Spoken word : postwar American phonograph cultures / Jacob Smith.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Smith, Jacob, 1970-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Popular culture--United States--History--20th century.

Popular culture.

Sound recording industry--United States--History--20th century.

Sound recording industry.

Sound recordings--United States--History--20th century.

Sound recordings.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (275 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Berkeley : University of California Press, 2010.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

From the 1940's to the 1970's, the phonograph industry experienced phenomenal growth, both in sales and in cultural influence. Along with hugely popular music recordings, spoken word LPs served a multitude of functions and assumed an important place in the American home. In this book, Jacob Smith surveys a diverse range of spoken word genres-including readings of classic works of literature and drama, comedy albums, children's records, home therapy kits, even erotica-to illuminate this often overlooked aspect of the postwar entertainment industry and American culture. A viable alternative to mainstream broadcasting, records gave their listeners control over what they could hear at home. Smith shows how the savvy industry used spoken word records to develop markets for children, African Americans, women, and others not well served by radio and television.

Contents:

Front matter

Contents

Illustrations

Acknowledgments

Introduction

1. Turntable Jr.

2. Hi-Fi Midcult

3. 331/ 3 Sexual Revolutions per Minute

4. Mimetic Moments

5. Blind Television

Conclusion

Notes

Further Reading

Index

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Description based on online resource; title from PDF title page (publisher's Web site, viewed 24. Apr 2020)

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9786613277596

9781283277594

128327759X

9780520948358

0520948351

OCLC:

699475045