[78-L] Swing Classics

[J. E. Knox]

Greetings from FixitLand!

agp wrote:

> Indeed -- Boogie Woogie backed with Opus 1 on a 45 was one of the
> first records of my childhood (born in 57). When I was old enough t o
> manipulate the record player on my own, I played those suckers over
> and over wearing then out. My 78 rpm versions have proved to be much
> more durable!

Dig it. That sounds like it might have been one of the Gold Standard  
Series 45s (447-0xxx)...? Or perhaps it was a Collectors' Series  
(27-0xxx) with the silver-white label?

Funny thing about the song we know as "Opus One" -- the original  
title on Victor 20-1608-B is "Opus No. 1," but the lyric written  
later for it uses "Opus One." And it's hard to think of a more worthy  
title to be accorded Swing Classic status -- but it wasn't.

You're only two years younger than me. One of my first records was  
RCA Victor EPA-5033, an Artie Shaw EP including "Star Dust," "Dancing  
In The Dark," "Begin The Beguine" and "Temptation." It was sleeveless  
and pretty well shot. I played it to death, have replaced it since  
(and, of course, now have all the original 78s). I don't believe any  
of those four titles ever came out as Swing Classics.

Take care,


Joe
--
"There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and  
cats."--Albert Schweitzer