You'll remember Hal Waggoner as an exciting Tiger-Cat star and, maybe too, as a part-time DJ on CKOC and later as the proprietor of the Melody Lane record shop at the east end of the Centre Mall, across from the west entrance to Sears:
[url=http://3downnation.com/2015/05/19/waggoner-set-to-become-3rd-generation-cfler-thanks-to-moms-twitter/]http://3downnation.com/2015/05/19/waggo ... s-twitter/[/url]As soon as I read the name, Hal Waggoner, I immediately thought of the record store at the Centre (as it was called then). It was located kitty corner to Simpson Sears and Playtime stores was nearby as well.
I used to go in there to buy my 45’s.
There’s a flood of memories.
Just to remind those younger folks, old fan wasn’t buying handguns or ammo there, he was buying these things called “45RPM Singles” - vinyl records that had a “single” on “Side A” and a (usually) mundane song on the “B-Side”. You played these records at 45 rotations per minute, as opposed to the 33&1/3 RPM of vinyl albums. You also had to have an adaptor to play the 45, as the hole in it was about an inch across.
Now you know.
And hence the origin of the term B-side, which is used today pretty liberally to refer to any song released as an additional song on a single. Back in the day, though, the term referred to the two sides of the 45 -- A and B. The B-side could be a different track from the same album as the A-side, a live or extended version of the A-side, or a previously unreleased song.
Those were the days.
“Usually,” yes, but not always:
“Rock Around the Clock? – Bill Haley and His Comets
One of rock ‘n’ roll’s original anthems, “Rock Around the Clock,? was first issued as a B-side to “Thirteen Women (And Only One Man in Town)? in 1954. It was only moderately successful until the B-side appeared in the movie “Blackboard Jungle? the following year. “Rock Around the Clock? went on to be a huge hit, becoming the first rock ‘n’ roll song to hit number one on the US charts and repeating this success around the world, including in the UK.
“I’m Sorry? – Brenda Lee
This is another example of an artist’s biggest hit originally being relegated to the B-side. “I’m Sorry? was recorded with just a few minutes of studio time left at a 1960 session and was put out as the B-side of “That’s All You Gotta Do.?
The astute DJs once again had other ideas and “I’m Sorry? was soon Brenda Lee’s first US number one.
“Unchained Melody? – The Righteous Brothers
“Unchained Melody? had already been around for 10 years when the Righteous Brothers recorded it in 1965. It was originally an album cut and might have disappeared into obscurity if not put on the B-side of the single “Hung on You.? DJs preferred the B-side and it rose to number four in the US and number one in the UK. Although always credited to the Righteous Brothers, “Unchained Melody? is a Bobby Hatfield solo performance. It became a huge worldwide hit again in 1990 when featured in the movie Ghost.
DisplacedCatsFan wrote:
[b]"Just to remind those younger folks, old fan wasn't buying handguns or ammo there, he was buying these things called "45RPM Singles" - vinyl records that had a "single" on "Side A" and a (usually) mundane song on the "B-Side". You played these records at 45 rotations per minute, as opposed to the 33&1/3 RPM of vinyl albums. You also had to have an adaptor to play the 45, as the hole in it was about an inch across.
Now you know."[/b]
Thank you for pointing that out, DCF. I wouldn't want anyone to think that I was a child criminal....LOL
Ticat football teams during the 50s were very entertaining. They presented guys like Mazza, Bevan, Gilchrist, MacDougle, Logan, Kusserow and Custis to the Hamilton public; not to mention, Hal Waggoner. Our city has been very fortunate through those years and since to see some great football.
I also shopped at Melody Lane and loved going in there to shoot the breeze with Hal or any of his staff.
Good luck to his grandson. :thup: