Cool Yule Tunes 2010 - A Stax o' Wax Compilation

Have you all finished your Christmas shopping yet? Have you started? ;-)

I braved the crowds this last weekend before Christmas and did my shopping for my family. So, this is my last Christmas post for the year as I'll be visiting my family and friends back in my hometown for the Christmas holiday. But before I sign off for the year, I have to post my annual Christmas compilation! So, I've put together a compilation of some favorite Christmas songs for this year's Cool Yule Tunes 2010. This is just a little token of my appreciation to all of you for visiting my blog and sharing in my love of this type of music and the nostalgia of glorious vinyl.

There's a little bit of everything here and I hope you enjoy the songs I've picked. And, if you don't already have them, click on the "Cool Yule Tunes" label to see the previous three Christmas compilations and download them to have a complete collection!

I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas, and I hope you get to spend it with those you love. I also wish you a very Happy and Prosperous New Year! See you back here after the New Year!

Track listing for Cool Yule Tunes 2010 - A Stax o' Wax Compilation:

1. Christmas All Over the World - Jim Nabors
2. Santa Claus is Comin' to Town - The Three Suns
3. It's Beginning to Look Like Christmas - Kate Smith
4. Sleigh Ride - Al Caiola & Riz Ortolani
5. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! - Ed Ames
6. The Bell That Couldn't Jingle - Burt Bacharach
7. The Christmas Song - Carol Burnett
8. Winter Wonderland - Anne Murray
9. Joy to the World - Mannheim Steamroller
10. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer - Gene Autry
11. Santa's Got a Brand New Bag - The Hollyridge Strings
12. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing - Felix Slatkin
13. Christmas Island - Cyril Stapleton & His Orchestra with Children's Chorus
14. Mele Kalikimaka - Haleloke, featuring Arthur Godfrey on the ukelele
15. Holiday for Bells - Bert Kaempfert & His Orchestra
16. Frosty the Snow Man - Vaughan Monroe & His Orchestra
17. Merry, Merry Christmas Baby - Dodie Stevens
18. Deck the Halls - Danny Kaye
19. Silver Bells - Pat Boone
20. White Christmas - Lana Cantrell
21. The Christmas Waltz - Nancy Wilson
22. The Night Before Christmas Song - Gisele MacKenzie
23. Jingle Bells - Sammy Davis Jr.
24. Parade of the Wooden Soldiers - Freddy Martin & His Orchestra
25. Blue Christmas - Ernest Tubbs
26. We Wish You a Merry Christmas - Warner Brothers Stars
27. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas - Ramsey Lewis
28. Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus - Jimmy Osmond

Boots Randolph - Boots and Stockings (1969)

I got this one from the HPB bargain bin either last year or the year before. I loved the title, "Boots and Stockings", and I also love the sax. I took up alto sax in the late 1980s, but had to quit when I got braces for the second time (I had them as a kid, then again as an adult). By the time I got the braces off, I had put the sax in storage (still haven't found it), so I don't play it anymore. Anyway, I do enjoy this album, and I hope you do, too!

Track listing for Boots Randolph - Boots and Stockings:

Side 1:
1. Medley: Santa Claus is Comin' to Town/ Jolly Old St. Nick/ Here Comes Santa Claus
2. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
3. Jingle Bells
4. Frosty the Snow Man
5. Sleigh Ride

Side 2:
1. White Christmas
2. The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)
3. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
4. Silver Bells
5. I'll Be Home for Christmas
6. Greensleeves

Gisele MacKenzie - Christmas with Gisele (1959)

I found this little gem last year at my favorite little resale store nearby. I bought it because I just loved the cover. I have never heard of Gisele MacKenzie, but one of my coworkers had and he liked her. I did like the album once I listened to it, and here are a few of the liner notes:

In this album, the Canadian-born songstress sings a collection of Christmas songs gathered from all parts of the world.... Gisele is a bewitching combination of gamin and grand lady.

I just love that description of Gisele! Now I have to find other albums by her!


Track listing for Gisele MacKenzie - Christmas with Gisele:

Side 1:
1. Silent Night; God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen; The Coventry Carol
2. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
3. Dans Cette Etable (In This Stable); Les Anges Dans Nos Campagnes (The Angels in Our Fields); La Marche Des Rois (The March of the Kings)
4. White Christmas
5. We Three Kings of Orient Are; Good King Wenceslas; Gesu Bambino
6. The Christmas Song

Side 2:
1. Santa Claus is Comin' to Town
2. Parade of the Wooden Soldiers
3. The Night Before Christmas Song
4. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
5. Too Fat for the Chimney
6. Jingle Bells


Click here to go see a video of Gisele singing "White Christmas"! (It wouldn't let me embed the video.)

Percy Faith - Music of Christmas (1959)

Christmas just would not be Christmas without listening to one of my mom's Christmas albums. My mother was an elementary school teacher for 48 years (she retired in 1985) and was either in charge of or helped with her school's annual Christmas pageant. (Are public schools even allowed to have Christmas pageants anymore???) So, she had a nice collection of Christmas albums which she would use for the pageants. I only have one memory - and it's pretty vague - of one of the pageants and it is of a little girl lip-syncing to "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus". I was probably only 5 or 6 years old at the time, and I thought she was really singing and was very impressed. The only other thing I remember is that it was cold (December in South Texas can be 70 degrees or 50 degrees), and that my father and I had to stand at the back of the auditorium because there were no available chairs. Oh, and my mom also played the piano for some of the Christmas carols. Anyway, this is one of the few Christmas albums that I have that belonged to my mom because some were destroyed in Hurricane Beulah (1967) and some others were stolen from her classroom. I'm glad this one has survived all these years because it's by Percy Faith and his orchestra, which is probably the orchestra that most reminds me of my mom. Enjoy!

