Down Music Memory Lane is where the records from my collection take me whenever I listen to them. So many wonderful hours of my life have been spent listening to the music or hearing it as a background track for whatever I might have been doing at certain points of my life. Music is like that for most of us I think. And even if the actual vinyl records are no longer in my possession, the music remains with me. Sometimes my memory needs to be prodded though...
Debussy and Dvorak albums may have disappeared from my vinyl collection, but I have them all and more on CD. Same with Bob Dylan and Tommy Dorsey. Maybe I should have kept the Deep Purple album that my friend Fred gave to me so many years ago, but that too I replaced on CD. Don't worry though--I still have a few good ones left under the letter D...
Links to the music are included throughout the post if you want to hear the music.
Donovan "In Concert" (1968) This is another of several albums given to me by my mother as Christmas presents. Each year she would request that I give her a list of things I'd like to have for Christmas and from age 15 and on I would compile a list of a dozen or so albums that I wanted most. Not sure why Donovan ended up on that list for the Christmas of 1968 (my senior year in high school), but I did like his radio hits enough to add this album. I'm not usually a fan of live recordings, but this one is particularly well recorded with minimal crowd noises, no obligatory drum solos, and very tastefully performed music. It's an excellent album to listen to while spending time alone or in quiet times in intimate settings.
Dreams and Illusions (1968) This is another of the albums I found for a quarter in the cut-out bins at the peculiar Atlantic Mills Discount Store in Knoxville TN. Firstly the group/album name caught my attention: "Dreams" and "Illusions" were two psychological effects that had always fascinated me. The song titles intrigued me. And looking at the musician credits I noted that there was a violin player listed. Done deal! Sold for a quarter and kept to this day. It's kind of weird music at times, but overall it is music I find to be appealing.
The Doors "Strange Days" (1967) At one point I had just about all of The Doors catalog in my vinyl collection. I got rid of all of them except for this album. It was a Christmas gift from my mother in 1967. Also it has a juggler and circus type motifs on the cover art. And it's an excellent album worth keeping as a representation of a great sixties group.
Dave Clark Five "Greatest Hits" (1966) When my sister was teen crazy over The Beatles I eschewed them in favor of other English groups like DC5, The Kinks, and The Zombies. Dave Clark 5 had some great hits that don't seem to be heard much anymore. Good musical memories in this disc and it was a 1966 Christmas gift from my mother. It seemed like an album worth hanging onto.
Are you familiar with these old gems? What D artists would be some of your favorites?
My parents had a couple of singles from the Dave Clark 5 that my sister and I used to listen to when we were kids. "Glad all over" springs instantly to mind.
ReplyDeleteIf we're talking about D, I have to say Def Leppard, or my husband would disown me 😆, and Depeche Mode and I was into Dir en Grey (Japanese group) for a while.
Best wishes,
Tasha
Tasha's Thinkings: YouTube - What They Don't Tell You (and free fiction)
Tasha, DC5 were pretty big for a while, then they just seemed to disappear. I've got several Def Leppard and Depeche mode in my cassette and CD collection.
DeleteLee
I love that your mother gave you a Doors album!
ReplyDeleteMartha, my mother was the coolest. She was never narrow-minded about much of anything and supported my interests. She mostly instilled my earliest love of music.
DeleteLee
Named my daughter after a Donovan song - Josie.
ReplyDeleteSome great memories amongst these vinyls. I pulled out a 40 year old Harry Chapin thanks to you.👍
Brizzy, I'm not familiar with that Donovan song, but I can understand that motivation. I named two of my daughters after songs. Harry Chapin was so great--especially the song "Taxi".
DeleteLee
Considering most people don't have any vinyl now you still have quite a few.
ReplyDeleteAlex, I'm kind of amazed that I've hung onto those vinyl LPs after all my years being on the road and going through several moves.
DeleteLee
You liked The Kinks? So did I. Loved This Beat Goes On - Switching to Glide, although Living on a Thin Line is my favorite.
ReplyDeleteL.Diane, the Kinks were one of my favorite groups in the sixties. They did a lot of great stuff after those early days as well.
DeleteLee
Love the cover of the Dreams and and Illusions album.
ReplyDeleteJamie, the cover was certainly the first thing that drew my attention to this album.
