As a young chap of three or four, I often carried with me a large black suitcase to many of my destinations. To my Grandma and Grandpa’s house, for instance. I went over there to be babysat a lot and trailing behind me was always the black suitcase. Also my bedroom, our family room, living room, and kitchen on Echo Hill would all be graced with the presence of the black suitcase.
Actually it wasn’t really a suitcase at all, but a portable record player. It was carried like a suitcase, but when you unfastened the clasp on top of it, it would open into a turntable. Attached to the sides were removable speakers.
It is really no surprise that I have a tremendous love and appreciation for nearly all types of music today. I believe this is a direct result of the wide variety of 45rpm records that I would listen to over and over again as a tot. Most of these came from the collection of my Mom and Dad, but as I got older, I would add some to the stack of tracks as well.
My Mom, Dad, Grandparents, and aunt Darlene (who lived with my Grandparents) came to know these songs, too. As the needle scratched its way through the single groove on each of these pieces of wax, the songs burrowed themselves into my brain. On my dying day, I’ll probably still be humming them. I am so familar with these records that even my fascination with the record labels themselves is etched in my mind.
For many years, I made it my life’s goal to locate copies of all of these songs in CD-quality versions and with very few exceptions, I have succeeded. If you’d like me to burn you a copy of them, let me know.
The nucleus of my record collection were these (in order of favorite to least favorite, although all were favorites):
Little Arrows b/w Time Will Tell by Leapy Lee.
Chewy Chewy b/w Firebird by Ohio Express
What the World Needs Now Is Love by Tom Clay
San Franciscan Nights by Eric Burdon and the Animals
Patches by Clarence Carter
I Know a Place by Betty York
These Boots are Made For Walkin’ b/w The City Never Sleeps at Night by Nancy Sinatra
Gypsies, Tramps, and Thieves by Cher
The Streak by Ray Stevens
Billy, Don’t Be a Hero b/w Deeper and Deeper by Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods
What It Was Was Football by Andy Griffith
Eight Days a Week b/w I Dont’ Want to Spoil the Party by the Beatles
Hooked on a Feeling by Blue Swede
25 or 6 to 4 by Chicago
Spinning Wheel by Blood, Sweat, and Tears
Born to Be Wild by Steppenwolf
and Honorable Mention: Maxwell’s Silver Hammer by the Beatles. Although I didn’t have this on 45rpm, I listened to it a great deal off my Dad’s Abbey Road album.
Out of all of these songs, the only ones I have been unable to find are Time Will Tell, I Know a Place (this particular version anyway), and Deeper and Deeper.
In the photo above, you can see me surrounded by these magical 45rpm records and record player, as well as other technological gadgets including a box of ViewMaster slides and a mini reel-to-reel tape player. And for some reason, a flashlight.
More from 1975 later…
I’m not quite sure what you mean by “mini” tape player but this is the tape recorder that I got for Christmas in 1962. It would record/play the full size 7 inch reels.
Dad
December 26th, 2006
Did I have a smaller one that only played smaller reels at one time or am I remembering incorrectly?
Brad
December 26th, 2006
I think you might have had a portable that used 3 inch reels or cassettes, I can’t remember for sure.
Dad
December 26th, 2006