I found this cassette tape at work. It was sitting on a counter in the photo department, along with a pile of VHS tapes touting various photographic themes. There’s a terrible liner included with a pleather photo album titled “Photograph Album” on the cover. It’s best to emphasize that this is a photo album of a photo album of a…

To be honest, I really intended to make fun of this relic. The design is garbage, the idea is rather lame, and I see no sign of Paul Simon’s “Kodachrome.” Was it too obvious? No matter, though, since this mix tape overcomes its bland appearance with great 20th century music. You know what they say about judging cassettes by their covers.

Strangely, this 1987 compilation was financed by the California Museum of Photography at the University of California, along with grant assistance from the National Endowment for the Arts. I assume that most of that money went straight into buying the rights to the songs.

Side A

Belle Baker, “If I Had a Talking Picture of You”
Sam Cooke, “Send Me Some Lovin'”
George Jones, “Developing My Pictures”
Elvis Costello, “This Year’s Girl”
Dominoes, “My Baby’s 3-D”
Fats Waller, “You Fit Into the Picture”
The Who, “Pictures of Lily”
Amanda Lear, “I Am a Photograph

Side B

Mighty Sparrow, “Castro Eating Banana”
Grit Laskin, “The Photographers”
Patsy Cline, “She’s Got You”
Plastics, “Copy”
Louis Armstrong, “Laughin’ Louie”
Del Reeves, “Girl on the Billboard”
Kay Starr, “Half a Photograph”
Kinks, “People Take Pictures of Each Other”

There’s one particular song I want to highlight from this list. I haven’t hunted around for a recording of it, but man, these lyrics… ahem. Double entendre city!

The Photographers
by Grit Laskin

Well early Saturday morning, I was strolling in the wood
I came upon a lady who by the wayside stood
And what, pray tell, would such a lass as you be doing here?
I’ve come to take some photographs, said she as I drew near

Said I to her, I do declare, this is a fateful day
For I have come to photograph, the same as you did say
Then I took out my Nikon-F and placed it in her hand
She said that’s quite a camera, sir, you have at your command

My camera so delighted her, she could no more delay
She let me see her camera case, wherein her accessories lay
I’m sure, she said, you have most everything that can be bought
Just let me stretch my tripod out before I take some shots

We photographed from haylofts, and up against the wall
If you’ve not shot on Saturday night, you’ve not photographed at all
She had her shutter open wide, for daylight was all gone
Likewise my naked camera lens, it had its filter on

This lady had experience with cameras, yes, indeed
And I thought her exposures the best I’d ever seen
Although she seemed to tire not as on and on we went
I said I’ll have to stop now, my film supply is spent

She said I’ve had Mirandas, Yashicas and Rolleis
Hasselblad and Pentax, likewise a Polaroid
Fujica, Canon, Nikkormat, a Kodak and the rest
But now I’ve seen your Nikon-F, and surely it’s the best