Songs That Mention Telephones

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Blondie, "Hanging on the Telephone", "Call Me" (New wavers seemed to always be on the phone, bringing back a reference that hadn't been heard much since the girl group era.)

James Taylor, "Fire and Rain" (For singer-songwriters, hippies and prog-rockers, phones were for arranging drug deals, not living out dramas to appear in their song lyrics.)

― Curt, Monday, 8 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

New Edition - "Mr. Telephone Man"

― hstencil, Monday, 8 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

New answers, please, at the tone...

― Curt, Monday, 8 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Mari Wilson's suggestive 'Telephone Man' hit from c. 1977 wherein dipsy Mari gets thoroughly installed. The Fall's 'Telephone Thing', paranoid 'listening-in reinvention of a Coldcut song. ELO's 'Telephone Line' with its plangent intro (touch)tones. The Who's 'You Better You Bet' where R Daltrey e-nun-ci-ates the word tel-e-phone so peculiarly precisely. Pulp's 'Ansaphone' b-side was one of the best things they did. And many more...

― Graham C, Monday, 8 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

wanna call me up? take my number down / it's two-two-two-two-two-two-two / i got an answering machine that can talk to you / it goes

hey, how you doin / sorry you can't get through / why don't you get your name / and your number/ and i'll get back to you!

― ethan, Monday, 8 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Beach Boys - Busy Doing Nothing

― jel --, Monday, 8 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

James Kochalka Superstar - I just called to hang up

― jel --, Monday, 8 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

figurine with "waiting by the telephone". so catchy!!! backstreet boys with "the call". so catchy!!!

― dave k, Monday, 8 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

867-5309 by tommy tutone

634-5789 by eddie floyd

beachwood 4-5789 by the marvelettes

pennsylvania 6-5000 by glenn miller

― fritz, Monday, 8 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

'Beep me 911' by Missy Elliott 'The Telephone Call' by Kraftwerk 'Hand to Phone' by Adult.

― owen hatherley, Monday, 8 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

"10:15 Saturday Night" by the Cure: "Waiting for the telephone to ring..."

"I'm Straight" by the Modern Lovers: "I called this number three times already today, but I got scared and put it back in place -- I put the phone back in place...."

"Telephone Operator" by Pete Shelley

― Alex in NYC, Monday, 8 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

"I telephoned God today, but all I got was the answering machine. Please Help Me" - TV Personalities - "A Family Affair"

― baxter wingnut, Monday, 8 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

the super furries!!!! whereever i lay my phone (that's my home)!!

― ernest, Monday, 8 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

"Pick Up The Phone" by The Notwist has the cutest video ever.

― Graham, Monday, 8 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

The Jam - "Girl on the phone" from Setting Suns and Husker Du's "It's not peculiar" which has Bob weeping

"Hear the telephone, it's raining in the fall And you hope I never call Sending messages that never get received But we're trying, I believe (Sometimes we wonder what our lives are for)"

― john-paul, Monday, 8 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Does "The Ansaphone" by Jonny L count for this?

― Dan Perry, Monday, 8 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

http://www.poshboy.com/unit3.htm

― http://gygax.pitas.com, Monday, 8 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

http://www.poshboy.com/Graphics/unit3.jpg

― http://gygax.pitas.com, Monday, 8 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

In "Bad Connection" by Yaz(oo), I find it orgasmic when she says "I WISH THEY'D FIX THE WIRES, 'CAUSE MY BABY DON'T KNOW, THAT I'M LEAVING IN THE MORNING AND I'M READY TO GO!"

Recently, Safety Scissors has blessed us with "(water) phone".

― Keiko, Monday, 8 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Dammit, surely other people know that "Hanging on the Telephone" is a Nerves cover. God bless pre-Plimsouls Peter Case.

― paul, Monday, 8 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Bjork- It's Not Up to You: "How do I master/ the perfect day/ Six glasses of water/ Seven phonecalls"

― lou, Monday, 8 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Joan Osborne- One of Us: "Nobody callin' on the phone/ except for the Pope maybe in Rome" (Yikes)

― lou, Monday, 8 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

"me and the telephone that never rings" - gary numan, from "me, i disconect from you!"

― dyson, Monday, 8 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Kraftwerk - Telephone Call
St Etienne - He's on The Phone

― electric sound of jim, Monday, 8 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Black Randy & the Metro Squad-Loner with a Boner. "I'm a loner with a boner and I'm gonna telephone her!"

