Monday, July 27, 2009

Music For Babysitters

I'm not sure why these artists and songs were chosen for this record. I don't know that they are just for babysitters. Am I to take from this that this album is for teenage girls? Or is this a record for babysitters to use while baby sitting? Maybe it isn't for teenagers, because the woman taking care of the children on the cover doesn't look too, too young. I can't really get a handle on the point of this record. I guess that is why I bought it.

The cover photos are fun as well. I love the idea that the babysitter does her job in a strapless dress. Very practical when little kids are grabbing at you.

For you children of the 80's you might want to take a listen to track 11 "Istanbul". This was covered by They Might Be Giants and was a big hit for them. This is the original from 1953.

Enjoy!

01 Tony Bennett - Rags To Riches.m4a
02 Percy Faith - And This Is My Beloved.m4a
03 Johnnie Ray - To Ev'ry Girl - To Ev'ry Boy.m4a
04 Dan Terry - Teen Ager.m4a
05 Jerry Vale - For You, My Love.m4a
06 Belmonte - Arthur's Mambo.m4a
07 Guy Mitchell - Sippin' Soda.m4a
08 Dan Terry - Seventeen.m4a
09 Frankie Laine - Answer Me.m4a
10 Dan Terry - Saddle Shoe Shuffle.m4a
11 The Four Lads - Istanbul.m4a
12 Paul Weston - Stardust.m4a

Music For Babysitters.zip

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Michael - A Mix

Wow, it's been well over a week since the last post. Most of my music listening time has been spent like many other people, re-listening to Michael Jackson. I committed myself to listening to anything and everything I could get my hands on. As I listened not only to the hits, but to some deeper album cuts and remixes and demos and such I found quite a few hidden gems I thought I'd like to share with people. So as to not attract attention, I'm keeping this track listing a mystery. What I can say is that I think most of these tracks will be ones you either haven't heard or you may not have heard in a while, but they are all great. I pulled from all periods of Michael's recording career so you can hear the wide range of his music. The hard thing was narrowing this down to fit onto one disc. I suspect I may have a follow up coming soon, because there were quite a few tracks that didn't make this mix, that I still would like people to hear.

It had been a while since I had really listened to young Michael. He really had an amazing voice and even though I love his music in the eighties and I think on the whole the songs are his best, hit voice in the 70's was the best. It seems that as he got older his voice which was his major talent got overshadowed by the dancing and the videos and the music production which were always as good if not better than any other pop being produced at the time. So treat yourself to this mystery mix and remember the good times with Michael.

18 tracks of pure talent.

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Michelle Lee - Michelle Lee Sings L. David Sloane - 1968

Okay 80's pop culture fans this one is for you. The record isn't an 80's record, but to me Michele Lee is strongly connected to the 80's because of her role on Knotts Landing. I have to admit I was far too young to be watching this show because it was basically a sleazy soap, but for whatever reason I watched Dallas and Knotts Landing and Dynasty with my mother back in the day. A big part of that is because I didn't get cable until the late 80's and so I mostly grew up with just the local networks stations. We didn't have the sort of niche programing that kids have today. Heck I didn't even have MTV until '87 or '88. So at least for the first season I watched Knotts Landing and while my mother continued watching later seasons I didn't, but I was always a little aware of what was going on as I would over hear my mother talk about the show with others. So there is the 80's connection and my connection to posting this record from 1968.

While I'm being honest here I should say, that before seeing this record I wasn't even aware that Miss Lee sang. I knew she had been around long before Knotts. I loved and still love the Herbie movies the first of which she is in (The Love Bug). So when I saw this I was quite surprised and interested. It turns out she can really sing and there are quite a few great performances turned in on this record. If you are a fan of that Bacharach style of song writing and production, then I think you'd like this record. It reminds me a lot of what he was turning out in the late 60's. I know I'm not exactly making a giant leap with that comparison since the record does include several Bacharach cuts like "The Look Of Love" a Bacharach classic made famous the year before by Dusty Springfield and "Do You Know The Way To San Jose?" made famous by Dionne Warwick that same year of 1968. Highlights on this record for me are tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 10 & 11. Oddly enough I don't have L. David Sloane on my list and I'm pretty sure that was the minor hit from the record. It's okay, but the others are better.

Enjoy!

01 I Didn't Come To New York To Meet A Guy From My Home Town.m4a
02 The Look Of Love (From _Casino Royale_).m4a
03 Love Is Blue (L'Amour est blue).m4a
04 Goin' Out Of My Head.m4a
05 I Can't Believe I'm Losing You.m4a
06 Spooky.m4a
07 L, David Sloane.m4a
08 Can't Take My Eyes Off You.m4a
09 Kiss Me Goodbye.m4a
10 Honey (I Miss You).m4a
11 Do You Know The Way To San Jose.m4a

Michelle Lee Sings L. David Sloane.zip