I wonder if any of the capital's older residents recall Shandon Records which back in the mid-1960s was located around Stewart Terrace.
Many decades ago it of course went to the great record shop graveyard in the sky.
It wasn't large, but was just a small dinky little shop selling mainly second hand records but it carried an interesting stock and represented great value for your money.
After we got our first little suitcase record player one summer, Mother and I took a few trips on the number 4 bus from Oxgangs down to Shandon to see what little gems we might pick up. I enjoyed those little summer interludes together finding it a rare interlude to bond with her.
Apart from Mother holding the purse strings she also had a much deeper knowledge of music than me. So, initially whilst I might not be happy with her choice from our limited budget, once back home to 6/2 Oxgangs Avenue I would realise we'd struck gold.
On one occasion she picked up 'Guantanamera' by The Sandpipers; I had my doubts but it was a beautiful track as was Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazelwood's 'These Boots Were Made For Walking' with the B side the hauntingly dreamy 'Summer Wine.'
When I was able to buy records for myself with monies from my paper and milk runs around Morningside my first two purchases were Scott Mackenzie's 'San Francisco' and 'Good Vibrations' by The Beach Boys.
It's interesting how we associate days of summer with feel good records perhaps emblematic of being young, sometimes carefree, but in our primes.
When you're fourteen years old Mungo Jerry's 'In The Summertime' leaves an indelible mark; as did 'We're Going to Barbados' by Typically Tropical a few years later reminding me of it blasting out whilst Roger Jenkins and I were training down at the former Meadowbank Stadium for the Olympics; and then a few more years after that listening to perhaps the greatest pop record of all time, Van Morrison's, 'And The Healing Has Begun' - including the line '...I want you to put on your pretty summer dress...'
Summer wine. And Shandon Records.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXMwEsfUBUo
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