That is Bill and Betty! (Newlyweds) The recording I have is 1 week before
they get wed! Sorry, but I have to laugh out loud! We rarely get this
material in our archive and so this is enligthening and definitely one of
the better finds to make me smile! I will need to also think of an
appropriate way to put them in the database!

What I really want to know is who was that phantom donor? Was he the pakeha
interviewer in the historical recordings where he is interviewing a 100 year
old Maori, including a Maori translator? I love mysteries! Will keep you
posted.

Thanks for all the great replies!

Cheers
Marie

On Wed, Oct 21, 2009 at 5:57 PM, Ian Nagoski <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> In addition, there's a pretty extensive YouTube channel of this
> material: http://www.youtube.com/user/PartyRecords#p/u/1/pGSzdPrIwxM
>
> On Tue, Oct 20, 2009 at 11:55 PM, Jack Theakston
> <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> > I've no idea who Bill and Betty were, but these records were quite common
> and popular before the 1960s. They were essentially "under the table"
> records that were considered smut at the time, so you had to know someone or
> some place that would sell them.
> >
> > The Arkansas bit, by the way, is an old burlesque routine and was
> undoubtedly recorded many times by this underground form of entertainment.
> My guess is that Bill and Betty were a burlesque/party/convention circuit
> couple that did these jokes regularly.
> >
> > J. Theakston
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ________________________________
> > From: Marie O'Connell <[log in to unmask]>
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Sent: Tue, October 20, 2009 8:08:34 PM
> > Subject: [ARSCLIST] Subversive recordings
> >
> > I recently preserved two sound mirror paper analogue tapes that were
> > accessioned into our collection a short while ago. The main audio of
> > historical interest has been recorded over in parts and this is where I
> need
> > your help.
> >
> > There is a series of about six 78rpm recordings that have been put on to
> > these tapes. This is obvious due to the distinctive clicks and pops and
> > surface noise combined with this old paper tape stock. One recording
> > features Bill and Betty who are soon to be married.........it goes on
> from
> > there! They have American accents and I would place the date at being
> > around the early 1950's, but that is hard to pinpoint as there is no
> > documentation at all. I would describe this as an example of early
> > pornography.
> >
> > Another example is about changing the name of Arkansas. It features a
> male
> > voice with an American accent. The language used is colourful and would
> > probably still not be able to be played over the airwaves today.
> >
> > And yet another recording features a male and female, with American
> accents
> > (they do sound like Bill and Betty!) and it is full of innuendos and very
> > suggestive lines. Some of the language in the remainder of the examples
> > includes words which would not be suitable for public broadcast.
> >
> > Would any of you have any ideas about these recordings, where and how
> they
> > were made (eg. blackmarket, back alley studio), where they were sold,
> etc.
> > It is not that difficult to figure out who would buy them! Is anyone
> > familiar with 78 recordings such as these?
> >
> > Cheers
> > Marie
> >
>