45 RPMs 106: Mary Hopkin ~ Those Were the Days

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Mary Hopkin ~ Those Were the Days 

45 RPM record 

photo by Styrous® 
    

    

Today is the birthday of Welsh singer, Mary Hopkin, who bust forth internationally with her wonderful song, Those Were the Days. I was in my early twenties when it did; I remember thinking what a marvelous take on what it must be like to be old and review your life. I danced madly to the bouncy, lively beat of it. I still fondly look back at the song and those early days of my life but now that I am there, I have a totally different perspective on it, my life and my aspirations. As they say, "hindsight is 20/20".      

 

Those Were the Days was composed by Boris Fomin in 1924 but credited to Gene Raskin, who put English lyrics to Fomin's Russian romance song Dorogoi dlinnoyu, which originally had lyrics by the poet Konstantin Podrevsky. With Raskin's lyrics, the song is an evaluation of youth and romantic idealism, reminiscing about drinking, singing, and dancing in a tavern, imagining a rosy future which has not been fulfilled. Although it has a joyous feeling, it is wistful and, well, a little melancholy. It conveys the same feeling as the Peggy Lee song, Is That All There Is? I love that song as well. With both I feel, "Then let's keep dancing!"         

 

Hopkin did some backup singing on albums by Tom Paxton, Ralph McTell, David Bowie (Low), Bert Jansch, the Radiators from Space, Thin Lizzy, Carmen, the Sarstedt Brothers, Osibisa, Sparks, Hazel O'Connor and Elaine Paige.      

 

The "B" side of the record is the song Turn, Turn, Turn written by Pete Seeger in 1959.  The lyrics – except for the title, which is repeated throughout the song, and the final two lines – consist of the first eight verses of the third chapter of the biblical Book of Ecclesiastes. The song was originally released in 1962 as To Everything There Is a Season on the folk group the Limeliters' album Folk Matinee, and then some months later on Seeger's own The Bitter and the Sweet album.          

 

 

 

Mary Hopkin ~ Turn, Turn, Turn 

45 RPM record 

photo by Styrous® 

 

Tracklist:

Side 1:

A - Those Were The Days, written by Gene Raskin - 5:05

Side 2:

B - Turn, Turn, Turn, written by Pete Seeger - 2:48

Companies, etc.

    Mastered At – Capitol Studios, New York City
    Pressed By – Capitol Records Pressing Plant, Scranton
    Manufactured By – Apple Records, Inc.
    Published By – TRO
    Published By – Melody Trails, Inc.

 Credits:

 

      Producer – Paul McCartney

 

Notes:

Scranton Label Variant: "Mfg. by Apple Records, Inc." on 'B Side' label at bottom, and missing from 'A side'.
The reverse Scranton label variant here - Mary Hopkin - Those Were The Days

A: T.R.O. Organization
B: Melody Trails Inc. (BMI)

Runouts have a combination of both stamped and etched characters. "[IAM logo]" is stamped.

