skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Back from a break of these little insights into my record collection, as records are now out of boxes and sprawled across the floor of my home rather than neatly organized alphabetically in my now previous apartment. Starting off where I left off:
T-B, L-R:
1) Sergio Mendes - s/t (1983)
2) Shelley Berman - Outsie
3) Simon & Garfunkel - Bookends
4) Simon & Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water
5) The Sinatra Family Wish You a Merry Christmas
6) The Special AKA - Free Nelson Mandela (The Special Remix)
1) I love Sergio Mendes; I don't love this album at all. But, hey, it was only 10 cents at the Rhino closing sale. Also, the peppers being bigger than his face -- a little silly.
2) Nice old Jewish comedian. I really like the cover drawing. Don't remember where I got it.
3) Inherited this from the parents, although someone named Sandler seems to have owned it at some point. It's a classic, obviously, and includes my favorite of their songs, "A Hazy Shade of Winter," and probably their best known, "Mrs. Robinson." When I saw Simon and Garfunkel on their Old Friends tour, I cried. But that was because of some weird medical nonsense that makes me crazy at super loud thunderous sounds, like marching bands and most things that happen at the Staples Center.
4) Another one from the parents, another classic. My favorite song on this album is "Cecilia," but I love that they had a song called "So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright" and also like the mostly Incan "El Condor Pasa."
5) wooo, gots to love the incorrect grammar of this record's title which I bought from MAMSROC. The Sinatra Family wishes, you know, not wish. But whatever, I forgive them, primarily because of Frank Jr.'s sock/shoe combo and Nancy Jr.'s sleeves. Also, this record is "under the direction of Nelson Riddle," a man who was pretty awesome.
6) I've been waiting to get to this record since the start of this series; it is definitely one of my favorites of all the ones I own. First, the boldness of the cover is great. Second, this album was produced by Elvis Costello and purchased during the height of my EC obsession during high school. This record has the LP version, instrumental mix, annnnd six-and-a-half minute club mix. Yeah, that's right, a spectacular dance song about social injustice. This one cost me a whole three bucks! One of my teachers in high school once recounted an anecdote of the I-didn't-need-to-know-but-thanks-I-guess variety: he and his sister used to dance on tables this song. There were a lot of colorful descriptors involved, but I have already forgotten those.
[22:59] EmeraldFacetsGlo: my gloved hand touched his gloved hand twice today at work
[22:59] EmeraldFacetsGlo: *swoons*
Dear TV Land,
I feel like I have written this letter many times, but, if I haven't already, it's about time! While I do appreciate Hogan's Heroes being brought back, that is not nearly enough to make up for all the grave programming mistakes you have made.
The first error was to play shows that were on TV originally during my lifetime. I am not old enough for this! I was mildly agitated with Wings and quite annoyed about Full House, but The George Lopez Show? Come on! And then now you start having "original programming." But only the worst possible original programming--the exact opposite of the quality shows you previously aired. Going from Mary Tyler Moore to High School Reunion? And now this She's Got the Look, which plays Coldplay snippets every four minutes. The upcoming Family Foreman looks beyond absurd.
TV Land, get your act together.
Laura
1. Oh man, do you remember Mod Podge?!! That stuff is the best. 
2. I saw Rhett Miller walking on the street last night. Didn't react in time to roll down the window of a super old car, though, to say hi.
3. Rilo Kiley was much better than I expected but still a little boring. Also, the audience was too much of a hipster relay for me.
4. Some things I learn as a file clerk: Suge Knight's real name is Marion, hole punching takes way too much strength, super fast multi-page scanners are awesome except when they jam every 45 seconds
5. Wattstax is way interesting.
6. I wanted to go to this, but there was way too long of a line.
Lesson #1
Lesson #2: Check spam filter! Or you miss winning free concert tickets!
Also, this is my 150th post. Carazy.
L-R, T-B:
1)Starsailor: Love is Here
2)Stephen Stills: Right by You
3)Stephen Stills: S/T
4)Steve Martin: "A Wild and Crazy Guy"
5)Stevie Wonder: Songs in the Key of Life
6)Stevie Wonder: Talking Book
Lots of ST-starting names today. You know, when one has a lisp, it is easier to say the 'st' sound than the pure 's' sound. There ya go, as NBC previously pronounced with a shooting star for emphasis, there more you knowwwww.
