Operator (song)

Infobox Single
Name = Operator
Artist = Mary Wells
from Album = Vintage Stock
Format = 7" single
A-side = Two Lovers
Released = 1963
Recorded = 1962
Genre = Soul/pop
Label = Motown
M 1035
Length = 2:46
Writer = Smokey Robinson
Producer = Smokey Robinson

Infobox Single
Name = Operator
Artist = Brenda Holloway
Format = 7" single
B-side = I'll Be Available
Released = 1965
Recorded = 1964
Genre = Soul
Label = Tamla
T 54115
Length = 3:08
Producer = Smokey Robinson
Last single = "When I'm Gone"
(1964)
This single = "Operator"
(1964)
Next single = "You Can Cry On My Shoulder"
(1965)

"Operator" is a Motown song recorded by Motown vocalists Mary Wells and Brenda Holloway. The Wells version was the b-side to her top ten hit, "Two Lovers" while Holloway's was issued as a single in 1965.

Overview

ong information

In the song, written by Smokey Robinson of The Miracles, the narrator talks of wanting the phone operator to reach her boyfriend, who is supposedly on the other end of the line, but much to her chagrin, the operator is having problems reaching the other line, which reports static and throughout the difficulties, the narrator begs the operator to "put him on the line".

Chart status

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.

Credits

Mary Wells version

*Lead vocal by Mary Wells
*Background vocals by The Love Tones
*Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers

Brenda Holloway version

*Lead vocal by Brenda Holloway
*Background vocals by The Andantes
*Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers