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Final Post- What’s the First Album You Owned?

Roy

Well, it’s my last day guest posting here at feministe, and I just wanted to say thanks to my gracious hosts for letting me clutter up their site. I really appreciated the invitation, and it’s been a really interesting week. I’ve had several lively posts on here, so I thought I’d turn it down a notch for my final post. Nothing about children or parenting or sex-work or pornography. I thought about talking about BJ Thomas*, but, aside from my abiding love for Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head, what else is there to say?

Well, there is one thing.

See, the first cd player I ever owned was given to me one year for Christmas. It was a Big Gift. I still don’t know why, but my mother thought that BJ Thomas’ greatest hits was a great gift, as well. So, the second cd I ever owned was BJ Thomas. Now, at the time, I was listening to Nirvana, Stone Temple Pilots, Tool… that sort of thing. As you might imagine, BJ Thomas wasn’t exactly a hit with me. Much better was the first cd I ever owned- Flood, by They Might Be Giants. I still own that one, too. I’m actually a little surprised that it still plays. That was a pretty long time ago.

To this day, I still love TMBG, and Flood, in particular. If I’m feeling a little down, I can throw on “Birdhouse in Your Soul” and before the song is over, I’m tapping my foot and singing along. As more and more music is sold digitally online, I wonder if people will have as much attachment to particular albums. I really like that I can pick up the album. That I can look at the liner notes. That I can see the artwork. I like that I can remember road trips where I played that album.

So, anyone else still remember the first cd/tape/record they owned?
Have a particular album that always makes you tap your foot? That you can’t help singing along to?

Consider this an open invite to share- and thanks again, everyone!
See you around!

*Eh. I thought it was funny.

66 thoughts on Final Post- What’s the First Album You Owned?

  1. The first cd I ever owned was The Sign by Ace of Base (hangs head in shame). I still know all the words to all the songs.

  3. the first record album I remember in my house was Sgt. Pepper’s, but that belonged to my brother. So…embarrassing confession: my first album that belonged all to me was John Denver’s Rocky Mountain High. My first 45 was Paul McCartney’s Admiral Halsey.

  4. The very first album I bought with my own money for myself was Cyndi Lauper’s She’s So Unusual. But the very first single I asked for was Blondie’s “The Tide is High.” I also at a very young age, like, nursery school, appropriated my parents’ copy of the X-Ray Spex Germ-Free Adolescents.

    I am inordinately proud of those last two.

  7. The first CD I asked to be bought for me and had it happen was ‘Nevermind’ by Nirvana. it had been years after he’d died already, but i was a kid and I’d heard ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ playing somewhere and I wanted the album.

    o.O

  8. I think my first was Metallica’s Black Album. I started with the heavy stuff and kept on going :).

  9. Spice Girls.

    No, really. I grew up on The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, Simon & Garfunkle — all the neat stuff my mom and dad had lying around and loved — and the first chance I got to choose my -own- music, I picked the Spice Girls of all things. I was maybe eleven, though, so that’s (sort of) an excuse. But it’s still embarrassing to admit. >.>

  10. Much better was the first cd I ever owned- Flood, by They Might Be Giants.

    YES! That was my first album! I bought the cassette version because I was a little kid and didn’t have a CD player, but man, did I wear the tape out on that one. I know every song by heart.

  11. Well, i owned a lot of contemporary Christian stuff (most of them Christmas presents) before i even knew of this other world of actual music. So i used that newfound knowledge to buy…Coal Chamber’s self-titled album. In my defense, i was in high school still.

    The album that always gets me singing and such is probably Tool’s Lateralus.

  12. First album I ever owned was given to me by my parents: The Carpenters (I cannot remember the title). First album I ever bought for myself is a three way tie: Village People – Macho Man, Sex Pistols – Never Mind the Bollocks, and The Clash – The Clash. When I bought my first CD there were only 17 pop titles and 30 classical titles available (I bought my first player in April of 1983), so my selection was very limited. I chose Talking Heads – Speaking in Tongues (Remain in the Light wasn’t out yet) and I still own it.

    And, showing my age here, my first 8 track was Steve Miller Band – Fly Like An Eagle.

  14. The first CD I ever bought for myself with my own money was “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars.” It was a Rykodisc edition with a green-tinted jewel case. I was 13 and used birthday money. I still have it.

    I wonder what the LAST physical record I bought was. I’ve since switched to downloads or ripping music from CD’s from the public library. I think it was “Kimono My House” by Sparks.