Track listing for Percy Faith - Music of Christmas:

Side 1:
1. Joy to the World
2. Silent Night, Holy Night
3. Deck the Halls with Boughs of Holly
4. It Came Upon the Midnight Clear
5. Good King Wenceslas
6. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

Side 2:
1. The First Noel
2. Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming; O Little Town of Bethlehem
3. O Holy Night
4. The Holly and The Ivy; Here We Go A-Caroling
5. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
6. O Come, All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fideles)

Bert Kaempfert - Christmas Wonderland (1963)

Today's Christmas album is a thrift store find, bought for 50 cents at my favorite little resale/thrift store down the street. I think Bert Kaempfert's music is very danceable, and I think this album is great to play at your holiday party! Interesting cover, too. Enjoy!

Track listing for Bert Kaempfert - Christmas Wonderland:

Side 1:
1. The Little Drummer Boy
2. Santa Claus is Comin' to Town
3. I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
4. Holiday for Bells
5. Winter Wonderland
6. Children's Christmas Dream

Side 2:
1. Sleigh Ride
2. White Christmas
3. Toy Parade
4. Christmas Wonderland
5. Jingo Jango
6. Jumpin' Jiminy Christmas

The Ray Charles Singers - Winter Wonderland (1956)

The second Christmas album offering this year is an album I found in the HPB bargain bin earlier this year - for only 50 cents! I bought it for two reasons - the cover and the Ray Charles Singers. I love choral groups like this, especially the vocal arrangements. This album has some of the usual holiday songs, plus a couple I had never heard before. Here's some info from the liner notes as to who the singers and musicians are:

The Ray Charles Singers heard in this recording are Lillian Clark, Kathleen Wallace, Lois Winter, Miriam Workman, Robert Bollinger, Jerry Duane, Edwin Lindstrom, Eugene Lowell, Arthur Malvin, Alan Sokoloff, Michael Stewart, and Eugene Steck. Mr.Charles himself is heard in the solo in WHEN WINTER COMES. The outstanding musicians who accompany the vocal group are Dick Hyman, piano (especially notable are his solos in WHEN WINTER COMES A-CALLIN' and SNOWFALL); Nick Perito, accordion; Tony Mottola, guitar; Robert Rosengarden, drums; John Zimmermann, bass; and Pearl Chertock, harp. (My note - I'm sure you see some familiar names there!)

Track listing for The Ray Charles Singers - Winter Wonderland:

Side 1:
1. Winter Wonderland
2. Button Up Your Overcoat
3. June in January
4. When Winter Comes
5. Snowfall
6. I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm

Side 2:
1. Winter & Theme for Indoor Sports
2. Moonlight in Vermont
3. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
4. When Winter Comes A-Callin'
5. Jingle Bells
6. By the Fireside

Andy Williams - Christmas Present (1974)

Hi, all! Took a little hiatus due to my work schedule, but I started a new job (hoping for NO or very little overtime) and I'm ready to get back at sharing my love of music with you! So, as we approach another Christmas season, let's get this going!

I remember buying this album with my own money from my allowance back in 1974 or 1975. I had just seen Andy Williams' Christmas special titled "Christmas Present" and absolutely loved the show. I especially liked the version of "Christmas Bells" sung by Andy's wife, Claudine Longet, and their daughter, Noelle. When I saw the record at the store, I just had to have it, but I had to convince my mother to let me buy it because it was "expensive" - $4.58 was a lot for a kid to spend on a record back then. Well, when I got it home, I was disappointed in the record (but I didn't dare tell my mother) because I had expected it to be a soundtrack of the show, but it was just Andy singing all the songs from the show. Now, of course, I love this record and Andy's singing, but I would still love to have a copy of that Christmas special, especially to see Claudine and Noelle singing "Christmas Bells". (So, if anyone knows if this show is available on DVD, please let me know!) I hope this album gets you all in the Christmas spirit!

Track listing for Andy Williams - Christmas Present:

Side 1:
1. Christmas Present
2. Joy to the World
3. O Little Town of Bethlehem
4. Christmas Bells
5. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
6. Ave Maria (Schubert)

Side 2:
1. Oh Come All Ye Faithful
2. Angels We Have Heard On High
3. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
4. Ave Maria (Gounod)
5. What Child Is This
6. I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
7. The Lord's Prayer

Here's a public service announcement that Andy did around the time "Christmas Present" aired on TV:

The Arthur Murray TV Dance Orchestra - Arthur Murray's Music for Dancing (1958)

Here's another record that I bought back during my ballroom dancing days. It's got some really great songs for dancing fox trots, waltzes, and some latin dances. They're not too fast so a beginner can easily keep the rhythm while learning to dance. And if you don't like or know how to dance, the songs are just great for listening!

