Almanac Music: ‘Telephone Line’ – Songs Involving Phones
The Ladies’ Home Journal Cover. February, 1912. [Wikimedia Commons.]
Almanac Music: ‘Telephone Line’ – Songs Involving Phones
Hi, Almanackers! Happy 2026! This piece in my long-running series about key popular song themes concerns songs that in some way involve phones.
So, dear readers, please put your relevant ‘phone’ songs in the ‘Comments’ section. Below, as usual, are some examples from me to get the ball rolling.
‘Memphis, Tennessee’, written and performed by Chuck Berry (1959)
‘Long distance information, give me Memphis, Tennessee’
‘He’ll Have to Go’, written by Joe and Audrey Allison, performed by Jim Reeves (1959)
‘Put your sweet lips a little closer to the phone’
‘You Won’t See Me’, credited by Jon Lennon and Paul McCartney (but basically Paul), performed by the Beatles (1965)
‘When I call you up your line’s engaged’
‘Sylvia’s Mother’, written by Shel Silverstein, performed by Dr Hook and the Medicine Show (1972)
‘Balwyn Calling’, written by Greg Macainsh, performed by Skyhooks (1974)
‘Hurricane’, written by Jacques Levy and Bob Dylan’, performed by Bob Dylan (1975)
‘One of us had better call up the cops’
‘Telephone Line’, written by Jeff Lynne, performed by ELO (1977)
‘Call Me’, written by Debbie Harry and Giorgio Moroder, performed by Blondie (1980)
…………………………………………………………………
Now, dear readers / listeners – it’s over to you. Your responses to this topic are warmly welcomed. In the ‘Comments’ section, please add your own choice of a song (or songs) connected to phones, along with any other relevant material you wish to include.
[Note: as usual, Wikipedia has been a solid general reference for this piece, particularly in terms of checking dates and other details.]
Read more from Kevin Densley HERE
Kevin Densley’s latest poetry collection, Please Feed the Macaws…I’m Feeling Too Indolent, is available HERE
Read more Almanac Music HERE
If you would like to receive the Almanac Music and Poetry newsletter we will add you to the list. Please email us: [email protected]
To return to our Footy Almanac home page click HERE.
Our writers are independent contributors. The opinions expressed in their articles are their own. They are not the views, nor do they reflect the views, of Malarkey Publications.
Do you enjoy the Almanac concept?
And want to ensure it continues in its current form, and better? To help things keep ticking over please consider making your own contribution.
Become an Almanac (annual) member – click HERE.
About
Kevin Densley is a graduate of both Deakin University and The University of Melbourne. He has taught writing and literature in numerous Victorian universities and TAFES. He is a poet and writer-in-general. His fifth book-length poetry collection, Please Feed the Macaws ... I'm Feeling Too Indolent, was published in late 2023 by Ginninderra Press. He is also the co-author of ten play collections for young people, as well as a multi Green Room Award nominated play, Last Chance Gas, published by Currency Press. Other writing includes screenplays for educational films.
A couple come immediately to mind:
‘Off the Hook’ – Rolling Stones
‘Royal Telephone’ – Jimmy Little
Thanks for these two songs, Col – good to see you opening the batting as usual.
What, no Abba?!’
Too ‘true pop’, perhaps?
Here it is..
https://youtu.be/TL0EoXdpOqg?si=e3yyE5Jm7FsgzCz0
Jenny, I got your number
I need to make you mine
Jenny, don’t change your number
867-5309 (867-5309)
867-5309 (867-5309).
Guy sees girl’s phone number on a wall and thinks she could be his soul mate. Disturbing but a catchy song! Thanks KD. Should be fun.
Thanks, for ‘Ring, Ring’, Adam. As those who follow this long-running song theme series know, ABBA is often included in our songlists – and most welcome.
Thank you, Mickey, for Tommy Tutone’s ‘867-5309/Jenny’ – spot on theme-wise (yes, I agree, the song’s idea is a bit disturbing).
How about Wichita Lineman? Kinna fits, its a great song all the same.
Cheers Luke.
Thanks, Luke, I’ll pay ‘Wichita Lineman’ – and I do agree about the high quality of the song.
No worries re: Abba, KD.
And then there’s this – Personal Jesus.
Two killer versions, the original by Depeche Mode, and the Johnny Cash one.
I love both, for different reasons.
