist today. If they had a family plan, he wouldn't have had to get past Mrs. Avery. And if he had unlimited talk and text, he wouldn't have had to scrounge around for 30 cents more for the next three minutes.  Poor guy, born too soon.

[DMAFl]

I Just Called to Say I Love You. Stevie Wonder

[1968Hoya46]

I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter: Billy Williams, others.

[BeatleloverKT]

634 5789  Wilson Pickett

[1968Hoya46]

Love Letters: Ketty Lester