I've Been Delayed

In 2001 some friends and I bought a used answering machine that still had the tape in it. From what we could figure out, it belonged to someone named Marta. Anyway, we set some of the messages to the melodies we felt they deserved (using the hokiest canned drums the Boss BR-8 had to offer).

(Get Flash to see the track player.)
posted by Beardman (21 comments total)

Wow this is hilarious, awesome stuff.
posted by BrnP84 at 8:26 PM on August 12, 2008

Too Cool
posted by american caesar at 9:49 PM on August 12, 2008

Oooh, flapjax likey. I think the sonic immortalizing of random, unknown stranger's voices is one of the greatest things about the modern age.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 11:36 PM on August 12, 2008

Ha, thanks. The funny thing is, these voices aren't even part of the modern age. We were able to date the tape at around 1990 A.D. The answering machine actually had normal-sized cassette tapes...that's how old it is.
posted by Beardman at 6:32 AM on August 13, 2008

Well, I guess when you're as old as I am, the 90s still seems, somehow, a part of the modern age.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 7:26 AM on August 13, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

This is sweet.

Hey, I'm going to use that the next time I'm late. "I been de-layed, I been de-layed..." I'm not sure I'll ever manage to get it out of my head.

[with fake concern]

Wait a second, I thought 1990 was after the modern age. Be careful, or the collective spidersense of nasreddin, ornate insect, fourcheesemac, and co might tingle and before we know it this innocent thread might become a feeding frenzy like the smooth jazz one a while back.
posted by umbú at 8:08 AM on August 13, 2008

Fantastic - I remember listening to this years ago! Didn't you have a song called "You took a pair of protein's shoes" (or something to that effect) that was also from answering machine tapes?

What a small internet it really is.
posted by Damn That Television at 12:02 PM on August 13, 2008

This is really excellent work. I'll be humming it for days, guaranteed. And maybe a few days longer, because as you know, I've been delayed, I've been delayed, I've been delayed...
posted by assoctw at 1:39 PM on August 13, 2008

Thanks for the feedback! The, uh, vocalist of this song was one of our favourite message-leavers. His name is "Ron Rondon", from what we could figure out. Sometimes I quote him, usually while talking to myself. "I'd hate to 'booka' day off for nothing" is a line from another one of his messages, and there are plenty of occasions where it's appropriate. Who wants to booka day off for nothing?

Damn That Television: how on earth!? That's beyond strange. We played these songs live a couple of times, then smashed the answering machine on stage. We had a website that lasted a year. Do I know you?

Anyway, I'll post "Protein Shoes" if you want.

Assotcw: it's funny you use the word "guaranteed." One of the other songs has the chorus:

The roof guaranteed
The paycheck for the garoof [?]
The roof guaranteed
Please...before you leave
posted by Beardman at 4:13 PM on August 13, 2008

Aiiigghhh. I'll never get this song out of my head!!! Noooooo..
posted by umbú at 8:01 AM on August 14, 2008

Beardman: No, pretty sure we don't know each other; I think I was just one of the happy few who stumbled across your website during its brief lifespan (when was that? 2002?). I usually get "Protein Shoes" caught in my head once or twice a year.
posted by Damn That Television at 8:39 AM on August 14, 2008

Post protein shoes! I can't get enough.. haha.
posted by namewithhe1d at 9:13 AM on August 14, 2008

I had a bad day today and this made me laugh, so thanks.
We had an answering machine WAY older than this one in the early/mid 90's, I think we found it at a Sally Ann or somewhere, it was ancient, a dual full-sized tape thing...I think I actually had to hardwire it into the wall. And it had one knob that you turned to rewind/forward/play. Anyhow, the "normal tape" thing, ya, I used to make the outgoing messages right on my Portastudio. People would call just to hear the messages at first, then I think it just annoyed them. I listened to an old tape I still have of the incoming messages recently and it actually made me sad for the life I had back then; places to go, busy new creative job, people calling to meet them here or there, a social life.
posted by chococat at 8:39 PM on August 14, 2008

I go on vacation for a few days, give up on my MeFiMu backlog, and miss something like this? This is just too great.
posted by uncleozzy at 5:58 AM on August 15, 2008

WOW. This is so fun! I want everyone I know to hear this. Hang on, there's a mountain in Norway I have to call...
posted by annathea at 7:25 PM on August 15, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

This is excellent.
posted by Astro Zombie at 8:05 AM on August 16, 2008

Stunning.
posted by Jofus at 8:33 AM on August 18, 2008

BEARDMAN. Could it be that your songs are part of a meme that has grown beyond you, and without your knowledge?

This song got in my head today, and I was quietly singing "I have passed my examination" at work. My colleague overheard me, and said "Oh my gosh how do you know that song?!" Apparently her old roommate made her a mix CD about 6 months ago that included this song. Is that weird?
posted by Milkman Dan at 4:01 PM on August 20, 2008

Very cool. This is my favorite of the answering machine songs you've posted.
posted by micayetoca at 9:30 AM on August 27, 2008

very nice work. I love it!
posted by Chan at 12:28 PM on September 13, 2008

The three songs you've posted so far are great. I say "so far" hopefully, so that you will be tempted to post another batch in the future.
posted by not_on_display at 3:19 PM on November 5