Track listing for Arthur Murray's Music for Dancing:

Side 1:
1. I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm - Fox Trot
2. Deep Purple - Fox Trot
3. It's a Big Wide Wonderful World - Waltz
4. When My Dream Boat Come Home - Rock 'n' Roll
5. You're a Heavenly Thing - Rock 'n' Roll
6. When We Do the Cha Cha Cha - Cha Cha

Side 2:
1. Lisbon Antigua - Cha Cha
2. Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White - Rumba
3. The Fence (El Merengue Empaliza) - Merengue
4. Uno! (One More Kiss) - Tango
5. Sway (Quien Sera) - Mambo
6. Anna - Samba

Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 - Fool on the Hill (1968)

I was listening to "When Summer Turns to Snow" the other day (now that summer is over and winter looms ahead), so I thought I'd share this album. LOVE the whole Brazilian sound that became popular in the mid-1960s. Something interesting about this album is that this is the second version of the band. Sergio Mendes got rid of all the original band members, with the exception of lead singer Lani Hall, for this album. I don't know what the reasoning behind that was, and if anybody is in the know, please do tell. Anyway, I do love the sound of this band, and Lani's voice is always a pleasure.

Track listing for Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 - Fool on the Hill:

Side 1:
1. Fool on the Hill
2. Festa
3. Casa Forte
4. Canto Triste
5. Upa, Neguinho

Side 2:
1. Lapinha
2. Scarborough Fair
3. When Summer Turns to Snow
4. Laia Ladaia (Reza)

Mantovani - Mantovani Film Encores Volume 1 (1957)

This is one of my mom's albums that I listened to many a Saturday when growing up. My mom loved to play her records on her General Electric console stereo almost every Saturday while doing some house cleaning, or working on lesson plans, or making banners for our church. This was definitely one of her favorites. The album jacket is very worn - masking tape all around the edges, major scuffing, plus my mother's handwriting all over - so the picture above is one I found on the internet. But the album itself is in really good shape. My mom did try to take good care of (most of) her records (still trying to figure out what that clear red liquid was that she used to clean them). Anyway, both my mom and I really liked this record because they are all songs from movies. And besides a love of music, a love of movies is something else we shared. My mom's favorite from this album was "Theme from 'Limelight'".

Track listing for Mantovani Film Encores Volume 1:

Side 1:
1. My Foolish Heart
2. Unchained Melody
3. Over the Rainbow
4. Summertime in Venice
5. Intermezzo
6. Three Coins in the Fountain

Side 2:
1. Love is a Many Splendored Thing
2. Laura
3. High Noon
4. Hi-Lili, Hi-Lo
5. September Song
6. Theme from "Limelight"

Arthur Lyman - Yellow Bird (1960)

It's a beautiful, lazy Sunday in Dallas, Texas, and this is the perfect album to go with it! So easy to listen to, to read by, to just sit on the porch sipping a cool one... ahhh! Arthur Lyman is truly one of the kings of exotica. If you're a long-time fan/collector of exotica, then you probably already have this one, but if you're just starting your collection, then you definitely need this one. Enjoy! (BTW, if you think some titles are misspelled, I just typed them the way they are listed on the back cover.)

Track listing for Arthur Lyman - Yellow Bird:

Side 1:
1. Havah Nagilah
2. Yellow Bird
3. Ravel's Bolero
4. Autumn Leaves
5. Arrive Derci Roma
6. Sweet and Lovely

Side 2:
1. Bamboo Tamboo
2. Andalusia
3. Adventures in Paradise
4. Granada
5. September Song
6. John Henry

Julie London - Julie Is Her Name Volume Two (1958)

I was listening to this album the other day so I decided to go ahead and post it. I only have one or two more albums by Julie, and I'm sure I'll get around to posting those in time. Besides being a beautiful WWII pin-up girl, Julie was quite a talented singer and recorded around 40 albums. Her sultry voice is certainly pleasing to the ears and her albums make great mood music. Enjoy!

Track listing for Julie Is Her Name Volume Two (Link has been deleted. Go buy CD on Amazon.):

Side 1:
1. Blue Moon
2. What Is This Thing Called Love
3. How Long Has This Been Going On
4. Too Good to Be True
5. Spring Is Here
6. Goody Goody

Side 2:
1. The One I Love (Belongs to Somebody Else)
2. If I'm Lucky
3. Hot Toddy
4. Little White Lies
5. I Guess I'll Have to Change My Plan
6. I Got Lost in His Arms

The Keymen - Dance with Dick Clark Volume One (1958)

Here's a little gem I picked up at my favorite resale store down the street from my house, and it was only 50 cents! Besides HPB, I find some real treasures at this little shop. They don't have very many records, but the ones they have are usually ones I don't see at HPB.

I have to say that the main reason I bought this was for the cover of a young Dick Clark. He's a legend for all of us baby-boomers! How many of us grew up watching "American Bandstand" every Saturday morning (that's when it showed in my hometown) and learning new dance steps? Then of course, we started ringing in the New Year with Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve (and left our parents to watch the Guy Lombardo New Year's show). This cover will definitely be hanging on my wall. The album itself is very nostalgic. I thought it was going to be a compilation album with the songs performed by the original artists, but when I got home I saw that it was actually the songs played as instrumentals by the Keymen. Lots of sax and twangy guitars - which I love. And they definitely "have a beat and you can dance to them"!


