Seasons In Your Mind-Easter Egg Page: Songs Of The Humpback Whale

Tired of searing Cipollini solos? Need a break from Joplin's wailing?

Try the biggest selling recording of all time—Songs Of The Humpback Whale.

Dr Roger Payne was a leading expert in whales and he discovered that whales communicate by singing. Originally released in 1970 by CRM Records (SWR-118), the album came with a 36-page book describing whale life. Capitol released their version in Jan 71. The National Geographic issue of January, 1979, contained a flexi-disc with excerpts which sold over 10.5 millions copies.

	Songs Of The Humpback Whale
	Capitol ST-620
	1/71 BB [UK: N/R]

	Back Cover Original CRM Cover National Geographic Issue with Flexi-Disc

Side One
Solo Whale*		9:26
Slowed-Down Solo Whale†		1:02
Tower Whales		3:17
Distant Whale		3:52
Side Two
Three Whale Trip		16:25

----------------------------------
Recordists: Dr Roger S Payne, Frank Watlington†
§Cover Art-uncredited
Produced by: Dr Roger S Payne

Humans have sung about whales—from old sea stories about hunting them to songs about protecting them. Here are a few:

A Whale Of A Tale	Kirk Douglas w The Mellomen (20,000 Leagues...)	11/54
Great White Whale	The Rainbow Press (Sunday Funnies)	8/69
Whaling Stories	Procol Harum (Home)	8/70
Farewell To Tarwathie	Judy Collins (Whales & Nightingales)	11/70
Nantucket Sleighride	Mountain (Nantucket Sleighride)	1/71
Ode To Big Blue	Gordon Lightfoot (Don Quixote)	2/72
The Euphonious Whale	Dan Hicks & His Hot Licks (Last Train To Hicksville)	6/73
Whale Meat Again	Jim Capaldi (Whale Meat Again)	8/74
To The Last Whale	Crosby & Nash (Wind On The Water)	9/75
Save The Whales!	Country Joe McDonald (Paradise With An Ocean View)	11/75
Don't Kill The Whale	Yes (Tormato)	9/78
Last Great American Whale	Lou Reed (New York)	1/89
Whale Song	Pearl Jam (Arctic Tale soundtrack)	7/07
Comedians, too
Jonah And The Whale	Lord Buckley (His Royal Hipness)	1960
The Conception Corporation	The Singing Whales (Complete Conception, rec 1972)	2000
Whaling Rock Songs (skit)	National Lampoon (Goodbye Pop)	?/75

There was another big selling nature albumfrom The Language And Music Of The Wolves

The actual language and music of the Wolf recorded in his remaining
territories. And the true explanation of the Wolf and Man, narrated
by Robert Redford, actor and nature lover.
(Another project of Natural History Magazine) in 1971

If you'd like to hear live whales singing, check out the link below. From Maui since 2000, free live whale songs for the world!

As usual, the Steve Hoffman Music Forum has a thread about whale songs .

Links!

Whalesong
Cetacean Station