Grassy Knoll Institute: album art

Showing posts with label album art. Show all posts

11/23/2007

Bob Seger - Night Moves 1976

Bob Seger Night Moves

Strange how the night moves, With Autumn closing in.

The year was 1976, and Bob Seger, one of the hardest working rock and roll men in Detroit had finally broke the top 40 barrier with his "Night Moves" album. During the infancy of the so-called disco era, Night Moves was more than a refreshing change, it was a hard hitting rock album that captured the souls of millions of rabid rock fans searching for salvation disco balls and polyester pants. Night Moves didn't disappoint. The album title track, Night Moves was a slow almost ballad type song of teenage angst experimenting with love, life, and rock and roll.

The back cover displayed the album titles, a photo of the Silver Bullet Band, and instruments played.

Song Titles:
Side One:
Rock and roll never forgets
Night Moves
The fire down below
Sunburst
Side Two:
Sunspot baby
Mainstreet
Come to poppa
Ship of fools
Mary Lou

The album jacket is a black and whit photo of the front cover at a farther distance. Seger is standing with his hands in his pockets with a light behind him. The Capital records logo on the bottom right side.

The flip side of the album jacket has the song lyrics. Here are the lyrics to Night Moves, the albums #1 hit.

I was a little too tall
Could've used a few pounds
Tight pants points hardly reknown
She was a black haired beauty with big dark eyes
And points all her own sitting way up high
Way up firm and high

Out past the cornfields where the woods got heavy
Out in the back seat of my 60 Chevy
Workin on mysteries without any clues
Workin on our night moves
Trying to make some front page drive-in news
Workin on our night moves in the summertime
In the sweet summertime

We weren't in love, oh no, far from it
We weren't searching for some pie in the sky summit
We were just young and restless and bored
Living by the sword
And wed steal away every chance we could
To the backroom, the alley, the trusty woods
I used her, she used me
But neither one cared
We were getting our share
Workin on our night moves
Trying to lose the awkward teenage blues
Workin on our night moves
And it was summertime
And oh the wonder
Felt the lightning
And we waited on the thunder
Waited on the thunder

I awoke last night to the sound of thunder
How far off I sat and wondered
Started humming a song from 1962
Ain't it funny how the night moves
When you just don't seem to have as much to lose
Strange how the night moves
With autumn closing in

Bob Seger Night Moves Lyrics

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11/20/2007

Bruce Springsteen - Born To Run 1975

Bruce Springsteen Born to Run Iconic Record Album

Tramps like us, baby we were born to run

Bruce Springsteen was somewhat of an underground rock and roll legend before his Born To Run album hit the charts in 1975. In 1973 Springsteen released his first album, Greetings From Asbury Park and followed that up just months later with The Wild, The Innocent, And The E Street Shuffle. Both albums scored minimal success in the top 40 yet the word spread and Springsteen was ready to emerge from the velvet underground.
Born To Run opened with the tune Thunder Road, a ballad that quickly turned into a hard rock almost ghostly tale of a high school romance on the verge of going sour. The boy decided to make one more attempt to win Mary's heart as he sang.....

Well I got this guitar
And I learned how to make it talk
And my cars out back
If you're ready to take that long walk
From your front porch to my front seat
The doors open but the ride it ain't free

The album jacket revealed a candid photo of Springsteen with his hand in his hair and the lyrics to all the songs. The following is the beginning of Thunder Road.

The screen door slams
Mary's dress waves
Like a vision she dances across the porch
As the radio plays
Roy Orbison singling for the lonely
Hey that's me and I want you only
Don't turn me home again
I just can't face myself alone again
Don't run back inside
Darling you know just what I'm here for
So you're scared and you're thinking
That maybe we ain't that young anymore
Show a little faith, there's magic in the night
You ain't a beauty buy hey you're alright
Oh and that's alright with me

The right side of the jacket continued with the rest of the lyrics of the songs. The albums hit song, Born To Run, ended with these powerful lyrics.

Someday girl, I don't know when
We're gonna get to that place
Where we really want to go
And we'll walk in the sun
But till then tramps like us
Baby we were born to run

The back cover of Born To Run has a photo of saxophone player and E Street band member Clarence Clemons and also displayed the song titles of the album.

Thunder Road
Tenth Avenue Free Out
Night
Backstreets
Born To Run
She's The One
Meeting Across The River
Jungleland

Band members and associates are....
Garry Tallent, Max Weinberg, Roy Bittan, Clarence Clemons, Suki Lahav, Danny Federici, Steve Van Zandt.

This album had all the ingredients to become a blockbuster album and it did not disappoint. Born To Run stayed on the top 40 for many weeks and continued to build the reputation of the rocker from New Jersey.
Hey Eddie, can you catch us a ride?