Barcode and Other Identifiers         

    Rights Society: BMI
    Pressing Plant ID (Stamped in runouts): "IAM" in triangle logo
    Matrix / Runout (Label side A): X46416
    Matrix / Runout (Label side B): X46417
    Matrix / Runout (Runout side A, variant 1): 45-X46416-P1 #2 45-70293-P1 [IAM logo]
    Matrix / Runout (Runout side B, variant 1): 45-X46417-P1 45-46417-P1 [IAM logo]
    Matrix / Runout (Runout side A, variant 2): 4̶5̶-̶7̶0̶2̶9̶3̶-̶P̶1 45-X46416-P1 #3 [IAM logo]
    Matrix / Runout (Runout side B, variant 2): 45-X46417-P1#3 45-46417-P1 [IAM logo]
    Matrix / Runout (Runout side A, variant 3): 4̶5̶-̶7̶0̶2̶9̶3̶-̶P̶1 45-X46416-P1 #2 [IAM logo]
    Matrix / Runout (Runout side B, variant 3): 45-X46417-P1 [IAM logo] 45-46417-P1
    Matrix / Runout (Runout side A, variant 4): 45-̶7̶0̶2̶9̶3̶-̶P̶1 45-X 46416-P1 #4 [IAM logo]
    Matrix / Runout (Runout side B, variant 4): 45-4617-T2
    Matrix / Runout (Runout side A, variant 5): 45-̶7̶0̶2̶9̶3̶-̶P̶1 45-X 46416-P1 [IAM logo]
    Matrix / Runout (Runout side B, variant 5): 45-X46417-P1 45-46417-P1 [IAM logo]
    Matrix / Runout (Runout side A, variant 6): 45-̶7̶0̶2̶9̶3̶-̶P̶1 45-X 46416-P1 #8 [IAM logo]
    Matrix / Runout (Runout side B, variant 6): 45-X46417-P1 #7 45-46417-P1 [IAM logo]
    Matrix / Runout (Runout side A, variant 7): 45-̶7̶0̶2̶9̶3̶-̶P̶1 45-X 46416-P1 #8 [IAM logo]
    Matrix / Runout (Runout side B, variant 7): 45-̶7̶0̶2̶9̶4-̶P̶1 46417 45-X-46417-P1
    Matrix / Runout (Runout side A, variant 8): 45-46416-T2 [IAM logo]
    Matrix / Runout (Runout side B, variant 8): 45-46417-T2 [IAM logo]
    Matrix / Runout (Runout side A, variant 9): 45-̶7̶0̶2̶9̶3̶-̶P̶1 45-X 46416-P1 #3 [IAM logo]
    Matrix / Runout (Runout side B, variant 9): 45-X46417-P1 #6 45-46417-P1 [IAM logo]
    Matrix / Runout (Runout side A, variant 10): 45-7̶0̶2̶9̶3̶-̶P̶1̶ 45-X46416-P1#2 [IAM logo]
    Matrix / Runout (Runout side B, variant 10): 45-X46417-P1#5 4̶5̶-̶7̶0̶2̶9̶4̶-P1 [IAM logo]
    Matrix / Runout (Runout side A, variant 11): 45-7̶0̶2̶9̶3̶-̶P̶1̶ 45-X46416-P1 [IAM logo]
    Matrix / Runout (Runout side B, variant 11): 45-X46417-P1#5 4̶5̶-̶7̶0̶2̶9̶4̶ -P1 [IAM logo]

Mary Hopkin – Those Were The Days
Label: Apple Records – 1801
Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Single, Scranton Pressing
Country: US
Released: Aug 26, 1968
Genre: Rock, Pop, Folk, World, & Country
Style: Chanson, Pop Rock, Folk         

        

        

        

        

Viewfinder links:       

        
David Bowie    

Boris Fomin       

the Limeliters         

Hazel O'Connor         

Osibisa          

Elaine Paige       

Tom Paxton  

Pete Seeger         

Sparks       

Thin Lizzy       

         
     
Net links:       

         

         

         

        
     
YouTube links:       
        

Mary Hopkin ~ Those Were the Days         

Sergey Lazarev ~ Dorogoi dlinnoyu (The long road)       
        
         

         

What the hell! Let's keep dancing!

        

Styrous® ~ Sunday, April 3, 2026 

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Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller articles/mentions

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Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller     

date & photographer unknown       
      

     

     

     

mentions:      

The Coasters ~               

        Poison Ivy           

        Yakety Yak     

Ben E. King ~                    

         Spanish Harlem

         Stand by Me             

Peggy Lee ~ Is That All There Is?             

Big Joe Turner ~ Shake, Rattle And Roll          
           

     

     

     

     

     

     

     
     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

 

 

 

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Al Jolson articles/mentions

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Al Jolson - 1920

photographer unknown

     

     

mentions:      

     

Ford 50th Anniversary Television Show  

Al Jarreau ~ Breakin' Away & scat     

Peggy Lee ~ Is That All There Is?     

     

      

      

     

 

 

 

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Music People

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Chaka Khan articles/mentions

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Peggy Lee ~ Is That All There Is? 

