What is a telephone in this modern world of 2017? Most of us use them as Cameras, Newspapers and Western Union Telegrams. What we rarely use them for at this stage of evolution is to actually directly talk to people. Rare it seems for people born after the Baby Boom to engage with the ritual of exchanging thoughts and expressions directly by using our voices on the phone.
Some say it has had a detrimental impact on our communication skills; allowing us to become more passive, less practiced, less empathetic to the concerns and emotions of our fellow folks. For others it’s a sigh of relief since direct communication can be a vast source of anxiety. Whatever it is, there was once a world in between the times of writing letters for distant loves and emojis taking the place of actual words.
Notebooks, requests for appointments and keeping spare dimes on you to use a payphone are the centerpiece of these 30 songs from the Mid-Century, stretching from 1958 through 1972. Soon afterwards, answering machines would soon leave the mystery of the phone behind as we started to move into our current society.
During our first Mercury Retrograde of the year, we look back on how we used to get in touch with each other. With a loving hint, remember one of life’s beauties is being able to be direct (if possible). Call someone and say that you love them this Spring.
4) Dee Dee Sharp – Don’t Hang Up
16) Mitty Collier – Got To Get Away From It All26) Marva Jones – I’ve Got Your Number
