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Redd Foxx, Carl Reiner, Comedy recordings turned a major corner in 1972 with two releases
Mel Brooks, and the each by George Carlin (FM & AM and Class Clown) and Cheech and
Smothers Brothers, among Chong (Cheech and Chong and Big Bambu). These were albums geared
others, all recording primarily to college students and best listened to in an altered state.
albums as a way to reach a Most importantly, these
broader audience and capi- albums presented routines
talize on their fame. that would never have been
The 1960s also show- performed intact on net-
cased the light versus the work television (indeed, all
darker, more hip side of of Cheech and Chong’s
comedy with comedians albums were produced in
such as Lenny Bruce. the studio).
Bruce was renowned for When Richard Pryor
his open, free-form, critical hit the scene with This
style of comedy which con- Nxxx’s Crazy in 1974, it
tained satire, politics, reli- firmly established the
gion, sex, and vulgarity, comedy album as the
Richard Pryor (1968) and paved the way for such language of the counter-
According to cover artist Gary Burden, other “counterculture” era culture. These records
“As a result of the Richard Pryor album cover,
which I loved doing, I got two letters: One was a comedians as George could not be listened to in
letter from the National Geographic Society’s Carlin and Richard Pryor. ‘family’ company, like the Cheech and Chong and
attorneys offering to sue me for defaming their Bruce’s approach also popular comedy albums Bib Bambu, 1972
publication. The second letter was a Grammy earned him a name with being released by Bob This album came complete
nomination for the best album cover.” police forces across the Newhart and Bill Cosby, with a “giant” rolling paper for
country in the 1950s and nor were they considered personal use, and evenutually
60s as he adopted a lifestyle and a drug addiction that led to him being fringe albums, but they started a business producing an organic
called “a sick comic.” Bruce’s arrest in 1964 put him on trial for were huge commercial hits, hemp-based rolling paper under the name
obscenity and a number of fans and organizations saw this as a land- going “gold” and regularly “Big Bambu.”
mark trial for freedom of speech in the United States. making over $1 million in The signed paper shown is currently selling for
Bruce released a total of four albums of original material on Fantasy record sales. Albums by $140 at eBay
Records, including the 1958 release of Interviews of our Times, with Robert Klein, David Steinberg, Lily Tomlin, and various crews from
rants, comic routines, and satirical interviews on the themes that made National Lampoon deserve a nod here, as well.
him famous: jazz, moral philosophy, politics, patriotism, religion, law,
race, abortion, drugs, the Ku Klux Klan, and Jewishness. These albums THE PROLIFIC 1980S
were later compiled and re-released as The Lenny Bruce Originals.
Two later records were The 1980s were even more productive, with new albums put out by
produced and sold by comedy staples such as Rodney Dangerfield (his No Respect album won
Bruce himself, including a the Grammy in 1981), the rise of new talent, and the emergence of new
10-inch album of the 1961 record companies and labels devoted solely to comedy. Warner
San Francisco performances Brothers in particular was one of the biggest producers of comedy
that started his legal albums at that time.
troubles. Starting in the In the 1980s we were introduced to the comedic genius of Robin
late 1950s, other un-issued Williams, whose comedy album Reality … What a Concept won the
Bruce material was released Grammy in 1980 (following that up with A Night at the Met, which
by various other producers won in 1988), and Eddie Murphy, whose comedy album Eddie Murphy
and record companies. Comedian won the Grammy in 1984. Others including Sam Kinison,
With his legacy comes a Whoopi Goldberg,
continuing interest in his Bobcat Goldthwait, and
early recordings, many of Dennis Miller—known
which brought vulgarity, from other entertain-
edgy topics, and obsceni- ment venues—put out
ties into American homes comedy albums to
in a generationally-polariz- expand and extend their
ing way. Lenny Bruce is Out Again fame in the moment.
In 2017, Rolling Stone This remastered CD of a recording first done in
1949 is uncensored and full of dark humor.
ranked Bruce third (behind The warning on the cover states, “Sale of this CD THE VALUE OF
disciples Richard Pryor and may subject seller to arrest for a violation of the VINTAGE COMEDY
George Carlin) on its list of endemic obscenity laws; the sole exception being
the 50 best stand-up San Francisco, California (where the community The great thing
comics of all time. standards may be lower). about good comedy is Reality … What a Concept, 1979
that it is timeless. Vinyl, At the age of 27, Robin Williams was already
THE GROUNDBREAKING 1970S however, is not. considered comedy’s darling. He had just finished
Comedy albums, like all season 1 of Mork & Mindy and was on the
The 1970s marked a groundbreaking decade in the world of comedy. albums back in the day, cover of TIME magazine.
Comedians such as Richard Pryor, Steve Martin, George Carlin, were purchased to play
Cheech & Chong, Bill Cosby, Lily Tomlin, and Martin Mull, among and re-play, so only albums from serious collectors made it into the 21st
others, were tearing it up on comedy stages across the country. At the century in great condition. While most are valued at the cost of a good
same time, millions of comedy records were being sold as adults bought laugh (roughly $10-$35 for the classics), the renewed popularity of
the albums of comedians they were seeing on television and at clubs vinyl records has helped to elevate the value of these vintage classics.
in order to replay their routines at home and turn others on to the What’s the best way to build a vintage comedy record collection?
comedians they were following. Listen to them and collect what makes you laugh.

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