[78-L] Hit Parader record ads and '58 acoustical recorder ad

[Steven C. Barr]

see end...
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Michael Biel" <mbiel at mbiel.com>
>I got a bunch of fan magazines last week also several lyric magazines
> including some Hit Parader from the 50s.  There are ads for sets of
> cover records with three tracks per side, three records per set,
> available on both "Closer Grooved" 78s and 45.  One is from June 1954
> for Song Parade Co. of 318 Market St. Newark NJ.  They offer six sets,
> one of them for Hit Parade Songs by Dean Martin & Others, and another 18
> Collector's Songs by Snooky Lanson, Bill Lawrence, etc.  The ad also
> mentions Jeff Clark Formerly of the Lucky Strike Hit Parade, and Arlene
> James of NBC-TV and Ed Sullivan's Toast of the Town.  The Square Dance
> set is by Hap Williams and others.  The 18 Popular Latin Rhythm Mambo
> Songs is by Tito Puente, Tito Rodriguez, and Joe Loco.
> The November 1958 ad is for Best Values Co. 403 Market St Newark, and
> has the same line-up for the Square Dance and Collectors Songs sets, but
> all others are different.  What is striking is that they have a line of
> pictures of seven name stars with the headline "FREE 2 hit parade record
> songs by any of these stars with your order for hit parade records."
> The stars are Perry Como, Patti Page, Frankie Lane, Rosemary Clooney,
> Georgia Gibbs, Doris Day, and Elvis Presley.  When you look at the 24
> Hit Parade Songs set it says "24 HIT PARADE SONGS Plus Two Free By Any
> of the Stars Checked Making a Total of 26 for $2.98.  Here Are 24 of the
> 26 On Records."  Then they list 24 songs, and there is a checkoff of the
> stars on the coupon.  It seems to me that they have a stock of cut-outs
> by these performers and will throw one of them in the package!
> These ads do not list record numbers or even tell what the exact record
> label is, but the songs are listed.  They might help in Steve B's
> endeavor and scans of the ads are available to him or anyone else.  So
> these 78s continue thru 1958 at least.
> ALSO, ACOUSTICAL RECORDING also continued thru 1958!!!  There is an ad
> for a home recording kit that is "Not A Cheap Tape Recorder -- Makes
> Actual Records"  It is a kit with a horn and acoustical head with a
> cutter stylus and an attachment for a smaller grooved tracker disc to
> guide the head along the record.  I had seen kits like this advertised
> in the 30s and about 10 years ago someone told me that he remembered ads
> for them in the 50s, but this is the first time I had seen one.  Scans
> of this are also available.
>
First...I have NEVER seen a MT (multi-track) 78 on a "Hit Parade" label...or
anything similar! This MAY be because I have found for the most part 
Canadian
MT 78's (I have no way to acquire "junk" 78's in large lots from the US, 
while
I have meanwhile acquired at least 40 such records here in 
Canada!)...although
my preliminary "research" suggests that the Canadian 78's were pressed from
US masters (with one significant exception!).

Second...I have (IIRC) seen these "record yourself!" devices, in many cases,
suggesting that the users could "record" onto their own 78rpm phonorecords
(the ads don't make it clear whether the users could add their own "harmony"
tracks to their records...or whether they were supposed to use blank areas
on them...?!). I also own a couple of "recording blank" discs credited to
Plaza, which apparently came with similar devices back in the 1920's?
According to the sleeves, the users could record these on their own
acoustic players by simply singing/playing as loudly as possible into the
horn aperture of their machines?!

Third, it is interesting (and worth while) to observe that my interest and
posts about MT 78's seems to have generated some interest among 78-ellers?
This is (to my mind) the LAST unexplored area of 78rpm phonorecord
discography (with the possible exception of a theoretically-possible
complete discography of Henry Burr's recordings...?!)! Sadly, the
postage involved in mailing job lots of 78's makes it impossible for me
to offer to BUY these phonorecords...?!

Steven C. Barr