A Proposition

Childhood memories from before the Nintendo era an article with an agenda.
On
April 10, 2007


I think music plays a huge part in our childhoods. From cereal jingles to cartoon theme songs, our early years were filled with music. For some of us, those old vinyl LP's brought us countless hours of entertainment and set our imaginations ablaze with catchy songs featuring our favorite cartoon characters or tales of adventure with those classic super-heroes we all dreamed of becoming. Once in a while, you stumble across one of these ancient relics and long lost treasures of yesteryear and it unlocks a flood of forgotten memories and images. Those colorful album jackets that became emblazoned in the back of your mind, come rushing back with a vengeance.



I still remember the old Fisher Price record player that would make that unholy noise whenever you'd slide the power switch on and off (Those of you who had one... you know what I'm talking about). And playing records at night while going to sleep and waking up in the middle of the night to the sound of the record needle endlessly moving back and forth at the end of the LP.



Some of the records had you act out scenes along with the record as in "Fun with Ernie & Bert" and you'd run through the jungle along side your public television buddies as animals of the bush terrorized. The power of your imagination at that age is astounding. And of course, let's not forget the read-along records that let you follow the action with an illustrated book or comic like the old Power Records albums. You know the ones. Those great little gems your Mom would buy you at the local TG&Y or maybe at a Woolworths where Spiderman, Superman, Batman and a whole slew of our favorite spandex sporting super guys came to life on beaten little 45's.


I'm hoping that some of you will recognize some of the album covers in this article as I would like to use this opportunity to suggest adding music to this already fantastic site. I think it would be great to start a collection of audio files from our favorite childhood records. I don't know what the legalities of something like that would be, but I'm sure it can be done if we let the administrators know what a beneficial addition to this site that would be. We've already got the video part down pat; now we need to cover the audio section of our memories. In time, who knows? Maybe someday we'll be able to resurrect that sickeningly sweet plastic/berry potpourri you'd experience every time you got near a Strawberry Shortcake Doll or that strange but somehow comforting scent of the children's book you stole from the library.



Well, that's my spiel. Come on, fellow retrojunkies and past-dwellers! Let's take this project to the next level and uncover some more lost memories and unhealthy obsessions. Who's with me?



P.S. I just like to say thank you for the kind comments some of you left in my last article. Truly an honor!
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