Arif Mardin ~ Glass Onion     

     

      

      

     

      

     

     

     

      

Chaka Khan     

date & photographer unknown     

     

      

     

      

     

      

     

      

     

 

 

 

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The Bobs articles/mentions

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The Bobs
 date & photographer unknown

 

     

      

mentions:     

Peggy Lee ~ Is That All There Is?     

     

      

     

     

     
      

     

      

     

     

     

      

     

      

     

 

 

 

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Music People

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Amanda Lear articles/mentions

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mentions:     

Peggy Lee ~ Is That All There Is?     

Mick Ronson ~ Slaughter on 10th Ave.     

      

     

     

     
      

     

      

     

      

Amanda Lear -1978

photo by Bert Verhoef

     

      

     

           

      

     

 

 

 

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Music People

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Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller articles/mentions

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Ben E. King ~ Spanish Harlem     

Peggy Lee ~ Is That All There Is?       

Doc Pomus ~ Doo-Wop Wonder         

Elvis Presley ~ Hound Dog    

      

      

      

     

      

 

     

     

     

      

Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller

date & photographer unknown

     

      

     

      

     

      

     

      

     

 

 

 

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Capitol Records ~ the inner sleeve: The Capitol Tower

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Capitol Records record sleeve 

photo by Styrous®

 

Sixty-five years ago today, April 6, 1956, Capitol Tower, the home of Capitol Records was dedicated. It was the first circular office tower designed in America.    

 

 

Capitol Records record sleeve detail

detail photo by Styrous®

 

That day is crystal clear in my mind as it was at the pinnacle of the Golden Age of Sci-Fi, I was deep into it and the building was right out of one of the books and pulp magazines I devoured. I thought to myself it was the future coming to life right in front of me. Little did I know my life would witness MANY Sci-Fi fantasies come true.      

 

Located at 1750 North Vine Street in Hollywood, a neighborhood in the central region of Los Angeles, California, it is thirteen stories tall and 92 feet in diameter. The photo below shows the Capitol Records Building seen from the Hollywood and Vine intersection near sunset on June 30, 2009.         

 

      

Capitol Records headquarters building
  photo by Downtowngal

Designed by Welton Becket with Louis Naidorf, a young architect from Becket's office, serving as project designer the earthquake-resistant Capitol Records Tower is the world's first circular office building. Home to several recording studios, it is one of Hollywood's most distinctive landmarks. Although not intended as a tribute to record players, its wide curved awnings and tall narrow tower mimic the appearance of a stack of gramophone records atop a phonograph. The building was commissioned by EMI after its acquisition of Capitol Records in 1955 and was completed on April 6, 1956.           

 

 

Capitol Records tower elevation drawing 
 

According to Atlas Obscura (link below), the light at the top of the tower on the Capitol Records Building sends out a secret message. It was the former president of Capitol Records, Alan Livingston, who got the idea to have the light on top of the building send out a signal in Morse code. The word chosen for this secret message was “Hollywood.” When the building opened in 1956, Samuel Morse’s granddaughter Leila Morse had the honor of turning the light on.    

Capitol Records Building construction - 1955
 photographer unknown

       

Photographer Ted VanCleave has done a series of very dramatic and beautiful black and white images of the Capitol Records Building. Phaidon has issued a book, California Captured which features the tower. According to Slipped Disc, the tower has been shut down and its staff laid off; and Moses Avalon says it has been converted to condos (links below).   

 

 

Capitol Records Building - July 25, 2009 

photo by Jelson25

       

      

Capitol Records, as did other record companies (link below), advertised the artists they represented on the record sleeve of a vinyl LP.  

      

      

  Capitol Records record sleeve ads

photo by Styrous®

 

    

A few of the artists the company recorded included Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, Peggy Lee, Tina Turner, Garth Brooks, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, the Beach Boys, Brian Wilson, Megadeth, NF, Everclear, Katy Perry, Mary J. Blige, Halsey, the Beastie Boys, Juice Newton, The Kingston Trio, Neil Diamond, Iron Maiden, Minnie Riperton, Luscious Jackson, Linda Ronstadt, Eagles, Beck, Ray Anthony, Avenged Sevenfold, Don Henley, Yellowcard, Sam Smith, Sparklehorse, Migos, Emeli Sandé, Queen Naija, Helena Paparizou, 5 Seconds of Summer, and Fletcher.    