DeleteLee
I grew up in India and music from films was a huge part of our lives. Hence my knowledge of western bands and numbers is limited to bands like Backstreet Boys or Spice Girls made popular by MTV. I had a good cassette collection. Now very few know what it is.
ReplyDeleteJayashree Writes
Jayashree, the music from Bollywood is very good. I used to watch a local video show that featured music clips from some of the films. My cassettes are mostly gathering dust in my garage. I've tried to sell them at yard sales but got very few takers.
DeleteLee
Donovan and the Doors are both great. I had Strange Days on cassette tape back in college.
ReplyDelete--
Tim Brannan
The Other Side | A to Z of Conspiracy Theories
Timothy, I had just about all the Doors albums. I listened to that group a lot in the late sixties.
DeleteLee
BOID ~
ReplyDeleteIn my late teens and early twenties, I was a huge Doors fan and I believe I owned every one of their LPs (Licorice Pizza). As I got older, I lost a bit of my enthusiasm for the band. Some of that "art Rock" they did began to seem pretentious and kind of grated on my nerves. (Stuffs like 'The End' and 'When The Music's Over', 'The Unknown Soldier', etc.) So, when it came time to sell off my vinyl and transition to compact discs, I got rid of my Doors Licorice Pizza and replaced it all with just these:
1) 'The Very Best Of The Doors' (2 disc set), and
2) 'Morrison Hotel', which was definitely my favorite of all their original releases.
The Doors songs that I still like, I like A LOT!
A biggie for me under the letter 'D' is David & David. They produced one album in 1986 - had a minor hit with 'Welcome To The Boomtown' - and then the two Davids, after creating what IMO is one of the most underrated albums ever, went their separate ways.
But, boy, in 1986, and for a couple more years, I completely immersed myself in that one album. '86 was a lousy year: one of the two best friends I ever had committed suicide; I realized that sometimes dreams are just dreams; and I began thinking about getting out of Los Angeles, which was clearly heading down the tubes. L.A. was no longer the earthly paradise I once knew.
And D&D's album 'Boomtown' really expressed the way I was feeling; it seemed to reflect back to me my emotional state at the time. (For me, this was pre-Jesus, of course.)
I still love and own the album but rarely play it because, thankfully, it's too dark for my current mindset. I liked every single song on the record, but my favorite was and is...
[Link> 'A Rock For The Forgotten'
I hope I don't ever feel so down again that I go back to playing David & David daily. But I'm glad they were there for me at a time when I needed to hear some music that seemed 100% relevant to where I was, internally AND physically.
~ D-FensDogG
STMcC Presents BATTLE OF THE BANDS
STMcC, I totally get what you're saying about certain music going with certain times. I've read your mentions of D&D often--they are a fine group that was unknown to me prior to your introduction. They have an eighties sound that is found in so many albums that I liked so well from that time.
DeleteI also get what you're saying about the Doors. That's why I guess I didn't feel so bad about getting rid of all the Doors albums that I had except for the one with the juggler on the cover--and I do like the music. The Doors music filled my music interests for a time when it seemed appropriate to do so, but now I don't need to fill that space in my life.
Lee
Donovan and Dave Clark were always playing in one room or another. The Doors, not so much. Not because he (Morrison) wasn't talented, but because I was afraid he was terminal and possibly contagious ;-)
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure there are still Deep Purple, Def Leppard and Doobie Brothers albums in the closet...
I love how your mom supported your love of music.
Diedre, my mother went out of the way to do nice and helpful things for me and all my siblings. We were truly lucky.
DeleteLee
I have enjoyed reading about your collection and recognise many of the albums although I did not own those. I still have my records - stored in milk crates which are of course the perfect size.
ReplyDeleteVisiting from A to Z - thanks for visiting my blog
https://anneyoungau.wordpress.com/
Anne, milk crates were the storage standard of the day. They are great for keeping albums organized.
DeleteLee
On an unimportant tangent, my brother-in-law's uncle was the drummer for the Dave Clark 5. :)
ReplyDeleteL&L, that is very cool. Did you ever get to talk to him?
DeleteLee
It would have to be Donovan. His Atlantis played huge in those hazy metaphysical days of the 70s.
ReplyDeleteDave Clark5 was already taken by my sister.
Craig, Oh, did you and your sister have "your" groups? At first the Beatles were my sister's band, but then I just had to take over. She seemed fine with that by then.
