Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass - The Lonely Bull (1962)

This one is by request. One of my regular visitors asked if I would ever be posting some of Herb's albums on this blog, so this one is for her. I do have a special fondness for Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass because it brings back wonderful memories of my childhood. This was another of my mother's favorites so I heard these records quite a bit. I especially remember a New Year's Eve party at our house and watching the grown-ups dance in the living room to Herb's music. Wild! Well, this is the one that started it all - enjoy!

Track listing for Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass - The Lonely Bull:

Side 1:
1. The Lonely Bull (El Solo Toro)
2. El Lobo (The Wolf)
3. Tijuana Sauerkraut
4. Desafinado
5. Mexico
6. Never On Sunday

Side 2:
1. Struttin' With Maria
2. Let It Be Me
3. Acapulco 1922
4. Limbo Rock
5. Crawfish
6. A Quiet Tear (Lagrima Quieta)

Paul Petersen - My Dad (1963)

Here's a record I've had for quite a while - part of my celebrity vocals collection. A couple of years ago I posted Paul Petersen's first album, so I thought it was time to post the other album I have. Of course, you remember Paul Petersen as the son on "The Donna Reed Show". I always thought he was a cutie! Well, this album has the wonderfully sentimental song, "My Dad". It always brings a tear to my eye. Hope you enjoy it!

Track listing for Paul Petersen - My Dad (Link has been deleted. Go buy CD on Amazon.):

Side 1:
1. My Dad
2. Try a Little Tenderness
3. I Only Have Eyes for You (Bossa Nova)
4. You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby
5. Little White Lies
6. Linda

Side 2:
1. Imagination
2. Goody Goody
3. The Girl Next Door
4. Making Whoopee
5. Heart and Soul
6. Zip A Dee Doo Dah

Here's the clip from "The Donna Reed Show" where Paul sings "My Dad":

Frankie Ortega & Sy Oliver - 77 Sunset Strip (1959)

Here's another gem I rescued from the HPB bargain bin, and in pristine condition! I never saw the television series, "77 Sunset Strip" - unless I caught one episode during some nostalgic TV marathon or something like that - but I think I would have really liked this show. A couple of years ago I downloaded another album called "77 Sunset Strip" but it was by Warren Barker and his orchestra - really good album. I liked that album so much that when I saw this one, I thought I'd go ahead a buy it (heck, it was only a dollar) to see how it compared. Well, by reading the (very long) liner notes on the back, it looks like the Frankie Ortega Trio was featured on the TV show at the place where the private eyes hung out (and Ed "Kookie" Byrnes parked cars). I just love this kind of music, and I think all you "hep cats" out there will like this album. It's my new favorite album!

Track listing for Frankie Ortega & Sy Oliver - 77 Sunset Strip:

Side 1:
1. 77 Sunset Strip
2. Kookin' for Kookie
3. Spencer Stakes Out
4. What Private Eyes
5. After Sunset

Side 2:
1. Sunset Stripper
2. Stu's Blues
3. Lady in Distress
4. Dining at Dino's
5. Free Way Mambo

Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye - Music, Maestro, Please! (1955)

This is another of my mother's records that she got when she was in the Columbia Music Club. She got this one in July 1959 (she wrote that on the back of the album). Sammy Kaye has pleasant enough music, but his is not one of my favorite bands from the big band era - I much prefer the style and sound of people like Harry James, Glenn Miller, and Benny Goodman. But still, this is a pleasant enough album, and it seems that my mom really liked it. Again, I tried to clean it up as best I could of the pops and clicks, but you'll still hear some. And the first two songs have a couple of skips. As always, I ask that if anyone out there has a better rip, please share it!

Track listing for Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye - Music, Maestro, Please!:

Side 1:
1. Music, Maestro, Please!
2. Honey
3. Blue Prelude
4. Just a Gigolo
5. Dream for Sale
6. Y (That's Why)

Side 2:
1. You've Got Me Crying Again
2. As Time Goes By
3. No Greater Love
4. You Oughta Be in Pictures
5. Till I Kiss You at the Altar
6. Sittin' and Waitin'

Engelbert Humperdinck - His Greatest Hits (1974)

Happy tax day! Yeah, right. I hope all of you got nice tax refunds (I did, thanks to my purchase of my house last year), and that you're able to spend it on something fun! For those of you who had to fork over even more of your hard earned money, I dedicate this album by Engelbert Humperdinck. I hope that his smooth voice and easy songs will make you feel better! So, pour yourselves a much deserved drink, sit back, relax, and listen to Engelbert sing some of his most famous hits.

