Marlene Dietrich at the Cafe De Paris (1954)

Any Marlene Dietrich fans out there??? Well, I love Marlene Dietrich - especially when she sang. I remember seeing her as Lola-Lola singing her signature song (and my favorite), "Falling in Love Again". (I'm proud to say that I can do a fairly good imitation of her singing this song!) And I loved her delightful role in "Destry Rides Again" and her singing "The Boys in the Backroom". She was beautiful and talented and sexy... sigh... I have a wonderful huge framed print of her wearing a tux and top hat, which will hang in my new house (as soon as I bring it up from my other house). Anyway, I'll stop gushing over Marlene Dietrich now, and I hope you enjoy this album, which was "recorded on her fabulous opening night at London's most famous night club with an introduction written and spoken by Noel Coward".

Track listing for Marlene Dietrich at the Cafe De Paris (link has been deleted - go buy CD at Amazon):

Side 1:
1. Introduction by Noel Coward
2. La Vie En Rose
3. The Boys in the Backroom
4. Lazy Afternoon
5. Lola
6. Look Me Over Closely
7. Das Lied ist Aus (Frag 'Nicht Warum Ich Gehe)

Side 2:
1. No Love, No Nothin'
2. The Laziest Gal in Town
3. Jonny
4. Lili Marlene
5. Falling in Love Again

Here's a clip from "Destry Rides Again" where she sings "The Boys in the Backroom":

Ferrante & Teicher - Pianos in Paradise (1962)

I have a goody for you today! This is yet another gem from the HPB bargain bin, and yet another album that I bought for the cover art. But I was already familiar with this piano-playing twosome, so I knew that it would be a great listen. Although classified as "easy listening", I would say that this also qualifies as "exotica". This would make some good music to play in the background while having dinner in your home with that special someone (hmmm, make note to self), or to play while reading, or just to relax. So, give this record a listen!

Track listing for Ferrante & Teicher - Pianos in Paradise:

Side 1:
1. Jungle Rhumba
2. Shangri-La
3. Misty
4. African Echoes
5. Adventures in Paradise
6. Claire de Lune

Side 2:
1. The Breeze & I
2. Flamingo
3. Ebb Tide
4. Taboo
5. Negligee
6. Moon of Manakoora

Here's a video of Ferrante & Teicher playing "African Echoes" from a TV special they did:

David Carroll - Let's Dance (1959)

Here's yet another gem from the HPB bargain bin! And - surprise - I bought it for the cover art. I actually thought that this album would have a Latin beat to it because of the way the girl was dancing on the cover, but it actually turned out to be more like a Lawrence Welk type of sound. But, luckily, I love Lawrence Welk, too! The songs on this album also reminded me of the years that I was ballroom dancing, so if any of you are into ballroom dancing, then I recommend this album. Plus, how can anyone not like an album that has "The Glow Worm" on it? That's one of my favorites! (I also think my mother had a dress like the girl on the cover.)

Track listing for David Carroll - Let's Dance:

Side 1:
1. Let's Dance
2. Cuddle Up a Little Closer
3. Yearning
4. A Gliss to Remember
5. The Glow Worm
6. The Trouble with Harry

Side 2:
1. My Sin
2. Dancing Tambourine
3. Euphrates
4. Puerto Rican Pedlar
5. Armen's Theme
6. Dixie Dawn Patrol

Buddy Cole - Powerhouse! (1959)

Today's offering is another one of my discoveries from the bargain bin at Half-Price Books. Of course, it was the cover that grabbed my attention - hello! I didn't even notice on the cover that it said Buddy Cole played the Hammond organ, and I love swingin' organ music! That brings up a memory from college... My friends and I would occasionally go out to dinner (we were poor college students and usually ate in the university refectory) and one of our favorite places was this little Mexican food restaurant called Los Barrios. They had the best "enfrijoladas" (like enchiladas, but covered in bean sauce instead of red or chili sauce), and this little man would sit in the corner playing the organ! The only song I remember him playing was "New York, New York" - it was great! Ah, memories...

Anyway, after I listened to this album, it just knocked my socks off! Buddy Cole really swings on the old Hammond! Wow! This is definitely an album I'll be playing when I have my housewarming. (BTW, my new sofa was delivered today so I now have a place for guests to sit!) So, give a listen to this album - it's a must for all you swingin' hep cats!

Track listing for Buddy Cole - Powerhouse!:

Side 1:
1. The Lady is a Tramp
2. I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart
3. What is There to Say
4. Ridin' High
5. Georgia on My Mind
6. Just You, Just Me

Side 2:
1. I'm Beginning to See the Light
2. Will You Still Be Mine?
3. Fulfillment
4. Don't Get Around Much Anymore
5. Powerhouse
6. Accent on Youth

Annette - Hawaiiannette (1960)

Aloha! I've been in a Hawaii state of mind this weekend (I have no idea why, but do I really need a reason?), so I played this record yesterday while I was putting my new dresser together (I should've gone ahead and paid for Eurway to assemble it, but that's another story). Then I thought I would go ahead and post it today (the album, not the dresser). I love Annette - her records, her beach movies, her other Disney movies. I even have several of the Annette series of Whitman TV books. Anytime I listen to one of her records or watch one of her movies, I just feel good! So, here I am sharing that good feeling with all of you - my blogger buddies! I have a couple of other Annette albums, which I'll post in the future, but if any of you have any requests, just post a comment.

Track listing for Annette - Hawaiiannette:

Side 1:
1. Hawaiiannette
2. Pineapple Princess
3. Hukilau
4. Blue Hawaii
5. Song of the Islands
6. Now is the Hour

Side 2:
1. Date Night in Hawaii
2. Blue Muu Muu
3. Luau Cha Cha Cha
4. My Little Grass Shack
5. Holiday in Hawaii
6. Aloha Oe

Danny Bonaduce (1973)

Hey there! Sorry for my absence these last couple of weeks - been busy with my job and with my class at church (had a take-home final exam and a final project to do - geez!). Still getting settled in my new house - bought a new bedroom set from Eurway and assembled it myself!

Anyway, I was looking through my albums trying to decide which one to post today and decided on Danny Bonaduce's self-titled album from 1973 - back in his hey-day when he was on "The Partridge Family". I always found Danny (as Danny Partridge) very annoying and never understood his appeal. I like him better as an adult, even if he is quite obnoxious. Maybe it's because of his reality show "Breaking Bonaduce" - I don't know. Well, back to this album... I bought this on eBay several years ago but I only just listened to it while I was recording it for this blog. It wasn't as bad as I had thought! In fact, I rather liked it! I had only heard his version of "The 59th Street Bridge Song" once, when he appeared on a musical variety special that aired on a Saturday morning. I'm thinking it was maybe a Sid and Marty Krofft production, but I don't remember any of the usual characters on it. All I remember is Danny being on it, singing (or rather, lip-synching) the song, and this other guy doing sound effects to the song "By the Time I Get to Phoenix". If this rings any bells for anyone out there, PLEASE let me know what that show was! If it's available on video, I would love a copy! So, here's Danny Bonaduce singing his little heart out (or at least, trying to) back in 1973 - enjoy!

Track listing for Danny Bonaduce:

Side 1:
1. I'll Be Your Magician
2. Save a Little Piece for Me
3. Turn-Down Day
4. Blueberry You
5. You're Old Enough to Fall in Love
6. The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)

Side 2:
1. Dreamland
2. A New Kind of Me
3. Colors of Love
4. Fortune Lady
5. All the Time in the World

BTW, I'm thinking of buying one of those turntables that you can connect directly to the computer with a USB cable. I've seen some ION turntables on Amazon. Can anybody tell me anything about them - whether they're great, okay, or trash? I want to get something like that so that I can return my receiver and turntable back to the stereo cabinet with the rest of my stereo components and listen to records through real speakers (not just the computer speakers). Oh, and here are my two little assistants helping me record an album!


Starbuck listens for skips, clicks, and pops on a record. He has excellent hearing.


Snickerdoodle supervises the recording software from her favorite spot. (Notice my Mr.Spock mousepad and Enterprise note holder?)