Record Collection

About seven years ago, I found myself crossing the Lomita-Narbonne crossroad in Lomita, CA only to pass the worst/greatest thing I had ever seen...A record store...going out of business. Obviously this was terrible. Being such a supporter of the music tradition (especially vinyl), my heart went out to the owner who loved, sold, and invested his dreams in these records. But someone was going to benefit greatly from this owners misfortune and I wasn't about to let that be a huge record shop like Fingerprints or Amoeba, it was going to be me. As self centered as this sounds its true, I loved music and at that time only owned 10 vinyl records. As I approached the shops front door, I stopped on the broken curb for a second and glared into the cheap window painted pain reading "A Better Groove Record Store, Going Out Of Business, Make an Offer". I walked in not looking at a single record but noticing the quantity with my peripheral. I went straight to the back and asked to see the owner. From behind the tape covered, sticky oak desk a woman glared back at me and said "owners not in, but I'm as good as the owner". Confused I responded "Ummm...okay...when will he be in". She replied back quickly "anything you want to ask him you can ask me, I sleep with him". My first response was "nasty" but luckily that was not verbalized, just easy to read from my facial expression, like I had just caught someone picking there boog's and eating it. "How much are you selling the records for?" I asked. Taking a while to ponder the question she replied "Grab a pile, and make an offer". I literally felt like a fat kid that had been offered the chance to eat his whole birthday cake. Well, long story short, I grabbed 800 records and asked how much... she said "$120 and you got yourself a deal" Shocked, but trying not to reveal my joy, I said "are you serious" to which she replied "my husband has to let this place go tomorrow, and you look like a kid that could use these..." she paused for a moment and with tear filled eyes finished "keep the tradition going". I didn't know what that meant then but thought about those words for so long until I deducted, love music! Old and new, slow and fast, ambient and dry, empty and full, cd and tape, Mayer and Coltrane. She wanted me not just to keep the vinyl spinning, but to keep the love of music alive in myself.
In memory of A Better Groove Record Store, every week I will take a record out of the collection and highlight one song with cover art and a short explanation as to what the song means to me. This week is Harry Belafonte (Day-O) and his incredibly leisure song "Rum & Coca-Cola". I am putting this up because it was Sunday today, and everyone of age should take heed to its lyrics (not really everyone). This song goes out to Jared Sayers as he finishes working on his outdoor deck in the beach sun, take a break and crank this one up.