1) I bought this for a lot of money at Amoeba. I like this album a lot, but it wasn't worth all that money. It's not one of the ones I really need to have somewhere other than my computer.
2) From Rhino. 10-99 cents. Pretty bad album. Sorry Steve, I guess I should have guessed from the cover that you wouldn't live up to your best.
3) Rhino, 99 cents. This album on the other hand, I love. It includes the classic "Love the One You're With."
4) I never understood why titles are put in quotation marks on the thing itself. Bizarre. Anyways, this is from MAMSROC. These days Steve Martin bothers me quite a bit, but there are times when I am way into this album.
5) Steeeevie! From my parents' collection. This album includes my favorite Wonder song--"Sir Duke," the oft-sampled "Pastime Paradise," and department store staple "Isn't She Lovely," and quite a few other greats. This "Collector's Album" edition from 1976 comes with a small book! There are so so so many lines I'd like to copy out here for you, but really you just find a way to see this yourself. Especially on the back page of the book and the inside of the first page. I guess I'll just give you one sentence to entice!:
"Songs in the Key of Life" is only a conglomerate of thoughts in my subconscious that my Maker decided to give me the strength, the love + love - hate = love energy making it possible for me to bring to my conscious an idea.
6) This album, also from my parents' collection, has braille on the cover and inside of the gatefold! I wonder how expensive that is to do. I like every song on this album. But I especially love "I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will be Forever)," which is the last track on the album and also featured prominently in the ending of the film High Fidelity. This song will be playing at my wedding, f'sure.
On a side note, I just made a sauce for my favorite Costco potstickers, and I put waaay too much chili oil in it. Yeesh!
L-R, T-B:
1)Styx: Kilroy Was Here
2)The Supremes: Where Did Our Love Go
3)Taj Mahal: Music Fuh Ya' (Musica Para Tu)
4)Talking Heads: Little Creatures
5)Three Dog Night: Joy to the World: Their Greatest Hits
6)Triumph: Just a Game
1) Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto!
2) 10 cents! Rhino. Diana Ross looks SO scary here, kinda like a really frightening Eartha Kitt. I think it has something to do with the really awkward talon-like hair that falls right between her eyebrows combined with the not-exactly-a-smile smile.
3) How can you not like something titled "Music Fuh Ya'"?! That's like not liking the Sly and the Family Stone's "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)." Also, Taj is the man who once said "I do play by the rules; I play by intergalactic, cosmic rules, man! The light steps out through me and I don't cheat on it."
4) This may be one of my least favorite Talking Heads albums, but it's the only one I have. I do, however, really like their outfits on the back of the album. I am continually sorry I didn't take pictures of the backs of the records for these posts.
5) I can't remember if this is one of my dad's records or if it is another one I bought for him at Rhino that he never listened to. It's a nice font, no? Also, for some reason this record has everything written in Portuguese; I think this was from Brazil. Two of the singer's sons are in bands that have been on my show, woo!
6) Another Rhino purchase. I really like the six minute epic song that is "Hold On." 1979 arena rock. Grand!
L-R, T-B:
1)U2 - Joshua Tree
2)Various Artists: Chanukah Songs
3)Various Artists: Do Re Mi
4)Various ArtistS: Do They Know It's Christmas?
5)Original Motion Picture Soundtrack: Eddie and the Cruisers
6)Ennio Morricone: Frantic
Guess who told herself she'd not do anything Friday night so she could write her essay? Guess who still hasn't done it and is instead blogging? Me? Correct!
1) This album is a classic; this album art is classic. The 49 cent price ain't bad either (Rhino). Also, this is definitely U2's best album. Period.
2) 1988! I have no idea where I got this. But it did teach me some things. While most Chanukah songs are "traditional," some are actually attributed to people. For example, "Chanukah, Oh Chanukah" is apparently by M. Rivesman. I have listened to all my records at least once, but that must be it for this one because I have no idea what it sounds like.
