The Billboard Hot 100’s (Part 2)

“I ultimately decided that the goal of collecting all of the Billboard Hot 100 songs on my iPod would be my “impossible” goal and that collecting as many of these songs on vinyl as I can would be my more “attainable” goal (although still a lofty one).”

Richard Bancroft – “The Billboard Hot 100’s (Part 1) – Vinyl Crate Diver Blog

My quest to “collect” all of the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 Singles as mp3’s on my iPod quickly evolved into a passion for collecting 7″ 45 rpm singles. I had “ripped” as many of the songs as I could from my CD collection. I had digitized as many as I could from my vinyl LP collection. I had even tried gleaning some from file sharing services like Napster and Limewire (but ultimately decided this was stealing so I stopped). However, I had barely made a dent in the number of songs that I needed and began searching for more content.

I was digging through one of our closets one day looking for something-or-other when I came across a plastic storage case about 8″ x 8″ x 8″. Pulling it out of the closet I recognized it as one of those cases that holds 45 rpm singles, the kind that teenagers used to carry with them to friends houses to share the latest popular music with each other. I opened it up and began looking at the records inside. There was maybe a dozen 45 rpm singles in the case. I began reading the titles of the records and immediately recognized songs that were popular during the time I was a teenager. Songs like:

• “I Can’t Tell You Why” by the Eagles
• “Telephone Line” (in green vinyl!) by the Electric Light Orchestra
• “Season’s In The Sun” by Terry Jacks
• “That’s The Way (I Like It)” by KC & the Sunshine Band
• “American Pie” by Don McLean
• “Joy To The World” by Three Dog Night
• . . . and more!

I went upstairs to find my wife, Cheryl, and asked her “Where did these come from?” She said “Oh, those are just some old 45’s that we had when I was a kid.” “I forgot I even still had them.” I said “These are pretty cool, there are some really great songs in here.” “Do you mind if I play them?” “Not at all” she replied.

I went to our turntable and, after cleaning off some surface dust, began playing the records. At first I was thinking how I hadn’t heard some of these tunes in a very long time. Then I began to notice that the records sounded really good! Except for a few snaps and pops (that could probably be eliminated with a good cleaning) the sound was full and rich and just as good (if not better) than the sound from my LP’s! This, to me, was an epiphany!

Now let me explain why. I grew up in a very rural area. Up until the time I was in high school, the music I was exposed to was on the radio; in my Dad’s 8-Track and LP collection; or what we played in band at school. There were no record stores nearby that I could visit after school or in my free time. The closest ones were a 30 to 45 minute drive away. Besides, we weren’t the most affluent family around either and so records and such were somewhat of a luxury. When I did start having some disposable income of my own (from mowing lawns and washing dishes at a local resort) the best way for me to buy music was from mail order music clubs and these clubs sold LP’s and cassettes. As a result of these (and certainly other) factors, 45’s just weren’t in my wheelhouse. My attitude was that 45’s were a cheap, disposable medium for preadolescent girls to listen to while reading “Tiger Beat” magazine and dreaming about their most recent “Teen Idol”. Boy was I wrong!

At the same time I was listening to my wife’s 45’s another thought popped into my head “Hey, I might need some of these songs for my mp3 collection!” I checked my reference book – “Billboard’s Hottest Hot 100 Hits” by Fred Bronson, 4th Edition, and sure enough I did need some of these titles. I began converting them to mp3’s on my USB turntable and crossing them off my list. I have to say I was very pleased with the results. The mp3’s sounded great and digitizing a single was much easier than “queuing” up a song on an LP.

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By the time of my “enlightenment” I was raising a family of my own, my two kids were just starting high school and (as it always seems to be) money wasn’t growing on the trees in my back yard. As inexpensive entertainment, my wife and I enjoyed visiting antique shops and going to yard sales and flea markets. Not only was admission generally free, we could find bargains on items that we needed or wanted and there was always something new (to us) and interesting to see. Now however, I was beginning to take better notice of the LP’s and 45’s that these places had, usually buried under other items in crates and boxes and, almost always, on the floor and out of reach! (My poor knees and back!) I began carrying my “reference book” with me to these locations and would sort through the boxes and crates in search of titles that I still needed. The best part was that the prices (at the time) were really cheap. I was finding albums in good shape for 1 to 3 dollars and 45’s anywhere from 10 to 50 cents apiece. Sometimes, if I had a stack of titles to buy, I could negotiate prices even lower. On a good day I could go home with an armload of records for 10 to 20 bucks. And so, this became the main way I got the content I needed under my self-imposed guidelines of low cost and having a hard copy.

All the while I was buying and digitizing songs for my iPod I began to have a better appreciation for the “lowly” 45. I began to take more notice of the records themselves; the different record company “labels”; the songwriters and producers; the manufacturers (usually printed around the outer edge of the label itself); the catalog numbers; the etchings in the run-out areas of the vinyl itself; and picture sleeves that they came in. All of this piqued my curiosity and I wanted to know more.

I began to do research on each of the records: how many were sold; were they certified gold or platinum; how did they do on the record charts; who were the individuals that played on the recording: when and where was it recorded? A “gazillion” questions came to me that all needed answering: how are records actually manufactured; where are (or were) the companies that made them; why is the version of this song on a 45 different than the same song on an LP? On and On! I thirsted for the answers.

I scoured the internet for information. I began buying books and magazines about collecting vinyl. I checked out and joined a few Facebook groups devoted to vinyl records. Everywhere I went I kept an eye out for my next score. After my kids moved to Nashville, when we would go to visit, we would plan our rest breaks (it’s a 14 hour drive) at large flea markets and antique co-ops. Anywhere we go I am sure to scope out new locations to buy vinyl.

In short I became hooked on . . . nay, obsessed with . . . 45’s.

Don’t get me wrong, I still love and collect LP’s and buy CD’s from time to time. I download songs from i-Tunes when I see a new artist I like or when my wife gives me a list of new country songs she wants put on a CD for in her car.

But, nothing satisfies me more than finding 45’s that I need (especially if they’re in an original picture sleeve)!

I was well on my way to realizing my goal. But something was happening that threatened my ability to enjoy my collection and keep matrimonial harmony. My collection was out of control! LP’s were stacked on bookshelves like pancakes. 45’s were in boxes and tubs all around my “man cave”! Books and magazines were on every horizontal surface. In short, It was a mess! If I wanted to play a particular record I would have to sift through piles and boxes just to find it. There was no organization whatsoever. My collection was starting to look like the flea markets and antique stores that I got it from! It was time to take the bull by the horns and make my collection accessible and organized!

Keep an eye out for my next post about how I got this mess under control.

And, as always . . .

Keep It In The Groove!