Track listing for The Keymen - Dance with Dick Clark Volume One:

Side 1:
1. Willie and the Hand Jive
2. Drifting and Dreaming
3. Gazackstahagen
4. Short Fat Fanny
5. Dawn
6. Love is Strange

Side 2:
1. Isle of Capri
2. Miss You
3. Goggles
4. Sentimental Journey
5. Like Help Man
6. Long Tall Sally

Jackie Gleason - Music for the Love Hours (1957)

Hey there! Been super busy with work so haven't posted as often as I'd like. And I had this one ready to post last month but didn't get a chance. So, as we start out my favorite month of the year - August - I offer you one of my Jackie Gleason albums. Always great for some "mood" music, Jackie Gleason albums don't disappoint. I find them so soothing after a hard day of work. They also provide great background music if I have to work from home on the computer. So, without further ado... enjoy!

Track listing for Jackie Gleason - Music for the Love Hours:

Side 1:
1. Darn That Dream
2. Poor Butterfly
3. Serenade In Blue
4. How Did She Look
5. Moonlight Becomes You
6. Just One More Chance
7. I Love You Much Too Much
8. Hold Me

Side 2:
1. Get Out of Town
2. Our Love
3. Just a Memory
4. If I Could Be With You
5. Ghost of a Chance
6. I've Got You Under My Skin
7. Lover Come Back To Me
8. The House is Haunted

Xavier Cugat - Viva Cugat! (1961)

Here's one I've had for quite awhile, since the late 1980s when I was doing the ballroom dance thing. This is a really good record - has great songs that are very danceable. I like most anything by Xavier Cugat, and I even have an album that has four 78rpm records (can't remember off-hand what the name of the album is). If I ever finish unpacking (I moved in this house 2 years ago) and find my 78s, I'll record that one. Anyway, my favorites on this one are "Siboney" and "Isle of Capri". Enjoy this one!

Track listing for Xavier Cugat - Viva Cugat!:

Side 1:
1. Jungle Concerto
2. The Peanut Vendor
3. Isle of Capri
4. Tropical Merengue
5. Nightingale
6. Perfidia

Side 2:
1. Siboney
2. Jungle Drums
3. Anna
4. Maria Elena
5. Poinciana
6. Say Si Si

The Ray Conniff Singers - Young At Heart (1960)

Well, I posted another Ray Conniff Singers album (So Much in Love) before and thought that was the first one where the Singers got top billing, but this one was released before, in 1960. Anyway, it really doesn't matter because they're both great! Just hearing the Ray Conniff Singers sing makes me smile! :-) The songs are always so cheerful and melodic - perfect to make anyone feel better. Enjoy!

Track listing for Ray Conniff Singers - Young At Heart:

Side 1:
1. Remember
2. You'll Never Know
3. Dancing With Tears In My Eyes
4. I'm In the Mood For Love
5. I'll Be Seeing You
6. It's Dark On Observatory Hill

Side 2:
1. These Foolish Things
2. Ma, He's Making Eyes At Me
3. Young At Heart
4. If I Loved You
5. Harbor Lights
6. I'll See You In My Dreams

David Cassidy - Cherish (1972)

Wow... can you believe this album was released 38 years ago??? I don't know about you, but I still feel like the little girl whose heart went all aflutter whenever David Cassidy was on TV or the radio. Oh, I still love other "teen idols" from back in the day, but David Cassidy will always be my first love! Just look how absolutely dreamy he is on the cover! And even though this album is 38 years old, I think it still holds up. My favorite song used to be the title cover song, "Cherish", but now it's "My First Night Alone Without You". Does that mean I've grown up? Gee, I hope not.

Track listing for David Cassidy - Cherish:

Side 1:
1. Being Together
2. I Just Wanna Make You Happy
3. Could It Be Forever
4. Blind Hope
5. I Lost My Chance
6. My First Night Alone Without You

Side 2:
1. We Could Never Be Friends ('Cause We've Been Lovers Too Long)
2. Where Is the Morning
3. I Am a Clown
4. Cherish
5. Ricky's Tune

Pat Boone - Stardust (1958)

Well, this is the last of my Pat Boone records. I've had this one for some time - bought it sometime in the late 1980s when I discovered my favorite local radio station, KAAM. Pat Boone is played regularly on that station. Anyway, I've always loved his smooth voice and his choice of songs. I've also seen a few of his movies - "Bernardine", "State Fair", and "The Cross and the Switchblade". I saw the last one as an extra credit assignment for my ninth grade religion class (I went to Catholic school for 12 years) in the 1970s (it also featured a young Erik Estrada as a young punk). Well, this is a great album and it's full of lovely familiar standards. And Pat sings them all beautifully. Also, the orchestra is conducted by Billy Vaughn! Enjoy!

