My parents were very keen on the idea that kids can learn a lot by listening, and kids absorb things
even if the listening is in the background to playing with toys. As a result, all of us had
phonographs as soon as we could use them, and there was a large communal pile of music and spoken
word records. Mercury Storytellers were particular favorites -- I never understood why Polygram
didn't reissue those in the digital era (maybe not politically correct enough?). There was also a
series of science-themed music records -- They Might Be Giants covered "The Sun Is A Mass Of
Irridescent Gas" from one of those albums. From Caedmon were a few kiddy records, I distinctly
remember the green labels (yeah, I was a record-collector geek in training even before I could
read!). I seem to recall that "Hard Tack", a song about a train engine, was on a Caedmon record
("There goes Hard Tack / he's a strong old engine" with a choo-choo beat behind it). There was also
something about Arthurian legends on a Caedmon album, I think. We didn't have any Dylan Thomas, at
least not any that I heard as a kid. I never heard "A Child's Christmas in Wales" until I did the
transfer project for Poets House.
I don't recall much group listening to the spoken word records, but they led me and my brothers into
listening to OTR broadcasts on WRVR-FM, particularly "The Lone Ranger," "The Shadow," and "The
Clock." Two of my brothers recently mentioned that they still listen to a lot of OTR as background
while they're in their workshops. We all enjoy audiobooks and podcasts. I very much enjoy listening
to BBC "Documentaries" podcasts while using the aerobic machines at the gym. The spoken-word content
make the time go quicker than does music.
Another childhood LP that got spun many times was the musical multiplication tables. To this day, if
I haven't done a particular multiplication for a while, my memory banks will hum with a melody like
"7 times 8 is [tap tap tap] 54." Sonic memory is an amazing thing, every parent should help their
kids learn it. Being tuned in to the world's sounds and being able to listen carefully and with
concentration is a tremendous tool for success in the world (it's also a basic survival tool).
-- Tom Fine
----- Original Message -----
From: "Lou Judson" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, January 16, 2015 1:35 PM
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Listening to Caedmon Records
>I had exactly one friend with whom I could share spoken word. We'd listen together occasionally,
>and talk about it if we heard things separately.
>
> Not very common, though. Usually solo experiences.
>
> <L>
> Lou Judson
> Intuitive Audio
> 415-883-2689
>
> On Jan 16, 2015, at 8:24 AM, Matthew Rubery wrote:
>
>> Did anyone out there listen to Caedmon’s records in the 1950s, 60s, or 70s?
>> If so, I’m curious to know how people actually listened to the spoken word
>> recordings. Did you sit around the record player in the living room? Did
>> you do other things while listening? Did you listen alone or in a group?
>> Any recollections would be very welcome.
>>
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Matt
>>
>> http://www.sed.qmul.ac.uk/staff/ruberym.html
>>
>
>
|