Shameless Tokenism

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What one record do you own to represent an entire genre? Do you like the record?

My example is Heart of the Congos which I realized is the *only* reggae album I own, unless you count the ragga dancehall compilations I just bought. And I do love the record but feel little desire to buy more reggae.

(have a vague feeling this was done already but can't find it)

― Ian White, Monday, 20 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Clayman by In Flames is the only metal record I, technically, own, and I love it. All of the files on the computer and burned onto CDs from the computer don't count.

― Lyra, Monday, 20 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

one time my i said to my well connected artist friend with record collector in background 'i love ragtime i have 3 ragtime records' and they muffled laughter and then said 'sorry sorry but 3 records' and i said 'so what i do love it' and who was dumb? i ask. i am monogamous!

― maryann, Monday, 20 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

having The Heart Of The Congos as sole reggae album is def pref to The Best of Bob Marley, which is the usual token reggae album.

― m jemmeson, Tuesday, 21 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

3CD compilation BLUESBLUESBLUES (it has 3 titles too, see). It's smashing. I guess Yardbirds / Stones don't count as are R&B.

― the pinefox, Tuesday, 21 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Marvin Gaye whats going on. Thats a pretty obvious one. Did you know he changed his name from Gay to Gaye because he was a flagrant homophobic, it kind of takes from the whole theme of the album a bit doesnt it?

― Ronan Fitzgerald, Tuesday, 21 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I GUESS my Debussy CD would be my token "safe classical record". Somewhere between 10-15 rap tokens, a handful of IDM tokens.

Guitar-rock complacency at its finest, right here. (I'd call it "indie rock complacency", but indie rock is DEAD, and I don't think the Kinks would qualify as such, regardless of the body's state.)

― David Raposa, Tuesday, 21 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

"Phases of the Moon" is the only album of traditional Chinese folk music I own. It's more sweetly melodic than I would have expected and the most surprising and puzzling thing about it is how Celtic- sounding some of the pieces are.

― scott, Tuesday, 21 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I'm definitely like this with "world" (blah) music...I only own one gamelan recording (although I'd like to own more, I just never think of it while at the rekkid store)...Fela and King Sunny Ade are my only African music...

― jess, Tuesday, 21 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Whatever genre Current 93 is, I think I only have one of those.

― Mark, Tuesday, 21 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Ronan - I don't think Gaye's 'name change' was so much homophobic, as just a holdover from the Motown aspirational ethic - at the time, the word 'gay' had a slightly naughty, 'adult' ring to it, and anything that could've been remotely considered by anyone as juvenile silliness would've been beneath them. Same as why Aretha changed her name from Urethra.

― dave q, Tuesday, 21 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Somewhere languishing on tape I have a copy of Iron Maiden's _Powerslave_. This is my one and only foray into 80's metal. No Crue, no Slayer, no Metallica, no Anthrax, etc. This reminds me that I should really get a copy of _Among The Living_ sometime.

― Dan Perry, Tuesday, 21 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

One CD of random Bach fugues, which I am disappointed with because it doesn't have what I want. I only bought it because it's all I had the money for. I never buy classical CDs because I play what I like on the piano, but I wanted the Well-Tempered Clavier to HEAR since it's going to be years before I get through learning it.

― Lyra, Tuesday, 21 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

two years pass...

How could you possibly own only that one reggae album? It wouldn't even make my top 40 in that genre.

― Jazzbo (jmcgaw), Tuesday, 10 February 2004 23:48 (twenty-two years ago)

i only own one reggae 12" (but that's because it's on Factory)

― the surface noise (electricsound), Tuesday, 10 February 2004 23:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Little known fact - the genre was originally referred to as "reggay," but because of homopho -- aw, fuck it.

That said, "The Harder They Come" soundtrack is the only reggae album I have.

― Ben Boyer (Ben Boyer), Wednesday, 11 February 2004 01:19 (twenty-two years ago)

I was going to say Time Out by Dave Brubeck, it being the only jazz album I thought I owned, but I also own the soundtrack to Antonioni's "Blow-Up," which is practically all jazz (Herbie Hancock), apart from a couple of tracks (notably the Yardbirds) and I had a best of the Blue Note compilation before someone walked outta my apartment with it after a party.

Like a big-ass poser, I believe the only proper reggae album I own is the fuckin' Legend compilation by Marley & the Wailers.....lemme think......oh wait, I do own a Steel Pulse disc and the reggae compilation, 96 Degrees. That still makes me a reggae diletante (sp?) though.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 11 February 2004 01:22 (twenty-two years ago)

I thought Marvin Gaye added the e to the end of his name to be like Sam Cooke?

― Shep, Wednesday, 11 February 2004 01:39 (twenty-two years ago)

I only have two albums of music from the 50's (Johnny Cash's Sun Years and Chuck Berry's Golden Decade - which is basically "The Great Twenty-Four") and they're among my favorite albums of all time. I totally should buy more but I'm...I'm really lazy.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Wednesday, 11 February 2004 02:26 (twenty-two years ago)

I thought Marvin Gaye added the e at the end of his name to distance himself from/piss off his father.

― Rick Massimo (Rick Massimo), Wednesday, 11 February 2004 18:13 (twenty-two years ago)

"Gay" didn't mean homosexual in the 50s/early 60s.

― LondonLee (LondonLee), Wednesday, 11 February 2004 18:19 (twenty-two years ago)

six months pass...

I heard Bob Hope cracking wise on the old late 50's Steve Allen Show:
"I hear NBC(or whoever) has a new show on called "The Gay Caballero". He keeps the six-shooter in his purse!"

or something to that effect, I know there was a purse reference. Anyway gay meant homosexual in the 50's/early 60's, though not as exclusively as it does now.

― orangeblazer, Monday, 16 August 2004 02:08 (twenty-one years ago)

I do have a flamenco album by ---Sorry I can't find it. I must've given it to the Salvation Army as the guy, great player and all, just wouldn't shut his yap throughout. Therefore, I am tokenless.

― jim wentworth (wench), Monday, 16 August 2004 02:28 (twenty-one years ago)

I believe "Gaye" added his name to both distance himself from his father and imitate his idol Sam Cook(e).

― djdee2005, Monday, 16 August 2004 03:13 (twenty-one years ago)

Cook added the e because he believed in numerologist, and wanted an even number of letters in his name, or something ridiculous. And because he hated cooks.

I liked maryann's story.

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 16 August 2004 07:28 (twenty-one years ago)

I own one classical record, which is Arvo Part something something, lots of haunting voices and quiet, spacious passages.

― Jimmybommy JimmyK'KANG (Nick Southall), Monday, 16 August 2004 07:40 (twenty-one years ago)

I have two Doo-Wop compilations - one is incredible, the other piss poor. Shame because the piss-poor one cost me significantly more than the bargain good one.

I'd like a bit more Doo-Wop though. Even though I only have three-cds worth, I consider myself a fan.

― dog latin (dog latin), Monday, 16 August 2004 08:01 (twenty-one years ago)

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