Swap Meet-78 rpm

The only record I bought at the swap meet this week was a 78 on Capital Records Dead End Street/California Waltz-Cliffie Stone.
Dead End Street was written by Stan Freberg and Cliffie Stone. Thge vocal on California Waltz is by Billy Strange
Cliffie Stone also played with Tennessee Ernie Ford.
I met Cliffie Stone once sometimes in the late 1980's. It was at a garage sale. I bought some Cliffie Stone 45s, and he told me I was buying some of his records.. I said ok, then he elaborated saying he was Cliffie Stone, then proceeding to tell me his musical history.

Youngbloods Get Together RCA and Nilsson, too.

In 1967 The Youngbloods had their first hit single: Get Together. It wasn't a very big hit. In 1969 it was rereleased and nationally made it to #5.
Why was the same version a hit 2 years later?
In 1969 it was used in a commercial as a theme for National Conference of Christians and Jews. It caught on with record buyers, and it was a hit. Even though The Youngbloods released a lot of singles, this was their only top 40 hit.1967 version with All My Dreams Blue on the flip side
1969 version with Beautiful on the flip side.

This happened to another RCA artist. Nilsson released Everybody's Talkin' in 1968, and did not make the national top 100. Although the local station KFXM played the flip side Don't Leave Me and it got up to #30 in 1968.

It was rereleased in 1969 after being included in the movie Midnight Cowboy and went to #6 nationally. The new flip side was Rainmaker. I couldn't find a copy of that single, but it was on the newer RCA label like the one above.

Bonus single, a promo 45 of their first single. I had a couple of this before I had ever heard of the Youngbloods. I played it and I liked it.

A true story: In an English class I took in high school, the guy I sat next to, played in a local band. The name of the band wasThe YB Blues Band. He told me when they started they called themselves The Youngbloods, but they were contacted by RCA and told to change their names. (His name I don't remember) I do remember the group playing a lot of local concerts, and listed in KFXM as winning a Battle Of The Bands at least once.

Thee Zends

I found this acetate a few years ago. I can't remember where, when or what I paid for it. It was probably in a box of 45s I bought.
Little Girl is the Syndicate of Sound song, so this was recorded in 1966 or later. The group does a decent version.
The flip, Meet Stella must be an original. Definitely garage rock, but the song starts out with a mention of Dion's Runaround Sue, and starts comparing her to Stella. I would never had thought of using the name Stella in a song.
Anyone familiar with Thee Zends? Where are they from? Anyone not familiar with acetates? They are usually made as demos, and very few are made. Each member of the group probably got one, plus some sent out to record companies, and radio stations. This one is larger than a 45, about an 8 inch record.

Lewis & Clark Expedition

Their only charting hit. I like the song, and it should have been a bigger hit. Travis Lewis (Michael Martin Murphy) and Boomer Clarke (Boomer Castleman). Released on Colgems records (The Monkees label) I always thought the picture made them look more like maniquins than real people.

Alias Smith & Jones

Recently bought Season One of Alias Smith and Jones. 1971, and probably influenced a lot by Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid. If you like westerns with a little humor thrown in, you just might enjoy this series.

CDs at the Swap Meet

Patch Adams soundtrack has a few good songs on it for a buck.
Couple of classic rock CDs I picked up for 2 dollars each.

Only vinyl I picked up today was a Simon & Garfunkel Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme LP on the original label in almost perfect condition for 1.00

More Elvis

If you like Elvis Presley, you probably have a few favorite songs. A couple picture sleeves among my favorite Elvis songs. I've Got A Thing About You Baby. I loved this song when it came out, like a lot of my favorite Elvis songs from the 60s and 70s, was not a big hit.
A later reissue of Guitar Man picture sleeve, but another one that was great when it came out in the late 60s.
Great doubled sided Christmas single reissued when the LP was reissued.

Other favorite Elvis songs:
That's Alright Mama, Don't Be Cruel, All Shook Up, Stuck On You, His Latest Flame, Little Sister, Return To Sender, Judy, Big Boss Man, and so on....
and one of my favorite album tracks: Shopping Around(From G.I. Blues)

A Gift

Over twenty years ago, I got this as a gift to hang onthe wall. This said it all.
Anybody else out there get anything similar?

Elvis

30 years ago today Elvis left us.

I was working at the library, and Hector (or Joe, dependeing on who you ask)) said, "Let's take a break and go get something to drink. so we took my car over to (insert fast food place name here). The radio was turned on and Elvis' death was announced. All Hector could say was " I can't believe Elvis is dead."

That's where I was at when I heard the news.

Any contributions on where you were at, or what you were doing when you heard the news.

Today is Vinyl Record Day

After I started buying records, I needed a better record player than the single play with a steel needle. My parents bought me a prtable GE with atached speakers. That lasted until at least 1971, about the date of the picture below. Two years later I took the following picture. Updated Combo stereo/8 Track recorder

(new curtains/new TV-bigger, but now black & white)

Two pictures put together below, a few years later, finally components, and back to the old color TV. Don't ask me to explain the Barbara Mandell album, I have no explanation.

You see, now I have albums. After More of The Monkees I remember the next two I bought new were Green River-Creedence and Moody Blues Days Of Future Passed. Both albums purchased at Two Guys.

One story I need to tell that directly relates to vinyl.

One day I was at Woolworths (about 1968) looking at the 3/1.00 records. When I got there there were two other guys my age looking at the records. I talked to them, and I found a Big Brother & Holding Company single I wanted. One of the guy's wanted it, too. I'm not sure if I bought it, or gave it to him, but I don't think I have it anymore.

The two guys are Gary and Bill. I still know both of them. Gary I see every couple years. Bill still goes with me to the Swapmeet every week.

