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God Only Knows

In the mono version, you can hear the use of multitrack recording to layer the various instruments, which were recorded at separate times. Prior to magnetic tape and multitrack recording, a complex arrangement like this had to be done at once and would be virtually impossible to achieve. Multitrack recording also gave the producer a great deal of flexibility to improvise in the mixing stage.

Note as each instrument is "introduced" as the recording progresses. I was able to detect: an electric organ, bass, a tambourine, some percussive "clicking", the lead vocal, more bass, strings, and backing vocals. You especially notice the mixing of the various vocal tracks in the closing chorus of the recording as it fades out towards conclusion.

In the stereo version, note the tambourine and that percussive clicking sound on the right channel and the flute on the left during the opening part of the song. It also seems as if the bass "clips" in the beginning of the song compared to the stereo version.

Stars and Stripes Forever

John Phillip Sousa wrote many marches and this one remains one of his most famous. Sousa sold a lot of sheet music and performed at many high profile events, but he hated sound recording. He believed it would spell the end for music, and to a certain degree, he was right.

Maple Leaf Rag

This is one of the most famous of Scott Joplin's rags. Note the verse-chorus-verse structure of the song, despite the absence of any lyrics or vocals.

East of the Sun (and West of the Moon)

This is a 1941 recording of a song performed by Tommy Dorsey's band and vocalist Frank Sinatra. The recording was made for RCA's Victor recording label. The song itself is a jazz standard composed by Brooks Bowman.

Johnny B. Goode

A song made famous by Chuck Berry. He wrote the song in 1955 and recorded it in 1958. It reached the top 10 on Billboard's black and white charts.

Rock Around the Clock

Witten by Max C. Freedman and James E. Myers, this song was made famous by Bill Haley and His Comets in 1954. It would achieve iconic status after being featured in the 1955 film Blackboard Jungle. It is considered one of the first anthems of the 1950s youth rebellion and helped push rock 'n' roll into mainstream popularity.