Born To Run Lyrics

Lyrics To Born To Run Album

Born To Run Album Back Cover

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11/15/2007

Boston - Debut Album 1976

Boston Vinyl Debut Album 1976

Boston, Self Titled Debut Album 1976

In 1976, at the height of disco music, a rock and roll band burst onto the scene that would take the rest of the 1970's by storm. That band was Boston, a five man band that brought some fast and furious hard hitting riffs that echo still today. This album was designed to be played as loud as your stereo permitted and then some. And I had just the tools to do it.

The front cover is a depiction of city sized spaceships hurling away from an exploding planet. The largest ship is aptly named "Boston" and it is in search of a new home.

This album, or 8-Track tape, has 8 classic rock tunes each better than the previous tune. I fondly remember being in my car, my 1968 Camaro, equipped with my Motorola 300 watt power booster, with Clarion stereo with 8-Track player, and 14 heart stopping, blood pumping speakers positioned all around the car featuring my 6X9 triax 180 watt Arthur Fulmer speakers.

I would turn the volume up until all the red lights on the power booster were shining bright and then pop in the Boston 8-Track. The song, Foreplay/Long time was a great tune to begin with cruising up the avenue. The song would slowly build up to its peak and then a thumping bass and guitar riff would ring out. It wasn't loud enough unless your ears bled. Everyone in the neighborhood knew I was coming and going, depending on one's perspective.

Boston Record Album Back Cover

The back cover lists the song titles,
SIDE ONE
More Than A feeling
Piece Of Mind
Foreplay/Long Time

SIDE TWO
Rock And Roll Band
Smokin
Hitchin A Ride
Something About You
Let Me Take You Home Tonight
The album liner notes simply ask you to "Listen to the record." They also give a brief history of the band members and how they came together. Tom Scholz was lead guitar, Brad Delp, lead vocals, Barry Goudreau lead guitar, Fran Sheehan, Bass, and Sib Hashian, drums.

I have to agree with the liner notes. Listen to the record. It is an album that became a classic overnight and sustained the test of time and is one of the most popular records of all time. After all, it was more than a feeling.....

Brad Delp, the lead singer of the 1970's rock band Boston was found dead March 9th, 2007. He lived in New Hampshire and apparently died in his home. Delp was 55 years old.

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11/03/2007

Beatles - Abbey Road 1969

Beatles Abbey Road Conspiracy Record Album

Here come old flattop he come grooving up slowly
He got joo-joo eyeball he one holy roller
He got hair down to his knee
Got to be a joker he just do what he please

The Beatles, the most popular rock band in the world, created their biggest selling album, Abbey Road, as their last album ever recorded. In 1969, the Beatles fab four were nothing of the sort. Bickering and infighting over Yoko and where the band was heading had Paul and John constantly fighting. However, the music did not suffer as Abbey Road produced classic hits such as Come Together, Something, Here Comes The sun, Octopus's Garden, and The End.

This album also is shrouded with conspiracy as the Paul is dead hoax was at its pinnacle of popularity. Supposedly the album cover, showing the Beatles crossing Abbey Road, depicted an English burial scene. John, dressed in white was the angel leading the way. Ringo, dressed in black as the minister. Paul, dressed in a blue suit, the dead corpse, and George, dressed in jeans, as the grave digger. Also, Paul was left handed but was holding his cigarette in his right hand. Paul is also out of step with the other Beatles. And the license plate on the Volkswagon on the left, it says 28IF, as in Paul would 28 if he were still alive. In the background, three lads look on, depicting the surviving Beatles, and the four are walking to the graveyard. You can see the grave yard fence in the background.

The back of Abbey Road had several clues as well. The letter S in the Beatles has a crack through it signifying the Beatles are broken up with Paul being dead. And if you count up all the bricks on the wall, it is the number of songs released by Lennon and McCartney. (Not really, I just made that up.)

The back cover also has the song titles and the famous Apple logo.

The actual vinyl record, with the famous green Apple logo. The front side had the entire label in green while side B had the Apple slice, as in the Apple cut in half. The Album is numbered, mine is SO-383 and the album is produced by George Martin.

It is such a pity that the Beatles never got back together again. They finally found their groove and Yoko split up the band.

Beatles Abbey Road Paul Is Dead Hoax

Beatles Abbey Road Vinyl Album Apple

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10/16/2007

Glass Harp - 1971

Glass Harp Classical Rock Band

Glass Harp. The classical rock band consisting of Phil Keaggy, lead vocal, guitar, (Our neighbor when we were growing up) John Sferra, drums and vocals, and Dan Pecchio, bass, vocals and flute.

