PHILOSOPHY OF THE WORLD The Shaggs 1980 Rounder 3032 Red Rooster 103 w/Misprint

$

60

Philosophy of the World is the only studio album by the American band the Shaggs – teenage sisters Dorothy (“Dot”), Betty and Helen Wiggin – who formed in 1965 in Fremont, New Hampsire.  They formed at the behest of their father and manager, Austin Wiggin Jr.  When Austin was young, his mother had read his palm and made three predictions: he would marry a strawberry-blonde woman, he would have two sons after she had died, and his daughters would form a popular band. When the first two predictions proved accurate, Austin set about fulfilling the third:  he withdrew his daughters from school, bought them instruments and arranged for them to receive music and vocal lessons. He designed their schedule and had them practice as a band for hours every day. The sisters had no interest in becoming musicians and did not enjoy the rehearsals. Dot later said: "[Our father] was stubborn and he could be temperamental. He directed. We obeyed. Or did our best.”  The sisters thought their father was "nuts", but they did not want to do anything to insult their grandmother in his eyes.  Philosophy of the World was recorded in 1969 in Revere, Massachusetts, and released in limited quantities by a local record label. It received no attention and the Shaggs disbanded in 1975 after Austin's death.

The Shaggs had no interest in becoming musicians and never became proficient in songwriting or performing. Philosophy of the World features bizarre songs with badly tuned guitars, erratically shifting time signatures, disconnected drum parts, wandering melodies and rudimentary lyrics about pets and families. It has been described as both among the worst records of all time and a work of "accidental genius".  Over the decades, Philosophy of the World circulated among musicians and attracted fans including NRBQ, Frank Zappa and Kurt Cobain. After it was reissued on Rounder Records in 1980, it received enthusiastic reviews for its uniqueness in Rolling Stone and The Village Voice.  Due to its sloppy playing and mostly nonsensical lyrics, the album became a favorite among collectors and has been called "proto-punk" by some critics.  Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain listed Philosophy of the World as his fifth favorite album of all time.  The album is ranked number 100 in Blender's 100 Greatest Indie-Rock Albums Ever. In 2010, it was included in NME's "The 100 Greatest Albums You've Never Heard" list. In 2016, Rolling Stone ranked the album at 17 on its list of "40 Greatest One-Album Wonders". In 2018, Paste listed the album in "The 50 Best Garage Rock Albums of All Time" at number 30.

THIS COPY is an original 1980 pressing on the Rounder label, co-issued as Red Rooster (see Notes, below).  It is considered a "reissue" since Austin Wiggin paid Third World to press 1000 copies in 1969.  According to him, Dreyer only delivered 100 copies and ran off with the other 900.  Per Discogs, this 1980 Rounder/Red Rooster pressing has a small misprint:  It has the Wakefield number printed as 30722 (in parentheses on the labels).  This was corrected in a different pressing.  

The vinyl is in Mint [M] condition.

The original cover - with a pictures of the Wiggin sisters on the cover - is in Excellent [EX] condition.

The inner sleeve, believed to be original, is plain white with square corners and a center label hole.  It, too, is in Excellent [EX] condition.

Notes

The Shaggs are sisters Betty, Helen and Dorothy Wiggins, from New Hampshire, USA.

This version has the Wakefield # printed as 30722 on labels which was corrected in a different pressing.

Runouts are etched except 'STERLING, ["tulip" symbol]' are stamped.

Barcode and Other Identifiers

Rights Society: BMI

Matrix / Runout (A-side runout, variant 1): STERLING #2 ["tulip" symbol]37022 ROU3032A STERLING ROU 3032-A

Matrix / Runout (B-side runout, variant 1): STERLING #4 ["tulip" symbol]37022 ROU 3032-B

Matrix / Runout (A-side runout, variant 2): STERLING #1 ["tulip" symbol]37022-A STERLING ROV 3032A

Matrix / Runout (B-side runout, variant 2): STERLING #4 ["tulip" symbol]37022 ROV 3032-B

Matrix / Runout (A-side runout, variant 3): ROU3032-A STERLING ROU3032-A #1 STERLING ["tulip" symbol]37022

Matrix / Runout (B-side runout, variant 3): ROU3032-B STERLING #4 ["tulip" symbol]37022

Matrix / Runout (A-side runout, variant 4): ROU 3032-A STERLING ROU 3032-A STERLING ["tulip" symbol]37022 – this copy

Matrix / Runout (B-side runout, variant 4): ROU 3032-B STERLING ["tulip" symbol]37022 – this copy

ENJOY!