My favorite thing about this record is the caption at the bottom of the cover that says "vocals and orchestration by popular radio and television artists". I love it because nowhere on the record does it ever tell you who those artists are. I guess we are supposed to use our imagination as to who those "popular radio and television artists" are. So I've just listed the artist as Broadway Records. The second thing I love about the record is the cover artwork. I have this hanging in my hallway this year I love it so much. The music is not bad, but it isn't great either. Generic is probably the best word to describe it. It covers all the standard Christmas selections. Nothing new or original. Still not bad for a spin. The tracks are:
01 Joy To The World
02 Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
03 O Little Town Of Bethlehem
04 It Came Upon A Midnight Clear
05 O' Come All Ye Faithful
06 Deck The Halls With Holly
07 God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
08 Good King Wenceslas
09 Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
10 Jingle Bells
11 Auld Lang Syne
12 Oh Tennenbaum
13 12 Days Of Christmas
14 Silent Night
15 The First Noel
I've wanted this record for a long time. I saw it a few years back in a records store, but I didn't have the money to buy it. I found it again this past record store day. Side one is great because it has the original Snoopy vs the Red Baron and Snoopy's Christmas, which I already had on record. It also has The Return of the Red Baron, which I had never heard before, but is just as good as the other two. Side two has all songs that were new to me. These are a little more straight forward pop songs, but as you can tell from the titles they can be related to Snoopy. A song like Behind Enemy Lines works as a song on this Snoopy record, but is also works as a song on its own. Click the image to read the track listings. The image should be clear enough.
This is one of the records I picked up on Record Store Day. I knew The Stripper by David Rose and I have the David Rose records, so it wasn't like I needed a new version of the striptease classic. However the B-side Speedy Gonzalez sounded like it might be a little treasure of a track. I was so happy when I dropped the needle and discovered a really fun song. I'll be honest the song has become one of the ear worms drilling into my head over the past few weeks. If you've never heard it before, I recommend giving it a listen.
Here is another record I picked up this past summer at a yard sale. I don't have a ton of gospel type music, but every once in a while I will pick one up that looks interesting. I've actually got several albums by The Chuck Wagon Gang. You can read up on their history at their official website. You can also read the liner notes on the back of this record. The photo I've provided should be clear enough to read.
This album God's Gentle People is from 1962. It doesn't seem to be available on their website, so I don't know if it is in print these days. You can find used vinyl copies for sale with a simple Google search. I really like the harmonies and arrangements of the songs on this record. Voices are certainly the shining feature in these arrangements with simple instrumental accompaniment. Tracks 1, 4 and 5 are the standouts for me. I personally think that even if you don't have religious leanings you can enjoy the sincerity, joy and spirit of these songs.
This one won't be up long because it is a pretty easy record to find. This record I've seen quite a bit over the years in the thrift store bins. It is always pretty beat up. My copy isn't great by any means. I also digitized this years ago long before I had click repair to clean things up and I didn't feel like going back. So you'll have to enjoy my snap, crackle and pop copy.
It was one of those records I picked up not knowing much about the music. I looked at the picture and the liner notes and I think I knew I was in for some blues, but that was about it. It is also one of those records that I bought with a bunch of other records and so I didn't get around to listening to it for a long time. When I did finally drop a needle on it I loved it. It one of those records where I understand why it isn't necessarily a classic for the general public like say a Cream record, but if you like blues rock from that era then you'll probably enjoy this record. I certainly do.
I really like "The Laws Must Change". It is a longer number basically about legalizing marijuana. Though I'm not really in favor for legalizing marijuana I do like the sentiment of protest songs. I think much of the sentiment could work for some of the occupy movements around the country. I'm all for calling for change by calling for laws to change through peaceful means. So I really like lyrics like "You're screamin' at policemen but they're only doin' a gig" and "don't throw rocks at policemen but get the knots of law untied." It's a nice change from the sentiment that all policemen are bad.
I also really like "Room to Move" because it really cooks. There is some great harp being blown on that track.
The song "California" is almost 10 minutes long. It wonders and weaves. It seems like the track that was good to trio out to or smoke pot to because of it's spacey mellow quality. However I find that even without the drugs the song can get you into a cool mellow vibe. I also live in California and am partial to songs about the state, just as I'm also partial to songs about Chicago where grew up.
