Week 2: Hellooooooo, baby (Telephone songs part 2)

The second half of this week's list includes several more people pestering the operator, a couple misguided attempts to connect to old lovers, and an all-time great cheating song.

The videos feature a big-hair showdown between the monster afros of The Sylvers, the leonine excess of Jeff Lynn & ELO, the Jheri curled smoothness of Midnight Star, the hippie grubbiness of Dr. Hook, and the classic Muppet yarn of Little Jerry and the Monotones. Pick your own winner!


11. "Chantilly Lace," The Big Bopper

Hello baby
Yeah, this is the Big Bopper speaking
ha ha ha ha ha ha
Oh you sweet thing!
Do I what?
Will I what?
Oh baby, you know what I like

12. "Operator," Midnight Star

Operator, this is an emergency
Operator baby, burning up on me
Operator, this is an emergency
Operator

13. "Operator," Manhattan Transfer

Operator
Information
Give me Jesus on the line
Operator
Information
I'd like to speak to a friend of mine

14. "Telephone Operator," The Leftovers

Telephone operator
Give me to my girl girl girl girl
Telephone operator
Give me to my girl

15. "Hot Line," The Sylvers

Hot line, hot line
Calling on the hot line
For your love, for your love
Hot line, hot line
Calling on the hot line
On the hot line

16. "Telephone Line," Electric Light Orchestra

Hello
How are you?
Have you been all right
Through all those lonely lonely lonely lonely lonely nights

17. "Diamonds and Rust," Joan Baez

Well I'll be damned
Here comes your ghost again
But that's not unusual
It's just that the moon was full
And you happened to call

18. "Sylvia's Mother," Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show

Please Mrs. Avery I just got to talk to her
I'll only keep her a while
Please Mrs Avery I just want to tell her
Goodbye

19. "Yes, Mr. Peters," Roy Drusky & Priscillia Mitchell

—Hello dear, will the same place be all right?
—Yes indeed, Mr. Peters, I can work late tonight
—Dear, is she near? Can she hear what you say?
—You're right, Mr. Peters, and I'm leaving right away

20. "Telephone Thing," The Fall

I hear you telephone thing listening in
I hear you telephone thing listening in
How dare you assume I want to parlez-vous with you?

21. "Bad Connection," Yaz

Can you hear me?
I've been calling all day
Can you hear me?
I'd 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
Can you hear me? Can you hear me at all?
Gotta get the operator make a telephone call

22. "As Soon As I Hang Up The Phone," Loretta Lynn & Conway Twitty

—Darling I knew it was you
—Loretta there's something I just got to tell you
—Oh please tell me what to do
—I don't really know how to say this but I want to tell you that I
—You gave me the will to go on
As soon as I picked up the phone

23. "Telephone Rock," Little Jerry and the Monotones (Sesame Street)

Hey operator, please give us a hand
You gotta help us out 'cause we're the telephone band
We're calling all people that are sitting at home
With some rocking and rolling on the telephone

Week 2: Hello hello baby (Telephone songs part 1)

I got so many suggestions of telephone songs that I've divided this week's playlist in two. I also tried to limit the list to songs in which the singer is on the telephone, not just talking about the phone.

Extra credit goes to cheesy videos in which the singer is actually holding a phone, with J.C. Love topping that category. Thanks to Paul W., Guy C., and Andrew N. for unique suggestions, and to Joyce C. for thinking Broadway.

And if you find Stevie Wonder stuck in your head tonight, don't blame me; blame my brother Peter.