  15. The first album I ever bought with my own money was 3 by Falco. It was the one with “Rock Me Amadeus” on it. I loved “Rock Me Amadeus” when I was 9 or so.

    The second tape I ever bought was Run DMC’s Raising Hell, so surely I can get some cool points back there, right?

  18. I believe the first tape I considered my own was Salt Peter by Ruby. I also listened to a mix dance tape a lot at that time, but I can’t remember which one it was. But I think Dookie by Green Day was the first cassette I bought.

    The first CD I claimed as my own was The Distance to Here by Live. My sister got it for my brother, but he wasn’t interested in it. I loved it. I then bought Throwing Copper on CD with my own money; I had been listening to my sister’s cassette.

    Most of my music tastes and cassettes/CDs came second-hand from my sister. She is 9 years older than me and was a huge influence. So now I like lots of music a generation ahead of me.

  19. My first tape was Paula Abdul’s Opposites Attract, and my first CD was a Cranberries album.

  20. First 45 I owned: “Whip It”, by Devo. The B-side was “Turnaround”. Loved Devo as a kid and, well, I still do. I even had an energy dome once.

    First cassette tape I owned: Weird Al Yankovic, In 3-D. I remember hearing “Eat It” and I thought it was one of the funniest things I’d ever heard. When I bought the album, I found out that there were several songs on it that I liked better.

    First CD I owned: Billboard Top Rock ‘n’ Roll Hits: 1967. By the time CDs had come around and I could afford to buy one, I had gone into this huge “today’s music sucks!” phase and mostly listened to what we now call “classic rock”.

  21. My first cd was “Music Box” by Mariah Carey. My dad got it for me to go with my first cd player, which he thought was awesomely cool. And at the time (pre diva), I did love Mariah Carey… I was 10. Mock away.

  22. Movie soundtrack to Mary Poppins, a gift from my grandmother when I was about 6.

    I think the first album I ever bought with my own money was George Carlin’s Class Clown when I was 11 or 12. It was just out, with the FCC “Warning” sticker on it. We’re talking Gen-you-wine vinyl here, folks. Yes, I’m old.

  23. I think it was “Kimono My House” by Sparks.

    You are my new favorite person ever.

    I can’t remember whether my first CD was The Lion King soundtrack or the Muppet Treasure Island soundtrack. I was a bit sheltered and didn’t really experiance much popular music until I was in middle/high school. Now I’m a college DJ music junkie with an entire external hardrive filled with mp3s. Oh how times change 🙂

  24. The first album I ever bought for myself was Bananarama, “True Confessions”… the one with Venus. I remember wanting to get it on vinyl because the pictures were bigger, and I felt like I was getting ripped off with a cassette since the vinyl was cheaper. I’m not sure if CDs were popularized by then… But I had appropriated some of my parents Pink Floyd albums before that, but that was the first one I got for me.

  26. The first record I owned that was mine and not my parents’ was Michael Jackson’s Bad, released and purchased with birthday money in 1987. I may have had a Sesame Street collection before that, but I don’t think that should count.

    I think Madonna’s True Blue was my first cassette tape.

    As for cd, I’m almost positive my first cd was Forever Your Girl by Paula Abdul.
    Let’s face it. The 80s were both an awesome and godawful time for Pop music.

  27. The first album I can remember being present at the buying of was Rick Springfield’s Working Class Dog, which I loved intensely and listened to repeatedly. I suspect, however, that my older brother would say that it was his record and that I just stole it from him. (The record player was in the family room, so it wasn’t like I really *stole* it. And I’m pretty sure my parents paid for it. Actually, I think it was a bribe for behaving ourselves while visiting my grandparents.) The first thing I remember buying with my own money was the Clash’s final album, Cut the Crap, which I bought on tape in eighth grade, because I had heard and liked a Clash song and didn’t realize that Cut the Crap was terrible and not really a Clash album at all. It does have one really amazing song on it, though, so I’m not sad that it took me another try before I found better Clash albums.

  28. My first tape was one I recorded on our way to Utah for a family reunion. I had Police, (the ah stalking song) Micheal Jackson, Child o’mine, and various other hits . I dont have it anymore I played it til it died.

    But the first album I ever owned was Prince, Purple Rain. (yes a vinal) and my bestfriend wanted it sooooo bad she traded me Chicago 17, (vinal) for my Prince. hehe She still has hers, and I STILL have mine.

    I loved every song off both albums.

