[78-L] OFF SPEED RECORDINGS

[David Lennick]

Another word about records made at weird speeds (it was discussed on this 
forum, right?)..there are Guy Lombardo sides made in Chicago for Columbia that 
are a good 4% off. It was Jeff Healey who pointed this out to me years ago when 
we were working on a Lombardo project, and what he said matched up with the 
"correct key" situation for dance band recordings. "I Can't Do Without You" on 
Columbia 1395-D, at 78RPM, plays just slightly below A! No dance band would 
play in A. A flat, yes. B flat, yes (but that would mean going up more than 
5%). "I Love You Truly", from this same session, is also this far off speed, 
which must have caused some fancy dancing when it was played at weddings over 
the years. (The flip of 1395, Waitin' for Katy, only needs to go down 1.5% so 
they weren't too careful about running the cutting tables at specified speeds.)

dl