On our little excursion Saturday, we stopped at the used record shop and the bookshop. Since I’ve written several posts about how much I love records and books, you will immediately realize how happy that made me.
At the bookshop, I found this:
I remembered hearing about this book. It’s absolutely charming. Bob Eckstein is a cartoonist for the New Yorker. I’ll quote from the back of the book: “Bob Eckstein has gathered the greatest untold stories from seventy-five of the world’s most renowned bookstores (both past and present) and paired them with evocative color illustrations of each shop.”
Right after my love for books, especially novels, comes my love for books about books and books about bookstores.
A glimpse inside:
I’ve read this profile, but only this one, as I’m looking forward to sitting down with a cup of hot chocolate and this lovely book in the not-too-distant future.
Also:
I bought this – a book that’s been on my radar for a while. While I was chatting with the young women about the March and about books, I noticed that one of the women was holding this. Ah, I thought, a message that it’s time to buy it. It’s only about $7 or so and a quick read.
In my favorite record shop, a shop that is meticulous about documenting the condition of the records they sell, I found an album of music by Ravel that was in near mint condition and an album by Pat Metheny – Still Life (Talking) – that includes my all-time favorite by him; Last Train Home. Now, I have it on CD and on my playlist, but records sound different. In my humble opinion, they sound better, much more live, much richer. So I grabbed it. And then, when I got home, I played Last Train Home for Don. I’d played it for him before but this time, for some reason, he really got it. And then he made me play it for him about seven times.
I’ve won him over.
But the best, the best is this:
Eeeek!
You are entitled to a little back story. When I was 12 and The Beatles made their radio debut here in the States, I, like every other young girl I knew, went nuts. I distinctly remember listening to them on the big radio in our living room and thinking that I had never, never heard anything like that sound coming from the speaker before. (I’ve had this feeling a few times in my life. That’s another post.) The sound of their voices, their harmonies, the guitars – all of it – was strange and wondrous and I was immediately and completely entranced.
We didn’t have much money when I was a girl, but somehow, whether it was from my parents or from babysitting, I managed to come up with the money to buy this 45. What was the cost in those days? Maybe a dollar?
It had the exact same cover and I held onto it for years. But, as with many things I loved, when I moved on to college and then life on my own, my mother got rid of it in some cleaning frenzy. (Let’s not talk about my Tiny Tears doll with clothes handmade by my grandmother – I can’t even go there. Or my piano, passed down through the family, that she was about to give away until my aunt stepped in to save it.)
I never saw that 45 again. I cannot tell you how many times I have thought of it – remembering every detail on that record jacket – and mourned its loss.
And there it was. In VG+ condition (very good +) and, yes, $20. I looked at Don. I had to have it. So I bought it and I came home and put the 45 adaptor on the turntable and, oh my heavens, it’s in perfect condition! No skips, no scratches.
Interestingly, Mr. Beatles Fan, otherwise known as my husband, had no desire to acquire it for himself. I was the one who wanted it.
But he sure liked hearing it!
Side note (from Don): This cover has Paul holding a cigarette. Eventually, in some later printing, the cigarette was excised from the photo. I don’t remember whether the record I had years ago included the cigarette. But this one does! I sort of love that.
Oh, Paul. What a crush I had on you! I so wanted to see the Beatles in concert when I was young, but again, not enough money to do that. And I’m sure the tickets sold out in a flash.
But now, years later, we have a good friend who plays in Paul’s band and tours with him all over the world and we got to see Paul at CitiField a few years back, with a VIP pass and comp seats in the sixth row. That was a night we will never forget!
Happy Monday.
Oh,…The Beatles!! Love The Beatles! I was 13 when I first heard them….do you remember the Ed Sullivan show? I was smiling and moving during that broadcast…and my dad was just shaking his head, saying ‘that’s not music’! He was a traveling big band musician before he married my mom, and didn’t think this would amount to anything. Lol! I have their first album….it will never leave my possession! What I wouldn’t give to see Paul in concert….I had a big time crush on him, too. Along with a couple million other girls I’m sure! ;)
I remember watching Ed Sullivan that night. Vivid in my memory!
Seems like it was just yesterday, doesn’t it? ;)
It does.
Great finds, Claudia, especially the records. I have lots of records, mine and my husband’s. I have to make a point of listening to them. I’m glad records have made a comeback. There’s nothing like being able to carry one’s music library in a small device but there’s also nothing like putting on a record.
I love the ritual of it – turning it on, putting the needle on the record, all of it!
Oh, I know what you mean…taking the record carefully out of its cardboard sleeve, then out of the paper sleeve (oops, that dates me…), only holding it by the edges and setting it on the spindle. The anticipation…yes, all of it!
Absolutely!
Claudia,
My sister just sent me that wonderful book about bookstores! I enjoyed seeing how many I’ve been to and dreaming of visiting all the remaining stores!
I had that exact record sleeve on my bulletin board. My father said the same thing as we all watched The Ed Sullivan Show.