The interesting thing about Bill is I introduced myself to him, and I asked him what his name was, and he said, "What do want to know for?" I mentioned this story to him today and he told me that he would probably say the same thing today to the same question, and I agreed with him.

The best place I ever bought vinyl in the 70s was Macs Electronics. For a couple of years they would have jukebox singles in a big bin for a nickel, with new ones every week. I found Buddy Holly, Beatles and Elvis in there, and a lot of unusual songs that weren't very big hits. I probably spent 3-4.00 a week for a year. That's 60-80 records a week! That really built up my collection.

They eventually stopped getting them in, I had dreams about that store for years. Dreams about going back, and there were the records, again! But it never happened.

Well, Happy Vinyl Record Day! Thank you Thomas Edison for getting it all started.

Swap Meet-Record Vinyl Day

It was pretty sad today. I only bought one piece of vinyl at the Swap Meet on Record Vinyl Day. This is a Canadian issue of Bachman Turner Overdrive Live Japan Tour.
I did also buy a CD which features 10 singles released on vinyl in 1976. What a combination of songs.

Participants in Record Vinyl Day

Others posting:
AM, Then FM
Bloggerhythms
The “B” Side
Davewillieradio
Echoes in the Wind
Flea Market Funk
Fufu Stew
Funky16Corners
Good Rockin’ Tonight
Got the FeverIckmusic
In Dangerous Rhythm
It’s Great Shakes
Jefitoblog
Lost in the 80s
Py Korry
Retro Remixes
The Snack Bar
The Stepfather of Soul
You Must Be From Away
lThree-Sixty-Five45s
Underground Vault of Records, Music, and All Kinds of Stuff
You Must Be From Away

Pre-Collecting Days of Vinyl

Back in the Fifties and early Sixties before I started collecting records, like most people, my parents owned some records, a few 78s and a few 45s. Along with this they had a small single play record player that played all speeds with a steel needle. It was the kind they allowed me to play, and I did.
Later they bought me some records. The small yellow kids records (45/78) with the small hole. The Disney yellow 45 rpms in the booklets, and least two LPs.

Two of the 78 I played over and over again were The Muscrat Song and The Hole In The Ground, both I believe by Tex Ritter. Also I'm Hogtied Over You by Tenesee Ernie Ford & Ella Mae Morse
I remember two of the small yellow records. "Frosty The Snowman" "The Little Red Wagon". I played those to death. "Treasure Island" was the Disney 45s in the book.
The 45s I remember were I'm Throwing Rice/Show Me The Way Back To Your Heart-Eddy Arnold and The Old Spinning Wheel-Hank Snow & Chet Atkins and Christmas Boogie/Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer by Honey Chile Robinson

There were also two kids albums my parents bought me. A Captain Kangaroo Album that included the songs I Love A Parade, Waltzing Maltilda and Johnny One Note, and an album that included different Disney soundtrack cuts including Peter Pan and Pinichio

Of all these records all that I think is left in my collection is the Honey Chile Robinson 45. It used to have a picture sleeve, but I remember my dad tearing it half and throwing it away. I think he tore everything in half he threw away.
Oh yes, my parents also had a Bing Croby Christmas album, and the singer Sewing machine Christmas Album!

Vinyl Record Day

Sunday August 12th is Vinyl Record Day and there is a coordinated effort from http://jabartlett.wordpress.com/ to make the most of it.
Jb at The Hits Just Keep on Comin' has organized this, head in that direction and you can check it out.
Vinyl Record Day is Sunday, Aug. 12, which turns out to be the 130th anniversary of the invention of the phonograph by Thomas Edison.
How will the vinyl record be celebrated? Probably by most bloggers talking about record collecting.

I started collecting records in the summer of 1966, and the first record was a 45 Batman Theme by The Marketts. Following that I bought all three for 1.00 closeout 45s for awhile, including Hanky Panky, Psychtic Reaction, Sunny, You Keep Me Hanging On, Guantanmera. I didn;t buy a current hit until I purchased I'm A Believer and Snoopy Vs The Red Baron at White Front.

First 33 1/3 vinyl I bought was a cheapie, an album of Beatle covers by The Sparrows called That Mersy Sound For the longest time I liked their version of Do You Want To Know A Secret better than The Beatles. The first current album I bought was More Of The Monkees

Where did I buy my vinyl? White Front, Two Guys, Wollworths, and local record store Lyle's Record City.
Below picture sleeve I bought years later (a little raggedy) but Donovan really reminds me of the first year I listened to the radio and bought records. Sunshine Superman and Mellow Yellow were huge hits, and the radio played his olderstuff all the time (Catch The wind, Universal Soldier, Colours, Josie)

New Vinyl 45rpm

Vinyl Record Day coming soon! (Should be a national holiday)

I bought vinyl from ebay. I really like Cashman, Pistilli and West (Cashman & West) Terry Cashman, Gene Pistilli, Tommy West as I mentioned before. My latest purchase Ruby Tuesday/Mr. Bojangles-Gene Pistilli
Surprised that both sides are cover versions. Good versions. Vinyl is the only way to get these songs, as far as I know.

Beach Boys, Janis Joplin and an Oldies LP

Bought one record album at the swap meet today. An oldies compilation album in excellent condition. Mostly R & B hits from the 50s and early 60s. Includes songs like Cherry Pie, Rockin' Robin, Earth Angel and Angel Baby. The back has interesting liner notes, mentioning DJ Earl McDaniel and KLAC, KFWB and KPOP

Also bought a couple of CDs Big Brother and the Holding Company feturing Janis Joplin, and the Beach Boys All Summer Long.