April 16, 2008     

Ours goes to onze.

NOTE FROM ANDY:

Researchers have recently
“re-discovered” early sound recordings
in a Paris archive which are believed to
pre-date Thomas Edison’s earliest works
by nearly 20 years. They’ve actually
been able to listen to them, too.
What can we find out about, or hear on,
these early sound recordings?

The Top 6 Surprises
in Early Phonautograms

6> “Monsieur Edison will never be able to top our latest album,
‘Pet Sounds’!”

5> Historians surprised by faint but unmistakable background
conversation featuring Napoleon III threatening to go find
Bismarck and “bust a herring in his ass!”

4> Lots of pops and scratches - but someday, this will all
change.

3> Apparently, people in 1860’s France really *did* talk in
English with Pepe LePew-type accents.

2> Contains John McCain’s first general election ad.

and the Number 1 Surprise in Early Phonautograms…

1> “J’ai obtenu d’avoir plus de cowbell!”

.

Credits:

Selected from 23 submissions from 9 contributors.
This week’s list authors are:

Joseph Prisco, Ithaca, NY — 1, 6 (7th #1!)
Slick Sharkey, Miami, FL — 2
Bill Livingston, Decatur, AL — 3, 5
Paul L. Gaba, Village of Wellington, FL — 4
Amy Lane, Waterboro, ME — Banner tag
Andy Grosser, Somerville, MA — Topic, Maestro

RUNNERS UP list — Edison-of-a-guns

“Don’t eat the brown bon bons. Repeat, don’t eat the brown bon
bons.”

(Dave Ferry, Purvis, MS)

If you play it backwards it sounds like someone is saying,
“Jean-Paul est mort.”

(Joseph Prisco, Ithaca, NY)

The DMCA now extends to photocopies and fax machines.

(Andy Grosser, Somerville, MA)

“The new kid, Keith Richards? He’ll never last.”

(Paul L. Gaba, Village of Wellington, FL)

Runners Up list name

(Randy Lee, Burke, VA)