Track listing for Pat Boone - Stardust:

Side 1:
1. Stardust
2. Blueberry Hill
3. Ebb Tide
4. Little White Lies
5. To Each His Own
6. Cold, Cold Heart
7. Deep Purple

Side 2:
1. Autumn Leaves
2. St. Louis Blues
3. Solitude
4. Anniversary Song
5. Heartaches
6. I'll Walk Alone
7. September Song

Summer Compilation Vol.4 (2010)

Happy First Day of Summer tomorrow! Summer is my very favorite season, and I am glad it has arrived! The heat doesn't bother me at all, and I like the longer days. Summer holds lots of wonderful memories for me, so, in celebration of the First Day of Summer, I offer you my annual summer songs compilation. The previous three summer compilations have contained only songs with the word "summer" in the title. Well, I'm running out of those songs, so this year I've expanded the song choices to include the words "beach", "surf", and "sun". Hope you enjoy this!

Track listing for Summer Compilation Vol.4 (2010):

1. Summertime Blues - Alan Jackson
2. Surf Beat - The Lively Ones
3. A Hot Summer Day - It's a Beautiful Day
4. Summer of '42 - 101 Strings
5. A Summer Place - Andy Williams
6. Last Summer - The Golddiggers
7. Fun in the Sun - Walter Scott
8. The Green Leaves of Summer - Frankie Laine
9. Summertime - Don Ralke
10. Surfing Drums - The Surfaris
11. Surfboard - Esquivel
12. White Sandy Beach of Hawai'i - Israel Kamakawiwo'ole
13. Summer Breeze - The Brady Bunch
14. Soft as a Summer Shower - David Cassidy
15. Surfin' Craze - James Darren
16. Surfin' Senorita - Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass
17. A Summer Song - Kurt Russell
18. Your Summer Dream - The Beach Boys
19. Beautiful Girls and Sunshine - Hawaiian Islanders
20. Miami Beach Rumba - Freddy Martin & his Orchestra
21. Summer Days Alone - The Brothers Four
22. The Things We Did Last Summer - Dean Martin
23. Surf Fiesta - The Surf Mariachis
24. Beach Party Tonight - Annette Funicello
25. Hey, Mister Sun - Bobby Sherman
26. On the Beach at Waikiki - Les Adams & his Fabulous Hawaiians


If you haven't downloaded the first three volumes of my Summer compilations, click on the "summer" label to take you directly to those posts. Happy Summer!

Aaron Bell Orchestra - Music from 77 Sunset Strip (1959)

Here's a gem I picked up a couple or so months ago at my favorite supplier of old records, Half-Price Books. I already posted an album of music from the TV series "77 Sunset Strip" by Frankie Ortega and Sy Oliver, and I downloaded the one by the Warren Barker Orchestra, so I guess you could say that I really love the music from that show! I just love "crime" jazz in general - too cool! Well, the sound quality on this one isn't the best, but it's still listenable (is that a word?) and just overall fun! I was reading up on Aaron Bell and he recorded other albums along these lines ("Peter Gunn" and others), so if anyone has any to share, please do!

Track listing for Aaron Bell Orchestra - Music from 77 Sunset Strip:

Side 1:
1. 77 Sunset Strip (Vocal)
2. 77 Sunset Strip Jazz
3. 77 Sunset Strip Blues

Side 2:
1. Swingin' On the Strip
2. Stu Bailey Blues
3. Caper At the Coffee House
4. Kookie's Caper

Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass - South of the Border (1964)

This was the third album by Herb Alpert and his Tijuana Brass, and one of my mom's favorites, although I don't remember her playing this one as much as a couple of the later ones. Several cover songs on this album, but my favorite song is "Mexican Shuffle". Kinda hard to believe Herb is 75 years old, but his music is ageless!

Track listing for Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass - South of the Border:

Side 1:
1. South of the Border
2. The Girl from Ipanema
3. Hello, Dolly!
4. I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face
5. Up Cherry Street
6. Mexican Shuffle

Side 2:
1. El Presidente
2. All My Loving
3. Angelito
4. Salud, Amor y Dinero
5. Numero Cinco
6. Adios, Mi Corazon

Eddie Albert - The Eddie Albert Album (1966)

Here's another celebrity vocal album. I got this at a music memorabilia show at the end of January, thanks to my friend, Dan, who pointed it out to me. We were both swooning over the young Edward Albert (Eddie's son) on the cover - wasn't he a dreamboat? Anyway, Eddie Albert recorded this album during his "Green Acres" fame, and sings that song on the album, but it's a little different from the version sung on the TV show (no Eva Gabor and some of the lyrics are different). Eddie was really a very talented entertainer - an Academy Award nominated actor, a singer, dancer, circus performer -go read about him on Wikipedia if you want to know more. And this album is a fun album. I like his version of Simon and Garfunkel's "Homeward Bound", and even "Guantanamera" (which I've always thought to be a boring song). But the one I really love is "Feeling Good" - it just cracks me up the way he says "Feeling gooooooood"! Hope you enjoy this!

Track listing for Eddie Albert - The Eddie Albert Album:

Side 1:
1. A Smile is Just a Frown (Turned Upside Down)
2. Don't Think Twice, It's All Right
3. Guantanamera
4. Colors
5. Feeling Good
6. Green Acres

Side 2:
1. Homeward Bound
2. Blowin' in the Wind
3. For Lovin' Me
4. Mr. Clown
5. Pass the Plate of Happiness Around

Walter Brennan - Old Rivers (1962)

Time for some Walter Brennan. As I've mentioned in some previous posts, I absolutely love Walter Brennan - from watching him in westerns, Disney movies, and TV shows (westerns, of course). I think this album speaks for itself. The song "Old Rivers" gets me every time... (sniff). "Boll Weevil" is fun - has a beat and you can dance to it!