      

      

      

      

     

Viewfinder links:

      

Ray Anthony          

Beastie Boys        

Garth Brooks         

Nat "King" Cole      

Neil Diamond          

Judy Garland          

The Inner Sleeve        

The Kingston Trio        

Peggy Lee     

Paul McCartney      

Katy Perry          

Record Labels       

Frank Sinatra      

Ringo Starr         

Tina Turner        

Brian Wilson         

     

Net links:

     

Atlas Obscura ~ Capitol Records Building Morse Code      

Moses Avalon ~ Capitol Records Building goes condo          

Phaidon ~ California Captured - The Capitol Records Building        

Slipped Disc ~ Capitol Records Tower is no more     

Totally LA ~ The Iconic Capitol Records Building     

udiscovermusic ~ In Celebration of Capitol Records     

Ted VanCleave ~ Capitol Records Gallery     

     

YouTube links:

      

The Capitol Tower Opens  (1956)       

The Capitol Tower (1958)       

The Capitol Records Building, Hollywood   

Inside Capitol Records Tower      

     

     

     

     

     

     

 

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

Styrous® ~ Tuesday, April 6, 2021   

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1,000,001 CDs 19: Otis Blackwell ~ These Are My Songs

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Otis Blackwell ~ These Are My Songs

CD cover

Artwork, Design ~ Leo Bliok

 

           

Today is the birthday of Otis Blackwell. Although Blackwell and Elvis Presley never met, their talents intersected at a crucial time in the history of popular music. After an unsuccessful recording career in the early 1950s, Blackwell found his calling as a songwriter. At the same time, Presley’s unique set of singing and performing skills were catching fire with the country’s teenagers. However, Elvis depended on young rhythm and blues composers to provide the particular kind of music needed to continue fueling his exploding career. In 1956 it was Otis Blackwell who provided much of that fuel.    

 

Presley’s manager, Colonel Tom Parker, insisted that Blackwell share writing credit with Presley to increase the artist’s profit—a common practice at the time among stars. “I said no at first,” Blackwell explained, “but they said Elvis is gonna turn the business around, so I said okay. The cat was hot. That’s why his name is on the songs.”      

Elvis Presley - Tupelo, Miss. - 1956 

photo by Roger Marshutz

 

 

Blackwell won a local talent contest at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, in 1952, at 21.  He could not, however, transform his initial accomplishment into a successful career as a performer. His own recordings never cracked the Top 40 on the hit parade charts. Blackwell wrote as many as a thousand songs over his lifetime, and they’re said to have sold more than 200 million copies.

Blackwell did more than just provide the hit songs for Presley. John Davenport was an alias used by Blackwell for the writing credits of his first hit song, Fever, performed by Little Willie John, which he co-wrote with Eddie Cooley. Presley recorded it in 1980 but Peggy Lee had recorded it in 1958 when it became a huge hit and put Blackwell on the music map.    

Peggy Lee

date & photographer unknown

His works have been recorded by many major artists, Jerry Lee Lewis, Ray Charles, Otis Redding, James Brown, the Who, Johnny Thunders, Billy Joel, James Taylor, Dolly Parton, Conway Twitty, the Judds, Carl Perkins, and Peggy Lee, among numerous others. At other times in his career, Blackwell was also successful as a record producer, having helped turn out hits for artists as diverse as Connie Francis, Mahalia Jackson, and Sal Mineo.           

Sal Mineo & Otis Blackwell

date & photographer unknown

           

Otis Blackwell wrote as many as a thousand songs over his lifetime, and they’re said to have sold more than 200 million copies. 

