Monday, August 12, 2013

THE VANISHING CD


Were you aware that some car manufacturers are no longer building the new models with CD players in them??  It seems that with digital and streaming availability that CD players are following the path of the eight track and cassette players.  

I would think that surely I have lived too long as I watch yet another form of listening to music disappear except that I am part of the problem. It has been years since I have bought a CD. Now days I buy one song at a time for my variety of listening devices. 

I have lived long enough to have seen quite a variety of players come and go. First for me was the turntable that had the capabilities to play 45, 78 and 33 1/3 rpm records. 

The eight track which made our music portable followed but was replaced by the cassette which was smaller and handier. I still have a huge selection of cassettes. Then the CD came to stay for quite a while. Now we download to our favorite devices electronically.  The listening to music keeps  evolving. 

The turntable was the first choice I had. My parents gave me my first along with a sample 45 record from the top ten list. They also gave me some money to buy more records later of my own choosing.  

I was thrilled. It was not something I had asked for and wasn't aware I even wanted it. My Mom was like that, she had great imagination when it came to my gifts always knowing what I wanted before I did. However, the choice of that first record was pretty sad. Not for me but for them.  

It was "O Mein Papa" by Eddie Fisher. 


  

It was number one on the Hit Parade and I adored it. I dearly loved my own papa but when I just re-listened to it, it made me sad for the memories it invoked but also sad for my parents. Hearing that song for the hundredth time in one day as they had to must have been excruciating.  "Buying more later of my own choosing" occurred the very next day. 

I have bought into each upgrade in music listening. I really like today how I can electronically  buy only the songs I want and the many choices of how I care to listen to them.  Right now I have music playing on my computer as I type.  Bob Seger's  "Old Time Rock and Roll" is making my feet bounce happily.

Later this morning when I go to walk on the treadmill, I will listen to my mini Genius ball speaker.




It was a gift and while the quality is not top drawer, it is surprisingly good for the size and great for those boring long walks going no where. It plays the music from a flash drive. 

And when driving, I listen to my Ipod through an adapter.  I understand the demise of the CD. Guilty as charged. 

How do you listen and do you remember the first music you "owned?"   

31 comments :

  1. My very first music was a 78 record of Fats Domino's "My Blue Heaven." I also had 45's and a record player for them. I still have stashed a few old 45's just for nostalgia's sake. How would someone ever play them? Now I listen to music on Pandora, streamed of course.

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  2. What sweet parents you had. I love your story. I do remember that song.

    A lot of things have come and gone in my lifetime. If that were not the case, I wouldn't feel old, at all. Hahaha Because of my dancing, people think I always listen to music. But in truth, I only turn on music when I choreograph or practice. I rarely hear the words of music, it's the beat I listen for.

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  3. What a walk down memory lane... I remember my little case/turn table, now I have my ipod, which I'm not really fond of for some reason.

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  4. Oh no! They're going to do away with CD's now? I'm still wishing I could use my cassettes!

    I remember the old records and still have a few of the oldies. I remember getting my first record player and how excited I was. Remember those little plastic gadgets we fit into the 45's so we could play them on the older model players?

    I don't buy many CD's either, I just listen to my favorites over and over. Most of the music I listen to at home is through the computer via YouTube.

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  5. I am Waaaaay behind on the "Listenng" scale. My car is so old it doesn't have a CD player in it---just radio and a tape player.

    Growing up, we had a Capehart---Early 1930's listening device....It only played shellac...(Or whatever those 78's were.....) but it turned them over automatically and you could load it with 6 or so 'records', at a time. It was very advanced for the time....I still buy CD's. I don't have an iPod or anything like it.....And most of the CD's I buy are things that I want to have to the whole album. Like I said, I'm Waaaay behind....lol!

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  6. OH --technology just stays ahead of us, doesn't it? I definitely remember the olden days of 45, 78 and albums.. In fact, hubby still has alot of old albums. He is gradually turning them into CD's... SO--guess they'll have to be turned into something else someday!!!!! GADS!!!!

    I was so proud of my old camaro --with an 8-track player in it.... Loved that car --and remember playing the Carpenters over and over.. I also loved Dionne Warwick back then.....

    These days we do have a CD player in the car --and listen to it sometime. BUT--we inherited a Serius Satellite Radio---which we love and listen to continuously when in the car.

    I'm too old for all of these changes.. We even have Bluetooth in our car --so that is all new to me also!!!! ha
    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  7. I remember that song, and Eddie too. My first record was a 78 called Muskrat Ramble by Louis Armstrong and His Hot Five, I think they were called. I haven't caught up with downloading music. But then it seems like I stopped listening to music, at least often, after I moved up here. I just enjoy the silence now, interrupted by rural sounds. I think about this a lot, but I have no idea why it has occurred.