― Arthur, Monday, 8 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

"Communication (Somebody Answer The Phone)" - Mario Pu

More than one Carter song.

― Graham, Monday, 8 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Love -- The Red Telephone

KLF -- 3 A.M. Eternal (The digital phone is one of the instruments)

Public Enemy -- 911 Is a Joke

Wyclef Jean & Mary J. Blige -- 911

Travis Tritt -- Here's A Quarter, Call Someone Who Cares

― bryan, Monday, 8 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Forgot one. The Verve, "Come On"

― bryan, Monday, 8 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

No Doubt - "Spiderweb"
The Replacements "Answering Machine"

― nickn, Monday, 8 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

It's weird realizing how *old* that Replacements song is now in ways. Now they'll just send a text message to your cell saying "I love you."

― Ned Raggett, Monday, 8 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

'777-9311' by The Time.

― clotion, Monday, 8 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

"Memphis, Tennessee"

I love it because it makes telephoning seem so difficult and lucky and mysterious.

― Tracer Hand, Monday, 8 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

'answering machine' by green velvet counts, does it not? and there is that wierd answering machine message on the beginning of the innerzone orchestra CD

― Tyler, Monday, 8 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Songs with weird answering machine messages: Sonic Youth- Providence, one of the segues on the new Trail of Dead album, Aphex Twin- Lornaderek.

― lou, Monday, 8 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

milky wimpshake 'dialling tone' mad scene 'transatlantic telephone conversation'

― keith, Monday, 8 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

magnetophone - come on the 'phone

― electric sound of jim, Monday, 8 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Best Answering Machine Message Song Ever:
Soul Coughing - Janine

― Keiko, Monday, 8 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Hey Lou, the messages left on David Pajo's late father's answering machine that appear on Papa M's Live from a Shark's Cage album are pretty creepy.

― Curt, Monday, 8 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Lil' Louis & The World, "I Called U." "Caaaan't weeee stiiiill beeee frieeennds?"

― Michael Daddino, Tuesday, 9 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Most phone tunes stink, heres a few more: Jimmy Pop from Bloodhound Gang calling his mother trying to rhyme vagina on Mama's Boy, Ring Ring Ring - De La Soul, Telegraph Road- Dire Straits, Raining in Baltimore("I need a phone call...")- Counting Crows, Pretty Little Lonely ("just listen operator please listen to me"...) Michael Petak, Porch "leave a message at least I could have heard your voice.." and Untitled "I hope you get this message.." Pearl Jam

― kiwi, Tuesday, 9 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Thanks Curt- I know Slint but haven't heard Papa M.

― lou, Tuesday, 9 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Yall forgot Aqua - Calling You.........you IDIOTS

― Ramosi, Tuesday, 9 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Foetus has a few...

the air, the air in here is full of extension phones
the air in here is full of extension phones
cos theres a rented phone to hang your head
and theres gon' be some confrontations around here
-THANK YOU LORD FOR PUSH BUTTON PHONES-
("Thank Heaven for Push Button Phones", Deaf)

If I ain't back by 5am start phoning round the hospitals
("Lust for Death", Hole)

Heeeeeeeeeeello, operator... give me NO-MAN'S LAND
Collect call to no one at all
("The Throne of Agony", Nail)

If you wanna get some kicks
phone DI-1-9026
(Um, "DI-1-9026", Nail)

I bin tappin yo phone ma little rattlesnake
("Bedrock")

etc etc.

― OleM, Tuesday, 9 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Scott Walker's "Time Operator"

The man come to shut off my water
The man come to shut down my water
The man come to shut down my lights yesterday
I'm not one to moan
I made the bill for the telephone

― Alex in SF, Tuesday, 9 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Ah, now this is my kind of list thread.

Destiny's Child - Bills Bills Bills
10cc - Don't Hang Up
and the greatest of them all:
Was (Not Was) - Hello Operator... I Mean Dad... I Mean Police (I Can't Even Remember Who I Am)

Best ansaphone track: Throbbing Gristle - Death Threats

― Jeff W, Tuesday, 9 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Beastie Boys - High Plains Drifter

― Damian, Tuesday, 9 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Solid Gold Chart Busters(aka Jimmy Cauty) - I Wanna 1-2-1 With You

― Stewart, Tuesday, 9 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

"Is Vic There?" by Department S (where are they now?)

― rener, Tuesday, 9 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

can't remember exact name, but on the first b-52's first album - something like "6060852" or summat...

