Songs about the Assassination of JFK

March 15, 2004 11:01 PM

Songs about the Assassination of JFK


How can I find out who might be interested in a particular collection of 45 rpm records? They are mostly folk songs and all of them are songs written about the assassination of John F. Kennedy.
posted by small_ruminant to media & arts (8 comments total)

Two words, my friend: eBay.
posted by jjg at 11:02 PM on March 15, 2004

are they song poems?
posted by nyoki at 11:05 PM on March 15, 2004

Quick question: what exactly are you asking here? When you say "how can I find out who might be interested", I take it that you mean that you want to sell it and are trying to figure out the likely market. But if you're thinking of donating it to, say, a university archives or the Library of Congress or some such, (and are asking what libraries have collections related to popular response to JFK's death) then that could make sense too.

As a matter of fact, I picked up a CD at the Smithsonian's gift store in October called "Can't Keep From Crying: Topical Blues on the Death of President Kennedy." It's an interesting curiosity, with tunes from Otis Spann, Big Joe Williams, Fannie Brewer, and more.
posted by Vidiot at 5:14 AM on March 16, 2004

You may want to contact the JFK museum in Dallas (about 3 floors above my head as I type this). I have no idea if they'd be willing to purchase them, but I'm sure they'd at least be interested in talking with you about them.
posted by Ufez Jones at 8:04 AM on March 16, 2004

Thanks, folks. Ufez Jones, it sounds like emailing the JFK museum will be my first step. I haven't wanted to ebay them because I can't figure out how to market them. My step dad was obviously collecting them with a research project in mind- he was a southern folklore anthropologist. I'd prefer to give them to someone or someplace doing similar research/collecting. Vidiot- these are those same artists, so probably the same songs. (So how are they? I haven't listened to them.)
posted by small_ruminant at 8:23 AM on March 16, 2004

You could also contact the JFK Library and Museum in Boston.
posted by initapplette at 12:12 PM on March 16, 2004

small_ruminant, I think they're much more interesting as curiosities than as music. I listened to 'em once, went "eh", and put the CD away. (I spent a total of $5 on the CD.) I'm hanging onto it, though, because it's interesting music to have, and it might be useful for something some day.

If you'd like to hear 'em and don't want to subject your vinyl to the needle, let me know. I can also send you the essay that went along with the original LP release. (E-mail is in my profile.)
posted by Vidiot at 12:12 PM on March 16, 2004

uh. i would be, but i'm totally not rich, so i'm not the guy you're looking for if you need to pay for college or something.

there is a kickass record-collector type thingy over at gemm.com which you might want to look into, although I think it's primarily for high-volume sellers (and seems to be mostly UK, a fact at which I shake my fist! DAMN YOU CRAZY OVERSEAS SHIPPING! I JUST WANT ONE DAMN COPY OF "3AM ETERNAL" AND I CAN'T PAY YOU 15 DOLLARS TO SHIP A 6 DOLLAR RECORD TO MY DOOR!)
posted by fishfucker at 6:42 PM on March 16, 2004