Track listing for Walter Brennan - Old Rivers:

Side 1:
1. Old Rivers
2. The Old Kelly Place
3. Conversation With a Mule
4. The Farmer and the Lord
5. Happy Birthday Old Folk

Side 2:
1. It Takes a Heap of Living
2. Boll Weevil
3. Steal Away
4. Pickin' Time
5. Old Rivers' Trunk

Mrs. Miller - Will Success Spoil Mrs. Miller?! (1966)

Earlier this week one of my cats attacked me when I started singing "I Could Have Danced All Night" in my best Mrs. Miller voice (everyone's a critic). So, I thought today would be a good day to post one of my Mrs. Miller albums. How can anyone not love Mrs. Miller? I only wish that I had been aware of her back in her hey-day (I only found out about her a few years ago and quickly snatched up all her albums via eBay and HPB). If I had seen her on Ed Sullivan or one of those shows, I think I would have remembered her. Anyway, I love Mrs. Miller and listening to her albums. If I'm feeling down, I know that one of her records will chase the blues away. I know they chase my cats away. (And my cat-inflicted wounds are healing nicely, thank you.)

Track listing for Mrs. Miller - Will Success Spoil Mrs. Miller?!:

Side 1:
1. Strangers in the Night
2. Bill Bailey, Won't You Please Come Home?
3. Somewhere, My Love
4. A Groovy Kind of Love
5. Melody
6. The Girl from Ipanema

Side 2:
1. Yellow Submarine
2. Every Little Movement
3. Moon River
4. Second Hand Rose
5. Sweet Pea
6. Monday, Monday

Elvis Presley - Paradise, Hawaiian Style (1966)

Sorry I haven't been consistent lately in posting my albums. My goal is to post one on Sunday and one on Wednesday, but I've just been swamped with other stuff. I'll try to do better!

Last weekend I went to a friend's yard sale and found a couple of gems, one of which was this Elvis soundtrack. I do love Elvis but I have not seen all his movies nor do I have all his albums (I only have about 3 or 4). I didn't even know he made another Hawaii movie besides "Blue Hawaii". I know... where have I been? Anyway, I thank my friend Donna for setting this album aside for me. Now I have to go find a DVD of the movie so that I can watch it!

Track listing for Elvis Presley - Paradise, Hawaiian Style:

Side 1:
1. Paradise, Hawaiian Style
2. Queenie Wahine's Papaya
3. Scratch My Back
4. Drums of the Islands
5. Datin'

Side 2:
1. A Dog's Life
2. House of Sand
3. Stop Where You Are
4. This is My Heaven
5. Sand Castles

Lawrence Welk and His Champagne Music - Play the Music of Walt Disney (1956)

Thanks to Crichton72 for sending me this to post on my blog! He appreciates Lawrence Welk as much as I do! Please leave a comment and thank Crichton72 for this share!

If you love Lawrence Welk and you also love Walt Disney, then this is the album for you! Lawrence Welk and members of his musical family circa 1956 - the Lennon Sisters, Dick Dale, Alice Lon, Larry Hooper, Bob Lido, the Sparklers - sing favorite songs from several Walt Disney movies! This will certainly take you down memory lane - enjoy!

Track listing for Lawrence Welk - Play the Music of Walt Disney:

Side 1:
1. Whistle While You Work
2. When You Wish Upon a Star
3. Mickey Mouse Mambo
4. Some Day My Prince Will Come
5. Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo
6. Zip-a-Dee-Do-Dah

Side 2:
1. Ballad of Davy Crockett
2. Hi! to You
3. That's What Uncle Remus Said
4. The Siamese Cat Song
5. A Whale of a Tale
6. Heigh-Ho

The Electronic Concept Orchestra - Moog Groove (1969)

I found this little gem for 50 cents at this little resale shop near my house! Like many times before, it was the cover that caught my eye, then the word "moog", and finally the songs. I'm really getting into the moog sound lately - really groovy! Makes me wish I had some orange or green shag carpet and big throw pillows all over the floor. I'm definitely going to have to look for more albums with the moog sound!

Track listing for Electronic Concept Orchestra - Moog Groove:

Side 1:
1. Aquarius
2. Oh Happy Day
3. Hey Jude
4. Both Sides Now
5. Grazing in the Grass

Side 2:
1. Feelin' Alright
2. Penny Lane
3. Atlantis
4. Rock Me
5. Windmills of Your Mind

Percy Faith - Mucho Gusto! (1961)

Yesterday (April 7) would have been Percy Faith's birthday. And today would have been my mother's birthday. So, because my mother loved Percy Faith so much (I don't think she knew his birthday was the day before hers), I decided to post this Percy Faith album to honor them both (but mostly for my mom). As I listen to this album, I am once again transported back to my childhood and memories of my mom listening to her records. This album also reminds me of the annual Charro Days, which are celebrated in my hometown of Brownsville, Texas, and the parades that I went to as a child. My mother was a school teacher and she often marched in the parades with her school (each school presents a dance to a traditional Mexican song, and the school bands would play, too). Those were good times, and I cherish the memories.

