NOT TODAY, EBAY (35)
By:
May 9, 2026
One in a series of posts via which Josh Glenn will share recent examples of stuff that he was tempted to purchase via eBay… but, heroically, didn’t.
Doug E. Fresh And The Get Fresh Crew – The Show & La Di Da Di
GBP 7.00
Approximately US $9.42
Plus shipping: GBP 27.50 (approx US $37.01)
Released in August 1985.
I owned a few early ’80s hip hop albums and singles on vinyl (Planet Rock, Run-D.M.C., Fat Boys, Radio), but in 1986 — when I was headed to college — I gave most of my records away. Or swapped them… for a Keith Haring Swatch, to name one memorable swap. For a long time I held on to Rapper’s Delight, Schoolly D’s “Saturday Night” single, and a few others. But today I own zero vinyl. So I won’t purchase this single, even though it tempts me greatly….
Described by one appreciative scholar as “a reality show of a Hip Hop performance,” “The Show” focuses on a conversation between Doug E. Fresh and MC Ricky D (later known as Slick Rick) as they prepare for a show. The original issue of the song featured a line where Slick Rick sings a verse from the Beatles’ “Michelle” (1965), but all subsequent reissues have removed this line since the rights to the song were never secured; it’s this detail that sent me looking on eBay for the original record.
“La Di Da Di” is a light-hearted party song performed by Doug E. Fresh, who provides the beatboxed instrumental, and MC Ricky D / Slick Rick. It’s one of my all-time favorites; and it’s one of the most sampled songs in history. To this day, when I’m headed out in the morning I’ll often sing (aloud, or just in my head):
Fresh-dressed
Like a million bucks
Threw on the Bally shoes
And the fly green socks
Stepped out my house —
Stopped short, “Oh no…”
I went back in.
I forgot my Kangol!
The original vinyl (I assume that’s what the version shown here is, but I could be wrong about that) contains sung lyrics from “Sukiyaki” by A Taste of Honey, but again — due to a lack of clearance — later versions have been bowdlerized.
MORE FURSHLUGGINER THEORIES BY JOSH GLENN: SCHEMATIZING | IN CAHOOTS | JOSH’S MIDJOURNEY | POPSZTÁR SAMIZDAT | VIRUS VIGILANTE | TAKING THE MICKEY | WE ARE IRON MAN | AND WE LIVED BENEATH THE WAVES | IS IT A CHAMBER POT? | I’D LIKE TO FORCE THE WORLD TO SING | THE ARGONAUT FOLLY | THE PERFECT FLANEUR | THE TWENTIETH DAY OF JANUARY | THE REAL THING | THE YHWH VIRUS | THE SWEETEST HANGOVER | THE ORIGINAL STOOGE | BACK TO UTOPIA | FAKE AUTHENTICITY | CAMP, KITSCH & CHEESE | THE UNCLE HYPOTHESIS | MEET THE SEMIONAUTS | THE ABDUCTIVE METHOD | ORIGIN OF THE POGO | THE BLACK IRON PRISON | BLUE KRISHMA | BIG MAL LIVES | SCHMOOZITSU | YOU DOWN WITH VCP? | CALVIN PEEING MEME | DANIEL CLOWES: AGAINST GROOVY | DEBATING IN A VACUUM | PLUPERFECT PDA | SHOCKING BLOCKING.