the best use of a phone dial tone in a song, What is

Sondheim's Company uses a busy signal as a sample at the start and a little musical mnemonic (played on guitar) throughout.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3ODpqVUmWc

I have always thought that the intro to "Telephone Line" by ELO was made with modified dial tones, but I could be wrong...

tlc lovesick
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8Us3V3pUPw
produced by dallas austin

"One" is a song by American singer-songwriter Harry Nilsson from his 1968 album Aerial Ballet. It is known for its opening line "One is the loneliest number that you'll ever do". Nilsson wrote the song after calling someone and getting a busy signal. He stayed on the line listening to the "beep, beep, beep, beep..." tone, writing the song. The busy signal became the opening notes.

I distinctly remember reading an interview with someone from an arty band, saying how they started out by "jamming along to a busy signal" – but can't recall who it was. Maybe Devo(?)

cut copy - “saturdays”
abra for playboi carti - “unlock it”

I also love modem sounds:
dj swagger - “return of the swagger”

for feat.

Not exactly a dial tone but lots of good phone sounds on:
Ken Laszlo - Hey Hey Guy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mz6EijdvyFw

I have always thought that the intro to "Telephone Line" by ELO was made with modified dial tones, but I could be wrong...

Iirc, Lynne said they dialed a number they knew wouldn't get answered, recorded the dialtone and other phone sounds, and then matched their notes with a synth.

this comes to mind, the phones songs continue throughout the 20m track

tony price - interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2NiGreQ5os

He stayed on the line listening to the "beep, beep, beep, beep..." tone, writing the song. The busy signal became the opening notes.

this is great.

really like the tony price track.
very electric era miles davis.

Andreas Dorau - das telefon sagt du

I have no idea how I missed this thread this whole time

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfW0l1h2jWk

The interference in Communication has already been mentioned but any excuse to post this masterful mix
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Is4OgmR4T5s

Can we have Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey? It may be him imitating the phone ringing but the way the call is answered suggests he's doing dial tones.

Oh yes, loving this one

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyNHRVHA8SA

i'm not british, is this a dial tone or a ringing phone?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZK3rs6J5Ho

Well..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQpbH8iMQDo

There must be some snippets of dial tone among other phone sounds!

The single version of Five's Don't Wanna Let You Go - a simple 'boop boop boop boop... brrrrp brrrrp... (recipient answers)' scenario

Spacehog is the best but these are good

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTFu1ns-fJ4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTFu1ns-fJ4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsMrCz_N8AQ

i guess no dial tone in the V6 one oops

The three minute fade-out of Snakes-A-Sleeping

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nM1VywOWZcs

not technically a dial tone but I still extremely love this song

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1iIGAPSHGc

Canibus' Intro is just dial tones and interference for 30 seconds or so

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_Fw116l2fE

I've never finished the album tbh

as always, and more than ever, the answer is Busy Signal - and I’m not even kidding:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1MYzU9cVvE
Busy Signal • Phone Stress

Tbh there's no excuse for me to have forgotten Snakes-a-Sleeping

there's some good dialing on the original but this remix version really goes all in

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXzv9WTWwhM

i'm going to have to watch every single youtube itt as this is one of my favorite things in a song

lapsley - operator (dj koze's extended disco remix)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvzJ-3yCto0