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Songbooks and RECORDS to avoid hijacking another thread!


Johnt

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Gilliangirl said

 

The oldest guitar book I have is from 1965, 4400 Chords, with songs arranged by Roy Smeck! And, I have a 1971 Jim Croce songbook.... that's probably my second oldest one.

 

That got me thinking and to avoid taking over music thread I thought I'd start this ( Porbably a bad idea)

 

Don't have too many songbooks, hampered by the fact I can't read but if you're talking records the oldest ones I have which were bought by me or for me at the time are

 

The Best of the Weavers 1960 ( Ok I was 10 then and my "aunt" was in to the "bohemian" set folk music, skiffle , coffee bars.

 

Tracks, most of which are stunningly familiar!

 

Goodnight Irene

Kisses sweeter than wine

So long

Old paint

A-round the corner

Wimoweh

On top of Old Smoky

The wreck of the John B.

Midnight special

The roving kind

Lonesome traveller

When the saints go marching in.

 

Oh the 2nd record was a single The Girl of my Best Friend Elvis same yeaR 1960.

 

So I was 10, I owned two records but had to wait 3 tears before mty parents bought a "Stereogram" to play them on!

 

Memories eh?

 

What were your first records ( don't cheat and Google Edith Piaf etc)

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In 1964 when I was four I remember the record player blaring almost constantly with the new Beatles album, "Meet the Beatles".

 

The next year I was given a stack of 45s and used to sit on our open porch and play them. I couldn't read but I remembered them by the labels... or at least could narrow it down. My favorite was "Java" by Al Hirt. One day I left them out in the sun and when my mother and I got home I found them all warped. Trauma. major trauma.

 

Later that year I bought the Barbarians' "Are you a boy or are you a Girl?" on 45, I think on Laurie records (I still have it somewhere). I took it to kindergarten and they let me play it on the class record player. My teacher asked who's record it was and I replied it was mine. "You mean it's your father's?" "Uh, no, it's MINE".

 

I do have a direct drive turntable in my stereo but almost never use it (ipod nowadays ya know....) but I still have the old mahogany cased record player with the flocking on the platter and the 2 pound tonearm, but it quit working a long time ago. I do use my wife's little portable record player from the late 60s still. I set it on the workbench and play some of my 78s while I'm puttering. Last week I dug out an old Weavers live album from '55 and played it ad nauseum.

 

I don't think I ever had many song books. When I was 9 I bought the album "How to play the plectrum banjo, Vol 2 advanced" by Eddie Peabody for 50 cents in the Woolworth's bin and it had some printed matter inside. It got tossed or garage saled years later. I've been looking for that cursed album on ebay for two weeks now.

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My first record was a John Denver album. Not sure which. He has a floweredy shirt on.

 

My Name is TommyK and I am..... a vinyl junkie! :D

 

I've finally got enough vinyl in the house my wife doesn't know when I buy a couple

new ones. Usually at a buck or less apiece. O:) Now if I can just apply that to

guit tars.

 

I even have, I shudder to admit, Bobby Goldsboro, "Watchin' Scotty Grow."

 

Somebody got some insulin I kin borrw?

 

Actually I got the Bobby G. just so I can say I have it. I've got lots of Chet Atkins,

Roy Clark, and ran into a gaggle of Gordon Lightfoot albums on a garage sale.

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Great thread! My first record was The Teddy Bear's Picnic (my parents bought it), but immediately following that was that Peter, Paul and Mary album that I wish I could find on CD. I still have my original I Want To Hold Your Hand record (in 45 r.p.m.)! We had lots of records around the house, including 78's and even a 16 (I think). Had a few Bill Monroe 78's that I wish I still had. They were so brittle tho'..... one slippery hand and it was all over.

 

I used to have a series of songbooks called Peaceful Easy Feeling, but I can't find them anymore. Still have old songbooks from the 70's, including Jim Croce, Cat Stevens, Elton John, CSNY, America, John Denver. I love the fact that they've got doodling and coffee stains all over them.

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The books that I have which I treasure are

 

A Tim Hardin (it lost it's cover years ago but printed in 68) with two of my favourite songs

Lady came from Baltimore and Hang on to a Dream

 

EDIT make that THREE forgotten "Black sheep Boy"

EDIT and "You upset the grace of living when you lie"

 

Oh hang it the whole things groovy (<<<<dates me LOL)

 

(Stupid sentimental Pisces that I am)

 

and of course the one everyone's got The Songs of Leonard Cohen

 

That and the Sweet Baby James book (signed by the man)

 

Br

 

John

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Well... if we're goin' back that far, my folks had bought for my self and siblings

a children's LP with kids songs, "Boom boom, ain't it great to be crazy" and

one whose chorus goes something like, "Well Aswan, I much be gettin' on,

Giddyap Napoleon it look slike rain, well I'll be swithced the hay ain't pitched so

come down to the farm again some fine day..."

My sisters and I plum wore out our sound track to Walt Disney's "Jungle Book".

Not just the songs mind you, but a recording of the entire movie! Played them

on one of those make-up case sized record players. Brown alligator skin

cover if my memory serves me. Dad got it for us kids to use so we didn't break his

AM/FM/Turntalble stereo coffin. Remember those? I had an opportunity to get one

of those for free once complete with storage compartment for at least two dozen of

your favorite, most played LPs. but couldn't figure out where to put the darned thing.

They have a bi-i-i-g foot print!