Depeche Mode: https://youtu.be/u1xrNaTO1bI?si=C4y5XzOiZ-QjL5RM
Johnny: https://youtu.be/K3QDDlWmR9Q?si=qfAk5Y8GHHiDUp6a
Feeling unknown
And you’re all alone
Flesh and bone
By the telephone
Lift up the receiver
I’ll make you a believer
Reminds me of my dear Catholic Granny, who in my time never went to Mass except at Christmas, New Year and Easter. When I asked her why we had to go every week, but she didn’t, she responded with “I don’t need to, I have a personal line to God.” Of course I couldn’t argue with that logic.
Chinese eyes: Australian Crawl
Runaway girls: Australian Crawl
Two can play: Australian Crawl
Little black book: Belinda Carlisle
Love doesn’t live here: Belinda Carlisle
The ballad of Lucy Jordan: Belinda Carlisle
Time between: The Byrds
Rock ‘n’ Roll is King: Electric Light Orchestra
Calling America: Electric Light Orchestra
Time of our life: Jeff Lynne’s ELO
Don’t wanna: Electric Light Orchestra Part II
Power of a million lights: Electric Light Orchestra Part II
Letters in my head: Fleming and John
Anything goes with me: Kelly Groucutt
Live it up: Mental as Anything
Summer of ’81: Mondo Rock
Are ‘friends’ electric?: Gary Numan
Strange currencies: R.E.M.
The sidewinder sleeps tonite: R.E.M.
Motor’s too fast: James Reyne
One more river: James Reyne
Save the life of my child: Simon and Garfunkel
You can see me: Supergrass
Gone Hollywood: Supertramp
Just another nervous wreck: Supertramp
Life during wartime: Talking Heads
You better you bet: The Who
Thanks, Adam, for your additional song (both versions) and comments. Fine stuff!
Excellent songlist, Liam! To select just one for further comment: ‘You Better You Bet’ is one of my favourite songs by The Who – and that’s saying something, I suppose, given their body of work.
Here goes (and Happy Birthday KD)
Don’t Want To Know If you Are Lonely – Husker Du
“The phone is ringing and the clock says four A.M
If it’s your friends, well, I don’t want to hear from them
Please leave your number and a message at the tone
Or you can just go on and leave me alone”
By The Time I Get To Phoenix – Glen Campbell et al
“By the time I make Albuquerque
She’ll be workin’
She’ll prob’ly stop at lunch
And give me a call
But she’ll just hear that phone keep on ringin’
Off the wall
That’s all”
Stranded – The Saints
“Like a snake calling on the phone
I’ve got no time to be alone
There is someone coming at me all the time
Yeah babe I think I’ll lose my mind
‘Cause I’m stranded on my own
Stranded far from home, all right”
Hanging On The Telephone – The Nerves
“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
Don’t leave me hanging on the telephone”
Switchboard Susan – Nick Lowe
“Switch board Susan, won’t you give me a line?
I need a doctor, give me nine ninety nine
First time I picked up the telephone
I fell in love with your ringing tone
I’m a long distance romancer
I’ll keep on trying till I get an answer
Gimme, gimme one more chance
She’s a greater little operator
Switch board Susan let me off the hook
I’ve been this way since you gave me a look
Switch board Susan, you’re all the rage
Come on, Susan, let’s get engaged
When I’m with you, girl, I get an extension
And I don’t mean Alexander Graham Bells’ invention!
Switch board Susan, can we be friends
After six, at weekends?
Hey, babe, you know where’s it great?
38-27-38
Oh, you bring a smile to my dial
Oh, you’re great, operator’s great!”
Don’t Hang Up – 10cc
“Hello there
How have you been
I’ve called a million times
But to me you’re never in
I know I never had the style
or dash of Errol Flynn
But I loved you
I’m doing really well
I’m as happy as a lark
I got a new apartment
It’s as safe as Central Park
And if they ever mug me
When I’m walking in the dark
Will you know
Don’t hang up
Don’t hang up”
Aloha Steve and Danno – Radio Birdman
“McGarrett’s on the line to Danno
We gotta pick up this guy
Put out an APB
Not much time to tell you why
Governor says it’s top priority
Washington says so too
Tell Chin to get here fast
5-0 is on the move”
Rikki Don’t Lose That Number – Steely Dan
“Rikki don’t lose that number
You don’t want to call nobody else
Send it off in a letter to yourself
Rikki don’t lose that number
It’s the only one you own
You might use it if you feel better
When you get home”
You’ve Got My Number – Undertones
“Why don’t you ring my number?
Why don’t you ring my number now?”