I don't know if this record technically falls into the jam band category (I'm not really good at placing labels and classifications on things), but the songs do have a certain jam quality. The album is live and the songs are generally long. It is a record for people who like music that breaks out of the 3 minute pop song format. Jazz and blues fans I think will find something they like. So if you think you are one of those people, give it a listen.
Looking for some saucy music to spice up your love life? How about some music to strip by? I find it funny that back in the day there were complete records devoted to strip music. There are the two classic albums by David Rose which are pretty popular and quite enjoyable. Then I have this one which I love not only for the music, but because Bill Hagan has "Bald" in front of his name. I'm not sure what it is, but "bald" and "stripper" makes me laugh inside. The songs are all in the classic burlesque style, which by today's standards seems almost quaint. I actually throw records like this on anytime because they are fun. In all honesty they may not spice up the love life as much as make for a humorous love life. So maybe if you are looking for a laugh with your lover this could be just the right mood maker.
The most disturbing title of the record has to be the last track, "My Heart Belongs To Daddy." Not exactly the kind of thing I would think that you would want connected to stripping in my opinion. I would think daddy and daughter are a couple words and images you would want to keep far away from the strip show or the boudoir. Might not set the most romantic mood. Take the title away and the song is just a fun stripper track.
Enjoy!
01 A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody 02 Bumps And Grinds 03 Frankie And Johnnie 04 G-String Twist 05 Temptation 06 Night Train 07 The Stripper 08 Party Time 09 Bedroom Blues 10 Second Honeymoon 11 Girdles Aweigh 12 My Heart Belongs To Daddy
Christmas has come and gone and now we have the rest of Winter to look forward to. I thought perhaps some Hawaiian tunes would be a nice escape from the cold. This must have been a pretty popular record back in the day. I say that because I see it over and over again in thrift store bins so it must have been in a lot of households. I liked it enough to digitize. Maybe you'll like it as well.
I guess it is about time I post this record. I have three albums by Pat. The first I posted way back in 2008. The second was in 2009. They have been very popular requests since I took down the links. Usually I share this record with folks as well even though I had not posted it yet.
So what can I say about this record. Pat is great... of course. The songs are classics. She's cute as a button on the cover as well. If Pat Suzuki is new to you, this is a good introduction, though my favorite record is still "Broadway '59". If you are interested in hearing that record, send me an e-mail.
The video below is an extra bonus I just discovered. It is Pat singing one of my favorite songs also found on "Broadway '59", "I Enjoy Being A Girl". Another cool thing for me is to actually see video of Peter Filichia. I don't really know this guy, but he spells his last name the same as mine and so I've seen his name pop up over the years on the internet. He's a reporter and so I've seen articles written by him. Anyways, it is by pure coincidence that I finally get to see what he looks like because he introduced Pat.
Here is another vintage clip of Pat.
And this is a nice montage put together with lots of great images.
I got the new Adele record recently and I simply loved it. Do check it out if you haven't already. I mention that because when doing some reading on Adele, one writer compared her to Dusty Springfield. Now I know that this isn't Dusty, but I often think of Petula Clark when I think of Dusty Springfield. I think it is because they are both female English pop singers from the same era. So I recently picked up this Petula Clark record and digitized it. While listening to it I thought sharing this record might be a good way to celebrate the new Adele record. I probably won't share it for long, because it is Warner Brothers and I'm sure this is readily available somewhere, though I can't find any version of the CD on amazon. Still, I bet the songs are on various compilations.
This record was the first American release for Petula. Before hitting with the single "Downtown" in the States, Petula was already a hit in her home country. She had been performing since she was a child on both radio and TV. She began recording pop records in her teens in the 50's. The single "Downtown" was recorded in 3 languages other than English and was a hit in a whole slew of other countries when Joe Smith from Warner heard it and acquired the rights for America. The song went to number one on the billboard charts. Following the success of that song, this album was released on Warner Brothers in the US.
The album is full of well produced pop tunes mostly on the topic of love, lost love, etc. "True Love Never Runs Smooth" is a great opener. Sounds like something right out of tin pan alley. Reminds me of something out of the Bacharach/David writing room. The same room that produced "Wishin' and Hopin'" by Dusty Springfield the same year.
"Baby It's Me" is an up beat number. Petula's voice and the song itself reminds me of something from She and Him, the Zoey Deschenel project. This video below should give you an idea of what I'm talking about. Good 60's pop.
