In this song, you feel the frustration of a guy who wants to have one last conversation with his old girlfriend but is stymied by Sylvia's mother. I imagine him standing at a pay phone, digging into his pockets for more coins, as he desperately tries to talk to his love before she leaves town. This is especially poignant near the end of the song, when the mother tells him "thank you for calling and, sir, won't you call back again," implying that Sylvia is nearby so the mom is pretending he's someone else.
It reminds us of a time when communications were much more difficult. For younger persons, many of whom have their own cellphones, this may be hard to relate to, but it was just a generation ago when trying to get in touch with someone was much more difficult. If a boy called his girlfriend, he often had to talk first to her parents, who sometimes served as a gatekeeper, preventing their daughter from talking to someone unless they approved of him.
In this song, you feel the frustration of a guy who wants to have one last conversation with his old girlfriend but is stymied by Sylvia's mother. I imagine him standing at a pay phone, digging into his pockets for more coins, as he desperately tries to talk to his love before she leaves town. This is especially poignant near the end of the song, when the mother tells him "thank you for calling and, sir, won't you call back again," implying that Sylvia is nearby so the mom is pretending he's someone else.
It reminds us of a time when communications were much more difficult. For younger persons, many of whom have their own cellphones, this may be hard to relate to, but it was just a generation ago when trying to get in touch with someone was much more difficult. If a boy called his girlfriend, he often had to talk first to her parents, who sometimes served as a gatekeeper, preventing their daughter from talking to someone unless they approved of him.
@procktheboat - Thank you for nailing it 18 yeas ago.
@procktheboat - Thank you for nailing it 18 yeas ago.