Love Gets Dangerous – Billy Bragg
“The love of a woman
The fear of the phone
A secret message to a happy home
I’ve never been so scared
I never knew you cared”
No Action – Elvis Costello and the Attractions
“I don’t want to kiss you, I don’t want to touch
I don’t want to see you ’cause I don’t miss you that much
I’m not a telephone junkie
I told you that we were just good friends
But when I hold you like I hold that Bakelite in my hands
There’s no action
There’s no action, there’s no action
Every time I phone you, I just want to put you down”
It’s A Long Way Back – Ramones
“You by the phone
You all alone
It’s a long way back to Germany
It’s a long way back to Germany”
Home On Monday – Little River Band
“Can you guess where I’m calling from?
The Las Vegas Hilton
I know it’s hard to hear
It’s just the echo on the line
Yes, that’s right, I’m calling from
The Las Vegas Hilton
I just want to say that I’m feeling fine”
This Is Really Something – Sports
“This is really something
This is fun
This is really something
I’m glad I’ve done
Voices on the telephone, giggling down the line
She says she loves me, it’s about time
This is really something
This is really something”
I’m Shakin’ – Sunnyboys
“Making up ways of getting to you
Everything in sight is turning blue
Death is coming to the phone
I found out you are not home this time”
Out That Door – Hoodoo Gurus
“By rights we should be friends.
My pride was hurt but is that so hard to mend?
Oh-oh, I’ve been trying not to ‘phone,
Oh-oh, I’ve gotta know if you’re alone
And I’m out that door (Out that door)
If you’ll just call (If you call)
And day or night (Night and day)
Anytime at all (If you call)
But should I wait? (Should I wait?)
We’re always breaking up, and making up
So much better than before”
The Way I Made You Feel – Ed Kuepper
“It started when I was cleaning dishes
And the phone rang in the hall
I was drawn to it against my wishes
Ugly memories of the war”
Good morning KD!!
I’ll begin with a timely contribution, me thiinks:
Calling Elvis – Dire Straits
‘Calling Elvis
Is anybody home?
Calling Elvis
I’m here all alone
But did he leave the building?
Or can he come to the phone?
Calling Elvis
I’m here all alone’
Thanks for your birthday wishes, Swish. (The Beatles’ ‘When I’m Sixty-Four’ suddenly possesses considerably greater resonance!)
And wow – what a wonderful variety of highly apt ‘phone songs’ and lyric snippets! Impressive!
Here ya go Kev
Telephone Road Steve Earle
Telephone Road Rodney Crowell
The Telephone Is Ringing Pee Wee Crayton
6345789 Wilson Pickett
Long Distance Call Muddy Waters
Telephone Blues Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee
Just Me and My Telephone John Lee Hooker
Call Operator Floyd Dixon
Texas Flood Stevie Ray Vaughan
Call The Plumber Big Joe Turner
Good morning, Karl!
Thanks for ‘Calling Elvis’ – timely, indeed!
Thanks so much, Peter C, for your highly interesting (generally bluesy) selection of ‘phone songs’. They definitely add a dimension to our developing overall songlist.
Little Rock and Roller, Steve Earle
Answering Machine, The Replacements
Australian Heat, Dave Warner’s from the Suburbs
Without the One You Love, Aretha
If You See My Baby, Merle
Thanks, Rick, for this fine quintet. Excellent to note your opening 2026 contribution to our long-running song theme series.
Before I post my own contributions…..I can’t believe that someone would reference Belinda Carlisle’s version of Shel Silverstein’s Ballad of Lucy Jordan, haven’t they heard Marianne Faithfull?
Re Chuck Berry’s Memphis Tennessee, After former Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser lost his trousers in a hotel in Memphis I tried to write a song to the tune. I only got a few lines in….
Long Distance Information give me Memphis Tennessee,
Help Me find the party who stole my strides from me,
She did not leave her number though I know she works by Call.
And Now for songs by real songwriters.
Ralph McTell-Song for Martin
“Don’t leave Martin alone tonight
Just because he looks all right
He’s only gotta pick up the phone
And one of them guys in the car will be around
And give him just enough on account
They know that he’ll be back for more”
(I think I posted the complete lyrics on the “drugs” thread”)
Cats in the Cradle – Harry Chapin
“I’ve long since retired and my sons moved away
I called him up just the other day
I said, “I’d like to see you if you don’t mind”
He said, “I’d love to, dad, if I could find the time”
“You see, my new job’s a hassle and the kids got the flu
But it’s sure nice talking to you, dad
It’s been sure nice talking to you”
And as I hung up the phone, it occurred to me
He’d grown up just like me
My boy was just like me
And the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man in the moon
“When you coming home, son?” “I don’t know when
But we’ll get together then, dad, we’re gonna have a good time then”
One More Roll of the Dice – Spot the Dog (My favourite underrated 90s Australian Band) (verses 3 and 4)
“You never asked me to tell
and you never made me lie
But I guess that you knew
from the look that was in your eye
And the words they fell there
in the pouring rain
And they closed a door
that’ll never open again
Guess I should have called you,
what the hell was I gonna say?
