Whilst at university in Bradford, my repulsion towards the city and it's equally foul inhabitants meant I would often feel the urge to jump in my car and drive out the city (quite often during the middle of night, which made for some cool photographs). One excursion led me to Haworth, a small town best known for housing the Brontë
Sisters (and for having the train platform where they filmed The Railway Children), and rummaging in the basement of an old knick-knack shop, I found an old 10" 78rpm record with a pretty sleeve that I bought for 50p. Before you ask, that is a picture of me back when I died my hair black. I'm not overly proud of it, but there's no pretending it didn't happen.I particularly like that there are just 4 digits in the phone number & that a post card is a recommended way to get in contact.
Meanwhile on the back, written in fountain pen is a somewhat illegible message that could read "From Alice Love/Lowe, _________ the Russians." though I will give sexy favours to anyone who can transcribe it for me.
Anyway, the record itself was from the 30s (meaning it was made from something much heavier than vinyl) and has a couple of tunes, sung by Maurice Elwin, a singer who is hard to track down online. He's credited with singing a few songs from the 30s and there appear to be a couple of photos of him kicking about, but otherwise there seems to be no other information about him.
Neither of the song names bring up any results, so I'm inclined to believe that there aren't (m)any other copies of this record out there (does this mean I have to be a hipster now?).
I ignored my find for a few years until I started making a mix tape for a girl I liked (don't tell me it took you think long to realise I was a loser?) & nicked my flatmate's dv cam to make a digital copy of one of the songs, Don't Keep Me In The Dark, Bright Eyes, and you can listen to that recording here:
Don't Keep Me In The Dark, Bright Eyes by Trynottobreathe
Anyway, I thought the song was cool for being so 'of the period', coming complete with crackle, muted brass and firmly 'above the waist' lyrics. I also particularly like how unromantic his justification for marriage is; "You know when all is said and done/that two can live as cheap as one". I wish being frugal was still as romantic today.
Anyway, I just thought I'd draw attention to my find, I'd love to hear if anyone has any more information on Maurice Elwin or on the song I'd love to hear it.
looks like the last bit says "beneath the Russian moon." - were the Soviets in space long before we knew?
ReplyDeleteOlder & heavier than an LP is a 78. Once upon a time I knew what they were made of.
Yes, you are a hipster now. But only ironically.
After having played around with it a bit in photoshop, my best guess of something vaguely coherent is "_____ Alice lost this beneath the Russians. By ______" But what I actually read is "Tri_ _ Alice lo_ _ th (indiscernable number of blanks, probably containing an l) neath the Russians, tyoois." Pretty sure the first letter is a T, it looks the same as the other ones.
ReplyDeleteAnd at the end of my detective work, I conclude this person had terrible handwriting. Shame, 'cos solving mysteries is fun and that. Guess we'll never know?