The end of the phone era
Video: “Call Me Maybe” by Carly Rae Jepsen
The first day’s batch of the iPhone 5 sold out in hours online. The hit single of the summer was “Call Me Maybe” using the old-fashioned concept of calling someone.
How can it be that the phone era is over? Are phones going to end up like CB radios and telegraphs?
I mention it because while we all have phones, calling seems to be way down the list of ways we use them. Texting, Facebook messages, Twitter DMs (direct messages) and even email seem like better ways to reach others when left to our devices.
My tribute to the winding down of dialing up, with apologies to Carly Rae Jepsen.
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Tell Me Maybe
I bought a cell at the mall
Not sure that I’ll ever call
Just text me quick lol
And now the phone is dead.
I knew all the apps to buy
Ringtones and cases oh my
Why is the price so high?
And now the phone is dead.
Your call was waiting
Two lines, signal fading
On hold, music playing
Who you think you’re calling, baby?
Hey, I just pinged you, and this is lazy
But here’s my voicemail, so tell me maybe
It’s hard to talk right now baby
But here’s my voicemail, so tell me maybe.
Hey, I just pinged you, and this is lazy
But here’s my voicemail, so tell me maybe
And all the other calls try to reach me
But here’s my voicemail, so tell me maybe.
You took your time getting back
I had no minutes to yak
Too busy getting a snack
And now the phone is dead.
I hate to be on the line
Pick up … oh look at the time
An email would be just fine
And now the phone is dead.
Your call was waiting
Two lines, signal fading
On hold, music playing
Who you think you’re calling, baby?
Hey, I just pinged you, and this is lazy
But here’s my voicemail, so tell me maybe
It’s hard to talk right now baby
But here’s my voicemail, so tell me maybe.
Hey, I just pinged you, and this is lazy
But here’s my voicemail, so tell me maybe
And all the other calls try to reach me
But here’s my voicemail, so tell me maybe.
Before your call went to voicemail
I missed your email
I missed your email
I missed your long email.
Before your email went to spam
I missed your DM
I must’ve trashed them
I missed your last DM.
It’s hard to talk right now baby
But here’s my voicemail, so tell me maybe.
Hey, I just pinged you, and this is lazy
But here’s my voicemail, so tell me maybe
And all the other calls try to reach me
But here’s my voicemail, so tell me maybe.
Before your call went to voicemail
I missed your email
I missed your email
I missed your long email.
Before your email went to spam
I missed your DM
I must’ve trashed them
I missed your last DM.
So tell me maybe.
Video: “Call Me Maybe” instrumental version, in case you want to sing along
• • •
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Very cute, Wade. But more importantly, you’ve brought up a trend that is truly sweeping much of the world with all this technology (that I’m still trying to catch up to). Lots of pros and cons to this, and I’m not sure if and when people will go back to actually talking on the phone again.
I absolutely adore the violin cover video, and I know my 9yo daughter will, too. And I’m gonna have to show my 5yo son the ‘Moves Like Jagger’ video. I enjoyed this; thanks for sharing.
Wade, too funny. Actually one of my first blog posts was on “Remember That Thing — The Phone.” I think it is easy for people to hide behind technology. People will send something in a text or email that they would never say in person. The phone may be going the way of the dodo bird, but I think if you want to conduct business or have a real relationship you’re going to have to call me maybe.
The reason I text or email is because it so darn hard to coordinate with people to actually be on the phone at the same time.
Even more weird than “Call me maybe” is that Maroon 5 has a song called “payphone.” When was the last time you saw one of those?