― chris browning, Tuesday, 9 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Lou Reed - New York Telephone Conversation
RC Mob - Red Telephone (Don't think it's the same as Love's)

― Dave225, Tuesday, 9 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Some more numbers:
5-7-0-5
54-56 That's My Number

Some more noo wave:
No Reply - The Buzzcocks
The Phone Call - The Pretenders

― Jeff W, Tuesday, 9 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

The singer from Department S, the immortally named Vaughan Toulouse, died some fifteen or twenty years ago. No idea about the rest of them. Which reminds me of Thunders/Heartbreakers' 'Get Off The Phone'. Though someone probably mentioned that.

― Snotty Moore, Tuesday, 9 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

c'mon people - "say my name, say my name" ring any bells? (ouch)

also: funboy3 - "the telephone always rings", rolling stones - "off the hook", blondie - "call me", the chambers bros. - "call me", the cramps - "under the wires".

― fritz, Tuesday, 9 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

oh and slightly off-topic but: bad brains' "re-ignition" (i think) has a literally phoned-in vocal from one of HR's stints behind bars. there's also a yo la tengo and daniel johnston collaboration where he sings over the phone, "speeding motorcycle" I think.

― fritz, Tuesday, 9 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Mike Watt phoned in "Bermuda" on Minutemen's "Three Way Tie for Last"

― Dave225, Tuesday, 9 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Did anyone mention "867-5309" or whatever that song is called? Also, another answering machine song: Tool- Lamc on the Salival release.

― lou, Tuesday, 9 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

The Nerves' "Hanging On The Telephone". Sumo's "Telephones Ringing (In Empty Rooms)"

― carlos, Tuesday, 9 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

has no-one mentioned Wichita Lineman yet?

― michael, Tuesday, 9 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

This oughta be a long thread. Here's more: Big Bopper - Chantilly Lace Nick Lowe - Switchboard Susan Prince - How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore? X - Your Phone's Off the Hook (But You're Not)

― briania, Tuesday, 9 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Chuck Berry's Promised Land! Memphis Tennessee! Atomic Telephone (Spirit of Memphis Quartet), Gonna Buy Me A Telephone (Helen Humes), My Telephone (Coldcut), Nobody's On The Phone (Otis Clay), One Phone Call (Miles Davis), Phone Call (Klute), Sex Over The Phone (Village People), The Telephone Always Rings (Fun Boy Three), Telephone Baby (Johnny Otis), Telephone Boogie (Johnny Guitar Watson), Telephone Call From Istanbul (Tom Waits), The Telephone Game (Claudine Clark), The Telephone Song (Stan Getz), Telephoning Home (Wreckless Eric), What's A Telephone Bill? (Bootsy's Rubber Band), Call Me (Al Green), Private Number (William Bell & Judy Clay), Call Me Anything But Call Me (Ma Rainey), Call Me For Christmas (Gary US Bonds), Call Me If You Need Me (Magic Sam), Don't Call Me From A Honky Tonk (Johnnie & Jonie Mosby) Here's A Quarter, Call Someone Who Cares (Travis Tritt), How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore (Prince), I'll Call Before I Come (Outkast), Long Distance Call (Muddy Waters), Why Didn't You Call Me (Macy Gray).

I recorded the apt lines from Pulp's Answerphone onto my machine once - "There's never no one home / Leave a message on the answerphone."

― Martin Skidmore, Tuesday, 9 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Elvis Costello - No Action
I seem to remeber this rumour that The Final Cut had telephoned to record things together since they hated eachother, but I also think my brothers took too much drugs in the 80s so I dont quite believe that one.

― Mr Noodles, Wednesday, 10 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

"Sylvia's Mother"! Great song. (Did Dr Hook do anything else that was good? I hated their other hits.)

The Undertones - "Listening In", "Top Twenty"

― Jeff W, Wednesday, 10 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Captain Beefheart - "Telephone" (on Doc at the Radar Station)

― o. nate, Thursday, 11 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Surely someone must've mentioned this...

What about "Telephone Line" by Electric Light Orchestra?

I'm FAR too young to know about these guys... :)

― FireAndRain, Thursday, 18 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

"I couldn't live without my phone/But you don't even have a home." That one hits where it hurts.

― Colin Meeder, Friday, 19 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

William Spivery's gospel stomper: "Operator / Information / give me Jesus on the line..."

― Jeff W, Friday, 19 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

The follow-up joke to that, courtesy of MST3K:

"What city please?"

"Well, he's, um, everywhere..."

― Ned Raggett, Friday, 19 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

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