Need songs about phones.

February 28, 2007 10:54 AM

A list of songs about phones, using phones, calling, etc.

I need to do a quick compilation of songs that have anything to do with the telephone. I am looking for obvious and recognizable songs (i.e. "Call me", "867-5309", "Baby don't forget my number", "London calling", and "Hello", and "Hello Goodbye"). Can you help?

posted by burhan to media & arts (60 comments total)

Previously.
posted by owenkun at 10:58 AM on February 28, 2007

Hanging on the Telephone by Blondie.

5705 by City Boy.
posted by essexjan at 11:07 AM on February 28, 2007

And "London Calling" isn't about phones:

The song was written by Joe Strummer and Mick Jones. The title alludes to the BBC World Service's station identification: "This is London calling ...", that was used during World War II, often in broadcasts to occupied countries.

posted by hangashore at 11:09 AM on February 28, 2007

Phony Calls by Weird Al (based on a popular song)
Telephone Line by ELO
posted by archagon at 11:16 AM on February 28, 2007

Bannana Phone by Raffi
posted by JonnyRotten at 11:21 AM on February 28, 2007

Didn't the Beastie Boys have one? Was it "Ill Communication"?
posted by AlliKat75 at 11:29 AM on February 28, 2007

E-Rotic: "Sex on the Phone"
posted by glibhamdreck at 11:32 AM on February 28, 2007

New Edition: "Mr. Telephone Man"
Genesis's "Misunderstanding" has a lot of telephone calling in it.
posted by Prospero at 11:35 AM on February 28, 2007

No Phone by Cake.
posted by Diskeater at 11:35 AM on February 28, 2007

Here's a Quarter (Call Someone Who Cares)
posted by MsMolly at 11:36 AM on February 28, 2007

B.B. King - Telephone Blues
Cake - no phone
Sugar Ray - Answer the Phone
Led Zeppelin - Communication Breakdown
Primitive Radio Gods - Standing Outside a Broken Phonebooth
David Gray - Long Distance Call
Evanescence - Call me when you're sober
Joe Satriani - The Phone Call
Queensryche - Revolution Calling
Ra - Do you Call my name
Coldplay - Talk
posted by jmnugent at 11:37 AM on February 28, 2007

Call me Call me by The Seatbelts
posted by koudelka at 11:37 AM on February 28, 2007

David Wisdom if Pearl's of Wisdom did a show on this the other night.
http://www.cbc.ca/pearlsofwisdom/latestshow.html
posted by philfromhavelock at 11:40 AM on February 28, 2007

David Gray - Say Hello Wave Goodbye
The Doors - Hello I love you
Temple of the Dog - Say Hello to Heaven
Pink Floyd - Speak to me
Helmet - Speak and Spell
Extreme - More than Words
posted by jmnugent at 11:41 AM on February 28, 2007

sorry, meant to make that a link
posted by philfromhavelock at 11:42 AM on February 28, 2007

"DUI" by Har Mar Superstar (it's about drunk dialing)
posted by elquien at 11:46 AM on February 28, 2007

B52's, 6060-842.
posted by ctmf at 11:50 AM on February 28, 2007

Your Phone's Off the Hook, But You're Not by X.

Telephone Operator by Howard Devoto.

Answering Machine by the Replacements.

Memphis Tennessee by Chuck Berry.

Call Me (Theme from American Gigolo) by Blondie.
posted by scratch at 11:57 AM on February 28, 2007

Callin' Baton Rouge by Garth Brooks
Here's a Quarter by Travis Tritt
posted by zabuni at 12:02 PM on February 28, 2007

How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore by prince
posted by cosmicbandito at 12:04 PM on February 28, 2007

Telephone Man - Meri Wilson

Wichita Lineman - Glen Campbell

I Just Called To Say I Love You - Stevie Wonder

The Telephone Song - Astrud Gilberto
posted by DandyRandy at 12:10 PM on February 28, 2007

Phone Home - The Dillinger Escape Plan
Téléphone Douche - Les Sans Coulottes
Angel, Won't You Call Me? - The Decemberists
Call To Dial-A-Song - Modest Mouse
posted by The Michael The at 12:19 PM on February 28, 2007

Mentioned by DandyRandy above me, here's the '70s novelty hit "Telephone Man" by Meri Wilson (link goes to a YouTube video, which is a static shot of her Wikipedia page as the song plays!).
posted by lisa g at 12:19 PM on February 28, 2007

Maceo - Nextel Chirp
Three Six Mafia - Two Way Freak

Both songs sample ring tones which the groups then rap over.
posted by dead_ at 12:21 PM on February 28, 2007

Rufus Wainwright - "My Phone's On Vibrate For You".
posted by nicwolff at 12:29 PM on February 28, 2007

No Doubt - Spiderwebs
posted by infinityjinx at 12:31 PM on February 28, 2007

Penguin Cafe Orchestra, "Telephone and Rubber Band". (Which is, in fact, played by a touch-tone telephone keypad and something that sounds rubbery.)
posted by xil at 12:33 PM on February 28, 2007

The Fall - Telephone Thing

I was wondering who the other burhan was
posted by Burhanistan at 12:49 PM on February 28, 2007