Hearts beating down the wire,
time and money ticking away
Or stick it in a letter,
so you can read between the lines
Mighta worked out for the better
Buy a little space and time,
Buy a little time”
Telephone Booth by Ian Moss.
Happy birthday KD!
Thanks, Dave, for the songs and other material – as interesting and evocative as always. Very much enjoyed your ‘revised’ opening to ‘Memphis, Tennessee’, by the way – you should have continued your re-write!
Thanks for the Mossy number and the birthday greetings, Luke. Cheers!
Two gold stars to award so far:
Swish – Rikki Don’t Lose That Number (this is Swish’s umpteenth gold star)
Dave N – Cats In The Cradle
I’ll add:
James Taylor – Fire & Rain
‘Lord knows, when the cold wind blows
It’ll turn your head around
Well, there’s hours of time on the telephone line
To talk about things to come
Sweet dreams and flying machines in pieces on the ground’
“She Called Up” by Crowded House from their 2007 album Time On Earth. A song about Neil Finn being informed of the passing of Paul Hester.
I agree with your two ‘gold stars’, Karl. I think ‘Fire & Rain’ deserves one, too – thanks for that inclusion.
How about Jim Croce’s ‘Operator’?
Than you for ‘She Called Up’, Luke – spot on in thematic terms.
A Couple of Paul Kelly songs
How to Make Gravy
“Hello Dan, it’s Joe here, I hope you’re keeping well
It’s the 21st of December, and now they’re ringing the last bells”
………and almost everybody in Australia knows the rest of the lyrics. However it is clearly intended to be a phone conversation between Joe and Dan.
The Oldest Story in the Book
“Tom and Harry were the best of friends
They called themselves The Dharma Bums
Lit out from their home and kin
With a mandolin and a pair of thumbs
Worked side by side all that summer
Picking those grapes from the vine
Read by one light, took turns to cook
The oldest story in the book
Enter Richard and his sister, June
Just before the season’s end
Richard’s guitar knows a whole lotta tunes
Harry starts a-picking on the mandolin
Down by the dam in the moonlight
When June kisses Tom, Harry doesn’t know where to look
The oldest story in the book
The band pull into town in the afternoon
They’ve got a hit song on the radio
Richard calls up his sister, June
And says ‘Do you want to come along to the show?’
June scrapes the money together for a babysitter
Tom’s working late, she’s glad she’s on her own
Especially when Harry sings that song about the girl
By the lake and how the moonlight looked
The oldest story in the book”
Kev , 54-46 That’s my Number by reggae royalty Toots and the Maytals
Sylvia’s Mother – Dr Hook and the Medicine Show
Thanks for the gold star KD ~ and seeing how it is your most distinguished Beatlesque birthday ever ~ Croce’s ‘Operator’ gets a gold star as well.
Actually, as soon as I read ‘Operator’, another ‘telephonic’ song entered my brain despite the songs being separated by more than a decade:
Stevie Wonder – I Just Called To Say I Love You
Beatles: “All I Gotta Do”
Monkees: “Last train To Clarksville”
The Big Bopper: “Chantilly Lace”
Steely Dan: “Ricky Don’t Lose that Number”
Carly Rae Jepson: “Call Me Maybe”
Happy Birthday Kevin. Enjoy the day.
I’ll defer to Eddie Cochran’s, Twenty Flight Rock..
Well, she calling me up on the telephone
Said, ” Come over hon’ i’m all alone”.
Glen!
HBKD enjoy the moment!
