For the Record

So I bought 2000 record albums last week…it was glorious.

After whittling out the duplicates and thrift store fodder, I walked away with about 200 gems.  That may not sound worth it, but it's tough tracking down decent vinyl these days.  Gospel/Christmas music from the 60s and 70s, however, continues to be abundant (and made up about one-third of the entire batch I picked up).

I've been asked why I bother, considering the fact that I have 15,000 songs digitally archived; and have no less than 3000 songs on my phone at any given time.

While I like to think I have a bit of talent at writing, even I can't come up with a term that can adequately convey exactly how godawful I am at music-ing.

So I'll just make one up...Musicsucktonedeaficness.  That pretty much captures it.

On the other hand, I do rule at listening to music.  Or at least I used to.

Since the dawn of the MP3, I've found myself listening to less music the more I have available.  Kind of like how you have your Netflix queue filled with hundreds of movies, but you keep re-watching seasons of Family Guy.  Or all those E-books you have sitting on your Kindle that you'll get to eventually.*

On my ten minute drive home from work yesterday, I cycled through at least 30 songs.  The longest point I stopped was on the Beastie Boys - Paul Revere.  After singing along for a minute, while trying to keep the other commuters from seeing me try to rap; I forgot the rest of the lyrics and switched to a new song.

Hang on…

My name is MCA, I got a license to kill!

I think you know what time it is, it's time to get ILL!

Oh yeah…I sang the crap out of that part.

Where was I?  Right, my non-existent attention span.

With records, I can't do that.  I'd have to get up and walk to the player every time I wanted to skip to the next song/album, and I'm way too lazy for that.  It's forcing me to slow down, savor my musical feast.

I listened to my James Taylor's Sweet Baby James and Carly Simon's No Secrets records all the way through the other night.  It was inconveniently awesome.

Never heard of those albums?  It's where Fire And Rain and You're So Vain comes from.  Two songs that are sitting on millions and millions of digital devices right now.  Orphaned from their album of origin, while most people only have this vague idea that Fire And Rain was on James Taylor's Greatest Hits and You're So Vain comes from that Pure 70s album**

For the first time, I sat and experienced the albums those songs came from, the way they were originally intended to be experienced.  Not just one or two tracks on a 70's playlist while mowing the lawn.

The digital age is great and all, and the Internet is way better than No-Internet.  But the other night, I actually sat and enjoyed music for music's sake once again, rather than using it as background noise.  And for that, I thank the vinyl gods for bestowing this bounty on me.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go figure out what to do with 1800 records tying up my side of the garage.

But before that:

Nowwww here's a little story I've got to tell

About three bad brothers you know so well

It started way back in history

With Adrock, (M.C.A.) and me (Mike D.)!

Awww yeah.

*E-books are still awesome, especially Fractured: Arrivals; now available on Kindle and Nook!

**I am fully aware that I'm not properly italicizing song/album names.  Thank you Grammar Police.