Why Haven't I Heard From You
Reba McEntire & Kelly Clarkson Lyrics

Well back in 1876 an ol' boy named Bell
In 1876, Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone.

Invented a contraption that we know so well
He created a device that we are all familiar with - the telephone.

By the 1950's they were in everybody's home
By the 1950s, telephones had become a staple item in every household.

There's a crazy little thing they call the telephone
The telephone is an amazing invention.

Now there's one on every corner, in the back of every bar
Telephones are now ubiquitous and can be found everywhere.

You can get one in your briefcase, on a plane or in your car
You can even carry a telephone with you wherever you go.

So tell me why, haven't I, heard from you
The singer is wondering why they have not received a call from their loved one.

I said now darlin', honey, what is your excuse
The artist is asking their loved one for an explanation for not calling.

There's no problem gettin' to me
The artist's phone is in working order and can receive calls with no issues.

Baby you can dial direct
Their loved one can call them directly.

I got call forwarding, call waiting
The singer's phone has features such as call forwarding and call waiting.

You can even call collect
Their loved one can even call them collect if needed.

When the service man he told me that my phone was workin' fine
When the phone service technician checked the phone, they found no issues with it.

And I've come to the conclusion the trouble isn't with my line
The singer has determined that the problem lies with their loved one not calling, not with their phone line.

I'm sure the operator will be glad to put you through
The operator can assist in connecting their loved one to the singer's phone if needed.

There better been a flood, a landslide of mud
The artist is saying that the only valid excuse for not calling is a natural disaster that they have not heard about.

A fire that burns up the wires
The artist is exaggerating the possible causes for not being able to call, suggesting that even a fire that destroyed the telephone wires would not prevent them from receiving a call.

And thunder so loud with a black funnel cloud
The singer is using hyperbole to suggest that even extreme weather conditions would still not prevent them from receiving a call.