# Songs about outdated tech or fads **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [March 3, 2024, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-outdated-tech-or-fads/998388 "2024-03-03T08:01:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2024, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-outdated-tech-or-fads/998388/21 "2024-03-03T15:41:23Z")
Tulsa Telephone Book - Tom T. Hall (a guy is trying to find the phone number of his one-night-stand by reading the white pages) ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2024, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-outdated-tech-or-fads/998388/22 "2024-03-03T15:45:09Z")
> [@Max\_S](#): > > Georgia Gibbs - “The Hula Hoop Song” Hula hoops are also immortalized in “The Chipmunk Song.” ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2024, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-outdated-tech-or-fads/998388/23 "2024-03-03T15:45:15Z")
[The Little Ford Rambled Right Along](https://www.laurelcottagegenealogy.com/?tag=songs-about-the-tin-lizzie) “When the power gets sick just hit it with a brick and the little Ford will ramble right along!” Another one with an interesting juxtaposition of technologies: [Daisy Bell](https://youtu.be/41U78QP8nBk?t=31) ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2024, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-outdated-tech-or-fads/998388/24 "2024-03-03T15:45:36Z")
“Music Music Music (Put Another Nickel In)” by Teresa Brewer ‘Put another nickel in/ In the Nickelodeon” ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2024, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-outdated-tech-or-fads/998388/25 "2024-03-03T15:47:54Z")
> [@Chad\_Sudan](#): > > Pinball Wizard - The Who I considered this, but looking at the lyrics, the only thing that dates it is the fact that Bally doesn’t make pinball machines anymore. Other companies still do, even ones with physical digit counters, buzzers, and bells. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2024, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-outdated-tech-or-fads/998388/26 "2024-03-03T15:54:15Z")
[Fountains of Wayne](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eI5-NXlFEYM). _And the little red light’s not blinking No, no the little red light’s not blinking No, no the little red light’s not blinking On my big black plastic Japanese cordless phone Oh no_ ---
**Author:** ![Lancia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lancia/32/17174_2.png) [@Lancia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lancia)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2024, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-outdated-tech-or-fads/998388/27 "2024-03-03T16:00:45Z")
> [@Max\_S](#): > > The Marvelettes - “Please Mr Postman” Similarly, _The Letter_ by The Box Tops If lyrics count, then SRV’s _Texas Flood_ must be in the running: 🎼Well there’s floodin’ down in Texas All of the telephone lines are down 🎶 ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2024, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-outdated-tech-or-fads/998388/28 "2024-03-03T16:06:09Z")
[Brand New Key](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCTMTflcuug) by Melanie. Keys are not outdated, nor are roller skates, but roller skate keys are. They were used to adjust the old-fashioned skates that you strapped to your street shoes. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2024, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-outdated-tech-or-fads/998388/29 "2024-03-03T16:08:22Z")
Along the same lines as Jim Croce’s Operator is Elvis Presley’s (cover of?) Memphis Tennessee. In which he vaguely describes a woman and hopes the operator can find her. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2024, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-outdated-tech-or-fads/998388/30 "2024-03-03T16:11:48Z")
Beep Beep (the Little Nash Rambler) by the Playmates [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/enqNl7tdLR4/maxresdefault.jpg "BEEP BEEP ~ THE LITTLE NASH RAMBLER ~ The PLAYMATES ~ ANIMATION") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enqNl7tdLR4) “Western Union” by the Four Americans [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Pd_9tC-jbsU/maxresdefault.jpg "The Five Americans - Western Union (1967) 4K") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pd_9tC-jbsU) ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2024, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-outdated-tech-or-fads/998388/31 "2024-03-03T16:21:46Z")
“In My Merry Oldsmobile” (one of the first “car songs” ever written): [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Y7QnPtkn8q0/hqdefault.jpg "In My Merry Oldsmobile - Billy Murray (1905)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7QnPtkn8q0) ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2024, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-outdated-tech-or-fads/998388/32 "2024-03-03T16:28:04Z")
In Jimmy Buffett’s [Margaritaville](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrF4nF8VUb4) the line “Stepped on a pop-top” is likely to confuse the younger generation. In the bad old days, to open a can of beer or soda, you had to pull off and discard a metal pull-tab (the pop-top). I can bear witness that stepping on one while barefoot on the beach hurts. In the worse old days before pull-tabs, you needed a special tool to open beverage cans, known colloquially as a church key. The surf rock group The Revels put out a (mostly) instrumental song called [Church Key](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fusj7QxEXTg) in which the only words spoken are “Church Key”. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2024, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-outdated-tech-or-fads/998388/33 "2024-03-03T16:38:55Z")
“Odie, don’t you understand the value of videotapes in the world today?” [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/dhiw4MK8O1g/hqdefault.jpg "Garfield and Friends - Video Airlines") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhiw4MK8O1g) ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2024, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-outdated-tech-or-fads/998388/34 "2024-03-03T16:42:24Z")
“Everything’s Coming Up Videos” [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/rmfGLfWqlzA/maxresdefault.jpg "Michael Jeter in THE FISHER KING") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmfGLfWqlzA) ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2024, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-outdated-tech-or-fads/998388/35 "2024-03-03T16:48:19Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Along the same lines as Jim Croce’s Operator is Elvis Presley’s (cover of?) Memphis Tennessee. In which he vaguely describes a woman and hopes the operator can find her. Yes, it’s a Chuck Berry cover (which I posted above), and in the original the reveal at the end is that the singer’s not looking for a woman, but his six years old daughter. Are those lyrics changed in the Elvis version? ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2024, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-outdated-tech-or-fads/998388/36 "2024-03-03T16:55:58Z")
And since this thread isn’t only about outdated tech, but also fads, what about “Land Of 1000 Dances”? Does anybody still dance the Watusi or the Pony? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2024, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-outdated-tech-or-fads/998388/37 "2024-03-03T17:07:03Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > Are those lyrics changed in the Elvis version? No, I guess I just never noticed that line. ---
**Author:** ![Wolf333](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf333/32/3460_2.png) [@Wolf333](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolf333)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2024, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-outdated-tech-or-fads/998388/38 "2024-03-03T17:14:26Z")
Buckner & Garcia had an entire album full of video game songs. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2024, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-outdated-tech-or-fads/998388/39 "2024-03-03T18:52:27Z")
Allan Sherman - Down the Drain [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/HHhLM0fE2vQ/maxresdefault.jpg "Down the Drain") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHhLM0fE2vQ) ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2024, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-outdated-tech-or-fads/998388/40 "2024-03-03T18:55:15Z")
The Twist – Chubby Checker The Peppermint Twist - Joey Dee and the Starlighters The Charleston [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-outdated-tech-or-fads/998388.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-outdated-tech-or-fads/998388.md?page=3)