Another Chuck song, The Promised Land (Workin’ on a T-bone steak à la carte, flying over to the Golden State/Oh, when the pilot told me in thirteen minutes, we’d be headin’ in the terminal gate/Swing low chariot, come down easy, taxi to the terminal zone/Cut your engines, cool your wings, and let me make it to the telephone/Los Angeles give me Norfolk Virginia, tidewater four-ten-O-nine/Tell the folks back home this is the promised land callin’ and the poor boy’s on the line)
There Won’t Be Anymore, Charlie Rich (Don’t wait for the postman/If you’re looking for a letter from me/There won’t be any anymore/There won’t be any anymore/And don’t sit by your telephone/If you’re waiting on the call for me/There won’t be any anymore/There won’t be any anymore (ah-ah-ah)
Keep Your Hands to Yourself, The Georgia Satellites (I got a little change in my pocket going jingle lingle ling/I want to call you on the telephone baby I give you a ring/But each time we talk I get the same old thing/Always no huggin no kissin until I get a wedding ring/My honey my baby don’t put my love upon no shelf/She said don’t give no lines and keep your hands to yourself)
Changed the Locks, Lucinda Williams (I changed the lock on my front door/So you can’t see me any more/And you can’t come inside my house/And you can’t lie down on my couch/I changed the lock on my front door/I changed the number on my phone/So you can’t call me up at home/And you can’t say those things to me/That make me fall down on my knees/I changed the number on my phone)
Thank you for the two Paul Kelly songs, Dave. I thought ‘How to Make Gravy’ was a particularly good pickup because, as you clearly indicate, while the words ‘phone’ and/or ‘call’ are not mentioned anywhere, the song lyrics are clearly intended to be the contents of one side of a phone call.
Thanks, Mark, for your two songs. It’s a fine thing to get some reggae into the mix. (Just noting that I’d already put ‘Sylvia’s Mother’ in my introductory list.)
There are deservedly gold stars going back and forth, Karl. Thanks for your latest choice, ‘I Just Called to Say I Love You’, a phone song par excellence.
Some rippers in your five numbers, Smokie. Thank you for your quintet – and who doesn’t remember the classic black-and-white clip of The Big Bopper, phone in hand, performing ‘Chantilly Lace’?
(Note: Swish listed ‘Rikki Don’t Lose That Number’ early on.)
Thanks for the birthday greetings, Glen, and for the song which, in the late fifties, got Paul McCartney into a band with John Lennon. (The fact that McCartney could play and remember the lyrics to ‘Twenty Flight Rock’ was key in this context.)
Thanks for your birthday wishes, Rick (alas, yes, birthdays are all-too-fleeting) – and for your four well-chosen numbers. As I’ve indicated to your before, probably on multiple occasions, jeez Chuck B can write a song lyric, can’t he? (He’s just about posthumously Nobel Prize worthy, I feel, if they’re giving them to songwriters.)
Good evening KD ~ I do trust you have had an enjoyable day.
Now, re How To Make Gravy: is it a phone call or a letter?
This question was previously posed by our own Mickey Randall on 25 December 2023, with this opening paragraph:
“It’s the 21st of December and our protagonist Joe, freshly imprisoned and hotly anxious, reaches out to his brother. But is “How to Make Gravy” a letter or a phone call? Initially, the form seems spoken- “Hello Dan, it’s Joe here,” but then moves to a written mode- “I hope you’re keeping well.” Which is it? I don’t know.”
For a long time I thought it was a phone call home but in more recent times I have concluded it is a letter.
Nevertheless, it can be whatever makes people happy & I am always happy to see it listed in a song theme ~ a true Aussie treasure of a song.
BTW – while I am here, let me add:
Lou Reed ~ New York Telephine Conversation (off his immaculate 1972 Transformer album).
‘Just a New York conversation, gossip all of the time
Did you hear who did what to whom? Happens all the time
Who has touched and who has dabbled here in the city of shows?
Openings, closings, bad repartee, everybody knows ‘
Starman – Bowie
“ I had to phone someone, so I picked on you”
Suffragette City – Bowie
“ Hey man, oh, leave me alone you know
Hey man, oh Henry, get off the phone,”
I’m Straight – Modern Lovers
“ 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”
Good evening, Karl. You’ve got me thinking now, in relation to ‘How to Make Gravy’. I don’t consider myself any kind of Paul Kelly expert, but, upon reflection, I’m inclined to believe you’re right that the lyrics are basically a letter. There you go. I wonder what PK himself has said about the song. There’s almost certainly something online in this context.
Thanks for the superbly on-theme Lou Reed song, too
Thanks, Swish, for your latest selections – two particularly good Bowie pick ups, and a very fitting Modern Lovers number.
KD and KD. I am sticking with my contention that “Gravy” is a phone call.
1. Nobody writes “it’s Joe here” in a letter. The name of the sender is declared at the bottom and probably on the back of the envelope as well.
2.”And you’ll dance with Rita, I know you really like her,
Just don’t hold her too close, oh brother please don’t stab me in the back
I didn’t mean to say that, it’s just my mind it plays up,
Multiplies each matter, turns imagination into fact ”
If your anxiety and paranoia leads you to write things that you didn’t mean to say, you tear the letter up and rewrite it so your brother never knows. It is only in conversation where you can’t unsay things.