Sounds Of Mid Century Shopping SCA General Background Music Cartridge

[@quantumleap359]

Back in 1962 we had an ice skating rink that played music on the overhead system. The tape was in a huge Fidelipac cartridge. The cartridge was about 18 inches square. The tape ran at 3.75 inches per second, the quality was great. I skated for two hours, never heard the same song twice. So these cartridges have been around for a long time. Thanks for posting this, brought back good memories.

[@stephenelliott4056]

Love the lil wee cartoonies at the beginning too!

[@hoosiersands]

The first song is "Cinderella Rockefella" by Mason Williams and Nancy Ames, first performed by Esther Ofarim on the Smothers Brothers show in 1967.

[@batphink2655]

That's a lot of 'Joos'' in one sentence and the former were/ are actually quite evil, just saying 👍

[@stephenelliott4056]

It is a nightmarish song that haunts me from my childhood. It shold never have been written, let alone recorded

[@DreamShadow76]

I adore your channel and appreciate you archiving and sharing these gems with the world. I know and remember some stations broadcasting background music and other programming on selected FM stations using the subchannels via SCA.

[@monkeytennis7477]

Nice crackle and hiss ASMR on this video 👍🤓👍

[@findmyfamilygenealogy474]

6:45 Wouldn't It Be Loverly - My Fair Lady

[@agenericaccount3935]

Mid 30's amazon addict here. I would legit frequent bricks and mortar stores more often if they played this stuff instead of whatever trash they are vomiting out of the PA system these days 😄

[@mayormc]

My feelings exactly.

[@bob4analog]

You're in good company! 😉

[@AshleyKristyen]

Also mid 30's here - totally agree!

[@batphink2655]

Yet you keep Amazon in business instead of going to small shops?

[@josephsauris4949]

0:49 The Sunshine Girl Has Raindrops in Her Eyes--1957

[@pizzasammy]

06:46 - “Wouldn’t It Be Lovely” from My Fair Lady ** I’ll Update with additional details as I run across them or aggregate the posts from commenters of yore.

[@WilliamMueller818]

Well me and my pup 🐶"Harry" truly appreciate the soothing sounds 😌 need these to calm down frazzled minds from Los Angeles....thank you kindly WillieM

[@osdelced]

In 1989 I worked at a radio station that had a few giant cartridges like these, made by "Fidelipac", and the machines to reproduce them. I was always curious to know what kind of music they had recorded, since they were already in disuse.

[@Zickcermacity]

Your experience resembled mine! From 1987-90 I worked at one of F.W. Woolworth's larger stores, in southwestern Connecticut. Their playback unit was reel-to-reel, a big metallic cabinet the size of a compact refrigerator, about 5 feet tall. From top to bottom of this thing were of course, the reel capstans, the transporter controls, below that were some buttons and switches for input control, and a row of 3/4inch knobs for music, paging, extra mic input, aux, and one larger black knob labeled 'Monitor', next to a small speaker in the unit for the office to hear that everything(music, public address pages) was suitable volume. Any idea who would have built this system - and what search terms would help find it?

[@osdelced]

@@Zickcermacity Sorry, I have no idea. I vaguely remember that those machines had some initials... I think they were "BE" (Broadcast Electronics), since more references to the factory from which they came were not in sight. The open-reel players were also gigantic, looking very heavy, and with huge colored light-up buttons for forward, rewind, play and record functions.

[@Zickcermacity]

@@osdelced YES, I remember there being colored transport buttons now! The point is my place used reel to reel, not the carts. I will look up the brand "BE" you referenced above. Thanks!

[@osdelced]

@@Zickcermacity Greetings!.

[@Robbie66dj]

@@Zickcermacity Hi. I worked in the Background music industry in the 80's and 90's. The company I worked for, (along with many others) used to build these systems (custom) for many clients. We would start with an empty rack cabinet, then load it with whatever electronics were necessary for the clients' requirements. Some of the reel to reel tape decks used were from Ampex, Scully, Otari, or Tape- A -Thon. Cartridge players were from Yesco, 3M, AEI, or EMS. SCA boxes (tuners )were Johnson or McMartin. Amplifiers were the whole gamut of what was available for industrial use back then, ie; Rauland, DuKane, Bogen, Altec, RCA, McMartin, TOA, and others. Same went for mixers. Some systems, like for malls or larger department stores, had timers (for automatic on/off), am/fm tuners, even turntables and casette decks. We always used either Shure or Astatic microphones for paging, and the ceiling speakers were usually Soundolier or Quam (occasionally Altec Lansing or JBL for higher-end systems). You would be shocked how many malls, department stores, factories, large office complexes, etc. had elaborate ( and EXPENSIVE!) systems for the seemingly simple task of background music and paging. So, please excuse my rambles. Nothing but good memories of a career long past! Fire away if anyone has any more questions. Have a lovely day All!

[@titmouse-distribution]

22:19 - Holiday for Strings Note: This same version appears on Seeburg Basic 8A and Industrial 8A from 7-1-1961 as well as Basic 9-A and Industrial 9-A from 10-1-1959.