Track listing for Percy Faith - Mucho Gusto!:

Side 1:
1. Mucho Gusto
2. Besame Mucho
3. La Negra
4. Maria Elena
5. Huapango
6. Las Mananitas

Side 2:
1. Las Altenitas
2. Perfidia
3. Cielito Lindo
4. Adios Mariquita Linda
5. Cocula
6. La Chaparrita

Here's a picture of my mom marching in one of the Charro Days parades circa 1958 (before my time). So, now y'all have a face to put to my beloved mother that I often mention:

Martin Denny - Exotica Volume II (1958)

Gotta love that exotica! After Martin Denny's success with the album "Exotica", it was inevitable that there would be another one to follow. So the following year there was "Exotica Volume II"! (There's also an "Exotica III", but I don't have that one.) If anyone has the third one, please share! I really don't think I need to say anything about Martin Denny - you all are quite familiar with his records! So... enjoy!

Track listing for Martin Denny - Exotica Volume II:

Side 1:
1. Soshu Night Serenade
2. Island of Dreams
3. Japanese Farewell Song (Sayonara)
4. Singing Bamboos
5. The Queen Chant (E Lili Ua E)
6. Wedding Song (Ke Kali Ne Au)

Side 2:
1. Escales
2. When First I Love
3. August Bells
4. Bacoa
5. Ebb Tide
6. Rush Hour in Hong Kong

The Ray Conniff Singers - So Much in Love (1961)

Just as much as she loved anything Percy Faith, my mother loved anything Ray Conniff - and I inherited that. This album is by the Ray Conniff Singers, which was the chorus that often accompanied the orchestra on the other Ray Conniff albums. I think this was the first album that the Singers got top billing (please correct me if I'm wrong), because the liner notes say "This time, the Ray Conniff singers step out from the orchestra..." There are actually twelve songs, but they are sung as six medleys of two songs each. "Each medley tells a musical story about people who are 'so much in love'." I love albums by choral groups like this! This album was supervised by Frank De Vol, and the Conniff cover girl is Linda De Vol - his daughter perhaps?

Track listing for Ray Conniff Singers - So Much in Love:

Side 1:
1. Autumn Leaves; Just Walking in the Rain
2. I Fall in Love Too Easily; My Heart Stood Still
3. Dancing On the Ceiling; Dancing in the Dark

Side 2:
1. I Wish I Didn't Love You So; Bewitched
2. Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera); True Love
3. Chances Are; It's Not for Me to Say

Baja Marimba Band - Rides Again (1965)

I can't believe my mother never bought any albums by the Baja Marimba Band, especially since she liked Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass so much, and it kind of goes along those lines. To tell you the truth, I had never really listened to any of their albums either until I bought this one sometime last year at my favorite supplier of used records, Half-Price Books. And I really like this album! I will definitely be buying more of their albums next time I go to HPB or to a flea market or estate sale. I've decided that I like almost any music from A&M Records during that time - Herb Alpert, Baja Marimba Band, Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66... all those folks! Herb knew how to pick the artists for his label! Well, all I can say about this album is that it is delightful! Enjoy!

Track listing for Baja Marimba Band - Rides Again:

Side 1:
1. Brasilia
2. Walk On By
3. Guacamole
4. More
5. Dear Heart
6. Majorca

Side 2:
1. Red Roses for a Blue Lady
2. Hecho En Mexico (Made in Mexico)
3. The Woody Woodpecker Song
4. A Spanish Rose
5. Juarez
6. Goin' Out the Side Door

Here they are playing "Brasilia":

Louise Akeo and Her Royal Hawaiian Girls - Authentic Music from the Kodak Hula Show (1956)

Oh, how I wish I could be in Hawaii right now! Sigh... But, since I can't be there right now, I'll have to console myself by listening to one of my Hawaiian music albums. This album is "Authentic Music from the Kodak Hula Show". The Kodak Hula Show was a free show sponsored by Kodak that ran for many, many years in Waikiki. Unfortunately, Kodak pulled out its sponsorship in 1999 due to rising costs (it cost around $400,000 to $500,000 a year to put on this free show). A private family trust took it over for another three years or so, but they pulled their sponsorship as well due to the cost. I went to Hawaii in 1997 to participate in the Honolulu Marathon, and if I had known about the Kodak Hula Show I most definitely would have gone. Oh, well. Anyway, since I am so in love with all things Hawaii, I had to buy this album when I saw it in the HPB bargain bin. The first side is by Louise Akeo and her Royal Hawaiian Girls, but the second side just says "Instrumental Music for Your Hawaiian Pictures and Parties". So, at least you now have background music to play when you show your friends your pictures from your Hawaiian vacation - because that's what the record says.

