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Tell It Like It Was

“excitations and good vibrations about the music of the sixties”

  • 50s Rock
  • 60s Rock
  • 70s Rock
  • Elvis
  • Other TILIW
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  • Introduction to “Tell It Like It Was”

    Introduction to “Tell It Like It Was”

    Excitations and good vibrations about the music of the ’60s
    Go to the profile of Neal Umphred
    Neal Umphred
    Jan 1, 2019
    Introduction to “The Toppermost of the Poppermost”

    Introduction to “The Toppermost of the Poppermost”

    All about all of the articles about all of the #1 records of the ‘60s
    Go to the profile of Neal Umphred
    Neal Umphred
    Jan 1, 2019
    LATEST STORIES
    Was Bruce Springsteen Really on the “Nurse Jackie” Televison Series?

    Was Bruce Springsteen Really on the “Nurse Jackie” Televison Series?

    No — but one of his rarest and most collectible records was mentioned on the show!
    Go to the profile of Neal Umphred
    Neal Umphred
    Nov 5, 2022
    The Most Embarrassing Record in the History of Rock?

    The Most Embarrassing Record in the History of Rock?

    In which I tempt my readers here on Medium — and both of you know who you are — to read another writer’s article
    Go to the profile of Neal Umphred
    Neal Umphred
    Sep 8, 2022
    About Those Banned “Louie Louie” Lyrics

    About Those Banned “Louie Louie” Lyrics

    A look at the difference betwen Richard Berry’s original recoring from 1956 with that of the “banned” record by the Kingsmen from 1963
    Go to the profile of Neal Umphred
    Neal Umphred
    Sep 8, 2022
    A Few Albums with Covers That Are More Collectible than the Records

    A Few Albums with Covers That Are More Collectible than the Records

    Are there many albums where the covers are worth more than the records? Hell, yes!
    Go to the profile of Neal Umphred
    Neal Umphred
    Apr 19, 2022
    What’s the Craziest Way You Ever Saw Anyone Price a Used Record Album?

    What’s the Craziest Way You Ever Saw Anyone Price a Used Record Album?

    The meaning of “normal” for record collectors changed in the ’70s with the publication of the hobby’s first price guides.
    Go to the profile of Neal Umphred
    Neal Umphred
    Jan 4, 2022
    What About That Yahoo Article About Those Five LPs Being Rare and Valuable?

    What About That Yahoo Article About Those Five LPs Being Rare and Valuable?

    The hobby of collecting records has certainly seen its share of misinformation (fake facts?) on the internet.
    Go to the profile of Neal Umphred
    Neal Umphred
    Dec 18, 2021
    Looking at the Covers of All Those Beach Boys Albums

    Looking at the Covers of All Those Beach Boys Albums

    A Complement to Malcolm Searles’ “Back Through the Opera Glass: The Stories Behind the Album Covers”
    Go to the profile of Neal Umphred
    Neal Umphred
    Dec 15, 2021
    “Hi. My name is John Walker Ross!”

    “Hi. My name is John Walker Ross!”

    I blog from Havana, Florida, with the intention of saying things you don’t hear every day.
    Go to the profile of Neal Umphred
    Neal Umphred
    Mar 4, 2021
    A Bit More on Fake Autographs on the Internet

    A Bit More on Fake Autographs on the Internet

    It is not uncommon for the rejection rate of autographs as fake to exceed 50 percent!
    Go to the profile of Neal Umphred
    Neal Umphred
    Aug 21, 2020
    Punk Rock + Blue Note = Punk Note

    Punk Rock + Blue Note = Punk Note

    An introduction to artist/designer John Yates’ Punk Note ideations (in which he pays tribute to Francis Wolff and Miles Reid)
    Go to the profile of Neal Umphred
    Neal Umphred
    Jun 4, 2020
    Ain’t That a Shame What Wikipedia Did to Fats Domino’s First Album!

    Ain’t That a Shame What Wikipedia Did to Fats Domino’s First Album!

    If you have looked up the ROCK AND ROLLIN’ WITH FATS DOMINO album (Imperial LP-9004) on Wikipedia, you might want to read this next.
    Go to the profile of Neal Umphred
    Neal Umphred
    Dec 13, 2019
    Bob Dylan’s BLONDE ON BLONDE as a Collectable Album

    Bob Dylan’s BLONDE ON BLONDE as a Collectable Album

    Distinguishing original copies of the ’60s from later pressings
    Go to the profile of Neal Umphred
    Neal Umphred
    Nov 24, 2019
    The Mothers of Invention’s FREAK OUT! as a Collectable Album

    The Mothers of Invention’s FREAK OUT! as a Collectable Album

    Distinguishing original copies of the ’60s from later pressings
    Go to the profile of Neal Umphred
    Neal Umphred
    Nov 23, 2019
    How I Made $2.61 in Only Four Days on Medium!

    How I Made $2.61 in Only Four Days on Medium!