3) I don't know if you can tell this from the picture, but the red is showing through the black part which was cut to reveal the wonderful stuff underneath, especially the Phil Silvers illustration. I haven't seen this movie, but I like Silvers a lot. This is allegedly "A Great Razzle-Dazzle of a Musical!" As promised in an earlier post, here is another gem from the small print on the back of the outer sleeve: "This record contains the revolutionary new antistatic ingredient, 317x, ..." Woah, code name for antistatic ingredient!
4) They don't know a lot of things. Neither do we. MAMSROC!
5) I cannot begin to tell you how excited I was to get this record. I saw this movie once on TV and thought it was alright. And then, I don't know exactly when or why, began to love it tremendously. I also saw the really bad sequel on TV relatively soon after that. It's an incredibly silly movie, but the main character (Eddie) is 80's good looking in a Bruce-Springsteen-kind-of-way and the songs of his "band" sound like sorta weak Bruce Springsteen songs. Y'all know how much I love The Boss. MAMSROC for two dollars, but I went to Record Surplus yesterday and they have at least two copies in the attic so you should go get it (92 cents, come on!). Especially great song = "On the Dark Side."
6) Another movie I haven't seen, nor probably will ever see. A Roman Polanski film. Roman Polanski is a creepster. Ennio Morricone!
I was planning on going to sleep after I wrote the previous post, but then I looked out my window and through the shades I realized it was already getting to daylight. I had class at 11am; it was going to be way difficult to get up if I went to sleep then. I then had the genius of idea of going to up to my roof to watch the sunrise--gots to take advantage of my apartment before I move out!
As expected, it was beautiful and calm. I finished reading my most recent of Chandler novels, The Little Sister.
"I smelled Los Angeles before I got to it. It smelled stale and old like a living room that had been closed too long. But the colored lights fooled you. The lights were wonderful. There ought to be a monument to the man who invented neon lights. Fifteen stores high, solid marble. There's a boy who really made something out of nothing."
Birds were chirping, sun was rising. All was great--until a bee landed on my leg and I sat there perfectly still. eek! Anyways, I went back down after the sun was up with all these great plans--cooking a full breakfast, watching an old movie, and even getting some work done before class--but I ended up going to sleep anyways at 8. And, now, it was even more difficult getting up at 10 for class! But it was worth it.
I just started a book by Edward Thorpe called Chandlertown about Los Angeles. Check it out in the sidebar links.
L-R, T-B:
1)Various Artists: Gigi
2)Various Artists: The Gospel at Colonus
3)Various Artists: The Guns of Navarone
4)Various Artists: Hogan's Heroes
5)Various Artists: Honky Tonk Rag Pickers
6)Original Soundtrack Recording: Lawrence of Arabia
Ok, so it's 4:38 AM when I have class at 11. I obviously fail at being sensible today. I also have some heartburn right now. Records are currently stacked on my desk backwards, so I'm going to work my way from #6 to #1.
6) Many things of note with this album. A: ORANGE. B: Classic classic movie. C: way cool painting of the main face. D: Winston Churchill quote (yes!).
5) I have to say, most of the best lookin' albums in my collection have at least something to do with honky tonk. I mean, seriously, so cool. This one's from Rhino.
4) This record is actually very aptly titled, as it includes only Hogan's Heroes, not Hogan himself. This is where Erica would chime in with "Hogggan!" Anyways, they "Sing the Best of World War II." Come on, the best of World War II has to be great. And it is. There's, perhaps not surprisingly, a lot of Hogan's Heroes representin' going on in my collection as it is my favorite classic TV show. The title of this post comes from the words of the "Hogan's Heroes March" which are not sung in the show but are on this record. The record also includes such greats as Irving Berlin's "This is the Army Mister Jones." I got this record as a gift! From Matt Cohen in high school. Really good gift. Kudos. Update: TV Land is now playing Hogan's Heroes again! Hallelujah. Weird, though, that they don't play the end credits with the theme song and end title sequence.
3) Unfortunately, I haven't seen this movie. Disgraceful, I know, but it is in my queue. I do love Gregory Peck and David Niven; I am not sure if I could even choose a favorite amongst those two. Dimitri Tiomkin is a fab film scorer. On a side note, I highly recommend the Maritime song "Guns of Navarone." OH, I finally 'got back' to David Niven. It's been a while, eh?
