Thrift Store Show and Tell '23: A Music Haul

It was Saturday morning at the Salvation Army store. I scanned the media and the electronics shelves, breezed through the glassware isle, looked down the sporting goods isle, drifted past the book shelves, and then headed towards the exit. I usually spend less than ten minutes in here. I almost always walk out empty handed. 

But then I saw this guy poking his head out of a shopping cart crammed full of unsorted items. 

Fun fact: "Raven are notable for headlining Metallica's first-ever national tour in 1983."

I have to tell you, an English metal band's EP from 1986 is not the typical record that you find in a thrift store. Not by a long shot. This was exciting. What else was in this magical cart? I started digging... 

Here's what I found. 

On Aretha's This Girl's in Love with You (released on January 20, 1970), she covers the Beatles, Dusty Springfield, and even The Band. 

Fun Fact: "Her version of The Beatles’ “Let it Be" was the first recording of the song to be commercially issued (The Beatles did not release "Let It Be" as a single until March 1970). Songwriter Paul McCartney sent Franklin and Atlantic Records a demo of the song as a guide."

In Person by Ike & Tina Turner came out in 1969, and it too is full of great cover songs. Tina also covers "Son of a Preacher Man" AND she sings "Respect." Daphne likes to say that no one but Aretha should even try singing "Respect," but when I told her Tina recorded a live version, Daphne replied, "Oh! Well, Tina should be allowed to try."

The glue that held the front and back covers' flaps together had given out, and this record sleeve could be opened like a book. I ran a thin bead of regular white glue (not school glue) down each flap, and then used rulers and alligator clips to make a "record sleeve press."   

The new glue was dry after an hour.

This is a different record sleeve, but here's a pic of the "flap" that I was referring to. 

Sly & the Family Stone's Life came out in 1968, but this is a reissue from 1971. Fun Fact: "The opening riff on 'Into My Own Thing' was sampled for Fatboy's Slim's 2001 hit 'Weapon of Choice'".

Love Child by Diana Ross and The Supremes came out in 1968 and was their 15th release for Motown. Fun Fact: Tommy Chong, from Cheech and Chong, co-wrote "Does Your Mamma Know About Me?"  That isn't my favorite track from this LP, though. "Keep an Eye" wins that spot.       

The Temptations' Cloud Nine came out in 1969. Influenced by Sly and the Family Stone's production style and multi-lead vocals, The Temps took a walk into psychedelic territory. The change of style worked; they won their first Grammy that year. At 9:38, "Run Away Child, Running Wild" is a great example of their different direction.

I thought for sure I was going love Bloodstone's Unreal from 1973. A horse jumping over a rainbow that is emitting out of the hats of mimes? C'mon! But it was not meant to be. Sorry, Bloodstone. It's not you. It's me.

Rare Earth's Willie Remembers came out in 1972. I was hoping it would be another of those funky records that came out in the early 70's but side A was a disappointment. It was headed to the "Return to Goodwill" pile, but I changed my mind about 10 seconds into track 7, "We're Gonna Have a Good Time". The next and last track, "I Couldn't Believe What Happened Last Night", clocks in at 12:10. For me, this is the only reason to own this record. I love a Rare Earth jam, and I'm glad I stuck around long enough to hear this one.

Ambrosia's Ambrosia is progressive rock from 1975. I didn't know that I knew "Nice, Nice, Very Nice" until I played the song. I said excitedly to an empty basement, "Hey, I like this song!" Fun Fact: This song uses a poem from Kurt Vonnegut's book Cat's Cradle for its lyrics.

I already knew the songs  "The Night Chicago Died" and "Billy Don't Be A Hero", but they didn't get my attention like their cover of "Sealed with a Kiss". The song begins with cheesy harmonies, but after 25 seconds it morphs into a tight guitar-driven pop song. Fun surprise.

That's quite a custom glitter job on Roger Daltery's first solo effort. Looks to me like a teenager carefully drew a "glue tear" on the left, and then a younger sibling tried to do the same on the right when no one was looking. It's either that or a cat knocked over the glue bottle. 