*goes off singing "eight six seven five three oh ni-ey-yine."*
posted by IndigoRain at 12:51 PM on February 28, 2007

This thread may have some leads.
posted by frecklefaerie at 12:52 PM on February 28, 2007

More country:

Blake Shelton - Austin
Toby Keith - Hello

Also, The Telephone Hour from Bye Bye Birdie
posted by natabat at 12:56 PM on February 28, 2007

Didn't someone ask this just last week?
posted by Kololo at 12:59 PM on February 28, 2007

Kraftwerk - The Telephone Call (video is in German but here are the lyrics to the English version)
posted by Burhanistan at 1:04 PM on February 28, 2007

David Gray - Say Hello Wave Goodbye

actually, it's Soft Cell and there's no telephone reference.
posted by jdfan at 1:15 PM on February 28, 2007

Also, "Ring Ring" (ABBA) and "Ricki Don't Lose My Number" (Steely Dan). And the Beatles' "You Know My Name (Look Up the Number)," also done by the Wedding Present.
posted by lisa g at 1:15 PM on February 28, 2007

Oh, and Laurie Anderson's "O Superman," in the form of then-futuristic, now-old-fashioned answering-machine messages. And thinking of her reminds me of Lou Reed's "New York Telephone Conversation," from Transformer.
posted by lisa g at 1:20 PM on February 28, 2007

'Hello this is Joanie (the answering machine song)' by Paul Evans (1979)
posted by highrise at 1:45 PM on February 28, 2007

Never There by Cake
posted by messylissa at 1:46 PM on February 28, 2007

Operator by Papaya. It's a catchy DDR dance tune and I'm not sure where you can get a copy of it. It's not on the iTunes Music Store. Fun song though.
posted by lostburner at 1:47 PM on February 28, 2007

Oh, and Happy Together has a phone-related line. This is a fun question! If I should call you up, invest a dime...
posted by lostburner at 1:48 PM on February 28, 2007

You Won't See Me by The Beatles.
posted by ludwig_van at 2:16 PM on February 28, 2007

M.I.A. - Uraqt


posted by utsutsu at 2:18 PM on February 28, 2007

Glenn Millers Pensylvania 6-5000
posted by KimG at 2:53 PM on February 28, 2007

my favorite would have to be "f*** you hoe" by dj assault
posted by fac21 at 3:04 PM on February 28, 2007

Why Haven't I Heard From You? - Reba McEntire
posted by CwgrlUp at 3:14 PM on February 28, 2007

Jdfan
David Gray - Say Hello Wave Goodbye

actually, it's Soft Cell and there's no telephone reference.

I did not know that. Thanks for the clarification.
(but damn I love David Gray)
posted by jmnugent at 3:28 PM on February 28, 2007

Squeeze, 853-5937
ELO, Calling America
posted by kimota at 4:42 PM on February 28, 2007

Don't Wanna Call by the Donnas is awesome.
posted by sneakin at 4:53 PM on February 28, 2007

10:15 Saturday Night by the Cure. "waiting for the telephone to ring...."
posted by brujita at 6:17 PM on February 28, 2007

Yaz, Bad Connection
posted by picopebbles at 7:02 PM on February 28, 2007

Thanks guys! I could only come up with about 12 or so, but this is wonderful!
posted by burhan at 8:02 PM on February 28, 2007

Ring ring ring ring ring ring ring, banana phone!
posted by eritain at 8:25 PM on February 28, 2007

Getting all 80s-ified, Communication by Power Station and Call Me by Go West.
posted by Dreama at 8:31 PM on February 28, 2007

Janine by Soul Coughing and Car Seat (God's Presents) by Blind Melon both have answering machine messages, if those qualify.
posted by Infernarl at 8:56 PM on February 28, 2007

“Give Me One Reason” –Tracy Chapman (“Baby I’ve got your number/ oh and I know that you’ve got mine/ you know that I called you/ I called too many times”)

“Call Me” –Aretha Franklin
posted by CiaoMela at 7:34 AM on March 1, 2007

"Long Distance" by the Kinks.
posted by Chrysostom at 8:11 AM on March 1, 2007

"Sylvia's Mother" by Dr. Hook ("...and the operator says 40 cents more... for the next... three... minutes... please....")

Also, "Operator (That's Not the Way it Feels)" by Jim Croce
posted by evilcolonel at 12:43 PM on March 1, 2007

I can't believe no one said this one:

867-5309 - Tommy Tutone

"For a good time...for a good time call 867-5309"
posted by JJ Jenkins at 7:58 PM on March 1, 2007

Bells Are Ringing (100% pure corny musical)

"All around, there's a sound, of a mid-summer's night!"
"Bells in the air, are ringing every where."...

In the play, it's an advert for an answering service (the kind before machines).

Can't recall the song title, sorry. Did the play in college, long long ago.
posted by Goofyy at 4:10 AM on March 2, 2007

Savage Garden - Santa Monica

"But on the telephone line I am anyone
I am anything I want to be.
I could be a super model or Norman Mailer
And you wouldn't know the difference
Or would you?"
posted by lou at 7:08 AM on March 2, 2007