Track 3 is "Now That You've Gone". My rip isn't very good. It is the most muffled of all the tracks. It's not too bad of a tragedy, because it's not my favorite track.
"Tell Me (That It's Love) has that good 60's almost surf guitar thing going. Reminds me a little of perhaps The Raveonettes. Okay, maybe that is a stretch. Just the opening guitar put me in a Raveonettes mindset.
"Crying Through A Sleepless Night" sounds like something from the previous decade. It sounds a little more hit parade. It even has a sort of faux exotic sound to it. I can't put my finger on it exactly, but it sounds like it is trying to make reference to a middle east vibe, while also having a cowboy Western vibe with a harmonica or something like that. It is interesting. It has a studio choir behind it which I think is what gives me the hit parade vibe. Sounds maybe a little more Doris Day, than something from the 60's.
"In Love" gets us back into the decade with this bluesy number. This is a great track, showing Pet's soulful side. This is a good candidate for a Valentine mix for sure.
"Music" - Not great, but not bad.
"Be Good To Me" - Okay. Would fit in a Lesley Gore set easily.
"This Is Goodbye" and "Let Me Tell You" also would be a good Lesley Gore track. Solid song.
"You Belong To Me" is a great song to begin with and Petula really does a bang up job with it. This song will get stuck in your head. Reminds me of "She's Got You" by Patsy Cline.
And then the record closes with the big hit "Downtown". Such a solid song. I love a song like this that start off with just some simple piano chords and they are just perfect. They set the mood and when you hear them, you instantly know the song. If you don't know it, you probably are thinking, "oh I know this. What is this?". Then after that first verse around 25 seconds in that wall of sound thing kicks in, at least I think it qualifies as wall of sound and the song lifts to a whole new level. By now you are just completely sucked in and helpless to the song. You have to listen to the end and like any really good pop tune, that won't be long. Before you know it 3 minutes is up and the bliss is over. Time to put a dime in the jukebox and cue it up again.
So that's the record. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
Enjoy!
Get it here.
01 True Love Never Runs Smooth 02 Baby It's Me 03 Now That You've Gone 04 Tell Me (That It's Love) 05 Crying Through A Sleepless Night 06 In Love 07 Music 08 Be Good To Me 09 This Is Goodbye 10 Let Me Tell You 11 You Belong To Me 12 Downtown
Probably my first exposure to the track "Downtown" was through the B52's. Check it out below.
Been pretty busy these past weeks. Haven't even had much time to devote to thinking about this post. All I can think to say is Sergio is has a great voice and I love show tunes. Here is a great selection of classic musicals.
Enjoy!
Broadway... I Love You Side 1.zip West Side Story: Tonight No Strings: The Sweetest Sounds Oliver!: As Long As She Needs Me The Music Man: Till There Was You Do Re Mi: Make Someone Happy Camelot: If Ever I Would Leave You
Broadway... I Love You Side 2.zip Stop The World - I Want To Get Off: What Kind Of Fool Am I? The Sound Of Music: The Sound Of Music The Most Happy Fella: Somebody, Somewhere Carnival: She's My Love My Fair Lady: I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face Milk And Honey: Shalom
This is a re-post from a few years ago. The link to the record is not only dead, but the actual file I had on mediafire had been deleted. For whatever reason I felt like I should put it up briefly once again. Maybe because it is a story for Christmas day and I thought perhaps a few lucky souls might stumble across this today and might want to share this with their family. Better get it while it lasts, because I'll deactivate this pretty quickly. Disney is pretty quick with the take down notices. So here is the old post.
So yesterday I gave you an album full of Christmas hymns for a traditional Christmas eve. Today, for the grand finale of the season I'm going the opposite direction. Christmas at Disneyland. By the way, I've been living in Southern California for over a decade and I still haven't gone to Disneyland in December. This record is the closest I've gotten. That is sad.
Anyways, this record is a mix of story telling and songs. I love this record. The story is interestingly weird and contrived. There are a few absolutely great tunes as well, "Jingle Bones" being my favorite. So once all your presents are open and the afternoon boredom sinks in, escape to Disneyland with this record.
