Les Paul: Lover

In 1941, applying modern technology to the venerable One-Man-Band idea, Sidney Bechet overdubbed himself playing "Sheik of Araby" on six different instruments. The musicians' union was irate. Those five displaced members couldn't pay dues if they didn't work! In 1948, Les Paul struck another blow at featherbedding, and incidentally pioneered multitracking, by laying down eight guitar parts, some at half speed, then added reverb. Played back at normal speed, Les's "Lover" sounded like harpsichords on helium chattering in a cave. After a minute-waltz lead-in, Paul startlingly shifts to an up-tempo 4/4 electronic virtuosity prefiguring Switched-On Bach (1968). Gimmicky but historic.