Before the ghetto blaster.......

There was the Fisher Price record player.  Yes, we had the "Change a Tune" player when we were toddlers......

The "Change a Tune" was great since all of your favorite tunes were stored in the convenient space on the back of the unit.  It had all of our favorite songs......."Humpty Dumpty" sounds great when picked out in the style of a music box. 

But this isn't the record player that I remember most fondly.  No, I'm talking about the "My Very First Fisher Price Record Player".  This was the real deal.  I think I was about six when we got this record player for Christmas.  Larkin and I had been allowed to listen to mom and dad's records on their stereo in the living room, but I guess they must have gotten tired of listening to "Rock Around the Clock" and "Leader of the Pack" over and over again.

With our new record player, we received two albums.  "The Fox and the Hound" and "Strawberry Shortcake".  These albums told stories and had colorful pictures on each side.  We were in the big time now.  Our very own record player! 

While we loved our storybook albums, they weren't as fun when sped up to 45rpm.  "Rock Around the Clock" sounds so much better when sped up just a little bit.  Eventually we ended up with some of our own albums.  "Bullfrogs and Butterflies" and "Mickey Mouse Disco" were favorites, but I was beginning to prefer songs I was hearing on the radio.  I would have given anything to have had "Elvira" by the Oak Ridge Boys on a 45 to play in my room........

And then my best friend introduced me to Michael Jackson.  I fell in love with the album "Thriller" immediately.  I had to have it, but mom wouldn't buy it for me.  I remember going to the bank in the NWA Mall (I think it might have been a Savings and Loan??) to get money out of my savings account to make my purchase. 

After that, there was no going back to the "Mary Poppins" soundtrack.....No more "Macho Duck" or "Welcome to Rio".  I began buying singles since they were much cheaper than the album.  I think that "You're the Inspiration" might have been the first single I purchased.  In 1984, I taped a penny to an order form and sent off for my membership into the Columbia House record club.  I couldn't wait until my Pat Benetar would arrive, and still can't believe mom sent back "Like A Virgin"! 

And while I enjoyed my record club membership, it wasn't long before I realized that tapes were now the cool thing.  I quickly canceled my membership, taped a penny to another form, and sent off for my 10 free cassettes.  All I needed was my very own tape player........