Sunday, December 18, 2011

Radio Shack, Baby, Radio Shack

Tonight's share takes me back to an imaginary time in the 1970s.  It's December.  I walk into the Radio Shack in Medium-Sized-Town Kansas, and there, in a stand-up display, are 3-record sets of "90 Minutes of Christmas Music", by Realistic.  Custom pressed on pure vinyl.  Organ and Chimes (the "throb and tingle of solo organ with chimes" as a matter of fact).  Choral.  Orchestral.  Three records!  Perhaps I have the $5.12 needed to buy it.  Maybe I pass it by on the way to the display of Mattel handheld electronic games - football, soccer.  Or maybe I browse the transistor radios. 

Ah, imaginary memories :-)  Seems real, though, as I remember those '70s era Radio Shacks.  And I really can imagine seeing tonight's share on display.


Here is "90 Minutes of Christmas Music", released by Realistic, from Radio Shack Corporation, a division of Tandy Corporation.  It's pretty good stuff.  Nice, appealing Christmas music. 

The artwork may be a little sketchy.  The records came in a cardboard sleeve which is showing its wear.  The records themselves, though, are in pretty good shape.


So, for your Sunday evening listening pleasure, here is 90 minutes, 36 songs, of Christmas music from Realistic.

download link

2 comments:

  1. I remeber this album growing up. When my father passed away my mom got rid of it. I have been searching for this at flea markets and yard sales. finally did a search on christmas albums released in the 70's by radio shack and found your iste. this will now complete that memory of his lionel train zipping under the tree and this album playing when we woke up Christmas morning.

    thank you for completing a memory of good times past

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  2. Steve, it's stories like yours that really make this all worth it. I've had a couple others write with similar stories, and I'm sure all the others in the sharing community have heard the same. It's truly my pleasure to reunite you with a memory of Christmas Past. Please come back and visit often. Thanks for sharing your story.

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