Full 19 hour Radio Broadcast from 1939

I just uploaded a complete 19 hour days broadcast from the station W.J.S.V Washington D.C, recorded 21st September 1939 on the CBS Radio Network. It's free to listen to or download at:

http://archive.org/details/001WakeUpMusic

It's a one of a kind fascinating time capsule - everything is there unedited, from the early morning 6am wake up music show, through Arthur Godfrey's Sundial program where he chats in his inimitable style and plays some damn cool records, through the morning soap opera's, news programs, quiz shows, situation comedies, talent shows, a cookery show,.

There's current affairs programs, a documentary on Auctioneers, dramas, variety shows from the likes of Joe E Brown, a fascinating Strange As it Seems episode, an organ concert, dance programs and a selection or remote big band broadcasts.

A full session of congress takes place(the reason the day was recorded for prosperity) in which President FDR gives a speach on the Neutrality Act (the war had just begun in Europe), a speech and translation from the French premier and thoughts and discussions with politicians.

There's even a baseball game! Goes right through to the final news round up and weather report, sign off and National Anthem at 1am.

This is a really unique recording. Only three full day broadcasts are known to exist and the other two are both from D-Day (a CBS one and an NBC one). These two are fascinating but 95% of them consist of up to the minute news on events in France. This recording is a real insight into what it was like to listen to radio on a regular day back in the late 30s.

One of my favourite recordings of all time as it happens. And it's the most complete and best quality transfer ever (it's taken me a LOOOOONG time to get it in this form!). So if you're at all interested, it's yours for free. If you're not, it don't matter.

Last edited by Swingin-Little-Guitar-Man on Mon Mar 04, 2013 11:29 pm, edited 3 times in total.

Fascinating!

Thanks for taking the time to share with us.

My husband bought this in the late '90's he said and he really enjoyed it, like taking a time travel back to that fall day in 1939. I've heard parts of it, His was on cassette tapes and he transfered them to CD a couple of years ago.I will check out what you uploaded and see if it's better quality than his tapes and download it. He said one of the tapes during the ballgame got ate up while he was transfering it LOL , I'm sure he will want this more complete version.Anyone who loves old time radio will love this complete day in broadcast history.From what i've listened to, it's quite enjoyable.

I have a full day broadcasting from the test signal before broadcast up to and including station closing.
It is The Beatles Day on pirate radio ship Radio Veronica, February 29, 1972.
All programms only play Beatles songs, even the request show.
Sound quality is good to poor because the station's sound faded in and out during certain hours.
It's all on tapes. Now if only I had a tapedeck.......

I have a full day broadcasting from the test signal before broadcast up to and including station closing.
It is The Beatles Day on pirate radio ship Radio Veronica, February 29, 1972.
All programms only play Beatles songs, even the request show.
Sound quality is good to poor because the station's sound faded in and out during certain hours.
It's all on tapes. Now if only I had a tapedeck.......

You need to get that transferred - it would be very collectible!

Fascinating!

Thanks for taking the time to share with us.

My pleasure. Everyone should hear it.

My husband bought this in the late '90's he said and he really enjoyed it, like taking a time travel back to that fall day in 1939. I've heard parts of it, His was on cassette tapes and he transfered them to CD a couple of years ago.I will check out what you uploaded and see if it's better quality than his tapes and download it. He said one of the tapes during the ballgame got ate up while he was transfering it LOL , I'm sure he will want this more complete version.Anyone who loves old time radio will love this complete day in broadcast history.From what i've listened to, it's quite enjoyable.

I've had many copies over the years in different quality (some on cassette years ago) and different length. This one is complete and runs exactly at the right tempo. I recently let this run from 6am through to 1am in the background. Felt like it was 1939!!! Bizarre!

Hope your husband enjoys this new source. The previously incomplete song "Day In Day Out" from the "Sundial" program is uncut for the first time EVER and even the 8 minute station breakdown at 6-15am is there - radio interference and all, as is the 2 minute breakdown before Amos & Andy. Nothing is missing.

I have a full day broadcasting from the test signal before broadcast up to and including station closing.
It is The Beatles Day on pirate radio ship Radio Veronica, February 29, 1972.
All programms only play Beatles songs, even the request show.
Sound quality is good to poor because the station's sound faded in and out during certain hours.
It's all on tapes. Now if only I had a tapedeck.......

That reminded me of a tape I had.

The Beatles once made up the whole of the panel on Juke Box Jury !

They commented on the newly released singles, including Kiss Me Quick by Elvis.

Recording was pretty crude in those days, I stood a microphone near the TV speaker to tape the audio.

Never kept it, as I reckoned there would be a 'proper' recording of the programme, complete with the visual !

I later learned that someone else had done the same as I did, & it was the only known recording of that show !

Ah well..............

Thanks Andy,very interesting indeed,definately a moment of history

Thanks Andy,very interesting indeed,definitely a moment of history

You're welcome Ken. It sure is mate!

I have a full day broadcasting from the test signal before broadcast up to and including station closing.
It is The Beatles Day on pirate radio ship Radio Veronica, February 29, 1972.
All programms only play Beatles songs, even the request show.
Sound quality is good to poor because the station's sound faded in and out during certain hours.
It's all on tapes. Now if only I had a tapedeck.......

That reminded me of a tape I had.

The Beatles once made up the whole of the panel on Juke Box Jury !

They commented on the newly released singles, including Kiss Me Quick by Elvis.

Recording was pretty crude in those days, I stood a microphone near the TV speaker to tape the audio.

Never kept it, as I reckoned there would be a 'proper' recording of the programme, complete with the visual !

I later learned that someone else had done the same as I did, & it was the only known recording of that show !

Ah well..............

Do you have any more "home recordings" of this nature Colin? I used to tape the audio of sit-coms, films, and interview shows when I was a kid - all in the same manner - microphone near the TV speaker!

Still got them all on cassettes.

Do you have any more "home recordings" of this nature Colin?
I used to tape the audio of sit-coms, films, and interview shows when I was a kid - all in the same manner - microphone near the TV speaker!

Still got them all on cassettes.

I don't think much has survived, although I've got the tape reels in the attic...........

Ive been restoring the early years of Jack Benny's radio show sound is from very heavy damaged transcriptions but ive fixed them so they are listenable sounds quite good too.some are so bad nothing can be done.esp where parts were lost due to age and bad storage.
Ican upload some ive fixed if anyone is interested.

Ive been restoring the early years of Jack Benny's radio show sound is from very heavy damaged transcriptions but ive fixed them so they are listenable sounds quite good too.some are so bad nothing can be done.esp where parts were lost due to age and bad storage.
Ican upload some ive fixed if anyone is interested.

That would be brilliant as the early Benny shows are pretty hard to hear. Could you join the wonderful www.archive.org and post them on there? They'd be much appreciated by thousands of people who use the site!

Great site that www.archive.org as I managed to retrieve an old site from 2002 with for me important info.

Great site that http://www.archive.org as I managed to retrieve an old site from 2002 with for me important info.

It's an incredible site. Hundreds of thousands of radio shows, TV shows, rare movies, books, documents, texts, speeches .... you name it, they have it and all for FREE!