There are multiple artists using this name.

1. US American Soul voca… Read Full Bio ↴There are multiple artists using this name.

1. US American Soul vocal group, 1960s to 1970s. For most of the time Gladys Knight's group apart from some efforts without her.

2. The Pips is a pop folk/rock group under Knot Records formed in 2007 based in Kuala Lumpur
The original line-up consists of Haruka Hana (vocal), Ekin (guitar), Yoyo (bass guitar), Alak Idleness (guitar), and Chem (drum). Peeps been 'pippered' : Yuen KL, Nunu, Yoan, Hana, and Mel.

Operator
The Pips Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Operator, are you sure
That line is busy all this time
Won't you please dial the number
Operator, dial the number
I've got to reach that baby of mine

I've got to tell him that I'm sorry
For the things I've said

Sorry as I can be
So won't you please dial the number
Operator, dial the number
And see if you can get him to talk to me
Oh

I wonder who he's talking to for so long
I hope he hasn't found
Found somebody new
Oh won't you please cut it
Because it's an emergency
And tell my baby
Tell my baby forgive me

I've got to tell him that I'm sorry
For the things I've said
Sorry as I can be
So won't you please dial the number
Operator, dial the number
And see if you can get him to talk to me
Oh

I've been waiting
For your call so long

Dial my telephone
Just dial the number

Overall Meaning

The Pips hit song "Operator" follows the storyline of a desperate woman who is trying to call her lover amidst a busy telephone line. She pleads with the operator to cut through his call to whoever he's been talking to already so that she can apologize to him personally. She admits to saying regrettable things to him in the past, and wants to let him know how sorry she is feeling. She wonders what's taking so long for him to answer, and fears that he has found someone new, but she remains persistent that the operator try reach him, and that he calls her back.

The lyrics to the song are rich, both in terms of interpretation and delivery. The song as a whole, is more than just about two lovers, but is also a commentary of the era in which it was created, a time during which telephones were still a relatively new form of communication. At that time, long-distance phone operators were responsible for establishing connections between callers, so the image of a busy line, waiting on hold to reach someone, was a common frustration that many could relate to. Additionally, the song's lyrics are delivered with an unmistakably gospel/soulful feeling that reflect the Pips' roots in Motown, allowing for a sense of emotive delivery.

Line by Line Meaning

Operator, are you sure
The singer is questioning the operator's response and wants to confirm if the line is really busy or not.

That line is busy all this time
The singer is stating that the line has been busy for a long time.

Won't you please dial the number
The singer is requesting the operator to call the number.

Operator, dial the number
The artist is urging the operator to call the number and connect them with their loved one.

I've got to reach that baby of mine
The artist wants to speak with their beloved and hence is urging the operator to connect them.

I've got to tell him that I'm sorry
The singer is admitting their mistake and wants to apologize to their beloved.

For the things I've said
The singer is apologizing for what they said, indicating that they may have hurt their beloved in some way.

Sorry as I can be
The artist expresses that they are incredibly sorry for their actions or words.

And see if you can get him to talk to me
The artist is requesting the operator to encourage their beloved to talk to them.

I wonder who he's talking to for so long
The artist is curious about who their beloved has been talking to for a long time on the phone.

I hope he hasn't found
The singer is worried that their beloved may have found someone new and moved on.

Found somebody new
The artist believes that their beloved may have found someone new.

Because it's an emergency
The singer emphasizes that it is urgent for them to speak to their beloved in this situation.

And tell my baby
The singer wants the operator to inform their beloved.

Tell my baby forgive me
The singer urges the operator to tell their beloved to forgive them.

I've been waiting
The artist has been waiting for their beloved's call for a long time.

For your call so long
The artist has been longing for their beloved's call for a long time.

Dial my telephone
The singer requests that the operator connect them on the telephone.

Just dial the number
The singer again urges the operator to dial the number and connect them with their beloved.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: REGGIE CALLOWAY, VINCENT L. CALLOWAY, BELINDA G. LIPSCOMB, BOAZ WATSON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

@zandraj1570

4y↑6

I still remember every word of this song that I once tried to sing like Gladys Knight.😀 I was in my early teens when these songs came out and I lost my mother. It was God and the music of this era that carried me through these troubled years. Watching the ladies on the Verzus battle recently made me realize how much of a difference they made in my life and how grateful I am for all they gave.