  29. I have to delurk because I want to win the oldest first purchase.

    1959, first record (a 45): Mr. Blue by The Fleetwoods

    1964, first album: Meet the Beatles (and I still have it)

    /relurk

  30. 1975, something by The Beach Boys- my dad got it for my 10th birthday. 17 years later, I married the world’s biggest Beach Boys fan! Think the album is still at my parent’s… first I ever bought myself was Springsteen’s mega collection in 1985.

  36. First LP was the sound trk (mono) from Lawrence of Arabia (in real time which means somewheres around 1964).

  37. I don’t remember my first record, cause my parents bought plenty of them for me and my sister. But the first tape I bought for myself was either Elton John’s Greatest Hits, or the Highlights from the Phantom of the Opera. It’s probably the Elton John, because I know that “Rocket Man” was the first song I listened to through headphones, and it totally blew my mind, it sounded so much better than through speakers. I have no idea what my first CD was.

  38. First 45 was, I believe, Elton John’s Crocodile Rock. Maybe something to do with seeing him on the Muppet Show? Don’t know. First cassette tape, bought with my own money, was Janet Jackson’s Control. First CD was Aerosmith’s Get Your Wings (an “oldie”), followed by U2’s Unforgettable Fire. And I am NOT ashamed.

  40. I had a bunch of country music tapes as a young kid, but I’m pretty sure the first cassette I ever bought for myself because I really loved it was (please no judgement here, I was 11) Vanilla Ice- To The Extreme. As a teen, once I really got into music, my first two CD’s were Nirvana’s Nevermind and Pearl Jam’s Ten.

  42. First tape: Madonna, True Blue.

    First single: Pet Shop Boys, Always On My Mind.

    First CD: Queen, Collected Hits.

    All won in contests btw. But that’s another story.

  43. The first two CDs I ever bought with my own money: Danzig’s self-titled album, and Tupac’s “Strictly 4 My Niggaz.”

    Only Tupac’s has any staying power.

  44. The first album I bought was a compilation of songs and groups picked by Murray the K (a NYC radio dj). I still have it but couldn’t get to it so I could list what was on it. It came in the early 1960s, like ’61 or ’62.

  45. When I was about ten years old, I came home from school one day to find a red record player (which immediately dates me, heh) sitting on my bed, playing “Charley Pride’s Greatest Hits.”

    Maybe he was a token black country singer, but oh my, he had a voice.

  46. I got MC Hammer’s Please Don’t Hurt ‘EM and Too Legit when I was 8 on casette tape as presents. I drove my parents nutty.

    The first two CD’s I bought were Ace of Base The Sign and Elton John’s Made in England at age 11. I confess, I’ll still put these on occasionally. 😛

  47. First albums I bought simultaneously were Green Day’s “Basket Case” & Weird Al’s “Off The Deep End” in 1994.

  49. First cassette: Tiffany’s Hold An Old Friend’s Hand.

    First CD: Michael Jackson’s Dangerous.

    So bad, but I still have both of them. I recently upgraded the Tiffany album to CD. *hangs head* Here’s my cool points back.

  50. I always had children’s records (stories, song collections, that sort of thing) but I vividly remember my first grownup records, received the christmas I was eleven. they were:

    The Stranger (Billy Joel)
    Rumours (Fleetwood Mac)
    Kansas
    and some weird concept record by (no shit) Abba.

    I wore Billy out.

  51. But the very first single I asked for was Blondie’s “The Tide is High.”

    Me, too, EG! In fact, I think I still have it.

    The first album I ever owned was probably Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, I Love Rock and Roll. Maybe I’m a little more cool than I thought…

    …oh, wait. The first CD I ever bought was The Outfield, Diamond Days. So much for cool.

  52. I grew up on big band records, Tijuana Brass and other latinised pop music, Liberace and something I remember playing over and over was a compilation of covers by Karl-Heinz Kastel.

    The first record I bought for myself was either ABBA’s Waterloo or Queens’ Night at the Opera.

    I can remember my (step) father not being happy with his son was listening to Queen, ‘a bunch of pansies'(his phrase). Hey, I just loved their music. I still think Freddy Mercury was one of the greatest and that he left us far too soon and I wish I was allowed to see him and Queen when they came to perform in Perth, Western Australia.

  53. Thanks for being guest blogger for the past week. You have writen some very thought provoking articles. This mere male thanks you.

  54. The first album I bought was Let It Be, by the Beatles. After that, it was Synchronicity, by the Police. I went on kind of a simultaneous Beatles/Police jag after that. Unfortunately, those albums don’t mean that much to me now. The albums that have been consistently important to me through the years are X: Los Angelesand Wild Gift (love the blend of Exene and John Doe’s voices), and Tom Waits: Big Time and Rain Dogs.

