TELEPHONE SONGS: Son of a Son

Alexander Graham Bell's invention of the telephone in 1876 was a huge leap forward for passive-aggressiveness. The first words spoken over the device were to his assistant: "Mr. Watson, come here. I want to see you." Bell might as well have added, "If it's not too much trouble. You're only my assistant, for Christ's sake." Soon people were using the telephone to end relationships and spread rumors without having to look another person in the eye. The phone became such a staple of human communication it became a frequent topic for songwriters. This week we'll discuss some of the finest odes to telecommunication.

They say you have to pay your dues if you want to sing the blues, advice Son Seals took to heart. In his 62 years, Seals was shot, robbed, lost a leg to diabetes, and saw his home destroyed by fire. Seals was always well-regarded in the blues community, winning awards and the praise of his peers, but he never had that big commercial breakthrough. He died in 2004.

I have to admit, I only became familiar with Seals' music recently, and when I first heard him, I thought he was B.B. King. His stinging guitar and gritty, powerful voice may not have been entirely distinctive, but he was a gifted musician and songwriter. The son of a bluesman, also somehow nicknamed "Son," Son II started out as a drummer, even touring with Albert King. But as a guitarist and bandleader he could really strut his stuff.

"Telephone Angel" is the song that led me to Son Seals. In it, Son sings of the sheer delight of contacting a sweetheart via the telephone wires. It does what the best blues music can do, speaking universal truths with plainspoken eloquence, lacing familiar chord progressions with improvisational spice, and sounding both fresh and age-old. Released in 1976, it came a full century after Bell spoke his famous words to Watson. Seals didn't have orders to give, though, just joy to share.

TODAY'S RECOMMENDATION: "Telephone Song" by Son Seals
AVAILABLE ON: Midnight Son; iTunes