A Blast(off) From The Past

I remember having this album. I was four years old when I first heard it.

Side A was a radio-style play depicting the futuristic solar system of 1985, where we have apparently colonized most of the terrestrial planets and moons in the system. This story represents the first astronauts/cosmonauts under the age of 21 to make an unassisted voyage to the Moon. They start on what I believe is a space station in geosynchronous orbit around Earth.

Along the way, the children (who sound about 10-12-years old) make expository dialogue about Lunar development from the first landing by Apollo 11 in 1969 to 1985's colonies. They also give some now-slightly-dated facts about the Moon (not all of the craters were caused by meteor impact; Apollo 17 revealed volcanic evidence). My first exposure to "classical music" was the segment of Strauss' The Blue Danube Waltz during the children's nap. They make it to the lunar colony, greeted by a cheering crowd and an MC who promises a big party in celebration.

Side B represents the party music, some rock songs supplemented by space noises and the lunar crowd cheering between tracks. One of the songs I recognized was a souped-up version of Greensleeves. Another was The Camptown Races. The other pieces were songs that were contemporary but enjoyable.

Yes, it's totally dated now. What we know about the moon, 1980's technology, and gender roles, this album shows its age. It is still a fun romp to listen to (even the B-side rock songs).

If you are interested, the album is abandoned (the label is defunct) and the download link is here...