 

Blackwell was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1986 and in 1991 into the National Academy of Popular Music's Songwriters Hall of Fame. Blackwell's crowning moment came in the late 1980s when the Black Rock Coalition, a prominent organization of black rock musicians, led by Vernon Reid, the lead guitarist of the band, Living Colour, held a tribute for him at the Prospect Park Bandshell in his native Brooklyn. Many prominent musicians and singers took part including Blackwell himself.    

 

Blackwell was named one of the 2010 recipients of Ahmet Ertegun Award in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. This category encompasses those who primarily work behind the scenes in the music industry.   

          

Otis Blackwell died of a heart attack on Monday, May 6, 2002, in a hospital in Nashville where he lived. He was 70 years old.          

           

           

Tracklist:

1 - All Shook Up, written by Presley*, Blackwell* - 3:22

2 - Fever, written by Cooley*, Davenport* - 3:50

3 - Back Trail, written by Blackwell* - 3:53

4 - Daddy Rollin' Stone, written by Blackwell* - 3:25

5 - Great Balls Of Fire, written by Hammer*, Blackwell*Great Balls Of Fire - 2:11

6 - Don't Be Cruel, written by Presley*, Blackwell* - 1:55

7 - Searchin', written by Leiber/Stoller* - 3:34

8 - Let's Talk About Us, written by Blackwell* - 2:58

9 - Hey Little Girl, written by Stevenson*, Blackwell* - 3:04

10 - Breathless, written by Blackwell* - 2:37

11 - Handy Man, written by Jones*, Blackwell* - 2:15

12 - Return To Sender, written by Blackwell*, Scott* - 2:49

Companies, etc.

    Recorded At – A-1 Sound Studios

Credits:

    Artwork, Design – Leo Bliok
    Backing Vocals – Winfield Scott
    Bass, Backing Vocals – Bob Tinerino
    Drums, Backing Vocals – Jeffrey Zollher
    Engineer – Herb Abramson
    Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals – Gordon Inyard
    Liner Notes – Herb Abramson
    Photography By – Sheila Abramson
    Piano, Backing Vocals – Chris Townes (2)
    Producer – Herb Abramson, Otis Blackwell
    Remix – Herb Abramson, James Nichols
    Rhythm Guitar, Backing Vocals – Bob Goldring
    Vocals – Otis Blackwell

Barcode and Other Identifiers

    Matrix / Runout (Runout / Side A / Etched): IC-1032-A ST M-A-D 10-77 18- A2
    Matrix / Runout (Runout / Side B / Etched): IC-1032-B ST M-A-D 10-77 17- A2

Otis Blackwell ‎– These Are My Songs
Label: Inner City Records ‎– IC 1032
Format: CD, Album
Country: US
Sortie: 2008
Genre: Blues 

          

 

 

          

Viewfinder links:        

         

Otis Blackwell        

James Brown         

Ray Charles        

Connie Francis        

Aretha Franklin         

Mahalia Jackson       

Etta James          

Billy Joel     

Peggy Lee         

Jerry Lee Lewis       

Sal Mineo       

Dolly Parton       

Elvis Presley       

Elvis Presley ~ 

     All Shook Up & Otis Blackwell        

     Don't Be Cruel                  

Otis Redding         

Little Richard            

The Who        

      

Net links:        

             

Country Music Hall of Fame ~ Otis Blackwell: Songwriter to “The King”  

Elvis History ~ Otis Blackwell Fueled the Elvis Machine     

NY Times ~ Otis Blackwell Wrote Hits for Presley and Others    

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame ~ Otis Blackwell              

Songwriters Hall of Fame ~ He Gave Elvis and the world All Shook Up   

      

YouTube links:         

         

Music:     

      

Otis Blackwell ~          

       Daddy Rolling Stone  

       Fever 

       Great Balls of Fire     

       w/Eddie Cooley & The Dimples ~ All Shook Up             

Peggy Lee ~ Fever         

      

Misc:      

       

Otis Blackwell Story      

David Letterman Show ~ Otis Blackwell        

         

        

         

         

Styrous® ~ Sunday, December 7, 2020     

    

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