Old familiar songs and great music – that’s what we bring you on Those Old Records. If the regular programming on CFIS-FM brings you “the music you grew up with”, then Those Old Records will be the songs and music that your parents played and sang. It is the music before rock and roll: ragtime, jazz, swing, big bands, romantic ballads, love songs, novelty numbers, showtunes, country and folk.

Most of the gems from our collection come from the 30’s, the 40’s and the 50’s, although we have some music that was probably first recorded on Edison’s wax cylinders, dating back before 1910. And that is old even for me!

Back in those days, people sang on the streets, they whistled at work and hummed as they shopped. The music was, and still is, beautiful and catchy. Everyone learned the words and made the hit songs a part of their lives. Music lifted the morale of workers and soldiers on both sides of the Atlantic during WWII. The big bands had a smooth power that demanded participation in the mood of the music. Imagine so many talented musicians pouring out emotion in harmony and syncopation, filling ballrooms with compelling rhythms without electronic amplification.

Those Old Records conjures up quieter times when:

the words “hell” and “damn” shocked your Aunt Martha,

when nobody locked their houses or cars,

when “gay” meant happy and carefree,

when water was pure and sex was “dirty”,

when sodas, coffees, pay phones and juke box tunes only cost a nickel.

In other words, that was a world that no longer exists and will never be again. What a shame!

Be sure to catch Those Old Records, a beautiful and painless history lesson.

About The Host

John Bell moved to PG to be near his daughter and grandchildren. He is pleased and proud to share their accomplishments in music, sports and academics as they grow in our city. 2007 also brought him three new grandchildren in B.C. Twin granddaughters born to his younger daughter and a special new grandson who will call one of John’s sons “dad”. All three of the new arrivals live in North Vancouver.

John has retired from his active business life, but manages to fill up his days with writing (books, magazine articles and newsletters) and sketching (see his work at Studio 2880). If you see him strolling around Parkwood with his big old Basset Hound (everyone knows “Basil”), stop and say “Hi!”