[78-L] Decca Specialty Series (DAU-x)

[David Lennick]

Michael Biel wrote:
> DL wrote:
>> The U in the prefix almost always indicates "unbreakable".
> 
> From: agp <agp2176 at verizon.net>
>> So -- I guess that means that DAU stands for D-ecca A-lbum U-nbreakable?
> 
> The A originally stood for "Automatic" sequence.  By the mid-40s many
> pop Decca albums did not have side numbers.  Although dramatic albums
> needed to be played in strict sequence and were numbered and were
> usually in auto sequence, pop albums of separate songs didn't need a
> strict sequence, so the D and DA prefixes were sometimes ambiguous on
> regular pop albums.  

I shall amend my statement about D and DA..some manual sequence albums such as 
the Ethel Merman Souvenir Album were still listed as "Decca Album 681" rather 
than A681, although Oklahoma! is in drop auto sequence and the labels read 
A359, early spines say Decca Album 359, and a later one says DA 359.

Now then, what the hell were manufacturers thinking when they pressed 45 albums 
(including some soundtracks) in manual sequence? Duh!

dl