[@Calvero52]

I heard this and thought "I know that song!" Went to the comments to hopefully find the name of it! Thanks 😊 Google couldn't ID it 🤷‍♂

[@titmouse-distribution]

@@Calvero52 Anytime!

[@titmouse-distribution]

24:52 - Mr. Sandman

[@titmouse-distribution]

20:10 - I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles Note: This also appears as the last track on Seeburg Background Music Library 36-CX while also appearing on Seeburg Basic 9-A from 10-1-1959.

[@gavinvalentino1313]

I downloaded and play this through my massive home-entertainment system at foundation-vibrating volume, but *at 6/10ths speed and tuned down 3&1/2 steps.* *METAL MUZAK FROM HELLLLLLLL.*

[@titmouse-distribution]

1:02:39 - Yellow Bird (Gene Ammons arrangement)

[@rpbuman]

I don't know how you get ahold of these cool tapes and records, but keep it up!!!

[@rEdf196]

That one song with the funky one-note jazz blues style 31:38 is so cool.

[@bonalisa8827]

LOVELY STUFF. HOLD MUSIC FOR MY BRAIN.

[@funkeediscotek]

Nice music, this is the kind of music I can work to-- and I love the foxes at the beginning!

[@findmyfamilygenealogy474]

1:24:00 Swanee - Al Jolson hit

[@inheavenstrenches]

1:21:29 - is Alabamy Bound! Written in 1924, originally the music was by Ray Henderson and words by Buddy DeSylva and Bud Green

[@leejenwin1937]

I’m almost sure I’ve heard this jazz ensemble on Seeburg

[@kumpelskijeden4442]

Not digitized music straight from the tape... pure magic! (Of course KZbin music is digital, but I imagine that cool machine playing the cartridge :D)

[@TomokoAbe_]

SO BEAUTIFUL!!! ps--I still have a reel-to-reel player from the 80s still working fine!

[@batphink2655]

I still have a first edition Canadian Sony Walkman with a Maple leaf on the top!

[@joanodom2104]

I have a seventies Wollensak reel to reel.

[@titmouse-distribution]

1:21:30 - Alabamy Bound

[@amberalexandrabayleycooke212]

Thanks again! 🙋🏻‍♀️🇮🇹👍🏻👍🏻✨ I do adore this vintage music,so beautiful and relaxing. 💎🎶🎵🎶💎

[@fujifrontier]

39:05 begin the beguine 1:12:50 old devil moon

[@radionoakmont7756]

super bonza nice m8 loving this thank yu ever so much FARDEMARK your the awesomest m8, and love the little scratches in the sound too brings back memories for me

[@sbphillips177]

Thats ok.. please always post them..this is a great one..thanks for all

[@findmyfamilygenealogy474]

54:00 In A Little Spanish Town-

[@chrisa2735-h3z]

Definately gonna record this onto a cassette so i can play it at work! (On a time period correct tape recorder for course!)

[@buttercup1765]

Fantastic upload... Thanks!

[@totallyfrozen]

Do you have vintage shopping mall Christmas music? That’d be pretty awesome to hear! I miss being little and walking through the mall with my mom around Christmas time and seeing all the animated displays, and getting photos with Santa.

[@TTM9691]

Back in the day when there was plenty of work for musicians! Ha!

[@xanshark]

Don't know why everyone's saying there's no sound, it works properly for me

[@TheRatOfTheTown]

It's bc they are on iphones and something about the audio being mono

[@TheRatOfTheTown]

Maybe, I'm just guessing

[@xanshark]

@@TheRatOfTheTown It was actually because the video was still processing at that time, I had gotten lucky got on right around when it got the audio

[@thetimewave]

@13:20 Version of "Dardanella" recording artist of this particular version unknown.

[@Witzlaw]

I’m only on the first song, but the audio seems good so far. Sometimes KZbin might mute out a song over copyright, but I haven’t noticed this problem yet. Will keep listening.

[@titmouse-distribution]

Some of the tunes in this video also appear on Seeburg Basic 9 from 10-1-1959.

[@Electrolux219]

Thank you Muzak fox

[@jayjay-bz3rr]

Scrolling through the comments, I assume there’s a lot of “ Old Timers” here. Recognizing songs.

[@radionicpowers5938]

full of camp and gayness... WOW I love it

[@Metalphantom6921]

Anyone know the name of the tune that begins at 50:52 ?

[@hoshinopachi]

24:54 Mr. Sandman?

[@monaural2.988]

Is there any date at all for these? I’m thinking maybe late 50s?

[@balaolala8913]

❣

[@mestredigital2]

Is the tape a regular 1/4" 3¾ ips tape?

[@バンガアミーオの25]

0:50

[@garyalex1455]

god bless furry 🤣

[@dogerecords5312]

No sound?

[@Fardemark]

wasn't finished processing now it works

[@dogerecords5312]

@@Fardemark there it goes.

[@tonypowell475]

No sound on this video.

[@leejenwin1937]

Playing fine (listening from London)