    An Introduction to “Elvis: That’s The Way It Was,” a new Medium publication
    Go to the profile of Neal Umphred
    Neal Umphred
    Nov 18, 2019
    “Someday We’ll Be Honky Tonk Women Together”

    “Someday We’ll Be Honky Tonk Women Together”

    Looking at the Toppermost of the Poppermost #1 records of 1969 with John Ross and Lew Shiner
    Go to the profile of Neal Umphred
    Neal Umphred
    Oct 1, 2019
    “Grazing in the Grass with Mrs. Robinson”

    “Grazing in the Grass with Mrs. Robinson”

    Looking at the Toppermost of the Poppermost #1 records of 1968 with John Ross and Lew Shiner
    Go to the profile of Neal Umphred
    Neal Umphred
    Sep 19, 2019
    What Is a “Record Album” and When Did the Term Originate?

    What Is a “Record Album” and When Did the Term Originate?

    A few words about 78 rpm albums, 33⅓ rpm albums, the White Album, and so-called double-albums
    Go to the profile of Neal Umphred
    Neal Umphred
    Aug 29, 2019
    So, Like, What Is the Best Beach Boys Album Ever?

    So, Like, What Is the Best Beach Boys Album Ever?

    That depends on what you mean by “Beach Boys album”
    Go to the profile of Neal Umphred
    Neal Umphred
    Aug 25, 2019
    Hey, there Georgy Girl, Penny Lane, and Ruby Tuesday!

    Hey, there Georgy Girl, Penny Lane, and Ruby Tuesday!

    Looking at the Toppermost of the Poppermost #1 records of 1967 with John Ross and Lew Shiner
    Go to the profile of Neal Umphred
    Neal Umphred
    Jul 27, 2019
    “You Keep Me Hanging On on the Poor Side of Town”

    “You Keep Me Hanging On on the Poor Side of Town”

    Looking at the Toppermost of the Poppermost #1 records of 1966 with John Ross and Lew Shiner
    Go to the profile of Neal Umphred
    Neal Umphred
    Jul 5, 2019
    Gene Clark’s First Record Echoed Bob Dylan

    Gene Clark’s First Record Echoed Bob Dylan

    For his single “Echoes,” Gene Clark donned a Bob Dylan mask
    Go to the profile of Neal Umphred
    Neal Umphred
    Jul 4, 2019
    Just When Was “Gene Clark with the Gosdin Brothers” Released?

    Just When Was “Gene Clark with the Gosdin Brothers” Released?

    Apparently not on the same day as the Byrds’ “Younger than Yesterday”
    Go to the profile of Neal Umphred
    Neal Umphred
    Jun 26, 2019
    Why Isn’t Gene Clark in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame?

    Why Isn’t Gene Clark in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame?

    Byrds founder a pivotal influence on folk-rock, psychedelia, country-rock, singer-songwriter, and Americana
    Go to the profile of Neal Umphred
    Neal Umphred
    Jun 22, 2019
    One Ghost Too Many: Buddy Holly Lives On

    One Ghost Too Many: Buddy Holly Lives On

    The author goes where many have gone before and can’t tell if his story is different or the same.
    Go to the profile of John Ross
    John Ross
    Jun 9, 2019
    Is “Pet Sounds” the Best Bloody Album Ever Made?

    Is “Pet Sounds” the Best Bloody Album Ever Made?

    Answering the objectively unanswerable can be fun!
    Go to the profile of Neal Umphred
    Neal Umphred
    Jun 9, 2019
    Let’s Hang On to Our Ticket to Ride

    Let’s Hang On to Our Ticket to Ride

    Looking at the Toppermost of the Poppermost #1 records of 1965 with John Ross and Lew Shiner
    Go to the profile of Neal Umphred
    Neal Umphred
    Jun 2, 2019
    Why Aren’t the Crew-Cuts in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame?

    Why Aren’t the Crew-Cuts in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame?

    The Canadian quartet played a pivotal role in getting black records on white radio stations in the US in the ’50s
    Go to the profile of Neal Umphred
    Neal Umphred
    May 23, 2019
    Why Isn’t Pat Boone in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

    Why Isn’t Pat Boone in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

    If we remove Elvis, Pat Boone would have been the King of Top 40 radio in the ’50s
    Go to the profile of Neal Umphred
    Neal Umphred
    May 19, 2019
    Why Isn’t Connie Francis in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame?

    Why Isn’t Connie Francis in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame?

    Connie held her own on the pop charts with such Hall of Famers as Fats Domino and Ricky Nelson
    Go to the profile of Neal Umphred
    Neal Umphred
    May 18, 2019
    Why Weren’t the Moody Blues in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame?

    Why Weren’t the Moody Blues in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame?

    The band was inducted after waiting through nineteen years of eligibility (“Yippee!”)
    Go to the profile of Neal Umphred
    Neal Umphred
    May 17, 2019
    “Wild in the Streets” as Prescient Sociopolitical Satire

    “Wild in the Streets” as Prescient Sociopolitical Satire

    Do you really want a man in his sixties running the country?
    Go to the profile of Neal Umphred
    Neal Umphred
    May 16, 2019
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