The Listening Booth

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Yet again, the excellent Timehop has reminded me of the anniversary of a post. As over half of you weren’t following my blog this time last year you probably won’t have seen this ‘masterpiece’ before. Don’t worry, I don’t really think that! But it is a nice little piece of nostalgia, which I think many will relate to – the way we listen to music has changed so much during my lifetime.

A small footnote to the original post: subsequent research has shown me that Eve Of Destruction didn’t actually reach number one in the UK. Funny how our memories play little tricks on us, isn’t it?

Take It Easy

Looking back over how our lives have altered since the long gone days of youth, one of the things that has changed a huge amount is how we consume music. I’ll admit to having a subscription to Apple Music, as it is just so easy and convenient, but I do miss the joy of a proper record shop.

I first started getting into music in the early 1960s, just before the Beatles rewrote everything. I can remember the days of listening at lunchtime to the old BBC Light Programme, I think it was called Workers Playtime. My sister and I used to keep our fingers crossed that the one pop song in an hour long show was one that we liked. Then came Radio Luxembourg and the pirate stations, which I used to listen to on a little transistor radio – remember them? – until the then Labour Government…

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21 thoughts on “The Listening Booth”

      • I tend to prefer listening to popular music before I was born – the 40s! I had 45s and albums when I was a teen, of course, but once I got to college my budget was limited and, as a theatre major, dedicated to Broadway soundtracks primarily.

        Carting a record collection around from move to move is a memory I’m not fond of recalling – especially since they all disappeared during one particular move – including a practically pristine collection of all of the Beatles’ albums (which I’d sell in a heartbeat today). 😦

        Had I a crystal ball to warn me of what was coming, I’d never have moved them even a single time.

        Some libraries still have listening booths, btw – at least I HOPE they remain. There were several in NYC during the decades I lived there.

        Thanks for the memories.
        xx,
        mgh
        (Madelyn Griffith-Haynie – ADDandSoMuchMORE dot com)
        ADD/EFD Coach Training Field founder; ADD Coaching co-founder
        “It takes a village to educate a world!”

        Liked by 1 person

      • Sorry, that’s too far back for me and I’ve never been a fan of theatre music! But whatever our choices, music and the way we listen to it has so much meaning for our lives, doesn’t it? I’ve not been to a library for many years – none round here offered the facility back then, and I doubt they will now after funding cutbacks. Sell your Beatles albums? How could you! Thanks for reading 😊

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      • Right now the money would make a bigger difference to my life than the albums (if I still had them) – that’s how. 🙂 And I”d bet they’d fetch a pretty penny today.

        I go crazy for big band, “girl singers” and some of the early jazz (beyond dixieland), but I think theatre music is a lot like football – appreciated most by those who ever participated on some level. I’ve never been much of a sports fan, for example.

        But my music education is getting a bit of polishing through posts like yours, so THANKS. (I think I’m now probably too old to play football – lol)
        xx,
        mgh

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      • I see your point! If they were in perfect condition – the sleeves too – they might well have been worth something. Did you know they had a different release schedule in the States from here? It makes life interesting for collectors!

        I was never into the theatre, if I was lucky I’d be 9th shepherd in the school nativity play. I think you could well be right about needing to have taken part, as I don’t really get it tbh. Never too late to try football, as long as you mean the proper game, not that hand-egg thing you have over there 😉 Glad my music is having an effect!

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      • lol – you mean soccer! I don’t follow either, actually – tho’ some of my college chums are football obsessed (American football, that is – and mostly the U. of Tenn. Volunteers [Vols]).

        Never having played as a kid, I can’t follow the plays well enough to figure out what’s going on. But then, my ADD could have something to do with it as well – tons of distractions at a typical game!
        xx,
        mgh

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      • It’s football to us! Yours is a basically simple game made very complicated. I’ve tried to get into it many times but never really managed it. The shouting commentators put me off! An hour long game that takes 3 to 4 hours, only 2 in a cast of millions ever kick the ball, it’s just weird 😂

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  3. I had all the formats for my music collections through the years, too, Clive. I am not one for clutter so I like the digital age, but you’ve brought back some fond memories of the years of the vinyl record. I have some old 45s in storage that my mother wouldn’t let me discard. They are worth something (not much) and I hope when my son cleans out my stuff he’ll see the value in keeping them. Elvis may sound a little scratchy but his rich voice will still come through. If he can find something to play them on, that is!

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    • I’m glad you have the same memories, and you’re right about finding something to play vinyls on nowadays – proper turntables are even rarer than new vinyls! I do miss those days, but digital streaming is just so easy. Thanks for reading and taking the time to comment 😊

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