Vinyl Record Lovers Newsletter

“Life’s a journey not a destination,” sings Aerosmith in “Amazing.”  So is the enjoyment of this hobby. This original Bobby Gentry Framed Album Cover Art shown here has been in my collection since new.

It’s so easy to just download the song or buy the CD for that matter. People’s senses have been dulled by the sheer volume and variables of mass music media.  Vinyl is like a back-to-basics experience.

As one collector put it; If it were socially acceptable and hygienic in the most foolproof manner, I'd lick records when I'm out hunting. There is nothing more exciting than going out to buy some wax.

Whether you have an idea of what you want or are just riding a wave of exploration as it comes, vinyl-hunting is one of the most exciting and personal activities music lovers have.     

Playing a vinyl record gets you more into the artist and the music. You place your record on the turntable and focus more intently on the album.

I truely believe some iPod or MP3 users couldn’t care less who or what they have in their players. This zombie-like indifference is what vinyl  addresses. Buying vinyl signifies a commitment, while the purchase of digital music can be done on a whim.

A chance to give high tech the finger!

The  12” x 12” album sleeve with the cover art, pictures, graphics, information sheet-liner notes, and other physical and visual elements is a very big plus. The album art immediately grabs your attention, the details, the inserts, the lyric sheet. More often than not, this is what attracts you into picking up a record you have no knowledge of and discover gems because of it.

Vinyl makes you understand that the musician took great pains to write and sequence the songs in the album. 

It allows you to experience and physically hold the end product of an artist or a band.  And you marvel at the creative process they go through to actually produce it.  The vinyl record somehow represents all that.

So go ahead and give high tech the finger.  Rescue some old vinyl and enjoy the engaging, personable experience that a record provides.  It’s a physical experience, comprised of buying it at the record store,  appreciating the design of the artwork, placing the album on your turntable and gently setting the needle against the record grooves. 

The Bobbie Gentry album shown above is dated 1970.  The art work and title song  "He made a woman out of me" was reason enough to purchase this album without first listening to what was inside.   

Opening Line: “Stuck at a red light outside an adult bookstore / He said, "Daddy, what are all those XXXs for"?

This song details a few parental nightmares, including explaining pornography and underage drinking to young children, making this song somewhat of a self-help guide for speechless moms and dads.

Opening line: from Let It Be sounds like counsel during a difficult time: “When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me…” Paul McCartney begins the 1970 Beatles standard with that reassuring vision, giving the track an immediate feeling of hopefulness. Let It Be became an international phenomenon (a #1 hit in the U.S.) and that soothing first line is embedded in pop music mythology.

Opening Line: In 1977, the Bee Gees started Stayin’ Alive with swagger-filled opening lines: “Well, you can tell by the way I use my walk, I’m a woman’s man, no time to talk.” That quick-witted intro, sung in falsetto by Barry Gibb, establishes the disco groove from the first moment. Stayin’ Alive reached the top of the charts around the globe and became the ultimate anthem from the disco era. That first assertive line still gets people walking.

Opening Line: “On a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hair.” These descriptive lyrics introduced the Eagles’ 1977 chart-topper Hotel California and did an excellent job setting the mood even before music started. Descriptive lyrics in that first line beckon listeners into the dark narrative of living in the fast lane contained in the song. Hotel California hit #1 and won many Grammys. Descriptive first lyrical line is still one of rock’s most recognizable.

I've always been fascinated with trains, especially train songs like "Mystery Train," "City of New Orleans," and "Orange Blossom Special." Maybe you grew up living near railroad tracks just as I did.

The tracks were about 150 yards from our house and served a purpose for the times.

Trains provided me and my buddies with entertainment as we would sit on the railroad tracks and watch the drive-in movies located, of course, close to the tracks. Sitting on the tracks atop a single car underpass provided us with a great view of the movies for free. A slow moving freight train provided transportation from near our house to the railroad switch yards about two miles away to meet friends.

As I got older the railroad tracks were my personal walking path to my girlfriend's house who actually lived closer to the train noise, separated only by a side street.

While many kids today sit at home and play with their Xbox, cell phones and computers, me and my buddies played sand lot baseball, and rode freight trains for fun.

Imagine the times...no drivers license, no cell phones, and no computers...but we had great friends to hang out with. Who said you couldn't have fun growing up in the 50s?  Read more train stories beginning with one of my favorites, City of New Orleans with more links at the bottom of that page. (opens in new window)