Operator (That's Not The Way It Feels)

Label

ABC Records

Genre

Folk Pop

Media Type

45s

Duration

3:50

Composer(s)

Jim Croce

Entered Chart

Oct 14, 1972

Peak Date

Dec 9, 1972

Released

August 23, 1972

Recorded

1972

Catalog #

ABC 11335

B-Side

Rapid Roy (The Stock Car Boy)

"Operator (That's Not the Way It Feels)" is a 1972 song written by American singer-songwriter Jim Croce. Croce's record was released on August 23, 1972. It was the second single released from Croce's third studio album You Don't Mess Around with Jim. The song reached a peak of number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 in December 1972, spending twelve weeks on the chart.

Operator, oh, could you help me place this call?
See the number on the matchbook is old and faded
She's living in L.A.
With my best old ex-friend, Ray
Guy, she said she knew well, and sometimes hated

But isn't that the way they say it goes?
Well, let's forget all that
And give me the number if you can find it
So, I can call just to tell 'em I'm fine
And to show I've overcome the blow
I've learned to take it well
I only wish my words could just convince myself
That it just wasn't real
But that's not the way it feels

Operator, oh, could you help me place this call?
'Cause I can't read the number that you just gave me
There's something in my eyes
You know it happens every time
I think about a love that I thought would save me

But isn't that the way they say it goes?
Well, let's forget all that
And give me the number if you can find it
So I can call just to tell 'em I'm fine
And to show I've overcome the blow
I've learned to take it well
I only wish my words could just convince myself
That it just wasn't real
But that's not the way it feels, no, no, no, no
That's not the way it feels

Operator, oh, let's forget about this call
There's no one there I really wanted to talk to
Thank you for your time
Ah, you've been so much more than kind
You can keep the dime

But isn't that the way they say it goes?
Well, let's forget all that
And give me the number if you can find it
So I can call just to tell 'em I'm fine
And to show I've overcome the blow
I've learned to take it well
I only wish my words could just convince myself
That it just wasn't real
But that's not the way it feels