Difference between revisions of "Hip Pocket Records"

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''Start your collection of hip pocket records today.''
 
''Start your collection of hip pocket records today.''
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Interestingly, the bit that states Hip Pockets will outlast a regular 45 was written and produced before it was discovered that flexi-discs did not last very long.  However, the part stating that “the sound is amazingly big” was true.
  
 
==Top 40 Hits==
 
==Top 40 Hits==

Revision as of 21:24, 2 November 2008

Hip Pocket Records were flexi-discs manufactured by Philco in 1967. They were one of the first forms of portable music, preceding cassette tapes and compact discs.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v674/jukeboxmafia/img051.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v674/jukeboxmafia/img052.jpg http://jukeboxmafia.blogspot.com/2008/06/hip-pocket-records.html

Brief History

The invention of the automobile brought on a wave of excitement and anticipation among the American people. The technological advances of the 1950’s and ‘60’s enabled Americans to embrace their youth. Shortly after the automobile, radio came into the picture, and with radio came a new kind of recorded music. The only problem with the radio was that people were unable to choose exactly what they wanted to listen to. At home, they were able to play their choice of music on any 45 record player, but in the car, their only option was the radio.

Dr. Peter Goldmark, who worked for the CBS Electronics Lab, decided to put his efforts into developing records that could be played in a moving automobile. He created a disc that was 7 inches in diameter revolving at 16 2/3 rpm, which was half the speed of the LP record (which Goldman developed). The disc also had 55 grooves per inch, which was two times the number of grooves in the LP record. CBS rejected Goldmark’s project because they feared they would lose radio listeners if people had the option of playing records in their cars. Goldmark tested the player and discs in his own car, a Chrysler, and worked out minor kinks. In 1955, Chrysler bought Goldmark’s automobile player and introduced it in their 1956 line of cars. They teamed with Columbia Records, who manufactured the discs to be sold with the car. Columbia, however, did not provide any information on where to buy additional discs for the automobile player. In addition, the discs could only be played in a car with the automobile player installed. Eventually these 7” discs became obsolete with new models of cars. (Dawson)

The Flexi-Disc

The 7” discs made way for the flexi-disc, which was only 4 inches in diameter, made of soft, bendable plastic. The flexi-disc was durable and inexpensive to make, and able to be played on a 45 record player. These tiny discs were first marketed to children, as prizes in cereal boxes and samples in magazines. The flexi-disc, however, could only be played about a dozen times before the stylus on the record player ruined the tiny grooves. (Dawson)

Philco/Ford

Philco, a division of Ford Motors, produced the most famous flexi-disc series: Hip Pocket Records. These flexi-discs were one sided and played two songs each, including over 50 different Top 40 Songs, as well as children’s songs. Philco/Ford teamed with three major record companies, Atlantic, Mercury and Roulette, to produce popular music on the Hip Pocket Records. They were sold for 69 cents at Woolworth, and also at local Ford Dealers. Hip Pocket Records were only manufactured for two years (between 1967 and 1969), but Philco produced a small phonograph for the Hip Pockets called the Miniature Radio Phonograph (model S-1378WH). The Mini Radio Phono, as it was called, was especially made to play Hip Pocket Records, but played regular sized records as well. (Miller)

Competition

The Americom Company sensed that Hip Pocket Records would be a long-lived fad, and produced their own form of Hip Pocket Records called Pocket Discs. These Pocket Discs were sold only in vending machines, and cost 50 cents. Americom teamed with Apple Records, the record company that backed the most popular band of the 60’s—The Beatles. Americom released Pocket Discs with Beatles songs as well as songs from other artists under the Apple label such as the Iveys and Billy Preston. (Miller)

Packaging

Hip Pocket Records came in very colorful packaging that was about 6 1/4 inches tall by 5 inches wide and listed the two tracks it played and displayed a photo of the artist or band. In addition, the packaging was a form of advertisement that stressed the Hip Pocket’s portability, durability, and sound quality. The back of the packaging read:

Buy the hits you missed

25 to 50 hip pocket records can be carried in pocket or purse

Hip pocket records can be mailed with greeting cards as a gift

They will outlast a regular 45

Drop them or sit on them...they are almost indestructible

Take them to parties or to the beach or picnic...they are the most portable form of music

Don't let the small size fool you...the sound is amazingly big

Start your collection of hip pocket records today.

Interestingly, the bit that states Hip Pockets will outlast a regular 45 was written and produced before it was discovered that flexi-discs did not last very long. However, the part stating that “the sound is amazingly big” was true.

Top 40 Hits

Decline

Cultural Influence

Bibliography