Operator (Motown song)
| "Operator" | |
|---|---|
| Single by Mary Wells | |
| from the album Vintage Stock | |
| A-side | "Two Lovers" |
| Released | 1963 |
| Recorded | 1962 |
| Genre | Soul/pop |
| Length | 2:46 |
| Label | Motown M 1035 |
| Songwriter(s) | Smokey Robinson |
| Producer(s) | Smokey Robinson |
| "Operator" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Brenda Holloway | ||||
| B-side | "I'll Be Available" | |||
| Released | 1965 | |||
| Recorded | 1964 | |||
| Genre | Soul | |||
| Length | 3:08 | |||
| Label | Tamla T 54115 | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Smokey Robinson | |||
| Producer(s) | Smokey Robinson | |||
| Brenda Holloway singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Operator" is a Motown song recorded by vocalists Mary Wells and Brenda Holloway. The Wells version was the b-side to her top ten hit, "Two Lovers"[1] while Holloway's version was issued as a single in 1965.[2]
Overview
[edit]Song information
[edit]In the song, written by Smokey Robinson of The Miracles, the narrator expresses her desire for the phone operator to connect her with her boyfriend, who is supposedly on the other end of the line. However, to her dismay, the operator encounters difficulty reaching him, resulting in static. Throughout the difficulties, the narrator pleads with the operator to "put him on the line".
Charts
[edit]Brenda Holloway version
[edit]Brenda Holloway's version of the song, which is produced under a more soulful rendition than Wells' teen pop-styled version from three years before, reached number 78 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 36 on the R&B singles chart.[3][4]
| Chart (1967) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada Top Singles (RPM)[5] | 14 |
| UK R&B (Record Mirror)[6] | 17 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[7] | 78 |
| US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[8] | 36 |
Credits
[edit]Mary Wells version
[edit]- Lead vocal by Mary Wells
- Background vocals by The Love Tones
- Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers
Brenda Holloway version
[edit]- Lead vocal by Brenda Holloway
- Background vocals by The Andantes
- Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers
References
[edit]- ^ The Complete Motown Singles Vol 3: 1963 [CD liner notes]. New York: Hip-O Select/Motown/Universal Records.
- ^ The Complete Motown Singles Vol 5: 1965 [CD liner notes]. New York: Hip-O Select/Motown/Universal Records.
- ^ Operator at AllMusic
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 8th Edition (Billboard Publications), page 289.
- ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 5619." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
- ^ "BRITAIN'S TOP R&B SINGLES" (PDF). Record Mirror. July 17, 1965. p. 15. Retrieved January 28, 2022 – via worldradiohistory.com.
- ^ "Brenda Holloway Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
- ^ "Brenda Holloway Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
