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.

 

1) Claudine Clark – The Telephone Game

2) Jackie DeShannon – Did He Call Today, Mama?

3) Chuck Jackson – Tell Him I’m Not Home
4) Dee Dee Sharp – Don’t Hang Up

5) Brenda Lee – Ring-A-My-Phone

6) The Drifters – Answer The Phone

7) Greg Heillig – Just One Call

8) Holly Maxwell – Happiness Will Cost You Only One Thin Dime

9) The Teardrops – Call Me & I’ll Be Happy

10) Kim Weston – Your Mother Called On Me Today

11) Muddy Waters – Long Distance Phone Call

12) William Bell & Judy Clay – Private Number

13) The Four Tops – Just Seven Numbers

14) Diana Ross – (I Love You) Call Me

15) The Mad Lads – Did My Baby Call?
16) Mitty Collier – Got To Get Away From It All

17) Tamiko Jones – Don’t Laugh If I Cry At Your Party

18) Chuck Bernard – Dial My Number

19) Dolly Parton – Busy Signal

20) Madeline Wilson – Dial “L” For Lonely

21) Edward Hamilton – Call Me

22) Maxine Brown – Wrong Number, Right Girl

23) Lorraine Ellison – Call Me Anytime You Need Some Lovin’

24) Gladys Knight & The Pips – Operator

25) Mary Wells – Operator
26) Marva Jones – I’ve Got Your Number

27) Sarah Vaughan – Call Me

28) The Shirelles – Call Me

29) Patti LaBelle & The BlueBelles – One Phone Call (Will Do)

30) The Four Tops – Call On Me