Thirty Beach Boys tracks, from pretty early to “Are they still around?” The young lady on the cover is surely overdressed for the beach, but she was hawking stockings (for the Real Silk Hosiery Mills of Indianapolis, not exactly a big beach town), after all.

Track listing for 111063-2 (all tracks by The Beach Boys):

1. Surfin’ USA
2. Shut Down
3. Surfer Girl
4. Little Deuce Coupe
5. Be True to Your School
6. In My Room
7. Fun, Fun, Fun
8. I Get Around
9. Don’t Worry Baby
10. When I Grow Up (To Be a Man)
11. Dance, Dance, Dance
12. Wendy
13. Do You Wanna Dance?
14. Help Me, Rhonda
15. Kiss Me, Baby
16. California Girls
17. The Little Girl I Once Knew
18. Barbara Ann
19. Sloop John B
20. Wouldn’t It Be Nice
21. God Only Knows
22. Good Vibrations
23. Heroes and Villains
24. Add Some Music to Your Day
25. Surf’s Up
26. Do It Again
27. I Can Hear Music
28. Sail On Sailor
29. Rock and Roll Music
30. Good Timin’

Back in my days as the King of Mix Tapes, I put together a series of sixteen C-90s (24 hours!) devoted to the period known as the “Mid-60s,” which I defined arbitrarily as November 1963 to May 1969 for purely personal reasons. Problems set in almost immediately, mostly because CD-Rs don’t hold the full capacity of a C-90, so the first order of business was to toss out ten minutes worth of tracks. Eventually, I suppose, I’ll have to put out eighteen of these to equal 24 hours. The cover art comes from a vintage Hanes ad.

Track listing for 111062-2:

1. The Beach Boys: Good Vibrations
2. Sonny and Cher: I Got You Babe
3. The Temptations: Since I Lost My Baby
4. The Zombies: She’s Not There
5. The Shangri-Las: Leader of the Pack
6. The Searchers: Needles and Pins
7. ? and the Mysterians: 96 Tears
8. Hugo Montenegro, His Orchestra and Chorus: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
9. Roy Orbison and the Candymen: Oh, Pretty Woman
10. The Beatles: Ticket to Ride
11. Chuck Berry: No Particular Place to Go
12. Mercy: Love (Can Make You Happy)
13. Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs: Wooly Bully
14. Paul Mauriat and His Orchestra: Love Is Blue
15. Gary Lewis and the Playboys: This Diamond Ring
16. The Walker Brothers: Make It Easy on Yourself
17. Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas: Bad to Me
18. Maxine Brown: Oh No, Not My Baby
19. Simon and Garfunkel: I Am a Rock
20. Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels: Jenny Take a Ride
21. Eric Burdon and the Animals: Don’t Bring Me Down
22. Little Anthony and the Imperials: Hurt So Bad
23. Aaron Neville: Tell It Like It Is
24. Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell: Ain’t No Mountain High Enough
25. The Moody Blues: Nights in White Satin *
26. The Beatles: I Want to Hold Your Hand

* A bigger hit in ‘72, but I’d already plucked it off Days of Future Passed long before. This is the 45 version, minus “Late Lament”.

The title more or less speaks for itself, although I worked in solo hits by all four Beatles as a sop to my Sixties-obsessed self. Wolford furnished the cover art, quite involuntarily; I began to hunt down hosiery ads and such for possible cover material.

Track listing for 111061-2:

1. The Rolling Stones: It’s Only Rock and Roll *
2. Ringo Starr: It Don’t Come Easy
3. Ace: How Long
4. Raspberries: I Wanna Be with You
5. Skylark: Wildflower
6. Lee Michaels: Do You Know What I Mean
7. Average White Band: Pick Up the Pieces
8. The Spinners: I’ll Be Around
9. Mocedades: Eres Tu
10. Loudon Wainwright III: Dead Skunk
11. Rick Derringer: Rock and Roll, Hootchie Koo
12. Maria Muldaur: Midnight at the Oasis
13. The Stylistics: You Are Everything
14. John Lennon: Imagine
15. Linda Ronstadt: You’re No Good
16. Harry Chapin: Cat’s in the Cradle
17. Bill Withers: Ain’t No Sunshine
18. Paul McCartney: Jet
19. Led Zeppelin: Immigrant Song
20. Todd Rundgren: I See the Light
21. George Harrison: My Sweet Lord

* But I like it.

As concepts go, this is one of the lamest: songs with girls’ names in the titles. (I would sink far lower in subsequent compilations.) On the other hand, this invites a whole lot of sequels. The individuals on the cover? Some old Friends, from here down.

