After leaving the cast of NBC's #Rowan Martin's Laugh-In (1969-1970), Lily Tomlin began developing many of the characters she first unleashed on the groundbreaking weekly prime-time comedy series. Her debut LP, This Is a Recording, was originally issued in 1971 and contains observations by Tomlin both in and out of her beloved Ernestine -- the telephone operator from hell -- character. Her one-woman show was captured in front of an audience in the intimate confines of the Ice House in Pasadena, CA. Although a majority of the album is performed in character, Tomlin occasionally steps out as a narrative voice giving hilarious biographical info about Ernestine. She commences the proceedings with a brief monologue regarding factors and persons (read: Alexander Graham Bell) motivating Ernestine to begin embarking upon her career as a public servant in the telephonic arts. Tomlin again steps from behind her switchboard for the last band on each side of the original LP. Those tracks -- Peeved and I.B.M. -- contain brief observations on dealing with Ma Bell from a consumer's perspective. The multiple dimensions that Tomlin brings to Ernestine are displayed within her interactions with the general public on Mr. Veedle, Obscene Phone Call, Strike, Boswick, and The Bordello. Ernestine's occasional brush with well-known customers is documented on tracks such as The Mafia and the Pope and notably Joan Crawford. In the latter scene, Ernestine demands the actress -- who was concurrently a CEO at the Pepsi Cola Company -- refund her dime, which was lost in a cola machine. Even more uproarious is The F.B.I., which pits J. Edgar Hoover against Ernestine, who associates the name with the vacuum cleaner dynasty, claiming that "everybody knows there is nothing like a Hoover when you're dealing with dirt." ~ Lindsay Planer, Rovi

1		Alexander Graham Bell
2		Mr. Veedle
3		The Marriage Counselor
4		Joan Crawford
5		Obscene Phone Call
6		The Repairman
7		The Bordello
8		Strike
9		Peeved
10		Ernestine
11		The Pageant
12		The F.B.I.
13		The Mafia and the Pope
14		Mrs. Mitchell
15		Awards Dinner
16		Boswick 9
17		I.B.M.