I made a similar post on the 60/70s board, and got some response, but was surprised that no one seemed to have done the same thing I did in radio.
Specifically, when I ran across a record that failed to become a hit, but that I really enjoyed, I would snatch it up before it was sent packing to the garbage can. Anybody else out there do a similar thing? Going further, even if you didn't work at a radio station, but have some bomb records that are special to you, please share. Here are just a few of mine:
"TUBULAR BELLS/PRETTY BOYS AND PRETTY GIRLS" by BOOK OF LOVE, 1988-Sire Records. "Pretty Boys and Pretty Girls" is one of the better known Book of Love songs, but this promotional copy 7"-45 rpm disc is listed as a "Medley Edit" of the two songs, beginning with a dance version of "The Exorcist" theme.
Just listened to it again, and I don't like it as much as I did.
"HEY ROCKY!" by BORIS BADENOUGH, 1986-Wax Trax Records. This is an independent release from Chicago, Illinois. This one I bought at an Indie record store. This is my favorite novelty recording of the 1980s. It's made up of sound bites from the 1960s cartoon series "Rocky and Bullwinkle" set to techno-pop dance music. The segments they pull from are from the Goof Gas story line in which, as narrator William Conrad states... "Some of the nation's smartest geniuses are turning into compete idiots, and it's all the fault of one mean little man from one mean little country". Very clever and funny.
"THE GREAT COMMANDMENT" and "LOVE IS A SHIELD" by CAMOUFLAGE, 1988/1989-Atlantic Records. "...Commandment was a minor/modest Hot 100 hit, but "Love Is A Shield" failed to chart. They are both great, sophisticated Techno-Pop tunes remindful of what Depeche Mode would have have success doing.
By the time of these records, "Alternative" formats were coming up, and I think these had some success there. I got a nice picture sleeve of "...Commandment" from the radio sation as they didn't need the '45' since they had the song on the full LP.
"BLACK KISSES (Never Make You Blue)" and "LET'S TALK IT OVER IN THE LADIES' ROOM" by CURTIE AND THE BOOMBOX, 1985, RCA Records.
"Black Kisses" was a minor/modest hit but the silly "Let's Talk It Over..." failed to chart. I got both of these from the pile of '45's that were likely to meet their demise in the garbage can during spring cleaning. The "Ladies Room" single was an edited/remixed version. It is lightweight Techno-Pop, but lacks something in the energy department. Still, it's a funny song to hear. "Let's Talk It Over In The Ladies Room. Let's talk about the boys".
"THE WALL" by BERTIE HIGGINS, 1985-CBS Associated Records. Here's a cool find. Remember "Key Largo"? That was a huge hit earlier in the decade.
This is just one of a number of Bertie Higgins '45s' that came out throughout the decade and I saved from the trash at the radio station. Jerry Buckner wrote and produced this unique talk-a-thon with a singing refrain about a former Vietnam soldier visiting the commemorative wall.
I've got lots more but,
Now it's your turn:
Specifically, when I ran across a record that failed to become a hit, but that I really enjoyed, I would snatch it up before it was sent packing to the garbage can. Anybody else out there do a similar thing? Going further, even if you didn't work at a radio station, but have some bomb records that are special to you, please share. Here are just a few of mine:
"TUBULAR BELLS/PRETTY BOYS AND PRETTY GIRLS" by BOOK OF LOVE, 1988-Sire Records. "Pretty Boys and Pretty Girls" is one of the better known Book of Love songs, but this promotional copy 7"-45 rpm disc is listed as a "Medley Edit" of the two songs, beginning with a dance version of "The Exorcist" theme.
Just listened to it again, and I don't like it as much as I did.
"HEY ROCKY!" by BORIS BADENOUGH, 1986-Wax Trax Records. This is an independent release from Chicago, Illinois. This one I bought at an Indie record store. This is my favorite novelty recording of the 1980s. It's made up of sound bites from the 1960s cartoon series "Rocky and Bullwinkle" set to techno-pop dance music. The segments they pull from are from the Goof Gas story line in which, as narrator William Conrad states... "Some of the nation's smartest geniuses are turning into compete idiots, and it's all the fault of one mean little man from one mean little country". Very clever and funny.
"THE GREAT COMMANDMENT" and "LOVE IS A SHIELD" by CAMOUFLAGE, 1988/1989-Atlantic Records. "...Commandment was a minor/modest Hot 100 hit, but "Love Is A Shield" failed to chart. They are both great, sophisticated Techno-Pop tunes remindful of what Depeche Mode would have have success doing.
By the time of these records, "Alternative" formats were coming up, and I think these had some success there. I got a nice picture sleeve of "...Commandment" from the radio sation as they didn't need the '45' since they had the song on the full LP.
"BLACK KISSES (Never Make You Blue)" and "LET'S TALK IT OVER IN THE LADIES' ROOM" by CURTIE AND THE BOOMBOX, 1985, RCA Records.
"Black Kisses" was a minor/modest hit but the silly "Let's Talk It Over..." failed to chart. I got both of these from the pile of '45's that were likely to meet their demise in the garbage can during spring cleaning. The "Ladies Room" single was an edited/remixed version. It is lightweight Techno-Pop, but lacks something in the energy department. Still, it's a funny song to hear. "Let's Talk It Over In The Ladies Room. Let's talk about the boys".
"THE WALL" by BERTIE HIGGINS, 1985-CBS Associated Records. Here's a cool find. Remember "Key Largo"? That was a huge hit earlier in the decade.
This is just one of a number of Bertie Higgins '45s' that came out throughout the decade and I saved from the trash at the radio station. Jerry Buckner wrote and produced this unique talk-a-thon with a singing refrain about a former Vietnam soldier visiting the commemorative wall.
I've got lots more but,
Now it's your turn: