Paul Petersen - Lollipops and Roses (1962)

Here's a nice nostalgic celebrity vocal album by Paul Petersen, best known as "Jeff Stone", the son on "The Donna Reed Show" from 1958-1966. Prior to this role, he was one of the Mouseketeers. Paul also starred in several movies, wrote some novels in the mid-1970s, and later formed the non-profit organization "A Minor Consideration" (take a look - it's a very interesting website). I think he was a real cutie when he was on "The Donna Reed Show" - and his singing's not too bad either! As I said, this album has a very "nostalgic" feel to it - I can just imagine going to the malt shop and sharing a soda with a special someone, or going to a sock hop - makes me wish I had been a teenager during that era. (Oh, well - the Seventies were a pretty cool time to be a teenager so I really can't complain.) Hmmm, I noticed how "Lollipops and Roses" was a pretty popular tune during that time - it's also on the George Maharis album I posted a couple of weeks ago. I do really like that song, and besides it, I think my favorite on this album is "Little Boy Sad". Oh, and what a special treat to have Shelley Fabares sing with Paul on the last song of this album!

Here are the liner notes:

In addition to being one of the most popular, young performers on TV, sixteen year-old Paul Petersen is well on his way to becoming one of the nation's top recording stars. Paul, who plays Donna Reed's son on "The Donna Reed Show" made his first record for Colpix only a few months ago. "She Can't Find Her Keys" was an immediate smash, and a sparkling new facet was added to an already impressive career. Since then, Paul has followed his initial hit with "What Did They Do Before Rock 'N' Roll?" (done as a duet with his TV sister, Shelley Fabares) and his current hit, which is the title tune of his first album. Level-headed Paul Petersen is unaffected by his disk success and still plans to become an engineer. The only seeming flaw in his plans is the disapproval, sure to be registered by his legion of fans. Included in "Lollipops and Roses" are his current and past clicks, as well as a flock of attractive old and new tunes that add up to easy listening pleasure for all record buyers.

Track listing for Paul Petersen - Lollipops and Roses:

Side 1:
1. She Can't Find Her Keys - reached #19 on the Billboard charts on 3/31/62
2. Keep Your Love Locked
3. Little Boy Sad
4. Be Everything to Anyone You Love
5. Mama, Your Little Boy Fell
6. One Girl

Side 2:
1. Lollipops and Roses
2. Love Me Tender
3. Please, Mr. Sun
4. Blue Moon
5. Penny is Seventeen
6. What Did They Do Before Rock 'N' Roll - With Guest, Shelley Fabares

Leonard Nimoy - The Touch of Leonard Nimoy (1969)

As I said in my last post, I'll be posting several "celebrity vocal" albums for these next few posts. As I've mentioned before, I'm a major "Star Trek" fan - I've been on several Trek cruises, been to several sci-fi conventions, have a tattoo of the Starfleet command insignia (am I scaring you yet?), and have quite a collection of Star Trek memorabilia, including an arcade size STNG pinball machine. I've met quite a few of the actors from the various TV shows and movies, but my most exciting meeting was that of Leonard Nimoy - Mr. Spock (oh, one of my cats is named "Mr. Spock"). After I met him and had him autograph my copy of "I Am Spock", I felt that I had attained the Holy Grail of Star Trek-dom and could die happy.

I remember watching "Star Trek" as a little girl, and Spock was definitely my favorite character. After the show went off the air, I remember watching Leonard Nimoy on "Mission: Impossible". Then he disappeared for awhile (or rather, I just didn't see anything he was in). When I went to college, I majored in computer science (of course - nerd that I am) and the first thing I saw in our department office was a huge computer print-out of Mr. Spock. My interest in "Star Trek" was renewed, and that interest eventually grew into a major dedication to all things Star Trek.

Well, anyway, Leonard Nimoy recorded some albums back during the days of STTOS. He may not be the best, but he's certainly not the worst! I rather enjoy listening to his albums and I find his voice somewhat mellowing. He did a couple of albums that were more tongue-in-cheek, but this one is not one of those. "The Touch of Leonard Nimoy" is mellow, folksy, and a nice album to listen to while relaxing in a hammock on a warm, breezy afternoon. I hope you like it as much as I do! Oh, and for a humorous touch, I'm posting the unedited version of the "Bilbo Baggins" video below!

Track listing for Leonard Nimoy - The Touch of Leonard Nimoy:

Side 1:
1. I Search for Tomorrow
2. Maiden Wine
3. Now's the Time
4. Cycles
5. I Think It's Gonna Rain Today

Side 2:
1. I Just Can't Help Believin'
2. Nature Boy
3. Contact
4. The Man I Would Like to Be
5. A Trip to Nowhere
6. Piece of Hope

Leonard Nimoy sings "Bilbo Baggins" -

George Maharis - Portrait in Music (1962)

The next few posts are going to be "celebrity vocals" - my favorite category in my record collection. I'm a TV and movie fiend, so I particularly like record albums by TV and movie actors, no matter how good or how bad they are! Some of the albums have been pleasant surprises, as in the couple of George Maharis albums I have. This particular album is a great album to listen to on a lazy Sunday afternoon such as today - George's smooth vocals make it particularly nice! There are a lot of familiar standards on this album - my favorites are "The More I See You" and "Lollipops and Roses".

