Some seminal recordings by the likes of The Who and Etta James have been inducted into the Library Of Congress.
The United States goes further than many nations in preserving its cultural heritage. Forming the Library Of Congress the country’s major artefacts are preserved for future generations to enjoy.
The National Recording Registry inducted special recordings that have made an impact on society or their art form. Currently holding 275 recordings, the organisation has inducted a raft of new songs.
The Who’s ‘My Generation’ is a perennial ode to teenage angst. Basically saying ‘you don’t get this’ to old people, the song is a two and a half minute blast of pop art energy. Released in 1966, the song soared to number two in the UK charts becoming indelibly linked with the band.
Pete Townshend & Co. took their art rock to the United States for an infamous performance on the Smothers Brothers. A prime time American entertainment show, the band blasted through ‘My Generation’ before hell raising drummer Keith Moon detonated a cheery bomb in his bass drum.
All hell broke loose, with the performance kick starting the band’s bio-documentary ‘The Kids Are Alright’.
Also inducted into the National Recording Registry is the Etta James’ classic ‘At Last’. One of the singer’s most emotive performances, the song was featured in the recent Chess Records biopic Cadillac Records.
Sung by Beyonce Knowles, the singer was invited to perform the song at Barack Obama’s inauguration. However Etta James felt snubbed, and onstage comments left many feeling she was critical of Knowles and the President.
However in a later interview Etta James claimed that she had been mis-quoted, and that the comments were made in jest.
The recordings have been inducted as part of the National Recording Preservation Board’s attempt to select “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant” pieces that are at least 10 years old, reports Variety.
Among the other entries this year are violinist Jascha Heifetz’s acoustic recordings for Victor Records from 1917-24 and NBC Radio’s coverage of opera singer Marian Anderson’s Easter Sunday recital at the Lincoln Memorial in 1939, plus the original Broadway cast recording of ‘West Side Story’ from 1957.
Watch The Who demolish The Smothers Brothers below…