Also, because of the charcoal pencil price tag, I 'm guessing a previous owner bought this at a garage sale. But when? When did anyone think that getting a nickel for something was a good deal? Hey, I'll trade you this record for half of a stick of gum.

And, yeah, I really didn't care for the music on this one. Sorry, Roger. Maybe it was priced right?

Nickel-priced album #2 is The Beach Boys' Love You from 1977. Fun Fact: "Originally planned as Brian Loves You, it is essentially a solo project by Brian Wilson, who wrote almost all of the material and played nearly every instrument on the record, including keyboards, synthesizers, and drums." "Love You has since been recognized for presaging synth-pop and new wave."

Nickel album #3 is Hummingbird's Diamond Nights from 1977. This isn't a disco album, but it's been overproduced like one. The funk/ soul aspect has been smoothed over. You really can't see the 5 cent mark on this one. The cover, like the music, is too glossy.

In the Queue: 

These are the other records that I bought from Salvation Army that day, but I haven't had the time to really listen to them.

The Impressions' Finally Got Myself Together came out in '74.

The Jeff Beck Group's Beck-Ola came out in 1969.

Jeff Beck's Wired came out in 1976, but this is a reissue from '79. Take what you can get.

This is an actual UK pressing from 1977. Crawler plays classic rock.

I have a few records from the British blues group Savoy Brown, so I'm pretty sure I'm going to be comfortable with 1974's Boogie Brothers.

I thought this was going to be a prog rock LP from the look of the cover art, but Discogs lists Lighthouse as a Canadian "brass-rock" band. Hmmm...

This GTR release is from 1986, and I recognized the artwork as soon as saw it. It's listed as "art rock/ prog rock" on Discogs, so we'll see. 

Okay, that has to be the biggest record haul I have ever taken from one store in one weekend. The first time I took ten records out to the car with the intention of leaving, and then I went back in and bought more. 

They were a buck each. So, why not? If I don't like one, I'll just return to Goodwill and mentally add a nickel to the cost of the other records.

Hey. Wait a minute...

Where Have You Been All My Life?

When I handed the sales clerk a ten, she lifted the bill towards the ceiling to scrutinize it. She wrinkled her nose as she twisted the paper in the light, and then she asked me if I had something else I could pay with, "This one looks dicey." The word "dicey" bounced within her Indian accent.

I also had a five, and that was accepted without complaint, but she gave me an accusatory look as she handed me my change. I glanced over my shoulder as I walked out of the store, and the customers in line behind me were also glaring at me - a dirty counterfeiter.

But I'm not a dirty counterfeiter, and I can prove it. Here's the ten I tried to spend.

Looks okay, but yeah, it does seem a little different. Then I spotted the date.

1969? That's the year I was born! No wonder the clerk was suspicious. This came out 21 years before the first security strip was woven into US currency. And if she wasn't living in the States in the 70's and 80's, that clerk probably hasn't seen this style of bill.

According to the Federal Reserve, the life span of a ten-dollar bill is 4.2 years. So where has Mr. Hamilton been hanging out for the last 44 years? And how did he get in my billfold?

I don't think he was in a numismatist's collection. Hamilton isn't in perfect condition; he's just really flat. I suspect he had a at least a few months in the wild. But where did Hamilton go then?

Was he:
Inside a birthday card lost behind the bedroom dresser?
A bookmark in an unfinished novel?
Under Grandma's mattress?
Kidnapped and held in solitary confinement in a hotel room for 15 years, and then released for five days to wreak revenge on his captors? (Opps, that's the plot to the first Oldboy film.)

I don't know. But I bet he's pretty happy to back in circulation, and that's why I'm not going to hang onto him. I'm tempted to keep a fellow 44-year-old around the house, it's the collector in me, but that wouldn't be fair. I can't put him right back into captivity.

So don't worry, buddy.

I'll set you free.

But where? Where should Mr. Hamilton start his next journey?

I have an idea.