r/78rpm

Elvis's version of "Mystery Train" is universally hailed by music historians as a definitive moment in the birth of rock and roll. It perfectly blended rhythm & blues with country (the essence of rockabilly). The propulsive, eerie rhythm driven by Scotty Moore's guitar and Bill Black's bass practically simulated a speeding train, creating a raw, energetic sound that inspired countless future rock musicians. Rolling Stone magazine ranked it among the Greatest Songs of All Time. It is frequently cited as one of the most influential rock recordings ever made.

Listen to this digitized 78rpm record and other Elvis 78rpm records at:

https://youtube.com/@mamlishblues?si=MEyqSx3eaCts7Tcx

From the Neven78 Radio Archive

Picked up this today as part of a packe listing. I got my Thorens 150 mk ii, two omnidirectional speakers and a tandberg tr-200 receiver, and this 78 rpm player. I used to collect 78's and thought it looked fun, so in the car it went as a bonus. Can't find much though, you guys have any info?

I found them in an estate

About 3 years ago, I bought a few 78rpm records at a garage sale. Out of the ones I purchased, this one caught my attention the most. One side of the record has a song called Erin Go Bragh by Mel Ball and Ed Cronin and is sung by Tom Riley for WBOS. The other side has a song called You’ve Got the Wrong, Wrong Number, Mrs. Murphy and is credited to the same people. Many parts of this record interest me: the text on the center labels reading “FOR REFERENCE RECORDING ONLY” and the handwritten text on both sides with the side containing Erin Go Bragh having the date 12/7/58 at the bottom. I’ve tried looking up details about the Radax record label, the people responsible for the record, and the songs on it, but I have found nothing. I’d like to get a little more information on this record, so if any of you can help me find out a little bit more about this record, that would be great.

Found in a large lot. Still going through them! All of them are really well kept.

“Bear Cat” is one of the earliest and most talked‑about records in the Sun catalog — a sharp, funny, and unmistakably Memphis answer song to Big Mama Thornton’s “Hound Dog.” Released in March 1953, it captures Rufus Thomas at the dawn of his recording career, delivering a sly vocal performance over a raw R&B groove shaped by Sam Phillips’ emerging studio sound. The record became historically significant not only for its music but for the copyright lawsuit it triggered. Its close resemblance to “Hound Dog” led to one of the first major infringement cases in early rock ’n’ roll, setting a precedent that shaped how labels navigated creativity and influence in the 1950s..

From the Neven 78 Radio Archive

https://youtube.com/@mamlishblues?si=uvYTXuaL-fQ-g63z

I recently got the chance to visit E.1027, a house built between 1926 and 1929 in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, on the French Riviera near Monaco. It was designed by Eileen Gray, an Irish architect and designer who was one of the most important (and for decades most overlooked) figures of early modernism. The house is a landmark of the Modern Movement and is also infamous for a bizarre bit of architectural history: Le Corbusier, a friend of Gray’s collaborator Jean Badovici, later painted a series of murals directly onto the walls without her consent — something widely seen as an act of professional sabotage against her.
More info here: E.1027 on Wikipedia

What caught my eye as a record collector was this built-in vertical storage niche, packed edge-to-edge with shellac 78s. Yes — shellac, not vinyl, since vinyl records didn’t exist yet in the late 1920s/early ‘30s. I hope that’s forgivable given the context.

Storing records vertically like this in a narrow slot obviously isn’t something you’d do today (warping, edge stress, etc.), but for the era and for shellac specifically, it was completely normal practice — and it fits the overall design logic of the house.

I love finding these particular titles. Getting Hard to find in good condition

I am looking for a vocal recording of Glenn Miller's "In the Mood" that features the following lyrics:
"Who’s the lovin' daddy with the beautiful eyes? // What a pair o' lips, I'd like to try 'em for size." (I will attach the full lyrics in the photo)

Confirmation of the existence of these lyrics can be found in the official archive of the US Library of Congress (https://www.loc.gov/static/programs/national-recording-preservation-board/documents/in%20the%20mood%20essay.pdf), among other unofficial sources. It states that this version was recorded in two variations:
- The Four King Sisters (released on the RCA Records label in November 1939)
- Paula Kelly & Al Donahue and his Orchestra (released on the Vocalion / Columbia label in 1939)

On the Discogs website, I found Paula Kelly's record (https://www.discogs.com/ru/release/8145631-Al-Donahue-And-His-Orchestra-In-The-Mood-Can-I-Help-It) with an attached link to listen to it, but it features the lyrics written for The Andrews Sisters (I also found separate videos on YouTube, but there are no vocals at all there). A similar situation occurs with The Four King Sisters – I found the record on the same website (https://www.discogs.com/ru/release/4062267-The-Four-King-Sisters-In-The-Mood-Irish-Washerwoman), but unfortunately, there is no option to listen to it there, and their version on YouTube also contains The Andrews Sisters' lyrics.
I have found numerous other vocal versions, but none of them were right.

I would love to find the correct version with these lyrics by either The Four King Sisters or Paula Kelly. However, I would also be happy with covers by other artists!
I would really appreciate any information or leads that could help!

After a few years of on and off searching, a couple months back I bought this early Decca Dulcephone off of a collector in belgium, from what I know they don't come to the public market often and he was also supposedly considering giving it to a WW1 museum like he had done with another period gramophone (American) before, I was lucky to get it when I did and I'm definitely not complaining, considering where it was found in south belgum where there was relatively heavy fighting earlier war (1914 or so..) it wouldn't be out of the question it had some involvement in the conflict.

I've played one of my period John McCormack records on this in the video (Where the River Shannon flows), John McCormack was one of the most popular and notable music artists of the period, his most notable being the original 1914-15(?) recording of "It's A Long way to Tipperary", I would've loved to play one of those but they're quite expensive on the market currently and when they're not I get screwed on shipping. Thank you!

"When Things Go Wrong With You" This 1949 combo version became a major hit, peaking at No. 9 on the Billboard R&B charts in 1950. It solidified the song as a blues standard. It was later covered and popularized by Elmore James, Muddy Waters, The Grateful Dead, and Eric Clapton.

"Come On, If You're Coming"

Written by Tampa Red (under his real name, Hudson Whittaker), this B-side captures his energetic, full-band "combo" sound that bridged the gap between pre-war acoustic blues and post-war electric Chicago blues.

Digitized from the original Victor 78rpm disc and available at:

https://youtube.com/@mamlishblues?si=vxbVttwkY8Qn59z2

I really enjoy the way this one sounds.

I would of bought all of them if they were regular 78s I could actually play, lol

Picture from discogs

New filter capacitors, a new cartridge, a pot of grease and a new "rubber band" tire over the idler wheel and it's as good as new. Played my favorite rock n roll, jazz and other records last night to test it out. Sounds great!