[78-L] Tops Record, is this an LP 78?

[Steven C. Barr]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jim Whipkey" <suuford at msn.com>
> While  sorting  and  trying to figure out what all I have on this  dreary
> Saturday morning, came across a record I do not recall ever  playing. 
> It's
> a TOPS record, a 78, with 3 songs on each side.  The selections are
> Christmas songs.   Hope someone can give me some info on it.  The  label
> says 78rpm RX1012, vocal & Orch, 6 hits on each record. Only 
> identification
> of artists is TOPS orchestra and choristers.  The selections are:  Jingle
> Bells, Santa Claus is Flying through the Sky, The first Noel, O Little 
> Town
> of Bethlehem, Away In A Manger and Good King Wenceslaus.  It's a 10 inch,
> grooves separate the  3 selections on each side.  It would seem to be a 
> full
> orchestra and  several singers,  male and female.  Each song is about 2 
> and
> 1/2 minutes long,  don't recall  ever getting this much music off one side
> of a  10 inch 78.   I  recall some  conversation some time ago about  such
> records, but  don't remember  much about it.
>
This is (was) an example of a fairly common phenomenon...the "Multi-Track"
78rpm phonorecord! From some point in the early fifties until the demise of
78rpm as a record speed, these discs were issued...and, to me, this is one 
of
the great unexplored areas of 78rpm discography! I buy these when given
the chance (for CHEAP!), and what I would like to do is aurally compare
differently-credited examples of the same tune. I have already established
that the individual tracks, rather than the sides, were recorded; however,
we STILL know SFA about the when/where/whom of these tracks...!!

...stevenc