I loved yesterday’s post, by the way. I would love to have such wonderful, conscientious businesses near me!
Thanks for such inspiration!
Mary
You are very welcome, Mary!
I remember the night the Beatles were on ES. I remember it was hard to hear them because of the screaming from the audience. Oh, memories!!
What wonderful finds! We have some sunshine this morning which makes me quite happy! Hope you have a marvelous Monday!!
Cloudy here, Chris. Maybe sunshine is on the way?
I lost all my Beatles albums in a move many years ago and I still mourn their loss. I watched the Ed Sullivan Show with my girlfriends and we screamed and cried, I think my Dad thought we were crazy. It was fun. I was lucky enough to see them perform at the Hollywood Bowl in August 1964 (I was 14). It was amazing. I had such a crush on them all (Paul of course) in my group of friends we all choose our favorite and someone else choose Paul so I always choose John. How funny to think about those things all these many years later. Love the little trip now memory lane!
Good for you! How cool to see them at the Hollywood Bowl! Do you remember it to this day?
Oh yes the memories are very clear! The Righteous Brothers were their opening act and I remember loving them! So much screaming, it was crazy but the acoustics at the Hollywood Bowl was amazing. I screamed when they came out then stopped and listened to them. Danced and loved it. A really special memory!
Oh, I loved the Righteous Brothers! You are so lucky to have seen them when they were such a phenomenon!
Book on bookstores looks charming. <3
I agree records are much better sounding than books, so we must be right. :D
I was not the only girl who fund no value in the new sound from the Beatles. ;) Loving waltzes, operettas and sonatas, as I did, I took a long time to find anything but noise in their music. I went for Ringo. My sister went for George. How different we all can be! :)
XO
Well, I’ve always had eclectic tastes, so I loved classical music, musical comedy, Gilbert & Sullivan, folk, and pop (at that time). Somehow I found room for it under my music umbrella. I love that we all have different stories about music and what we love and what we’ve come to love. xo
Me, too. I am less of a music snob, I think. :)
xo
Oh, that book about the bookstores looks wonderful! I might have to look for that myself. Reminds me a little of “Kramer’s” coffee table book! Haha. I didn’t start to buy/collect records myself until my senior year in HS when I began to have a regular albeit meager income. And I never had a massive collection of LPs, so it was relatively easy to swap out LPS for CDs when they came along. And of course now I love iTunes. Best Apple idea ever. If I had to choose only 1 Steve Jobs innovation to retain it would be iPods & iTunes. So great to be able to carry ALL my music around with me so easily. I have nearly every LP or CD I ever bought transferred to my iPod plus 100s of new things downloaded from iTunes. Even comedy albums and 100s of beautiful pieces from the movies. I’m a mad fiend for movie soundtracks & it’s possible to get music from many movies on iTunes, even those who did not have a separate soundtrack recording made, because a lot of great orchestras record soundtrack music. This year I got the main & end title pieces from “The Bishop’s Wife” for my iPod – recorded by the City of Prague Philharmonic. And those guys, by the way, are AWESOME! Highly recommend them to anyone who likes soundtrack music – they’ve recorded a ton of it!
Peace. #Resist
I like iTunes, conditionally. It has changed the music industry and now artists get very little money from their albums. So, I like it, yes, but I don’t like what it has done to artists who now have to really struggle to get any sort of income from their work. The only money they can really earn nowadays is from touring. And that’s everyone, from the most popular artists to independent musicians.
Great for convenience. A double-edged sword for artists. xo
Oh, I didn’t know that. That’s curious. Do you know WHY that is, Claudia? Why & how iTunes made such a big change in the financial side of things? Are radio stations not as involved as they used to be or something like that? I know in the old days it was the DJs that often determined the hits – if they liked it, it was played – and therefore kids bought it. Of course maybe people SHOULD have to get out there and tour their music – working every day like everyone has to, I guess. Not just record an album and then wait for the $ to come in if it’s a hit?
Albums were always conceived with a theme, if you will, and now that listeners can pick one track and download it, the vision that the artist had is often lost. iTunes has led to streaming, which gives almost no money to the artist. Radio stations are definitely not as involved. Young people, especially, can cherry pick what they want to listen to, and often will find a way to stream music without ever paying for it. Music artists, just like playwrights, writers and visual artists, spend months, even years, writing music, fine-tuning it, raising the money to hire a producer, a recording studio, pay to have CDs made (or vinyl) and once that happens, the tracks also go on iTunes. I’ve seen what Don earns from an iTune sale of one track. Next to nothing – really, just cents. Therefore, I have to disagree with you about recording an album and waiting for the money to come. That’s not what happens. It’s a much more involved and prolonged process than that. There are also very few hit albums nowadays because they aren’t necessarily known by the public as an ‘album.’ That’s why Garth Brooks did a deal with Walmart or Target (can’t remember which) to sell his albums. And he is hugely popular. If you google it, you’ll find lots of discussions and interviews with major artists saying that they have to keep on touring (which is exhausting) because that’s the only way to earn any income nowadays.