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  8. Patti, I see that you are a lot more advanced than me when it comes to your ways of listening to music. My first record player was a "wind up" device, that had a horn with a logo of a little dog listening to music (a bit like Mighty). It was given to me, along with a large collection of 78 rpm records (and some that needed even faster revs) by an elderly lady as a "thank you" when I cleared the footpath of snow one winter. I was probably 10 or 11 years old at the time, and I would sing along to all the records that were mostly about world war 1 vintage. There were recordings of Harry Lauder, Enrico Caruso, and many others. My taste in music was very "uncool" as this was the late 1960s - to early 1970s.... P xx

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  10. Djan,
    I LOVED Fats Domino and had everything he sang. Actually, you can still buy record players that will play 45's. Those records are probably a lot more valuable today.

    Manzi,
    " it's the beat I listen for" reminded me so much of American Bandstand when they would review a new record and ask the kids how they liked it. The stock answer was, "it has a good beat and is easy to dance to."

    Brighid,
    Yep, that was mine too. A little case/turn table. They have them for sale now.

    Cheryl,
    You can still buy those inserts. I liked the column so that you could stack them.

    Naomi,
    Oh, you had a nice one that turned the records over. That is almost like a juke box. Remember trying to place the needle just right to get the song you really likes?

    Betsy,
    Luckily I have an old car so I can still play my cassettes. I guess it is the 2013's that don't have the CD players.
    You had a Camaro?? Cool.

    Inger,
    I loved Louis Armstrong. His "It's a Wonderful World" still makes me smile.

    Peter,
    Well you are much younger than I but it really is a small world. At ten I was playing my grandmother's windup player. She only had two records and one was Harry Lauder's "Roamin' in the Gloamin" which I played to death.

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  11. I remember my 'first music' in the form of a 45 record player. 1975 or 76, I was 5 or 6 years old. The record I recall loving was Georgy Girl by The Seekers. We also had one of those all in one radio/record player consoles that was about the size of a love seat, opening from the top. I recall my parents' love (and then my love) of Perry Como and their various Christmas records, in 33s. In the 80s I had moved on to my own 33s including groups like Journey, Van Halen and a mixed version of top hits from the era, still played on that old console. I also had an 8 track, but it was short-lived. I had an old reel to reel, but never had anything to use with it. Cassettes came quickly, using a small tape recorder or a bigger 'boom box'. CDs and CD players in the late 80s and by the time I hit college in '89, I had a couple hundred CDs. In college I had a radio show with a friend of mine and later served as the club president. We were all of 10 watts. We obtained the first CD players for the radio station which had been limited to vinyl until we came along with our own CD players that we hooked into the board. I resisted the iPod and mp3 thing for a while, and then finally got into it within the last few years. We converted most of our CDs through iTunes and occasionally buy music that way. I miss having the CD booklets to read about the albums and musicians, and in some cases the words to the songs.

    Wow. This got a little wordy. Sorry about that!

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  12. We listen to music on our iPod. Sometimes in the car we listen to the radio, and sometimes we listen to the radio on the iPod. We always had music on when I was a child. My parents had a Victrola. We had albums, and we had 45s. My parents loved show tunes, so we grew up listening to South Pacific and My Fair Lady.

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  13. The 'wireless' was all that gave me music until I was promised a record player if I passed my 11+ exam. I did and was given a red box that had the ability to play 78's and 45's that were just about available.
    I was given the money to get 4x 78's.The first choice was Elvis's Jail House Rock ...the second was a ballad by ...if memory serves me right ...Dickie Valentine ...not sure about the other two ..one may have been Pat Boone, but the four were played non stop for a week ... I was then allowed to use pocket money to get 2 more ....probably to save mums sanity. Very soon I was buying 45's. I remember listening to them in booths before buying them. Records were the main stay until I was in my late twenties and a cassete player reared its head. I never liked them as I always mangled the tape of my favourites but they were useful to record your own favourites.
    Funny thing is nowadays I rarely listen to much and yet it was such an important part of my life....sometimes the music channel on the TV is left on and I catch up with what is current ...I just love everything that is done well ...but really live music is what I loved most. Thanks for the trip down memory lane xx

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  14. I think it might have been Johnny Crawford. And then the Beatles.

    This whole business about information storage constantly being changed is making me crazy! I have a bunch of stuff, photos, etc. stored on CDs and DVDs. I'm told they might stop putting that feature on computers. Arrrghhhh!

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  15. Wow, you are much more informed and knowledgeable about the ways to listen to music today than I am. Since my car is a 2001 Acura Coupe I still have the CD option.
    I guess it was the victrola that I had in college that I remember most. Some of those songs still bring a tear to my eye. Enjoyed your post !

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  16. Well, sweet Patti I have been around long enough to have seen it all and have used most means of listening to music. I have not taken on the Ipod or other electronics of today as yet though. Now days I listen to music on the computer and TV. As for my first music of my own I cannot tell you what it was but I would feel safe in saying it was probably something by Merle Haggard since he was and is one of my favorite singers of all time. We still have some 78 and 45 records but nothing to play them on. We also have cassettes and 8-tracks. Hugs

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  17. My first records were some violin
    concertos by Bach, and the Messiah by Handel. I bought a x-mas single with "Long time ago in Bethlehem"with Harry Belafonte. I played it over and over again. I still have it. And I still have a record player.

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  18. Dear Arkansas Patti, I seldom listen to music. Instead I listen to books on tape when I drive and walk. I have an adaptor in my car and I listen to audios and to CDs. And yes, life keeps going on and I keep lagging behind! Peace.