On a side note I just wanted to say, that this past month has been very fun sharing all of these records. I've gotten some of my best feedback and comments. It has been great hearing from people that I've helped make their Christmas or that I've brought back some great memories. It has already got me excited for next year. I have a lot more records to share and I've already started digitzing for next years extravaganza.
As for the regular blog, I hope to get back to posting pretty soon. I'll probably take a few days off, but I will be back soon. I've definitely got a great record to share for New Years. Anyways until then...
Enjoy!
01 All Aboard For Disneyland.m4a 02 Disneyland At Last.m4a 03 The Storybook Tree.m4a 04 Fantasyland.m4a 05 Once Upon A Dream.m4a 06 Jingle Bones.m4a 07 Escaping The Witch.m4a 08 Frontierland.m4a 09 Adventureland.m4a 10 The Jungle Tree.m4a 11 Tomorrowland.m4a 12 The Futuristic Christmas Tree.m4a 13 Home At Last On Christmas Morning.m4a
Naughty comedy that today doesn't seem all that naughty. I think the thought that this was considered "Adults Only" entertainment is funnier than the actual material on the record.
I'm not really sure who Johnny Kay as or is. My basic google search just turns up Johnny Kay singer for Steppenwolf and this certainly isn't him.
I picked up this record because I like a bunch of the Italian songs on this record. I have to admit that every song on here that you may know from Dean Marin or Al Martino or some other Italian American singer is probably superior to the versions on this record. However the songs aren't offensive. They can set the mood for an Italian evening and provide a little variety to hearing the same versions time and time again.
I love this record. It has some of Sergio's best performances. It also has a great jacket. I love the cover. It makes me wish I was at this dinner party. I love the clothes, the food on the table, the faces of the people. I love it all. Then you flip the record over and you get Sergio in the studio with a gigantic sub sandwich. Classic.
Pretty much every song is great. Listen to the whole thing. Side two with the medley's is particularly fantastic.
Enjoy!
Side 1 01 A Man Without Love (Quando M'Innamoro) 02 Time Alone Will Tell (Non Pensare A Me) 03 The Girl From Ipanema 04 To Give 05 Statte Vicino A Mme 06 C'est Magnifique Side 2 07 I Wrote A Son For You (Canzone Per Te) 08 If I Were A Rich Man/To Life (Fiddler On The Roof Medley) 09 The Impossible Dream 10 Oui Marie/Di Nome Si Chimava Ronda (Italian Medley) 11 Al Di La
Today's post is purely in honor of the return of the show Lost tonight as the final season kicks off. I thought this morning what do I have ready to go that also has the work lost in the title. This album won. I also think there is some cool bootleggy kind of stuff on here that your casual Beatles listening might not have heard before. If your a big Beatles fan you've probably heard these before. They've popped up on bootlegs over the years here and there. Anyways all the songs are well known and don't need any explanation.
Enjoy!
Side 1 01 Tomorrow Never Knows 02 Strawberry Fields Forever 03 Aerial Tour Instrumental (Flying) 04 Cry Baby Cry 05 Dear Prudence 06 Sexy Sadie 07 Julia
Side 2 01 Child of Nature 02 The Continuing Story of Bungalo Bill 03 I'm So Tired 04 Yer Blues 05 Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey 06 What's The New Mary Jane? 07 Revolution
Since we are in the middle of the holidays I thought maybe a record with holiday in the title might be nice and it might be nice to have something that isn't Christmas music. I'm sure many are tired of the Christmas music blitz. No Christmas songs here, but plenty of relaxing Hawaiian tunes. If you are in one of those snowed in states or regions, this might be just the thing to transport you to a tropical paradise. Join Johnny Pineapple as he croons some island classics for you.
Enjoy!
01 Paradise Isle.m4a 02 Hilo March.m4a 03 My Hawaiian Kula La Ni.m4a 04 Na Ka Pueo.m4a 05 I Hear Hawaii Calling.m4a 06 Pretty Mermaid Of The Southern Sea.m4a 07 Maui Chant.m4a 08 Aloha Oe E Kuu Lei.m4a 09 My Tane.m4a
This is a fun record because of all the interlude dialogue between the songs. If you listened to this year's Christmas mix you'll notice a few samples from this record.
The jacket is interesting the because the left side with Santa actually folds out and has perforations along the side so you could rip it off and hang it up as a decoration. The record is dusty and noisy, but what can you do. It is still a fun listen. Merry Christmas!
