Over the weekend, I visited one of my favorite record stores where I found a funny album cover that I decided I must own. Apparently, “Music for Half-Assed Friends” was an album cover released without any actual vinyl platter inside. It was merely an empty album cover, sold to collectors that wanted to impress their friends with goofy album covers. I have no idea when this product was actually sold, but I’m guessing it was either during the 50s or 60s, back when MAD magazine was running strong.
On the back of the cover it states:
Suggested titles, suitable for enclosure in this Album Cover, are as follows:
You Go To My Head
Oh, Johnny
In The Wee Small Hours of the Morning
That Old Feeling
Just in Time
Just A-Sittin’ and A-Rockin
Let’s Sit This One Out
Doing What Comes Naturally
At Last
Somethings Got To Give
I Gotta Go Now
I Can’t Get Started With You.
Hmm… I’m wondering if the next-to-last song title might have been inspired by a certain garage rock anthem?
If you liked this kind of humor, be sure to check out “Who Cut The Cheese?” written by my friend Jim Dawson, co-author of the out-of-print, but absolutely essential reference book “What Was the First Rock ‘N’ Roll Record?“
Ha, I just found my copy at a garage sale. Inside is a cardboard cut-out of an album that says, “I bought this Album for you as a gift…sorry, I couldn’t afford the record!” below that is a place to sign your name. Date on back says 1962.
Hello, Louie. . .
The MUSIC FOR YOUR HALF-ASSED FRIENDS was my album. . .actually I did 12 different covers with a cardboard looking album inside that said (as noted above) “I bought this album for you as a gift. . .sorry I couldn’t afford the record!” They sold (like greeting cards) for $1 a piece. Do you have many
copies of them and do you think I should go back on the market with them.
Please respond.
BOB BOOKER
Fantastic stuff, Bob! LOVE IT!
As a child my parents has a copy of MFHAF. as a young child I marveled at it and wondered if we could ever get to hear the vinyl. It always sounded fun and we wanted to know more. Parents were a little reluctant or unable to explain. I am glad to hear a little more of the story. It was also a curiosity because of the similarity the last name. My uncle is Bob Booher. The might work to market them again! Cheers.
I have the Music For Casual Affairs cover, but would like to know what the other 10 titles were.
I saw this when I was a Tween in the late 1960’s.
I wish I knew the exact location in Manhattan, NYC, I would’ve gone back a few years later and looked it up.
@BobBooker please market these again! I want them all!!
I got my “Music for Half-Assed Friends”… I believe I bought it off Discogs. It being cover only, I think I actually got a deep discount!