  55. The first album I bought with my own money was KISS Alive.

    The first rock album my Dad bought for us kids was Fleetwood Mac’s Rumors. I listened to it over and over. I still have a soft spot for Christie McVee.

    These were both on Vinyl. Thank god we didn’t have an 8-track. That technology sucked.

  56. i was starting to think i’m the oldest person who reads this site, geez! (born in ’75)
    i had a bunch of albums & 8 tracks that i guess i stole from my parents, but considered mine, like Wings “Wings Over London Town” & Michael Jackson “Off the Wall.” i still love photos of Wings era Paul McCartney, because as a little, little kid i thought he was so handsome.
    i got Wham! “Make it Big” for Christmas in 1984, i think, & that was it. i was completely obsessed w/ George Michael for the next… 23 years?

  57. When I was 15 or 16, I bought my first 4 cds at once with Xmas money (I got a CD player, too, obviously): Prince and the Revolution–Purple Rain, Harry Belafonte–Greatest Hits Volume 1, Peter Gabriel–Us, and the Indigo Girls’ self titled album.

    First tape I bought: I think it was Duran Duran–Seven and the Ragged Tiger. Either that or something by Pat Benatar. 2nd grade, maybe?

  58. First tape I ever bought with my own money was En Vogue. My first CD was Violent Femmes Add It Up. I loved that cd, and still have every song memorized, in order.

    The Violent Femmes–They bring all their equipment on the bus. And you can’t f*ck with the Violent Femmes! You can not f*ck with this band!

  59. 1st casette: The Cramps – Bad Music for Bad People. “Save It” is one of the raunchiest, sweaty, sexy, nasty & horniest love songs ever, & to this day I still RUN, not walk, to the dance when I hear that deliciously evil-sounding decending scale that opens “Human Fly”.

    1st CD: The B-52’s: “Rock Lobster” & “Planet Claire”. ‘Nuff Said.

  60. Are we talking kid records or real music, here? Because I honestly cannot remember the very first album I ever had — had Disney’s “Robin Hood” by Roger Miller, and could sing along with every single song, but I’m not sure that really counts.

    The first REAL music I ever had and played was a bootlegged version (from 8 track!!) of “I’d Love to Change the World” by Ten Years After. Still looking for it on CD. 🙂 Vinyl album(s) — random Air Supply albums, probably still have them kicking around somewhere. *shudder!* Ah, yes, and “Hooked on Classics”. *GRIN*

    I’m happy to say that the rest of my collection more resembles the bootlegged cassette of Ten Years After than any of the rest of that…. And I also much prefer a physical CD to downloading songs — I have a thing for album art and liner notes.

    Kimberleigh:
    No, sadly, you are not the oldest person here. I have you beaten by several years. Please note the first “real” song I ever acquired. *ahem!* 🙂

  62. Petula Clark–Downtown. When I was 12.
    Not counting one that someone gave me some years earlier, containing some dances by Edward German on the B side of Peter and the Wolf. The 2nd dance has a swinging, leaping grace that delights me still.
    Of course there was the obligatory record of nursery rhymes to start with, but that began collecting dust the day Mom put on a trumpet and orchestra record starting with a march by Purcell. I recall coming out into the frontroom and standing there just awestruck. It was like my mind just burst open. I was just 5 or so and I had never had any idea that music could be that good! I still have that one.

  63. Belinda Carlisle, “Heaven on Earth,” in 1987 or 1988 – the first pop album that made its way into my fifth grade semi-consciousness. My first album, and my last record. After that all I could find were casettes. (This is not counting the various Sesame Street and Disney soundtrack records I had as a wee thing – this is the first one that I chose and I paid for like the totally-grown-up ten year old I was.)

  64. First Vinyl: Thriller – Michael Jackson

    First Single: Something by WHAM!
    First CD: New York – Lou Reed

    Lou Reed’s the only one that still gets played, I swear!

  65. First Single: “No No Song” by Ringo Starr.

    First album: Endless Flight by Leo Sayer.

    Hey, it was the mid-70s. Could have been worse.

    Oh, and the first album that I bought that I still listen to today? Destroyer by KISS, even though Gene Simmons has devolved into a complete sleazecreep. Remember in Men in Black when K says that the new record format means that he’ll have to buy the Beatles’ White Album yet again? That’s me with Destroyer.

  66. I know I’m late as all hell here, but I wanna share! My first album was TLC Ain’t To Proud To Beg on cassette. I wish I still had it.

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