DeleteLee
D -- I have Dr. Hook (or should that be H?), Doris Day, and the soundtrack from Don Juan DeMarco. Arlee, you've inspired me to start through my CDs and play them again.
ReplyDeletePatricia, I would go D for Dr. Hook.
DeleteI love listening to music albums while I'm doing something else. It's great for blogging background music.
Lee
I think I'll put the small radio/CD player in the kitchen. Cutting up veggies and fruits won't be quite as boring now.
DeleteMight be a good idea. I have a radio at the entrance to our kitchen but I rarely use it. Sometimes I'll play music on the living room stereo, but only when my wife is gone. She doesn't always appreciate my music. And I'm more inclined to listen to the TV when I'm doing things downstairs.
DeleteLee
It is neat that you have held on to the albums you've gotten from your mom at Christmastime!
ReplyDeletebetty
betty, I also have kept cards she sent for birthdays, etc. I've kept a lot of things in remembrance of others.
DeleteLee
Fun fact: my husband used to handle The Doors publishing back in the late 80s - early 90s
ReplyDeleteDyanne, that's a very cool fact!
DeleteLee
Who's the band behind "Dreams and Illusions"? Is there even a band listed?
ReplyDeleteI think Dave Clark, who ended up owning the DC5 catalog, was a little too possessive of the band's music. At least that's the impression I got from my reading...
John, the main guy is Danny Schloss who writes and sings the songs with a line-up of a bunch of musicians who are listed on the back cover of the album. I find this to be an interesting project. And there is a violin on some songs.
DeleteLee
This is a fabulous trip down memory lane I was just updating my Woodstock post as I am back volunteering at Glastonbury festival this year, both started 50 + years ago! You had one cool Mum to buy you such pressies!
ReplyDeleteWren, have a wonderful time at the festival.
DeleteLee
I have this Donovan album! It is a treasure.
ReplyDeleteI wish I had that Dave Clark Five disc. What a band...
Michael, I was listening to the Donovan album again today. It truly is wonderful.
DeleteAt least you have access to DC5 on YouTube--for now at least.
Lee
It's amazing that you are sharing links to the music as we can discover such amazing music. I am from another part of the world and grew up listening to Bollywood classics and ghazals every morning and night. Also some pop music and whatever they played on MTV here.
ReplyDeleteSee you around the A-Z challenge!
Hope you stop by my blog https://momandideas.com/
Mom, it took some time compiling the links to add to the posts, but I like it. I've been listening to the music everyday.
DeleteLee
I was never a big collector of vinyl. We had a record player for a brief while in one house, and it came with a selection of records. That's how I learned all the lyrics to My Fair Lady before ever seeing the musical!
ReplyDeleteEven if I had collected vinyl, I had to convert all my CDs to digital files before we moved overseas, so all my music is in my laptop now.
Red, I know a lot of people who don't have vinyl or other things. Guess it's partly how we're raised. My mother always had a record player and records around for as long as I can remember.
DeletePeople tell me I need to convert everything. I wish they'd do it for me.
Lee
How it was that you got rid of the entire collection of the Door album? That must have considerable value, even if you might have not liked them as other groups.
ReplyDelete@JazzFeathers
The Old Shelter - Enter the New Woman
Jazz, I don't know that those albums had any exceptional value since they are probably pretty common. When I got rid of albums I must have been thinking about clearing space and picking up some extra cash. And my wife wanted a lot of my albums out of our bedroom closet so that was likely the biggest motivating factor.
DeleteLee
Definitely a DC5 fan...
ReplyDeleteCW, they were one of the best of the British Invasion groups. I don't guess they recorded very much.
DeleteLee
Dave Clark Five sounds familiar to me, I´ve never heard about the others, save for Debussy from a couple of years ago when my kids studied at a music academy.
ReplyDeletehttps://steampunkcowunicorn.wordpress.com/2022/04/05/d-is-for-dandelion/
Absenta, DC5 had several chart hits in the U.S. They were also in a few movies.
DeleteLee
Awesome!
DeleteOne can tell how much you love e your music. I like much of your music here and I think of the classical guys. I buy my brother an album every year and I just bought the Doors album for my bro. The one you showcase here
ReplyDeleteBirgit, I've enjoyed music for so long and it has served me well through good times and bad. That Doors album is one of their best in my opinion. A record album is a great gift for someone who likes music.
DeleteLee