2) This movie I have seen--several times, starting in 10th grade is Ms. St. Clair's English class. What a silly class. The Gospel at Colonus is Sophocles' Oedipus trilogy in gospel Black Pentecostal Church form. And it is INSANE. With the Soul Stirrers! The Blind Boys of Alabama! Morgan Freeman! Robert Earl Jones! This one was 49 cents at Rhino.
1) This record symbolizes three things. One, whenever I travel, I like to go to record shops. This record was purchased at Angelo's in Denver, Colorado. Two, I like to buy people records as gifts. I bought this record for my mom 'cause she loves the movie. Three, my mom never listens to records I buy her because she never listens to music outside of her car. Hence, this record is now in my collection. This record is also an example of the fact that I frequently forget that I own some records that I rarely listen to. I have another version of this record that doesn't have the singers from the movie. And, really, I love Maurice Chevalier, so I am not gonna listen to no "TV stars including Michael Stewart, The Gay Blades, something Winter (white text on white background isn't really smart folks), Jack Brown, ..." Perhaps the next time the radio station has a record swap, I'll be able to get something for the non-Chevalier version. This past swap I didn't have any records I didn't want. Really, I am glad I don't have more than one record I don't actually want to have. That would be foolish.
L-R, T-B:
1)Various Artists: The Muppets Take Manhattan
2)Various Artists: No Nukes: From the Music Concerts for a Non-Nuclear Future, Madison Square Garden, September 19-23, 1979
3)Various Artists: Percussion Espanol
4)Henry Mancini: Peter Gunn
5)Henry Mancini: The Pink Panther
6)John Williams: The Reivers
2) Rhino. I paid a whole four dollars for this. It's a gatefold album so on the inside there are lots of fun pictures from 1979, including Jackson Browne looking good, Chaka Khan looking grossly spandex-ed, Gil Scott-Heron looking cool, and Doobie Brothers looking like it has waaay too many people. This has three records; all of which are good. James Taylor, Carly Simon, and Graham Nash do "The Times They Are A-Changin'" and someone named John Hall does a greatly titled song "Plutonium is Forever." Also the sun on the cover is embossed, oooooh.
3) I bought this for the album art. And the fact that is says in quotation marks: "THE BIG SOUND."
4) Peter Gunn! Only the best theme song ever. From the back, "This music is Peter Gunn's kind of jazz. I think you'll find that it's you kind, too" (their italicization!). Also, this is one of those great records that says "You can buy today, without fear of obsolescence in the future." Some even better statements like that will come in future posts, most definitely.
5) Wooooo, more Mancini! And at 99 cents! Peter Sellers wrote the notes on the back. Pink Panther! I mean, that's enough. And then there's something about some 'new' RCA invention -- "Dynagroove." One of its characteristics is "Realistic Presence--sound projected in 'photographic' perspective." What the hell does that mean?
6) I haven't seen this movie, but who doesn't like Steve McQueen? And John Williams is pretty competent, I think you'd all agree. This doesn't even sound like Star Wars (like oh so many of his scores do). The back of the record quotes Time Magazine: "The Reivers is one of the year's most pleasant movie experiences." I wish reviews still sounded like that. So pleasant!
I know the Royce celeb-sightings have been few lately; that's because I have been working more back of the house stuff. Hopefully soon I'll have some more for you, although I am sure it will be mostly angry parents in the upcoming slew of graduations.
L-R, T-B:
1)Various Artists (Dani Dassa): Rikud
2)Various Artists: Roots: The Black Beginnings of American Music
3)Various Artists: The Secret Policeman's Ball
4)Six Presidents Speak
5)Original Motion Picture Soundtrack: The Sting
6)Various Artists: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club band
1) I got this at the last night of Cafe Dansa before it closed. I had always wanted to go but never did, but at least I made it out there before it was gone foreverrr, and it was exactly how I wanted it to be--way tiny, cramped, and stuck in the 1970s. I danced with random old men (old men seem to be becoming a recurring motif in this blog). And got this great record, which is made even more great by the picture on the back of Dani Dassa in all his eyebrow glory. I have some good pictures of this, but since I am an inadequate tagger, I cannot currently find them on flickr.