Track listing for 111060-2:

1. The 4 Seasons: C’mon Marianne
2. Dale Hawkins: Suzie Q
3. The Beatles: Michelle
4. Ricky Nelson: Hello, Mary Lou
5. Mike Clifford: Close to Cathy
6. Buster Brown: Fannie Mae
7. The Left Banke: Desiree
8. Dickey Lee: Laurie (Strange Things Happen)
9. The Monkees: Valleri
10. B. W. Stevenson: My Maria
11. Ram Jam: Black Betty
12. Them: Gloria
13. Ray Peterson: Corinna, Corinna
14. John Fred: Shirley
15. Elvis Presley: (Marie’s the Name) His Latest Flame
16. The Knack: My Sharona
17. The Crescendos: Oh Julie
18. The Jaynetts: Sally Go ‘Round the Roses
19. Lindisfarne: Lady Eleanor
20. Ronny and the Daytonas: Sandy
21. Eddie Holland: Jamie
22. The Beach Boys: Barbara Ann
23. Little Richard: Long Tall Sally
24. Jimmy Clanton: Venus in Blue Jeans
25. Tommy Roe: Sweet Pea *
26. The Four Tops: Bernadette
27. The Buckinghams: Susan

* Perhaps not a name, per se, but she said all her friends just call her that.

My first actual vinyl rips, done in the most intuitive manner: tape-output jack of receiver to line input of sound card. Sound quality ranges from Not Too Horrible to “How in the heck did you do that?” The 45 on the cover is on the Phi-Dan label — specifically, “Home of the Brave” by Bonnie and the Treasures — which for some reason I didn’t include in this compilation. The mock-Sixties Capitol bar at the top reads: “File Under: Who Knows?”

Track listing for 111059-2:

1. Stevie Wonder: Higher Ground
2. Jewel Akens: The Birds and the Bees
3. Creedence Clearwater Revival: Proud Mary
4. Deep Purple: Smoke on the Water *
5. The Animals: We Gotta Get Out of This Place
6. Fanny: All Mine
7. Paul Mauriat and His Orchestra: Love in Every Room
8. Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs: Daisy Petal Pickin’
9. Lesley Gore: Look of Love
10. Noel Harrison: A Young Girl
11. Laura Branigan: Self-Control
12. Piero Umiliani: Mah-Na Mah-Na +
13. The Tams: Untie Me
14. Focus: Hocus Pocus
15. The Delights Orchestra: Paul’s Midnight Ride
16. Madeline Bell: I’m Gonna Make You Love Me
17. Strawbs: Hero and Heroine
18. The Roosters: Love Machine
19. Eddie Floyd: Big Bird
20. Exposé: Seasons Change **

* Live version from  Made in Japan.
+ From the soundtrack of   Sweden, Heaven and Hell.
** Extended mix from the 12-inch single.

The top 25 songs on radio station WTMA, Charleston, South Carolina, for the week ending 20 May 1967, and you can be sure I was listening that week: this was my station of choice during the years I lived in the Holy City. The cover art is a cut-down version of an actual WTMA “Tunedex” Top 40 chart, courtesy of station historian Ted Tatman. The first track is preceded by a brief WTMA jingle.

Track listing for 111058-2:

1. Arthur Conley: Sweet Soul Music
2. The Young Rascals: Groovin’
3. The Supremes: The Happening
4. Peaches and Herb: Close Your Eyes
5. Frank and Nancy Sinatra: Something Stupid
6. Aretha Franklin: Respect
7. The Dave Clark Five: You Got What It Takes
8. The Hollies: On a Carousel
9. The Monkees: A Little Bit Me, a Little Bit You
10. The Happenings: I Got Rhythm
11. Neil Diamond: Girl, You’ll Be a Woman Soon
12. The Mamas and the Papas: Creeque Alley
13. Engelbert Humperdinck: Release Me
14. The Spencer Davis Group: I’m a Man
15. Eric Burdon and the Animals: When I Was Young
16. The Buckinghams: Don’t You Care
17. The Easybeats: Friday on My Mind
18. Tommy James and the Shondells: I Think We’re Alone Now
19. The Tremeloes: Here Comes My Baby
20. The Five Americans: Western Union
21. The Platters: With This Ring
22. Toussaint McCall: Nothing Takes the Place of You
23. Paul Revere and the Raiders: Him or Me—What’s It Gonna Be?
24. The Temptations: All I Need
25. Aretha Franklin: I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)

A collection of Phil Spector productions, 1962 through 1969, in almost, but not quite, chronological sequence. The title, of course, is a send-up of an organization more evil than Philles Records. And this is the first disc I compiled using Nero instead of Easy CD Creator.

