Once upon a time, there were things called "records", which you played on "record players" and (eventually) on "stereos." To find "records," you could play on your "record player," you went down to a place called a "record store." And, if you consult Rolling Stone and Billboard, you will discover that May 16, 1966 was a helluva day at America's record stores.

Fifty years ago, two magnificent pieces of art became available generally for the first time.

Pet Sounds is probably the more influential of the two a) because it lit a fire under The Beatles and inspired them to record Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, and b) because Blonde on Blonde has to be seen as part of The Master's Great Trilogy that also includes Bringing It All Back Home and Highway 61 Revisited, a nine-month explosion of creativity that never will cease to amaze me, and that nearly killed the musician. But to have both of these records released on the same day is worthy of note, for which we can thank Blog Official Music Archivist Bill Osment of Kansas City, and a great way to end the blogging day.

Pet Sounds had this song on it.

Blonde On Blonde had this song on it.

It was a great day to buy records. Hell, it was a great day to be alive.

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Charles P. Pierce Charles P Pierce is the author of four books, most recently Idiot America, and has been a working journalist since 1976.

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