A couple years ago I shared my favorite short, spooky story: The Velvet Ribbon. Now, thanks to the generosity of a foldedspace reader, I’m able to share an extra-special Halloween treat.

Deb writes:

OK…get ready for your trip down memory lane! I found the record…an old 33 on ebay. We found a record player and my sister actually had a phono input on her very old stereo system.

We had a lot of fun listening to this over an over again….just like when we were kids.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

ENJOY!

Here’s the 2.28mb mp3 file: The Velvet Ribbon.

Thanks, Deb!


We’re headed to Denise‘s house for a costume party tonight. I’m excited to meet fellow webloggers, Betsy and Scott. Who knows? Maybe Johnny Doe will make an appearance.

I’m still a Halloween humbug, it’s true, but Denise has threatened public shame and humiliation for those who do not appear in costume. So, for the first time since becoming Vernon Dursely for the Chamber of Secrets premier, I’m dressing up. I’ve collated my clothes and have prepared my props.

Come back tomorrow and you’ll get a peek at a rare costumed J.D.

Pre-Crash Comments

On 30 October 2004 (01:51 PM),
J.D. Roth said:

Last night, while shopping for costume components at Goodwill, I head an awful “lite” version of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”.

Blasphemy!

As part of a soon-to-be-announced side-project, I’ve been ripping old vinyl records to mp3. Here, as an added Halloween treat, is a fuzzy 5.34mb rip of Thriller from my original Thriller LP, purchased in 1982.

(I can remember sitting in Dave’s bedroom, listening to this song over and over again. This very song, this very track, from this very piece of vinyl, I mean.)

If the big record companies find this mp3 threatening, then it’s a sad, sad world. This mp3, filled with cracks and pops from a sticky record, includes the electonic hum from the equipment — listen for it at the beginning of the track. There’s no way somebody would forego purchasing a real copy of the song by downloading this…

No, this is just for fun. For nostalgia.

On 30 October 2004 (03:22 PM),
Tiffany said:

What is Kris going to the pary as?

On 31 October 2004 (11:09 AM),
Betsy said:

It was a great costume, J.D. Congratulations on your victory!

On 31 October 2004 (05:48 PM),
Amy Jo said:

We want to see photos . . .

On 31 October 2004 (06:22 PM),
J.D. Roth said:

Photos are coming. I promise. I’ve written the weblog entry (am in fact updating it as each Trick or Treater comes to the door), but cannot find the cable for the digital camera. Thus: no photos yet.

On 01 December 2004 (11:00 AM),
Kimberly said:

Oh thank you so much Deb for posting! My bestfriend and I would listen to The Velvet Ribbon over & over again! I love it!

~Kimberly~

On 18 September 2005 (02:58 PM),
Sher said:

Hi Deb,

I cannot believe other people remember this Velvt Ribbon Story – how great! We had the Halloween Book/Album, from 1970 also. I was six years old and accidentally left it behind in southern MN at school, before we moved to Minneapolis in 1971. My two sisters never let me live that down. I surprised them with this page and a typed out version of this poem today. We loved it and from time to time, recite this poem and another one that we had memorized from the record. I would love to find this book with the music on cd form, but have not idea where to go, so i keep looking. Ebay sells the record, but I am trying to go other routes, as I no longer have a record player. If anyone has ideas, feel free to let me know. What a great memory. Thanks for posting it!

On 06 October 2005 (12:58 PM),
yvonne said:

Hi Deb,
What is the title of the record that has The Velvet Ribbon? I used to have that record AGES ago and loved it! That story scared the daylights out of me. I’d listen to it often and when it got near the end, I’d have to take it off!
Thanks for the info!
Yvonne

7 Replies to “The Velvet Ribbon”

  1. Brenda says:

    Thanks Deb, I also had this 33 record when I was young. I was just telling my daughter about it and decide to check on here to see if I could find something on it. When I seen you had the mp3 file posted I could not wait to share it with my daughter. Thanks for sharing this. If anyone knows where I can get this book let me know.
    Thanks,
    Brenda

  2. david says:

    I have to thank to person who posted the Velvet Ribbon, I used to listen to the same recording on a record when I was a kid/teenager (now I’m almost 30), how did that happen?!?! Anywho, thank you for posting it, about a year ago I was able to share it with my family, who all remembered it and had a laugh (or a spook). Thanks so much!

    Sincerely,

    David

  3. Lisa says:

    Thanks so much for sharing this! It is almost 30 years since I last heard “The Velvet Ribbon”. My 4th grade teacher played this story for the class at Halloween time. (It really freaked me out!)What a great memory. I want to share it with my kids too.

    Thanks again!

    Lisa

  4. Dave says:

    Wow! I’m 42 now and I remember playing the 45 record on my sister’s record player when I was a kid. Until yesterday I had forgotten the details of the story until I found it online! However, I have never forgotten the final line of this story and how it was spoken on the record! Very creepy! I read the story to my brother and sister today. My brother remembers it but my sister doesn’t. Also, I vaguely remember a picture book accompanying the record. I always love a good search so I’m off to try and track a copy down. Email me if you have any leads! Thanks! [email protected]

  5. Larry says:

    yeah I sure remember this too. this is the first time I’ve heard it since I was a kid. the mp3 still made the hair stand up on my neck on the final line. this record also had a story called “Dust” about a woman obsessed with cleaning who is buried “six feet under the moldy ground” … “with dust in her eyes, and dust in her hair” and also a story called “The Earl King” which is sort of a grim reaper story I think…great memories! I hope someone posts an mp3 of the whole record! thanks [email protected]

  6. Julie says:

    Thanks so much for posting The Velvet Ribbon! I have been searching for it for years! I found one version a few years back, but it was a man telling the story. I was so disappointed! But now, you brought the REAL version back into my life! I just called my sister long distance and played it for her. She is almost 50 years old and still remembers each and every word. Thanks so very much.

  7. Julie says:

    Thanks so much for posting The Velvet Ribbon! I have been searching for it for years! I found one version a few years back, but it was a man telling the story. I was so disappointed! But now, you brought the REAL version back into my life! I just called my sister long distance and played it for her. She is almost 50 years old and still remembers each and every word. Thanks so very much.

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