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  19. I remember listening to my mother's old 78 rpm records when I was but a wee tyke. :) When 45 rpm's came out, I couldn't believe they held as much. I spent a fortune on those until 33 1/3' albums came out and made all my 45's immediately obsolete.

    I didn't know there was something new. How am I going to listen to my audio books?

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  20. Barry,
    I had forgotten about your excellent taste in crooners--Perry Como. He was one special man. I miss the old album covers like you miss the CD jackets and booklets. Lots of info there.

    robin,
    Well you couldn't go wrong with South Pacific and My Fair Lady. Those show tunes last while pop tunes are here for such a short time.

    Angie,
    Oh, I had forgotten about those booths. Weren't they they greatest thing? Sometimes I would take classical records into those and zone out.
    I guess your parents suffered like mine did.

    Kay,
    You mean little Johnny Crawford from the Rifleman?? I didn't know he was a singer but when I just Googled him, he sure was.
    Why do they keep messing with our minds. Oh--that's right, to sell us new stuff. Grrr.

    Ginnie,
    Your car is good. It is only on the 2013 models that they are leaving out the CD players. My car is so old that it still has a cassette player.

    Maggie,
    They do make players today that play the old style of records. I didn't get into county till much later. Disco drove me to country that I enjoy today.

    Reader Wil,
    I do remember "Long time ago in Bethlehem"with Harry Belafonte." Loved it and pretty much everything he sang. I love classical music for relaxation.

    Dee,
    I think they call that different strokes. Not everyone is in to music. I like books on tape also for long trips.

    marylee,
    I am sure they will happily sell you something so you can still listen to your books. So far you should be good. Not sure what tomorrow will bring however.

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  21. When I was younger I had a radio in my room and listened to it at night. My first record player was from Sears and the first record was "Lonely Boy" by Paul Anka. I have sequentially upgraded since then but I still have a reproduction that plays my vinyl. I listen mostly to my iPod on the Bose at home along with Pandora through the TV sound system. Loved the memories you brought back with this post.

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  22. The first record I owned was the soundtrack for "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" with Howard Keel and Jane Powell. My friends and I used to re-enact the movie as we listened to the record -- especially the "You Will Always Be a Bride" number. My second one was the album for Mary Martin's "Peter Pan" which we all also used to re-enact after a fashion. Those two were the basis of my growing collection of cast albums, all of which I still have and keep adding to (just got the cast CD of "Kinky Boots" though I will probably download it onto my computer and iPod and listen to it mostly that way.

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  23. are you kidding?????????? Damn, I feel old...

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  24. I gave up after my spouse sold all my 33's for a dollar at a garage sale. Now I listen to the radio, miss my piano which we didn't have room for in our new house and go to live concerts. I'm coping with all the changes....:)

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  25. I used to listen to cassette tapes all the time when I was younger, and I would makes mixed tapes for girls that I had crushes on lol.

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  26. NCMountainwoman,
    Oh yes, I remember and really liked "Lonely Boy". The serious listeners say vinyl has the best sound of all.

    Kathleen McCoy,
    I do believe I had a crush on Howard Keel. Such a handsome devil. I haven't heard Kinky Boots yet. May have to check it out.

    Introverted Art,
    I kid you not. You feel old?? Think how I feel:))

    TB,
    All we can do is cope. That was a good price for your vinyl for the buyers. I gave mine away like a dummy.

    Keith,
    And I know they really liked them. I had a guy do that for me actually not that long ago and it really made a great impression. That is such a sweet thing to do.

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  27. I still have my collection of vinyl and regularly buy cds. As a dj I still work on decks that use cds. I often find that people don't want a dj that uses a laptop. That suits me, I hate it too.

    I also have an ipod and itunes and nowadays when you buy a cd through amazon you get the download immediately too. But I prefer to see and feel my music. I like to look at the cover art, look at the track listings and sleeve notes, even though I need a magnifying glass to read them now.

    I can't see me ever selling my music collection.

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  28. As a tweener, I listened to the top 40 program on the radio every Saturday, and with my 50 cents allowance I bought one 45, so I had quite a collection. Then in high school I graduated to a "boom box" a big hunky radio I carried to school. Crazy! I never got into the 8 tracks, but I used cassettes extensively when I taught aerobics. Now I am an i-tunes addict.

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  29. LLCool Joe,
    I figured as a DJ you would have a massive collection. Good to know you don't rely on laptop. Somehow that seems like cheating.

    Terri
    I know, I love buying them one at a time off the Internet also and am amazed that I can get the very old or the very new so easily.

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  30. I do indeed remember those 45 records! I watched American Bandstand every day after school. Nowadays, we play iTunes on our phone over speakers at home and in the car - also use Pandora sometimes for tunes we don't own. Just last week, Bob put some old cassettes in the trash. They went the way of the dinosaur.

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  31. Of all things I think it was my fathers sister in law. She was never my teacher in the classroom but she was a teacher in a roomful of men including my father at family gatherings. There was something about the way she more than held her own that made me think this is what I want to be and do....

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