I cant resist, here from 1957 (I think, the LP isnt dated) are Flanders and Swann in 'A Song of Reproduction'
" [people] spend all that money to get the effect of an orchestra actually playing in their living room. Personally, I cant think of anything I'd like less than an orchestra actually playing in my living room. Anyway, they seem to like it. Here's a song for them.
[song]
I had a little gramophone, I'd wind it round and round,
and with a sharpish needle, it made a cheeful sound.
AND THEN THEY AMPLIFIED IT, IT WAS MUCH LOUDER THEN
and you sharpened fibre needles to make it soft again.
Today for reproduction I'm as eager as can be,
count me among the faithful fans of hi-fid-el-it-ee.
High fideli-tee, hi-fi's the thing for me,
with an LP disc and an FM set and a corner reflex cabinet.
High frequency range, complete with autochange.
All the highest notes neither sharp nor flat -
the ear cant hear as high as that -
Still, I ought to please any passing bat,
with my high fid-el-itee.
[spoken interjection]
Who made this circuit up for you anyway?
You bought it in a shop?
Ooh, what a terrible job.
You've got your negative feedback coupled in with your push-pull input-output.
Take that through your redhead pickup, you're modding more than eight, you'll get wow on your top.
Try to bring that down through your rumble filter to your woofer, what'll you get?
FLUTTER ON YOUR BOTTOM!
[to continue]
Hi-fidel-ity, its FFR for me.
I've an opera here you shant escape
On miles and miles of recording tape.
High decibel gain is easy to obtain.
With the tone control at a single touch, I can make Caruso sound like Hutch.
But I never did care for music much,
Its the high fid-el-it-ee."
I'm a bit nonplussed by the reference to "your redhead pickup", but I'm sure that's what he said. I think it is a double entendre on "pickup", to refer both to the bit of the arm that holds the cartridge and the saucy lady you scored in the pub last night.
Note for the true Flanders and Swann enthusiasts: I've transcribed this as accurately as I can from the LP of At the Drop of a Hat, which was recorded "during an actual performance." There are slight differences from the CD, which was recorded "during the final performance."
" [people] spend all that money to get the effect of an orchestra actually playing in their living room. Personally, I cant think of anything I'd like less than an orchestra actually playing in my living room. Anyway, they seem to like it. Here's a song for them.
[song]
I had a little gramophone, I'd wind it round and round,
and with a sharpish needle, it made a cheeful sound.
AND THEN THEY AMPLIFIED IT, IT WAS MUCH LOUDER THEN
and you sharpened fibre needles to make it soft again.
Today for reproduction I'm as eager as can be,
count me among the faithful fans of hi-fid-el-it-ee.
High fideli-tee, hi-fi's the thing for me,
with an LP disc and an FM set and a corner reflex cabinet.
High frequency range, complete with autochange.
All the highest notes neither sharp nor flat -
the ear cant hear as high as that -
Still, I ought to please any passing bat,
with my high fid-el-itee.
[spoken interjection]
Who made this circuit up for you anyway?
You bought it in a shop?
Ooh, what a terrible job.
You've got your negative feedback coupled in with your push-pull input-output.
Take that through your redhead pickup, you're modding more than eight, you'll get wow on your top.
Try to bring that down through your rumble filter to your woofer, what'll you get?
FLUTTER ON YOUR BOTTOM!
[to continue]
Hi-fidel-ity, its FFR for me.
I've an opera here you shant escape
On miles and miles of recording tape.
High decibel gain is easy to obtain.
With the tone control at a single touch, I can make Caruso sound like Hutch.
But I never did care for music much,
Its the high fid-el-it-ee."
I'm a bit nonplussed by the reference to "your redhead pickup", but I'm sure that's what he said. I think it is a double entendre on "pickup", to refer both to the bit of the arm that holds the cartridge and the saucy lady you scored in the pub last night.
Note for the true Flanders and Swann enthusiasts: I've transcribed this as accurately as I can from the LP of At the Drop of a Hat, which was recorded "during an actual performance." There are slight differences from the CD, which was recorded "during the final performance."
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