Glass Harp was a Youngstown, Ohio band that gained an almost cult status years after the band's initial debut album simple title, Glass Harp. The album got plenty of air time here in Youngstown, but no actual hit single for the rest of the nation to latch onto.

This album does not have an inner jacket, just the protective paper sleeve that fits inside the album. The lyrics of the songs were printed on the album.

The back cover showed the band members, standing against a brick wall, in leaves. The album songs list is also posted. I believe this album will be a collector album some day. It is 35 years old already. Damn, I'm old.

If perhaps Phil or Bobby ever stumble upon this site and read this... If you do, Hello, its Jack and George's little brother, Patrick.

Glass Harp Album Lyrics

Phil Keaggy, John Sferra, and Dan Pecchio Glass Harp

Glass Harp Back Cover Record Album

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10/13/2007

Elvis Presley - Love me Tender - 1956

Elvis Presley Love Me Tender Vinyl

The King, Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley, the undisputed king of rock and roll, has had more hit records than any other artist. I found this one, the 1956 release of his number one single, Love Me Tender, piled in a stack of records I inherited from my aunt Libbs and Mary.

Love Me Tender, also the title of Presley's first motion picture, was originally sung on the Ed Sullivan show September 9th, that at the time had a record viewing audience of 54 million people.

This record is not a 33 1/3, or LP, nor is it a 45 RPM, but a 7 inch vinyl single. The flip side song is, Anyway You Want Me.

RCA Victor is the brand label, the one with the little dog looking into the victrolo.

The record touts "New Orthophonic" high fidelity.

I wish I had a record player capable of playing it. Its in OK to good condition. No gouges, a few smudges, but if cleaned, should look and play pretty good.

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Pink Floyd - Dark Side Of The Moon - 1973

Pink Floyd Dark Side Of The Moon Record Album

There really is no dark side of the moon

The lunatic is on the grass
The lunatic is on the grass
Remembering games and daisy chains and laughs
Got to keep the loonies on the path.

Those are the beginning lyrics to the ever popular song title "Brain Damage" which happened to be the Grassy Knoll Institutes high school class song. Pretty appropriate song for the 1970's.

The album cover was unique in that there was no title on the front or the back. Just the triangle in the center with the light refracting spectrum against a dull black background. Remember folks, this was 1973, a time way before MTV and music video's. An album title was critical in the sale of records, no, not CD's, records. The title and artwork played a big part in sales.

Pink Floyd abandoned the norm and went for the stand out unique concept. And if you look at sales, it is one of the best selling albums of all time.

The inside jacket continued with the light prism with a heart beat rhythm resonating through.

The inside jacket also had the song lyrics and the only mention of Pink Floyd is the top left of the inside right jacket where it says the album was produced by Pink Floyd. The album was also produced at Abbey Road studio, owned by the Beatles in London, England.

The back cover is simply an upside down triangle with the light prism passing through forming a single white light.

The Grassy Knoll Institute recommends you to break out the old vinyl and take a listen to the Dark Side Of The Moon. Especially if you intend to watch the Wizard Of Oz anytime soon. A hint: At the second roar of the lion roars at the beginning of the movie, start the album. Hard to explain, but very interesting.

Pink Floyd Light Prism

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10/07/2007

Bonzo Dog Band - Beast Of The Bonzos

Bonzo Dog Band

Beast Of The Bonzos

The album liner notes begin: In my own pink half of the drainpipe, the Bonzo Dog Band (Doo Dah) is unaminously regarded as the bee's knees, if not the greatest rock and roll romance group of all eternity!

Alrighty then. In reality, the Bonzo's were a rock band living in obscurity never reaching billboards top 10 records. Perhaps their only "Hit" song was "The Intro And The Outro" that introduced the band members and many other famous people in history. I'd like to introduce Legs Larry Smith......

The album jacket inside has some very wild art and graphics. It seems to tell a story of a war leading to destruction of humanity. Or something like that..... Here are the inside jacket photos and the back cover.

Beast Of The Bonzo's Inner Cover

The inside jacket tells a story of a super dog that is destined to save the world if only people would heed his warning and listen to him. But all the people feel like doing is clowing around and do not take the dog seriously.

Bonzo Album Inside Art

As the story continues, the world is in peril and ready to explode if the people do not heed the warning of superdog. Alas, they do not and the world explodes leaving only the superdog alive.

Bonzo Dog Band Back Cover

The back cover shows the band members in a circle photograph in various disguise. The album title tracks are also shown.
This One's for you George

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11/16/2003

Vinyl Record Albums Of The Past

These vinyl record albums were rescued from the basement of the secret lair of the Grassy Knoll Institute. These old vinyl albums haven’t seen the light of day in more than a decade. It took me quite awhile to find a turn table (Yes, turn table) with a working needle to play them once again. Enjoy the nostalgia.