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

[Robert M. Bratcher Jr.]

At 11:47 PM 11/8/2008, you wrote:
>----- 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

I didn't know that Tops has records with 3 songs per side. The only 
one I've got is Tops 4 hits On Each Record meaning 2 songs per 78 
side. The Bible Tells Me So, He, The Shifting Whispering Sands & I 
don't remember the 4th tune nor who the singers were.