My First Album
An Article Compiled/Edited by Brian Cotnoir
The other day when I was at work, we were listening to the radio
when “Jessie’s Girl” by Rick Springfield started playing. My boss immediately exclaimed with enthusiasm
that the first album she ever owned was a Rick Springfield album that her older
sister bought for her. Then that got me thinking;
what was the first album I ever owned? I
had to think about it, like really really
have to think about it. Then it came to
me, and then it got me thinking that there are probably many other unique and
interesting stories about people’s first exposure to music? Who did they listen to? How old were
they? What memories do they have of that
first album? Do they still like that kind of music? So here I am with a new music segment on the
blog that I like to call “My First Album” where people come to share the
memories of the first album they ever owned.
I’d like to thank all my participants, and without further delay here is
the story of my first album and many other peoples.
PERSON: Brian C.
FIRST ALBUM: Slam Dunk (Da
Funk) (Single) by Five
FAVORITE SONG on it: Slam Dunk (Da Funk)
MEMORIES OF IT: My older sister gave it to me. It used to be
hers, but she told me I could have it. I
liked it because the CD had a basketball design on it. I didn’t have a CD player at the time, so I
would always have to borrow my older sisters in order to listen to it.
DO YOU STILL ENJOY LISTENING TO IT?: No. Not really.
PERSON: Karen J.
FIRST ALBUM: “Herb
Alpert’s Ninth“ by Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass
FAVORITE SONG on it: The Happening
MEMORIES OF IT: My parents bought the album for me when I was 13.
I remember playing the air trumpet along with them…you know like air
guitar. I thought I sounded like Herb
Alpert.
DO YOU STILL ENJOY LISTENING TO IT?: Absolutely
PERSON: Robert D.
FIRST ALBUM: Godsmack (Self-titled)
FAVORITE SONG on it: Voodoo
MEMORIES OF IT: Getting a portable CD Player and having the
album on repeat the whole summer [of 1999], when I visited my father as we
traveled to Cape Cod and places
DO YOU STILL ENJOY LISTENING TO IT?: Godsmack isn’t the same to
me now. I listened to that a similar
amount of times a few years later. It
was really when they were fairly new, but not as it came out.
PERSON: Lauren E.
FIRST ALBUM: SGT Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band by the Beatles
FAVORITE SONG on it: She’s Leaving Home
MEMORIES OF IT: [I remember] listening to it over and over with
my parents and sister and lip synching into the TV remote like it was a
microphone and the [albums] cover. I
would always try to figure out who all the people on the cover were.
DO YOU STILL ENJOY LISTENING TO IT?: Hell yes!
PERSON: Liv S.
FIRST ALBUM: Tragic
Kingdom
FAVORITE SONG ON IT: “Just a girl”, but I was only about 4 when
I first heard it.
MEMORIES OF IT: Sitting in the back seat of my mom’s gold
Pathfinder then rediscovering the album in 8th grade and thinking I
was punk as hell, but it was a gateway to better punk to be honest.
DO YOU STILL ENJOY LISTENING TO IT?: I haven’t in a while because it’s not my thing
anymore, but it still brings back fond memories.
PERSON: Mike D.
FIRST ALBUM: Bat out of
Hell II by Meatloaf
FAVORITE SONG on it: “I would do anything for love”
MEMORIES OF IT: I would do anything for love, but I can’t do
that
DO YOU STILL ENJOY LISTENING TO IT?: Yeah when I hear the songs
[because] I lost the CD
PERSON: Etel E.
FIRST ALBUM: Abigail by
King Diamond
FAVORITE SONG on it: Abigail
MEMORIES OF IT:I tink attempting to hit the high notes on the
beach where I used to live every morning.
I’ll never be as good as the King!
DO YOU STILL ENJOY LISTENING TO IT?: Every week! And I got to
see the album in its entirety played live last year as well.
PERSON: Elly A.
FIRST ALBUM: Oops...I did
it again by Britney Spears
FAVORITE SONG on it: Stronger
MEMORIES OF IT: My Uncle gave it to me when I was 7. I used to try to act the songs a lot, like
choreograph dances and scenes for a video
DO YOU STILL ENJOY LISTENING TO IT?: I haven’t listened to it in
a while, but when I hear songs from it, I still get fond feelings.
