“My record collection probably tells the story of my life better than I could in words.”
- Colleen Murphy
Songletter question today was: “When you've played an album so much that you already know what's coming next without looking at the track list - Which album is that for you?”
I had to laugh about that. I know lots people from a certain era that could likely name several albums that fit that category. I don't think it's a thing anymore, though, is it? Does anyone actually listen to an album straight through multiple times until the track order is seared into their brain? I would doubt it.
Here we go with a "back in the day” but…back in the day, you did. One reason being, prior to all-access music streaming services, albums, tapes, cds were carefully curated by most of us. Who had the money to do otherwise? If you bought an album, you played it a lot. Even if you bought it for one or two songs, now you had it so you played the thing.
For those of us who spent half our teenage years driving around in cars, we listened to a lot of music. You and your buddies might have, say, four or five eight tracks or cassettes. They got played over and over until they were part of the soundtrack to your life.
Today, short attention spans and the instant availability of every song that's ever been recorded in history has made the idea of album track recall as obsolete as a pager. A bygone thing.
I have a dozen albums in my head right now I think I could reel off the order of songs for you. if you're of a certain age and disposition, I'll bet you do too.
I'll just pick one for fun. Lots of memories here: On the Border/Eagles (1974)
Three songs from it, but in the order.