Track listing for 111057-2:

1. The Crystals: Uptown
2. The Crystals: He’s a Rebel
3. Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans: Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah
4. Darlene Love: (Today I Met) The Boy I’m Gonna Marry
5. The Crystals: Da Doo Ron Ron (When He Walked Me Home)
6. The Crystals: He’s Sure the Boy I Love
7. Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans: Not Too Young to Get Married
8. The Crystals: Then He Kissed Me
9. The Ronettes: Be My Baby
10. Darlene Love: A Fine, Fine Boy
11. The Ronettes: Baby, I Love You
12. The Ronettes: (The Best Part of) Breakin’ Up
13. Darlene Love: Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
14. Veronica: So Young
15. The Ronettes: Do I Love You
16. The Righteous Brothers: You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’
17. The Ronettes: Walking in the Rain
18. The Ronettes: Born to Be Together
19. The Righteous Brothers: Just Once in My Life
20. The Ronettes: Is This What I Get for Loving You?
21. The Righteous Brothers: Hung On You
22. Ike and Tina Turner: River Deep - Mountain High
23. The Righteous Brothers: Unchained Melody
24. Sonny Charles and the Checkmates, Ltd.: Black Pearl

A picture much like the one in The Inscrutables; the songs are a bit more conventional and concentrate on 1970s stuff (maybe a little late 1960s), a theme which picks up again later in the series.

Track listing for 111056-2:

1. Pacific Gas and Electric: Are You Ready?
2. Bob Segarini: Gotta Have Pop
3. Richard Harris: The Yard Went On Forever
4. Gerry Rafferty: Baker Street
5. Strawbs: Hero and Heroine
6. The English Congregation: Softly Whispering I Love You
7. Gary Wright: Love Is Alive
8. Jay and the Americans: This Magic Moment
9. Cashman and West: American City Suite
10. Crow: Evil Woman (Don’t Play Your Games with Me)
11. Santana: Oye Como Va
12. Wings: Letting Go
13. Gordon Lightfoot: Sundown
14. Sniff ‘n the Tears: Driver’s Seat
15. Led Zeppelin: Living Loving Maid (She’s Just a Woman)
16. Grand Funk Railroad: Bad Time
17. The Moody Blues: I’m Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band)

This was the first time I had a cover picture before I had a plan for a disc. This particular shot came down through one of the female-invisibility mailing lists, and I decided I would pair it up with novelty tunes and other blatant weirdnesses. The photomanipulation, if I remember correctly, was done by Bryan Doe.

Track listing for 111055-2:

1. Trio: Da Da Da
2. Rolf Harris: Stairway to Heaven
3. Bob Dylan: Talkin’ John Birch Society Blues
4. Travis Wammack: Scratchy
5. The Tubes: Don’t Touch Me There
6. Maddox Bros. and Rose: The Death of Rock and Roll
7. Dickie Goodman: Batman and His Grandmother
8. Susan Christie: I Love Onions
9. Cheech and Chong: Bloat On
10. Tim Curry: I Do the Rock
11. The Fraternity of Man: Don’t Bogart Me
12. The Master Singers: Weather Forecast
13. Sam the Sham: I Couldn’t Spell !!@#!
14. The Barron Knights: Call Up the Groups
15. The Four Preps: The Big Draft
16. The Simpsons: Techno Remix
17. Steel, Jake and Jeff: The Impeachment Story
18. Dread Zeppelin: Good Times Bad Times
19. Ray Stevens: Ahab the Arab
20. Rolf Harris: Two Buffalos

Obviously a sequel to the first Two Ears disc, with the colors of the cover picture transmogrified. At the time, it seemed like stuff like this would be the bulk of my CD-R production.

Track listing for 111054-2:

1. Dion and the Belmonts: I Wonder Why
2. The Beatles: Boys
3. Skip and Flip: Cherry Pie
4. The Ronettes: Be My Baby
5. Peter Sarstedt: Where Do You Go To My Lovely
6. The Rolling Stones: Heart of Stone
7. Brook Benton: Hit Record
8. Tony Orlando: Bless You
9. The Dave Clark Five: Can’t You See That She’s Mine
10. The 4 Seasons: Dawn (Go Away)
11. The Beatles: Please Please Me
12. Chubby Checker: Loddy Lo
13. David McWilliams: The Days of Pearly Spencer
14. Charles Randolph Grean Sounde: Quentin’s Theme
15. The Beach Boys: Kiss Me, Baby
16. Zager and Evans: Mr. Turnkey *
17. The Four Preps: More Money for You and Me
18. Elvis Presley: Love Me Tender
19. Les Cooper and the Soul Rockers: Wiggle Wobble
20. The Rolling Stones: The Last Time
21. The Brotherhood of Man: Where Are You Going To My Love
22. Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers: I’m Not a Juvenile Delinquent
23. Thee Prophets: Playgirl
24. Lonnie Donegan: Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavor
25. Tom Jones: What’s New Pussycat?
26. The Beatles: Twist and Shout

* The followup to “In the Year 2525,” this is amazingly creepy. Further discussion here.