The 8-Track Tape Debuts
On this day, September 15, 1966, The Ford Motor Company introduced factory-installed and dealer-installed eight-track tape players as an option on three of its 1966 models (Mustang, Thunderbird and Lincoln).
The first titles released on 8-track include: “Whipped Cream & Other Delights” by Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass and “Mary Poppins” by The Ray Conniff Singers!
What could be better than cruising around town in your brand new Mustang Convertible listening to “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” or “Bibbidi bobbidi boo”. What chick could resist that?
Of course, we now know the 8-track was complete crap. They were terribly made and sounded horrible. The tapes would melt in the sun and get eaten up by the machine. Sometimes, during the middle of a song, you could hear a terrible clicking sound as the tape switched tracks.
Another nail in the 8-track coffin, was when it was determined that they caused the Ford Pinto to explode upon impact. The 8-track finally went the way of the dinosaur in the 1980’s and they were replaced by the far superior Cassette, CD and MP3.