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The oldest 'Book' I have is "Bluegrass Complete". Has all 100 bluegrass songs. Must

be all there are because the book says 'Complete'. Even has several pages devoted

to banjo chord shapes. Best part is the pictures of Bluegrass musicians from Big Mon

to The Earl Scruggs Review. Even shows a close up of Bill Monroe playin' his F-5 with

headstock scroll missing (he dropped it) and the scratch marks where "Gibson" once

resided. Apparently, he got so mad at Gibson once he took out his pocket knife and

carved "Gibson" right offn' the head stock. I understand Ol' Bill had a short fuse.

 

I'm guessing I acquired it new in 1977 or so.

 

The book was hard to play out of as it was paperback bound and wouldn't stay open,

so I neatly tore out all the pages, 3 hole punched them all, including back and front

covers and put it into a binder. I'll never part with it.

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I had a couple of records when I was 7, but the first album I actually requested myself was my Gordon Lightfoot double album from K-Tel that had to be ordered over the phone in 1970.

 

My dad's new girlfriend got it for me and I can play every song on it. He is still with her, and I understand.

 

My favourite songbooks are:

 

Rise up Singing (has Goodnight Irene in it too!!)

Complete Guitar Player Songbook, Omnibus Edition

New York Times Songs of the 70s

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The Teddy's Bear's Picnic????? Do tell.

When I was in 1st or 2nd grade there was a radio show on Saturday mornings called "Big John and Sparky" and that was the show's theme song. " Don't go down in the woods tonight' date=' you're in for a big surprise................[/size']......"

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Not counting a couple of Mel Bay books on learning how to actually play, my first song book was the property of the town library. "The Folk Song of North America" by Alan Lomax. For a couple of years, I must have checked that book out a hundred times. Hadn't even thought of it until a year or so ago when my wife informed me you can find old books on the internet! So, now, after 40+ years, I finally own a copy. First book I actually bought was for $3.95 - Joan Baez Songbook. Then 3 Peter Paul & Mary album songbooks. All of which my mother saved! I guess if I'd had a choice though, I'd rather she tossed PP&M and saved my old baseball cards!

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In 1984 or so there was a documentary about teenage runaways in the Seattle area called "Streetwise". Pretty disturbing on many levels. One scene showed this odd street performer named (I think) Baby Gramps. He was a straggly looking old dude that could have passed for the caricature of an old gold miner. He was playing on an old National or Regal steel bodied resonator guitar and he sang a version of "Teddy Bear's Picnic" in a Popeye type voice.

 

Excellent stuff.

 

And yet Michael Bolton sells records.

 

There is no justice.

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In 1984 or so there was a documentary about teenage runaways in the Seattle area called "Streetwise". Pretty disturbing on many levels. One scene showed this odd street performer named (I think) Baby Gramps. He was a straggly looking old dude that could have passed for the caricature of an old gold miner. He was playing on an old National or Regal steel bodied resonator guitar and he sang a version of "Teddy Bear's Picnic" in a Popeye type voice.

 

Ask and you shall receive, my iconic mainiac...http://www.babygramps.com/links.htm

 

I actually played with Gramps for awhile in the late 70's. We'd do a few streetcorners and then bust into a bar for an impromptu set. He was a 'little' hard to pin down back then, and refused to be taped or practice. But he had the coolest settup- an old windup victrola and a huge collection of 78s-- where all his material used to come from. Also a wonderful model train room- but ol Hoss is digressing again.....

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When I was in 1st or 2nd grade there was a radio show on Saturday mornings called "Big John and Sparky" and that was the show's theme song. " Don't go down in the woods tonight' date=' you're in for a big surprise................[/size']......"

Big John and Sparky! That brings back memories of the early Fifties. My parents had a subscription to a children's record of the month for me. First record was "Tubby the Tuba" followed by "Slow Joe and Peppermint Ice Cream". There was also a selection called Songs of the Old Chisholm Trail. Two years ago, my wife threw out my record collection from the 60's - Judy Collins, Dave Van Ronk, YardBirds, Beatles, Rolling Stones, Led Zep, Jefferson Airplane, etc. Couldn't fault her because we threw out the record player two years before that. LOL

 

Les

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When I was in 1st or 2nd grade there was a radio show on Saturday mornings called "Big John and Sparky" and that was the show's theme song. " Don't go down in the woods tonight' date=' you're in for a big surprise......"[/quote']

 

One of the bands that performs regularly at an acoustic open mic that I attend does "Teddy Bears' Picnic" every once in awhile (which is a little weird, given that they're basically a bluegrass band and they do not play this one a la bluegrass). They always introduce it as the theme from "Big John and Sparky", which seems to mean nothing to about 98% of the audience.

 

-- Bob R

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One of the bands that performs regularly at an acoustic open mic that I attend does "Teddy Bears' Picnic" every once in awhile (which is a little weird' date=' given that they're basically a bluegrass band and they do not play this one [i']a la bluegrass). They always introduce it as the theme from "Big John and Sparky", which seems to mean nothing to about 98% of the audience.

 

-- Bob R

 

That's great, Bob! I fend off alzheimers once again!! lol

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Amen fortyyearspicking! All my baseball cards were from the '50's and I had MANY Micky Mantle cards!!

Mother: We cleaned the attic but we don't remember throwing out those cards. Weren't they in shoe boxes"

That was 20 years ago and I still can't find them .

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