Your Very First Time
A.V. Club contributors answer the question: What was the first album you bought with your own money? Yes, the results are as squirm-inducing as imagined.
I can tell you my first album I bought with my own money right off the bat: the soundtrack for Nine To Five, selected from the J.C. Penney record section at Tri City Mall in Mesa, Arizona. Uh, how gay is that? In 1980, it was my favorite movie (even more than The Empire Strikes Back) and I was thrilled when I saved up enough money to get the corresponding vinyl LP. Being an ignorant twelve year old, however, my joy turned to disappointment when the album wound up being a bunch of background music (along with Dolly Parton’s immortal title track, of course). For some reason, I got it into my head that it was going to be recordings of the best scenes from the movie. Despite the initial disappointment, I ended up listening to the LP repeatedly and found the music to be very whimsical and enjoyable. Only today do I realize it was the work of Charles Fox, the man who wrote the fantastic themes for Love, American Style, Wonder Woman, Laverne & Shirley and a gazillion other TV shows. Not to mention “Zap The World” from Pufnstuf. The guy’s an unheralded genius, I tell you. Although this album hasn’t crossed my mind in years, just now I found a download of the out-of-print LP at a swell soundtrack sharing weblog. Wonder if it still holds up?
So now it’s time to turn the tables: what was the first album you bought with your own money? Don’t be shy.
I think mine was the first Beatles album. I was in ninth grade in New York City. Every day at lunchtime at school all the girls would gather in a large room, put on the Beatles albumn and dance together.
What’s not to like?
Oh. My. God. Matt, you are the best! I can’t say I’d ever said, “gosh, I sure wish I had the ’9 to 5′ soundtrack,” (even though it’s one of my most favorite movies and the first movie I ever saw alone in a theater–oh, and my mom’s stipulation for that long-ago Saturday afternoon at the mall: “don’t let anyone sit next to you in the theater.” My 11-year old non-verbal response: “Huh…?” It took a few more years for me to understand that request!), yet I am absolutely thrilled that you came across it on the net and provided a link to it here! It sounds so clear and makes me smile just listening to the first few tracks so far!
Oh–and to answer your question: I am not 100% sure what album I bought with my very own money. It MIGHT have been one of my late 70s vinyl albums, but not having gotten an allowance until junior high school in the early ’80s, I don’t know if I had much spare money. (Now, 45s–yes, I used to buy those fairly often!) I do recall joining the Columbia Record and Tape Club along with my friends and having to pick albums I didn’t care about to get the free one(s). I recall one having been The Police – “Ghost In The Machine” and I didn’t give a crap about having it. I think my brother may have taken it from me by the mid-80s…
This isn’t your question, but the first albums I owned that were given to me as birthday gifts in 1976 or so by my parents when I was given my own Sears cheap-y turntable (it was black plastic with a vinyl “denim” motif!) was The Village People – “Macho Man.” Gay much, Dan? *g*
Thanks again for sharing the 9 to 5 link! You’re no sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot!
Rick Springfield, “Living in Oz,” which wasn’t even the one with “Jessie’s Girl” on it so I don’t know what I can say. I also had Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” when that came out, but my uncle bought it for me because I had a crush on Vincent Price.
First cassette tape was a cassingle of Janet Jackson: “Pleasure Principle” with “Fast Girls” on the B side.
First CD was Ace of Base’s “The Sign.”
Continuing the carnival of bad taste, my first concert was Vanilla Ice.
It’s a wonder that I grew up to be a musician, because I damn sure don’t have any musical taste.
Oh, this is going to hurt to admit. My first “my own money” album purchase was the Jacksons’ “Victory” album, because I was still in the throes of my Michael Jackson infatuation. In my defense, I was 10. I had “Thriller”, but my dad bought that, not me. The next album I bought was “Around the World in a Day”, by Prince, which redeems me a bit, I hope.
Blue Oyster Cult’s “Agents of Fortune,” complete with hit single “Don’t Fear the Reaper,” as purchased from the local HECK’S department store. If memory serves, I think BOC was also the stars at the first rock concert I ever attended as well. I haven’t listened to the band in decades (amazing how our tastes change with age), but this really is a good album. Still have it in the vinyl wax museum as well!
Read more about it at this link:
http://www.superseventies.com/blueoystercult.html
That would be The Beatles double “White Album”.
Bought it at Wallich’s Music City in Lakewood, CA,
I beleive. The owner of that music chain also founded
Capitol Records. The album came with the original
embossed serial number on the front along with a
fold-out lyric sheet and individual 8×10 pics of the lads.
You know, something to look at over and over while you sat thru 2 albums.
We had a Sears portable “HiFi” with detachable speakers that i would use as headphones until i got
tired of holding them or my ears hurt.
Creedance Clearwater Revival’s Willy and the Poor Boys. I’m not sure why! It must have been a desparate attempt to get someone to like me.
The 1st CD I bought at the mall with “my very own money” was En Vogue’s Funky Divas. I had just turned 12. My best friend was with me and she bought Shakespears Sister’s Hormonally Yours. We recorded the songs onto blank cassette tapes for each other. Ah, memories. That was when CDs came in those long boxes.
Pretty sure it was Paul McCartney & Wings’ “Venus & Mars” circa 1975, which actually was not that bad. Sure it had the semi-awful “Listen To What The Man Said”, but to make up for it, there was “Rock Show” and “Magneto and Titanium Man”.
Sure, it can’t compete with the likes of “Violet’s Poisoned The Boss” or “Judy’s Fantasy” or even “Easy Time (Dept. Store Music)”, but really, how ya gonna compete with Charles Effing Fox??!
i think my first album with my own money was the bee gees “spirits having flown” but i’m not entirely sure it was with my own money. before and afer that were assorted 7″ singles(alan o’day, abba, carpenters, queen, player, etc.). the firt album i consciously sat down and listened to and thought “is it good?” was madness by madness which was a compilation for the american market(at the time i wasn’t aware that nearly every song had been a single in the uk).
9-5?!?! That’s great! I’m pretty sure that my first album purchase was Monty Python’s “Matching Tie and Handkerchief” bought at Peacock Alley in Ford City Mall. But I don’t know if that was with birthday money or if my Grandma let me pick out a record. My first 45 (which came after my first album) was Ray Stevens’ “Guitarzan”.