Track listing for Engelbert Humperdinck - His Greatest Hits:

Side 1:
1. Release Me
2. Quando Quando Quando
3. Les Bicyclettes de Belsize
4. Spanish Eyes
5. Am I That Easy to Forget

Side 2:
1. A Man Without Love
2. There Goes My Everything
3. The Way It Used to Be
4. Winter World of Love
5. The Last Waltz

Jackie Gleason - Music for Lovers Only (1953)

Here's another treasure I rescued from the HPB bargain bin. And I must apologize for the condition of this record, too. I ran it through click removal several times but there are still a lot of clicks and pops. I didn't want to run it through again for fear of sound distortion. There are also three songs (maybe four) that have skips. So, if anyone out there has a better rip of this album, please do share it!!!

This was Jackie Gleason's album debut - he selected the songs and conducted the orchestra. The wonderful Bobby Hackett is featured in the trumpet solos. Several other of these "mood music" albums followed - also featuring Bobby Hackett. There's a little box on the back of the album which says, "All the selections on side two have been added to the original album to form this newer, expanded version of 'Music for Lovers Only'". I think side two features all the songs from another album, but I don't know which one.

Track listing for Jackie Gleason - Music for Lovers Only:

Side 1:
1. Alone Together
2. My Funny Valentine
3. But Not For Me
4. Love (Your Spell is Everywhere)
5. I'm in the Mood for Love
6. Love is Here to Stay
7. I Only Have Eyes for You
8. Body and Soul

Side 2:
1. Little Girl
2. I Cover the Waterfront
3. Some Day
4. If I Had You
5. When a Woman Loves a Man
6. A Stranger in Town
7. A Moonlight Saving Time
8. My Love for Carmen

Percy Faith - Malaguena:Music of Cuba (1959)

Here's another of my mother's albums - one of her favorites - and today would have been her 94th birthday, so today's post is in her honor. I definitely remember hearing this one as I grew up. The album cover was in pretty bad shape - once again my mother wrote her name all across it, and the edges are all held together with masking tape - so the picture I posted is one I found on the internet. Anyway, my mother belonged to the Columbia House record club (raise your hand if you belonged to it at one time or another!) so a lot of her albums are Columbia albums. And this is a great album, as one would expect, from Percy Faith. Love the Latin rhythms of Cuban music! Enjoy!

Track listing for Percy Faith - Malaguena:Music of Cuba:

Side 1:
1. Malaguena
2. Quiereme Mucho
3. El Manisero
4. Danza Negra
5. Andalucia
6. El Bodeguero
7. Damisela Encantadora

Side 2:
1. Siboney
2. La Cumparsa
3. Tumbando Cana
4. Marta
5. Mama Inez
6. Para Vigo Me Voy
7. Tabu

George Chakiris - Memories Are Made Of These (1964)

Here's another treasure from the HPB bargain bin. Academy Award winner George Chakiris (he won the Best Supporting Actor award for "West Side Story") sings beautifully on this album of familiar songs. Enjoy!

Track listing for George Chakiris - Memories Are Made Of These:

Side 1:
1. Moon River
2. Witchcraft
3. Naked City Theme (Somewhere in the Night)
4. The Second Time Around
5. Autumn Leaves
6. Hallelujah, I Love Her So

Side 2:
1. A Taste of Honey
2. Memories Are Made of This
3. Song from "Two for the Seesaw" (A Second Chance)
4. Lollipops and Roses
5. I Left My Heart in San Francisco
6. Fever

Doris Day - Day by Day (1956)

I absolutely love Doris Day. When I was a little girl, my favorite song was "Que Sera, Sera", and it remains one of my all-time favorite songs. I also vaguely remember watching her TV show, and of course, I love all her movies. Watching her movies and listening to her records today brings back wonderful memories of my childhood. Love her. So, today I'm sharing a wonderful album, "Day by Day". All the songs are wonderful, and she's accompanied by Paul Weston and his Music from Hollywood. I love Paul Weston, too. This is probably an album a lot of you already have, but here's my copy.

Track listing for Doris Day - Day by Day:

Side 1:
1. The Song Is You
2. Hello, My Lover, Goodbye
3. But Not For Me
4. I Remember You
5. I Hadn't Anyone Till You
6. But Beautiful

Side 2:
1. Autumn Leaves
2. Don't Take Your Love From Me
3. There Will Never Be Another You
4. Gone With The Wind
5. The Gypsy In My Soul
6. Day By Day

Here's Doris singing "Secret Love" from the motion picture, "Calamity Jane":