2) This also came from the Rhino closeout sale. As you can see by the cover, it has some pretty good artists on it, like Big Bill Broonzy and Fats Waller. The record also has some nice generalizing statements on the back: "Here then is 'Roots'. Black Music (capitalization theirs). Black Music that speaks for God and man; joy and sorrow; hard work and good lovin'; music and artists who have influenced the music of America, the music of the world."
3) Rhino. I never listen to this. Was worth the ten cents just for the fact that it says on the back "Stage show slightly directed by John Cleese."
4) I don't remember where I got this one. It includes FDR, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon. It was produced by the Ford Customer Service Division of Ford Motor Company in 1972. I wonder for what reasons people were given this record. Everyone got it? Only if you had car trouble? Christmas gift? Bank of America once gave my dad a really bad holiday CD. I would have much preferred this. It's pretty great to listen to; some of it is unbelievably dry. I like to listen to it while watering my plants on the balcony.
5) Scott Joplinnnnnn. This soundtrack is superb. The movie ain't bad either. I love Paul Newman. This movie made me see why people like Robert Redford, but I still prefer Newman. Also, what a great font!
6) Another soundtrack. This movie is crazy. Peter Frampton and the Bee Gees play the Beatles. I am sure this movie was created due to all sorts of drugs. The songs are ok, some better than others. I like the Bee Gees, for sure, but they are better singing their own songs. Billy Preston doing Get Back, on the other hand, is great.
In other news, I may have failed my midterm today, but I am still GM of UCLAradio.com for next year. Oh yeah, James Franco was on Auto Stapler today. He's silly.
First, LAist used a photo of mine again. Crepes!
Second, records part deux.
L-R, T-B:
1)Various Artists: Songs of Naomi Shemer
2)The Original Cast Album: Song of Norway
3)Artists United Against Apartheid: Sun City
4)Various Artists: Them Old Country Songs
5)Various Artists: A Treasury of Christmas
6)Various Artists: We Are the World
1) I bought this from the middle-aged man who sells records on campus. I don't want to have to write that whole sentence in the future. From here on out, all such records will be signified by "MAMSROC" (middle aged man sells records on campus). I didn't pay much attention when I bought this--It is the songs of Naomi Shemer sung by other people. It still has some classics, though, such Al Kol Eleh, Anashim Tovim (Chalutzim, Tsofim, the Sabras, and the Seniors, CITs, JCITs, and Staff. Kochavim! etc.), and a medley of songs like Yesh li Chaver (middle school classic!) and Hopa Hey.
2) I don't know where I got this, maybe Rhino. I obviously bought it just because I like Norway, not 'cause I knew anything about it. The interesting thing about this record is that instead of a plain paper inner sleeve, the record is enclosed in a bizarre fitted plastic bag, printed on which are the words "A New World of Sound" and a funny cartoon character that has no face and is holding a globe. I am sorry I don't have a picture of that for you as it is more fun-er than the cover.
3) A Rhino purchase. I bought for 10 cents during their going-out-of-business sale (oh, how I miss thee, Rhino Records!). I didn't know anything about Sun City until I took History of Rock and Roll my first quarter of college. I bought this record around the same time. This is by Artists Against Apartheid, which scandalously didn't include Paul Simon who continued to tour in Sun City. It does include such notables as Afrika Bambaataa, Kurtis Blow, Bono (of course), Jackson Browne (who is playing a free show today which I will not be going to. boo), George Clinton, Miles Davis, Bob Dylan, Herbie Hancock, Darlene Love!, Melle Mel, Lou Reed, Joey Ramone, the Boss, and Ringo, among a lot more.
4) MAMSROC. I obviously bought this because of the great font and title. Also because it has a song called "Laura (What He's Got that I Ain't Got)"--undoubtedly great. Not to mention that it has a Porter Wagoner/Dolly Parton duet, two people whom I quite enjoy.
5) Rhino. 49 cents for a four record treasury! what a steal. And this ain't no elevator music--it's Leonard Bernstein, Doris Day, Mahalia Jackson, Johnny Cash, Andre Previn, and others. All good Jews love Christmas music; we follow the way of Irving Berlin aka Israel Isidore Beilin.
6) You know everything about this one. I like Sun City better. FYI, Bob Dylan's eyes are closed on the cover. Cyndi Lauper's hair is yellow and pumpkin-colored. Michael Jackson is wearing lace socks.
Posts