George Maharis shot to stardom as "Buzz Murdock" on the television series "Route 66". I never saw the show (I was just a baby when it was canceled) when it was on the air, and I've never seen it in reruns. But George sure was a nice looking guy! After he left the show, he pursued a movie career and was a guest star in many TV shows. He had a couple of brushes with the law (I vaguely remember one in the 1970s), and posed nude for the second issue of Playgirl magazine. His last appearance was in a movie in 1993 and he has since "retired".

Track listing for George Maharis - Portrait in Music:

Side 1:
1. Love Could Change My Mind
2. Where Are You?
3. If Love Were All
4. Here's That Rainy Day
5. Fools Rush In (Where Angels Fear to Tread)
6. I Can't Stop Loving You

Side 2:
1. Talk to Me
2. The More I See You
3. Lollipops and Roses
4. Love Me as I Love You
5. What a Diff'rence a Day Made
6. They Knew About You

Bert Kaempfert and His Orchestra - That Happy Feeling (1962)

Here's a totally fun album! You can't go wrong with Bert Kaempfert. "That Happy Feeling" gives me just that - a happy feeling! All the songs are upbeat and put a smile on my face. Just the album cover alone makes me feel happy! (This cover makes up for the creepy Burl Ives one in my last post.) This is great dance music, too. Several years ago when I was ballroom dancing, they would always play songs by Bert Kaempfert at the dance parties, and the dance floor would be packed. From the liner notes:

If there's a better way to find "That Happy Feeling" than through the medium of music, it's yet to be found.
...
Here is Bert Kaempfert and His Orchestra...with an orchestral sound and style that is characteristically ideal for either listening or dancing, and the greatest prescription for "That Happy Feeling" ever discovered.

Track listing for Bert Kaempfert - That Happy Feeling:

Side 1:
1. That Happy Feeling
2. A Swingin' Safari
3. Market Day
4. Take Me
5. Similau
6. Zambesi

Side 2:
1. Happy Trumpeter
2. Tootie Flutie
3. Wimoweh
4. Sunday in Madrid
5. Black Beauty
6. Skokiaan (South African Song)

Burl Ives - The Wayfaring Stranger (1955)

Today's offering is an album by America's Troubador, Burl Ives. I think it's pretty safe to say that when one hears the phrase "folk songs", one thinks of Burl Ives. I've heard most of the songs on this album, mostly on old cowboy movies or TV shows. I remember learning a few of them back in grade school (do they teach kids these type of songs anymore?). It's really too bad that there aren't many folk singers like this around anymore - singers who keep "traditional" songs alive. Since there aren't too many cowboy movies anymore, we don't hear songs like "Cowboy's Lament" or "Old Paint" - makes me a little sad. But then, I love nostalgia and hate to see it fade away. Anyway, I hope y'all like this album (I know my cats did!). (I have to say though that I think they could have come up with a better cover - I think this one is a little creepy.)

Track listing for Burl Ives - The Wayfaring Stranger:

Side 1:
1. Leather-Winged Bat; Cotton-Eyed Joe
2. Sweet Betsy from Pike; On Top of Old Smoky
3. I Know Where I'm Going; I Know My Love
4. Cowboy's Lament
5. Wee Cooper O'Fife; Riddle Song
6. Tam Pierce
7. Peter Gray
8. Darlin' Cory
9. John Hardy
10. Colorado Trail; Roving Gambler

Side 2:
1. Bonnie Wee Lassie
2. The Divil and the Farmer
3. On Springfield Mountain
4. Little Mohee
5. Troubador Song
6. Robin, He Married; Lavender Cowboy
7. Green Broom
8. High Barbaree
9. I've Got No Use for Women
10. Old Paint

Joe Harnell His Piano and Orchestra - Fly Me to the Moon and The Bossa Nova Pops (1963)

Here's a really cool album of bossa nova pop tunes! You've heard the main cover song, "Fly Me to the Moon" - Joe Harnell won a Grammy in 1962 for this recording. He received two other nominations - one for his arrangement of this song, and one in 1963 for this album. All the songs on this album are really great, and any fan of the bossa nova will surely love this album. Other than the title tune, my favorite is "Eso Beso". Enjoy!

Track listing for Joe Harnell His Piano and Orchestra - Fly Me to the Moon and The Bossa Nova Pops:

Side 1:
1. Fly Me to the Moon
2. Senza Fine
3. I Left My Heart in San Francisco
4. Early Autumn
5. You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To
6. My One and Only Love

Side 2:
1. Cry Me a River
2. One Note Samba
3. What Kind of Fool Am I?
4. Loads of Love
5. Midnight Sun
6. Eso Beso