I certainly use iTunes and I love my playlists, but a lot, not all, of the music on my playlist is from my CDs – that I paid for, hopefully giving some money to the artist! Not to paint myself as someone above it all, either, because I have certainly bought individual songs! xoxo
Oh, that does change things. Thanks for replying. Knowing more info always helps when trying to judge a situation. Maybe artists will taper off on recording albums in the future? Doesn’t sound like it’s worth their time to put so much effort into something that doesn’t gain them much in the end. Also sounds like this relatively-recent ability we now have – to cherry pick what we want and ignore the rest – is turning out to be not so great after all. Certainly hasn’t been for politics, that’s for sure. I know one thing for sure – I’ve discovered some of the beautiful music in the world by listening to WHOLE albums. Surprisingly little jewels of song “hidden” on hit albums. Seems like a big shame to have that go away…
I agree – listening to the whole album, even if you really only bought it for one or two songs – often results in new favorites. xo
I’ve never heard of Pat Metheny, so I googled and youtubed him and found lovely new music for me to listen to. One I’m playing over and over is his Beatles: And I Love Her. Wow…
I can tell this is going to lead me on a ‘long and winding road’ to discovering new music today, while knitting of course.
Thanks for the recommendation!
Kate, look for his version (acoustic guitar only) of Cherish. It’s simply gorgeous.
You’re most welcome! Enjoy your knitting!
Love your new book about bookstores; they are a very special world of their own. So many I have loved over the years and for some reason you always remember the general feeling and atmosphere of each. When I was a teenager in the fifties, it was a Saturday ritual to go to the music store and purchase a 45. There were little glass booths where you could try the records; I think they were about 45cents (less than 50 cents for sure) for a 45. I didn’t have a record player, but my best friend did. I still remember a favorite 45 record she bought. It was Tennessee Ernie Ford’s Sixteen Tons! We played it so many times it’s a wonder there were any grooves left! ..Have always definitely preferred records to CDs; but CDs work for us in the car. When we first got CDs, I always complained they had no soul. Many hours of enjoyment ahead for you…….Dianne
Loved Sixteen Tons! What a great voice Tennessee Ernie Ford had!
Yes, we use CDs in the car, too. Perfect for long trips. When my dad passed his car on to me, he gave me a bag of CDs that he always played. I still keep them in the trunk. Because they were his.
I love visiting you. Thank you!
You’re welcome, Anita!
I had that same Beatles 45 and a Beatles notebook. I gave the 45 and my pet turtle to my cousin who lived in another state and lived on a farm. I don’t know what happened to any of them except my cousin. I do wonder. I am so glad you found that record.
I am, too. Thanks, Beverly!
All of my Beatles souveniers, including their autographs, were lost to a flood in the basement of my parents’ house back in the late 60’s. As you know, I had the dream come true of meeting them when they played in Boston in August of ’66. Oh my gosh, I will have to share that story on my blog some time. It was 50 years this past August since I met them – HOW is that possible??? LOL Thanks for the trip down Memory Lane, Claudia!
Oh, to lose all that in a flood! Terrible!
I can’t believe it’s been 50 years, Donna. Oh my goodness!
Exciting new books! I have that bookstore book – I bought it when it first came out. Charming, for sure. The Beatles book looks really cool – enjoy!
Thanks, Melanie!
Congratulations on your finds! Some of my Beatles albums ended up with my sister who WILL NOT give them back (but I still love her!). My dream is to write a symphony and have Sir Paul help me with the orchestration. I have part of it in my head, and the theme . (My husband thinks I’m crazy!). How many dreams did I (we?) have about marrying Paul?? LOL. I jokingly call my youngest daughter Paul’s daughter to my one special girlfriend! HAHA!!
What do we have if not dreams and laughter?!
Exactly! We have to have both. Oh, I certainly dreamed of marrying Paul and I was very upset when he married Linda!
I had the same 45 record once upon a time! Do you remember when the Beatles were on the Ed Sullivan Show? I remember sitting on the floor and screaming while my Dad just laughed at me. Most of my records were 45s because that was all I could afford. I joined the Beatles Fan Club and received a set of 4 punch out cardboard pictures of them & every night before bed I would take Paul’s picture down and kiss him–he was my favorite!
Oh, those were the days when we kissed pictures! Love that. I absolutely remember when they were on the Ed Sullivan show. I think they made two appearances!
I was a teenager in England in the 60’s Claudia and I got to see the Beatles in concert at our local cinema/concert hall before they became mega famous. I remember it so well, especially all the screaming! It was a very small venue and I can even remember where I was sitting – on the same side as Paul was standing on stage. He was my favourite. My daughter says John would have been her favourite. I appreciated John more as I got older. The Beatles are still played at weddings and parties here and they always get everyone on their feet and singing still 50+ years on. Special indeed.
How neat, Valerie! Lucky you! I, too, appreciated John the older I got. Paul was the obvious cutie when we were young.