Tuesday, June 4, 2019

The Smiths

Artist: The Smiths
LP: 12" single
Song: "Girlfriend In a Coma"
[ listen ]

I splurged on a few things at Everyday Music on Capitol Hill the other day when I found some neat '80s stuff in the 'new arrivals' bin there. One of them was this 1987 12" single by The Smiths, in excellent condition! 

(I'd actually brought in a bag of records to trade, which included some neat old LPs from Mexico, Spain, Central America, Brazil, and other South American countries. I usually get a pretty good deal in trade at Everyday Music. Unfortunately, $5 guy was working there again when I went in. I'd encountered this guy before, several months ago, when I'd carted two full bags of records about ten blocks from where I'd finally found parking in hopes of trading them in for store credit. Some of the stuff was of the thrift-store variety, granted (The Lennon Sisters, anyone?), but there were also some neat old Motown records and other funk and soul LPs included. I was taken aback when he offered just $5 total for both bags. I was like, "Is this guy nuts?" But my arms ached, and so I accepted just because I knew I wouldn't be able to carry all that heavy vinyl another ten blocks back to the car.

But this time I parked closer. I browsed a bit while he looked the records over. Finally he made me an offer: "I can give you $5." I'm pretty sure this guy has no idea who Amalia Mendoza, Javier Solís, Lucha Villa, Jorge Negrete, or anyone else is that I stuffed into that bag, let alone that it's music people would pay money for. Or maybe he does. If you can add all that to the store's inventory for just $5, why not? I wasn't expecting $480 or anything, but maybe $30. When I brought in three bags of records a few months ago, another guy there offered $190 in trade; my friend traded in ten LPs there a few days ago and got $15. I bet she wasn't working with $5 guy. Anyway, I carted all my records back to the car, and then returned to do some shopping without any store credit from trade. I shouldn't let my pride stop me from adding a neat 12" single by The Smiths to my collection, right?)  

I'm adding a "T" to this one and dedicating it to my dear girlfriend Ryan, who recently moved to Tacoma. It's really serious!

[ The Smiths ]

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