Meri Wilson - Telephone Man

1977 ONE HIT WONDER
I went to my apartment on a Monday at one
A-singin' do lolly, lolly shicky bum, shicky bum
Started movin' in it on a Tuesday at two
A-singin' do lolly, lolly shicky do, shicky do

Wednesday at three I called the phone company, singin':
"Hey baby, put a phone in for me"
Thursday at four he came a-knockin' at my door, singin':

"Hey, baby, I'm your telephone man
You just show me where you want it and I'll put it where I can
I can put it in the bedroom, I can put it in the hall
I can put it in the bathroom, I can hang it on the wall

You can have it with a buzz, you can have it with a ring
And if you really want it you can have a ding-a-ling
Because-a hey baby, I'm your telephone man"

Can you believe that? And then he says:
"Now when other fellas call ya tell 'em how it all began"
Well... can you imagine?
My heart began a-thumpin' and my mind began to fly

And I knew I wasn't dealin' with no ordinary guy
So while he was a-talking I was thinkin' up my plan
Then my fingers did the walkin' on the telephone man

Singin' hey lolly, lolly
Hey lolly, lolly
Hey lolly, lolly
Get it any way you can
Right? Ha ha ha, so...

I got it in the bedroom, and I got it in the hall
And I got it in the bathroom, and he hung it on the wall
I got it with a buzz, and I got it with a ring
And when he told me what my number was I got a ding-a-ling

A-singin' hey lolly, lolly
Hey lolly, lolly
Hey lolly, lolly
Just-a doin' my thing

Ha, ha... I've never done anything like this before!

[OlaOla_AAY]

I remember singing this in elementary school, and being sent to the principal's office! Hey! I WAS JUST A KID, and I felt the tune was catchy! I thought a ding a ling was the way the phone rang!

[carguy]

I was a radio DJ when this was released. Fortunately the station manager didn't get the double entendre and so it made it to the Playlist. Too funny. I got a good chuckle every time it aired.

[WESTMALLEMAN]

Remember this back in the 70's, it makes you smile.

[vincewilhelmi]

I have never heard this song before. Fun song. It's like Rocky and Bullwinkle, you enjoy as a kid, you enjoy more as an adult.

[TheRrxing]

Loved that song. Everyone knew the lyrics and you couldn’t help but smile when you heard it.

[lauren-puppytails]

I'm glad I wasn't the only one who listened to this as a child

[jonesyboy]

Used to have the radio on a lot in our house when I was a kid and I remember this song as clear as day. 👍🏻

[andyhinds]

I loved this song! The prominent thing about it for me has to be that bass line which perfect for practising clean playing and building finger strength. It's so sad that Meri Wilson tragically died in a car crash aged only 53. R.I.P. Meri.

[lordnevets]

For no reason WHATSOEVER!
This has been running laps through my head for the last half hour.

[SallieGeee]

So weird and whimsical, you gotta love it!

[joeszczechowski]

I remember that song when it first came out ! Fits great with alot of tunes with its easy smooth beat and her sweet voice

[jimcat]

I was 8-9 years old when this came out. I didn't know everything about the "birds and the bees" at the time, but when I heard her sing "I got it in the bedroom and I got it in the hall", it was pretty obvious that it wasn't about telephone installation.

[StrawberrySoju_]

I remember hearing this when I was a child. The double-entendre was completely lost on me!

[doloreshuntoon]

I really & truly love that song ever since I was a teenager and today, I still do. May you rest in peace, Merry Wilson who's not to be confused with or related to the Supremes' very own Mary Wilson.

[purplevamp]

For some reason this song came into my head and I had to find it, just to get it out of my system. Haven't heard this since I was a little girl. It's still as I remember! I didn't fully understand the lyrics back then, not sure I do now ;)

[SherryRoss-xljs]

So many songs in the 70s weren't as innocent as we thought

[M]

This song and Chuck Berry’s “My Ding-a-ling” was our favorite songs in grade school back in the day. It’s 2024 and here I am again…. I think I have issues….😂

[tracithomas]

Used to be my favorite song as a kid. 😂

[peachqtpi]

My parents went ape s$%& when I brought this little 45 record home. 😂

[danielcrowe]

My aunt has this in her 45 rpm collection. I was a kid when it was a hit. I didn't realize how big it was in other countries. It peaked at #18 on the Billboard Hot 100 here in the U.S.