The Album As A Historical Document

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are there any albums you own which can be regarded as historical documents in their own right?

― MarkH (MarkH), Wednesday, 15 January 2003 12:05 (twenty-three years ago)

Julian Cope's "Peggy Suicide" inspired this thread, with its pictures, lyrics and sleevenotes detailing the opposition to the Poll Tax.

― MarkH (MarkH), Wednesday, 15 January 2003 12:10 (twenty-three years ago)

would field recordings belong here?

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Wednesday, 15 January 2003 12:11 (twenty-three years ago)

Last year someone uploaded a collection of atom-bomb-themed songs from the 40s and 50s - mostly country, some blues and pop - and while not an album they were absolutely fascinating as historic artefacts (and often grebt as songs too!)

― Tom (Groke), Wednesday, 15 January 2003 12:12 (twenty-three years ago)

Somehow, Marley's original "Zippo'd" Catch a Fire gatefold belongs here.

― christoff (christoff), Wednesday, 15 January 2003 18:20 (twenty-three years ago)

Celebrity charity songs like "We Are The World" and "What's Going On 2001" work as a little "who's-big-in-pop-THAT-year" audio time capsule.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Wednesday, 15 January 2003 18:34 (twenty-three years ago)

Dan Akroyd...popstar?

― Lord Custos Omega (Lord Custos Omega), Wednesday, 15 January 2003 18:36 (twenty-three years ago)

Certainly "paradigm-shifters" like Sgt. Peppers and, uh, Masters of Reality stand as something hysterical, er, historical

― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Wednesday, 15 January 2003 18:41 (twenty-three years ago)

I think of most albums I own as historical documents of some sort or another. It'd be kinda impossible not to.

― hstencil, Wednesday, 15 January 2003 18:48 (twenty-three years ago)

Muhammed Ali's album I Am The Greatest serves as historical document, almost more than anything else.

― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Wednesday, 15 January 2003 18:56 (twenty-three years ago)

Dan Akroyd = pop culture star.

― hstencil, Wednesday, 15 January 2003 19:01 (twenty-three years ago)

Blues Brothers had hit records, so Dan Ackroyd = pop star, no culture req'd.

― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Wednesday, 15 January 2003 19:04 (twenty-three years ago)

Dan Ackroyd = pop star, no culture req'd.
None offered, Hah, hah.

Would Big Star's Sister Lovers be considered historical, since according to everything I read about it it demonstrates the increasing acrimony between the band members. Likewise maybe Let It Be?

And add Metal Machine Music as a paradigm shifter.

― nickn (nickn), Wednesday, 15 January 2003 22:11 (twenty-three years ago)

http://www.folkways.si.edu/images/45060.jpg

― Amateurist (amateurist), Wednesday, 15 January 2003 22:12 (twenty-three years ago)

Ah fuck you (er, sorry for the coarse language) Amateurist! I really want that record! Lost an auction of it the other week.

(I'd also say that maybe recordings of animals are ahistorical documents?)

― hstencil, Wednesday, 15 January 2003 22:16 (twenty-three years ago)

the ilx compilation!!

― mark s (mark s), Wednesday, 15 January 2003 22:19 (twenty-three years ago)

Auction? It's out on CD--and I helped transfer the frog sounds.

Not ahistorical, because many of the frogs recorded on that album are extinct.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Wednesday, 15 January 2003 22:22 (twenty-three years ago)

Ahistorical, but not paleontological or zoological or something. Frogs don't have history.

CD, schmeedee, I want the vinyl.

(do you work at a studio or something in Chicago? If so I know a lot of your peers.)

― hstencil, Wednesday, 15 January 2003 23:01 (twenty-three years ago)

Whoops I meant apalenotological or azoological, but you knew that.

― hstencil, Wednesday, 15 January 2003 23:02 (twenty-three years ago)

No, I worked at Folkways for a summer. One gets very tired of frog noises, very quickly.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Wednesday, 15 January 2003 23:05 (twenty-three years ago)

You might, but I wouldn't.

― hstencil, Wednesday, 15 January 2003 23:07 (twenty-three years ago)

Moby's new LP is built on samples from this very record, so be careful lest your frog noise obsession quickly become passe.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Wednesday, 15 January 2003 23:07 (twenty-three years ago)

old blues didn't become crap just because Moby sampled it. And since I avoid Urban Outfitters, I never have to hear his music.

― hstencil, Wednesday, 15 January 2003 23:27 (twenty-three years ago)

You're right. And you'll probably enjoy the sequel, Jesus Christ Will Those Chickens Stop That Infernal Clucking.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Wednesday, 15 January 2003 23:30 (twenty-three years ago)

Moby's sampling the frog record? Sigh.

I played the frogs for a friend, who grew despondent. "Those frogs make better music than I do!"

Anyway, aren't some of those frogs a bit endangered? That seems to add some historic quality right there.

― Chris P (Chris P), Thursday, 16 January 2003 04:20 (twenty-three years ago)

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