Old Records

So my parents came up to my place for the Easter weekend. We had a good time, and did some spring cleaning. Got rid of some old books (and new) that were festering on my bookshelf. But the really cool thing about the weekend is that my dad bequeathed his vinyl record to me, which included some of my old records that I had as a child. Two milk cartons worth of records.

Some of them were in pretty bad shape, like the Muppet Movie Soundtrack that I played the heck out of when I was a kid. (I've love to find a mint copy of that. eBay, maybe?) But some of them were in great condition. My copy of the Rescuers Soundtrack was in nearly mint condition. Strange, considering that I must have played the heck out of it as a child. That was the jewel of the collection, something I got with a Radio Shack gift certificate that I won for submitting a question to the local science teacher who had his own column in the local community newspaper. I treasure it quite strongly.

I just finished playing something called Yankee Doodle Mickey, which is about as patriotic and America a record for kids that you can get. Strangely, the back cover of the record lists one of the child back-up singers as being Molly Ringwald. (!) Could it be that Molly Ringwald, of Sixteen Candles and Pretty in Pink fame? Dunno, but if so, she sure sounds young. Now, that's a find. (Note: Wikipedia does confirm it's her on the recording.)

Also sprinkled in the collection was some old Byrds stuff, which was pretty scratched up and in beat-up condition, which is a given considering the records are about 40 years old now. But there was some cool Gram Parsons stuff in the mix, which was a great find. All sorts of stuff. My mom even had a record by Elvis Presley called Moody Blue, which is apparently rare because it was pressed on black vinyl, when most of the records that came out were on blue vinyl. Supposedly.

All in all, I'm happy to have my parents and my old records finally back in my grubby little hands. You'll have to excuse me now. I'm off to put on some Bruce Cockburn. Or maybe some Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young.