I have been listening to the radio for most of my life. There was always a radio on in the house when I was growing up - we woke up to the radio, left for school when the radio told us to and stayed home when the radio said school was canceled. The radio was part of the home - part of the family, it was much like the TV in that it was a common household appliance and everyone had to listen together to the same station. That all changed with the invention of the transistor radio... finally a radio you could take to the beach or to bed with you! I preferred the bed.
The first transistor radios began appearing in the mid-fifties but I didn't get one until probably the fall of 1964. Actually the first radio I owned was the ugliest thing you ever saw. It was made of black and white plastic and was about the size of a toaster and it only picked up one all classical music station which was broadcast locally from the top of Regent St. It ran on batteries and technically speaking it was a transistor radio - but it was about as cool as having an 8 track tape player in your car today.
I received my first cool transistor when my father was away on a rare trip to Montreal. I awoke one Saturday morning to find a genuine leather radio case on the kitchen table - no radio, just the case. Dad said he couldn't find a radio he could afford so the case would have to do for now - and to illustrate how we were raised in those days I was actually thankful and hid my disappointment. We didn't get a lot of presents from Dad personally so I knew enough to appreciate it. I took his word that I would get one eventually.... then of course he brought out the radio itself. Like most fathers, Dad liked to torture.
It was a beauty - not the typical "tiny blue transistor radio" like in the song but slightly larger, and the leather case fit it like a second skin. It also came with an ear phone - for one ear. No one had considered the fact yet that we had two ears so we had to be content listening with one. And they were not very stylish either - they looked just like the ones that old deaf people used. But the leather case had a neat little compartment where you could store the ugly little ear phone and cord - try doing that with an Ipod.
But having your own transistor made the listening experience so private and personal that it didn't matter - you could lie in bed and listen to the radio and no one would know. Late at night was best because you never knew what you might find as you slowly rotated the tuning dial in search of distant American stations, shock talk radio, radio dramas and sometimes when the wind was just right - The Wolfman! I particularly liked the radio dramas and some British comedy game shows that came on late Sunday night.
Of course the transistor soon became outdated with the invention of the Walkman, Discman and ultimately the Ipod. The great thing about these new listening devices is that you can make or download your own content and carry it around with you, listening to full stereo with both ears. Don't get me wrong - they are wonderful and they might come close but they will never replace that special feeling of secretly tuning in to the great unknown in the comfort and safety of your own bed - and falling asleep.... with one ear on the world.
The first transistor radios began appearing in the mid-fifties but I didn't get one until probably the fall of 1964. Actually the first radio I owned was the ugliest thing you ever saw. It was made of black and white plastic and was about the size of a toaster and it only picked up one all classical music station which was broadcast locally from the top of Regent St. It ran on batteries and technically speaking it was a transistor radio - but it was about as cool as having an 8 track tape player in your car today.
I received my first cool transistor when my father was away on a rare trip to Montreal. I awoke one Saturday morning to find a genuine leather radio case on the kitchen table - no radio, just the case. Dad said he couldn't find a radio he could afford so the case would have to do for now - and to illustrate how we were raised in those days I was actually thankful and hid my disappointment. We didn't get a lot of presents from Dad personally so I knew enough to appreciate it. I took his word that I would get one eventually.... then of course he brought out the radio itself. Like most fathers, Dad liked to torture.
It was a beauty - not the typical "tiny blue transistor radio" like in the song but slightly larger, and the leather case fit it like a second skin. It also came with an ear phone - for one ear. No one had considered the fact yet that we had two ears so we had to be content listening with one. And they were not very stylish either - they looked just like the ones that old deaf people used. But the leather case had a neat little compartment where you could store the ugly little ear phone and cord - try doing that with an Ipod.
But having your own transistor made the listening experience so private and personal that it didn't matter - you could lie in bed and listen to the radio and no one would know. Late at night was best because you never knew what you might find as you slowly rotated the tuning dial in search of distant American stations, shock talk radio, radio dramas and sometimes when the wind was just right - The Wolfman! I particularly liked the radio dramas and some British comedy game shows that came on late Sunday night.
Of course the transistor soon became outdated with the invention of the Walkman, Discman and ultimately the Ipod. The great thing about these new listening devices is that you can make or download your own content and carry it around with you, listening to full stereo with both ears. Don't get me wrong - they are wonderful and they might come close but they will never replace that special feeling of secretly tuning in to the great unknown in the comfort and safety of your own bed - and falling asleep.... with one ear on the world.
(To be continued)