1. "He'll Have to Go," Jim Reeves

Put your sweet lips a little closer to the phone
Let's pretend that we're together all alone
I'll tell the man to turn the jukebox way down low
And you can tell your friend there with you he'll have to go

2. "Telephone," Lady Gaga

Hello hello baby you called
I can't hear a thing
I have got no service
In the club you see see

3. "Memphis, Tennessee," Chuck Berry

Long distance information
Get me Memphis, Tennessee
Help me find the party
Tryin' to get in touch with me

4. "Hanging on the Telephone," Blondie

I'm in the phone booth, it's the one across the hall
If you don't answer, I'll just ring it off the wall
I know he's there, but I just had to call
Don't leave me hanging on the telephone

5. "Operator," Jim Croce

Operator, well could you help me place this call
See the number on the matchbook is old and faded

6. "Telephone Hour," Lee Adams & Charles Strouse (Bye Bye Birdie)

Hi, Nancy!
Hi, Helen!
What's the story, morning glory?
What's tale, nightingale?
Tell me quick about Hugo and Kim

7. "Telephone Love," J.C. Love

Telephone love, you sound so sweet on the line
Telephone love, you make my day every time
When you call I feel so good
Wish you were living in my neighborhood

8. "Thank you for Calling," Jo Stafford

Who can it be hello hello
Yes this is me darling oh darling
What a surprise
It's been so long why there's tears in my eyes

9. "I'm Straight," Jonathan Richman

I called this number three times already today
But I, I got scared, I put
It back in place, I put my phone back in place.
I still don't know if I
should have called up.

10. "I Just Called to Say I Love You," Stevie Wonder

No New Year's Day to celebrate
No chocolate covered candy hearts to give away
No first of spring
No song to sing
In fact it's just another ordinary day
More lyrics: http://www.lyricsfreak.com/s/stevie+wonder/#share

Week 1: Met My Old Lover

This week's playlist features songs about running into an old flame. Perhaps it's not surprising that there are a lot of country songs in the mix, but Dan Fogelberg and Barry Manilow put in appearances too, as well as the Cars.  Thanks to Ann W. for the Tiny Tim tip-off, and other suggestions from Susan B., Eric V., Susan M., and of course Shari.  Think of something I missed?  Add a comment!

1. "Still Crazy After All These Years," Paul Simon

Met my old lover on the street last night
She seemed so glad to see me; I just smiled

2. "Hello Darlin'," Conway Twitty

Hello darlin', nice to see you
It's been a long time
You're still as lovely as you used to be

3. "Non, j'ai rien oublié," Charles Aznavour

Je n'aurais jamais cru qu'on se rencontrerait
le hasard est curieux, il provoque les choses...

(I never would have believed that we would meet again
Chance is strange, it brings things about...)

4. "My Wife Thinks You're Dead," Junior Brown

It's good to see you, baby
It's been a long long while
We're both a whole lot older
Have seen a lot of miles

5. "Unanswered Prayers," Garth Brooks

Just the other night a hometown football game
My wife and I ran into my old high school flame

6. "Same Old Lang Syne," Dan Fogelberg

Met my old lover in the grocery store
The snow was falling Christmas eve
I stole behind her in the frozen foods
And I touched her on the sleeve

7. "I Got That Old Feeling," Lew Brown & Sammy Fain

I saw you last night and got that old feeling
When you came in sight, I got that old feeling

8. "Sometime Around Midnight," Airborne Toxic Event

...And so there’s a change in your emotions
   And all these memories come rushing
   Like feral waves to your mind

9. "Funny How Time Slips Away," Willie Nelson

Well hello there
My, it's been a long long time
How am I doin'?
Well, I guess I’m doing fine
It's been so long now and it seems like
It was only yesterday
Gee, ain't it funny how time slips away

10."I Can't Help It If I'm Still In Love With You," Hank Williams

Today I passed you on the street
And my heart fell at your feet
I can't help it if I'm still in love with you
Somebody else stood by your side
And he looked so satisfied
I can't help it if I'm still in love with you

11. "My Best Friend's Girlfriend," The Cars

Here she comes again
When she's dancing 'neath the starry sky
Oo, she'll make you flip
Here she comes again
When she's dancing 'neath the starry sky
I kinda like the way she dips

12. "Looks Like We Made It," Barry Manilow

There you are
Looking just the same as you did last time I touched you
And here I am
Close to getting tangled up inside the thought of you