This post should really be mystery discs, plural... I found this in sorry shape. A paper core Phonocord acetate sandwiched between two Wilcox-Gay acetates, all bonded together like they were glued. On the outside were no markings. I ripped the two exposed sides, then took a gamble and peeled one off and ripped that side. Two chunks from the Phonocord were still moored to it but I got a decent rip anyway.
They were bonded slightly askew so I had to cut a new center hole with an X-acto knife. After that was finished, I tore apart the two bonded discs to read the interior faces.
Phonocord Sandwitch
The Phonocord read "Mother" in crooked letters scratched into the lacquer and filled with black oil crayon and wiped clean. The Wilcox-Gay was labeled in messy illegible cursive yellow oil crayon lettering. It bore a single line of fine pencil "Red sails in the Sunset." All that survived was one side of each of the first two discs. "Red sails in the Sunset" was s song written in 1935 by Will Grosz, and recorded by Ray Noble that year. But this disc is newer than that. It's probably closer to the time that Nat King Cole covered it in 1951. That side was unplayable, but it'd probably around the time these were recorded.
I have edited them to the same file. The Phonocord is first. An adult woman singing "I'm in the mood for love." The other disc is a recording of two women speaking a mix of Spanish and English. I had to edit out the damaged center area but I doubt it woudl have revealed anything new. A man is heard briefly, it's clear he's just recording them. One repeatedly says "Como esta' Zeke... calling Mrs. Brown..." Perhaps a TV reference or an inside joke. They go on to recall a recent fishing trip then sign off. It may or may not have any connection to the other disc.
On the second disc the women are playing with the amateur radio practice of calling "CQ" to make contact with another station. Perhaps they were amateurs or we're married to (or simply knew) some radio amateurs. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CQ_(call)
ReplyDeleteSimilarly, they recall the use of "73" to end a contact but use a common distortion of say "72s" instead.
That makes perfect sense!
ReplyDelete