Track listing for Louise Akeo - Authentic Music from the Kodak Hula Show:

Side 1:
1. Hilo E
2. Hoonanea
3. Haole Hula
4. E Liliu E
5. Nani Wale Na Hala
6. Ula Noweo
7. Lovely Hula Hands
8. I Alii No Oe
9. Thus Pounds the Poi
10. Cockeyed Mayor of Kaunakakai
11. Kawika
12. Hanohano Hanalei

Side 2:
1. Song of the Islands, "Na Lei O Hawaii"
2. Dargie Hula
3. Moana Chimes
4. The Wedding Song, "Ke Kali Nei Au"
5. Farewell Song, "Aloha Oe"

Mame OST (1974)

When I was growing up, we first got cable TV in my hometown in the mid-1970s. At that time, it was called Casa Cinema and consisted of two channels, one of which was a movie channel and the other was a Spanish channel (I think). I loved the movie channel because they showed movies in their entirety without commercials, including R-rated movies (which was a big deal for a 12 or 13-year-old) - movies that they just didn't show on the late movie on the three networks. Being a major movie buff, I watched as many as I could even though there weren't many choices. I think they showed maybe four movies a month and they were repeated all month long. But those were simpler times and we were all happy to have that cable movie channel. Well, one of the first movies I saw on Casa Cinema was "Mame" from 1974 starring Lucille Ball. I don't remember this showing at the movie theatre at all, and I think I would've gone to see it because it was a musical and I loved musicals. Well, I loved it. In fact, I think I saw it every time it was shown on Casa Cinema that month. Even though she couldn't really sing, Lucille Ball was always one of my favorites so I didn't care. I do have to laugh a little today as I remember how every close-up of Lucy was with a filter to "soften" the aging star. Anyway, I bought the soundtrack as a cut-out when I came across it a few years after seeing the movie. I still think it's a fun movie, even if the critics hated it, and the musical did spawn a couple of favorite songs that have been recorded by several people. I think you'll know which songs I mean when you listen to the album!

Track listing for Mame OST:

Side 1:
1. Main Title... including 'St. Bridget' - Jane Connell
2. It's Today - Lucille Ball and Chorus
3. Open a New Window - Lucille Ball and Kirby Furlong
4. The Man in the Moon - Beatrice Arthur and Chorus
5. My Best Girl -Lucille Ball and Kirby Furlong
6. We Need a Little Christmas - Lucille Ball and Cast
7. Mame - Robert Preston and Chorus

Side 2:
1. Loving You - Robert Preston
2. The Letter - Kirby Furlong and Bruce Davison
3. Bosom Buddies - Lucille Ball and Beatrice Arthur
4. Gooch's Song - Jane Connell
5. If He Walked Into My Life - Lucille Ball
6. Finale - Lucille Ball and Chorus

The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra starring Warren Covington - Tea for Two Cha Chas (1960)

This is an album I've had for awhile - bought it in the late 1980s when I first started ballroom dancing. I noticed that I bought a lot of cha cha albums back then - probably because it was my favorite of the dances that I was doing. When I bought this one, the only thing I saw was "Tommy Dorsey", who I knew about because of my mother's big band influence on me. Then I saw that Tommy Dorsey himself was no longer around and that his orchestra was being conducted by someone else. So I was disappointed when I found that out but I thought I'd listen to the album anyway. I loved it! I had heard "Tea for Two Cha Cha" on the radio, but I never knew who played it - until I bought the record. So I was very pleased with my purchase after all and thoroughly enjoyed all the songs on this album. It was just perfect for practicing my cha cha at home, and it remains one of my favorites to this day.

Track listing for The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra starring Warren Covington - Tea for Two Cha Chas:

Side 1:
1. Tea for Two Cha Cha
2. Por Favor
3. Patricia
4. I Still Get Jealous Cha Cha
5. Corazon de Melon
6. Dardanella Cha Cha

Side 2:
1. Rico Vacilon
2. I Want to Be Happy Cha Cha
3. Together 1-2-3
4. Trumpet Cha Cha Cha
5. Dinah Cha Cha
6. Cha Cha for Gia

Frank Sinatra - Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim (1967)

I have long been a fan of Frank Sinatra, thanks to my mother. He was her absolute favorite singer and she would get all giddy like a schoolgirl while listening to his records or if one of his movies was on TV. But this album is not one of hers. I bought it about 20 or so years ago and played it for her but she didn't really like it that much. To be honest, it had to grow on me, too. I love the music of Antonio Carlos Jobim, especially the bossa nova tunes, but I guess I just wasn't used to Frank singing like this. I was lucky enough to see Ol' Blue Eyes in concert here in Dallas in the late 1980s (and the orchestra was conducted by Frank Jr.!), but I don't recall him singing any of these songs. But with time, I have come to really like this album. It's definitely worth a listen.

Track listing for Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim:

Side 1:
1. The Girl from Ipanema
2. Dindi
3. Change Partners
4. Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars
5. Meditation

Side 2:
1. If You Never Come to Me
2. How Insensitive
3. I Concentrate on You
4. Baubles, Bangles and Beads
5. Once I Loved

Here's a video clip of Frank Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim:

KAAM Most Requested - A Stax o' Wax Compilation (2009)

As I have mentioned on several occasions, I am an avid listener of a local Dallas radio station, KAAM 770. I started listening to it in 1987 quite by accident. I had a radio on my desk at work and had been out one day (jury duty, if I remember correctly). The next day, when I returned to work, I turned on my radio and thought it was weird that they were playing "How Much is That Doggie in the Window" by Patti Page. That wasn't the kind of music I listened to! Then I noticed that my radio station had been changed and was a bit put off. But I realized that I loved that song and that I hadn't heard it since I was a little girl. So I left the station on and really liked what I was hearing. That has been my favorite radio station since that day (except for a short period when the station went "dark"). The station has moved around a couple of times to different frequencies and it's been sold a couple of times, but it looks like the current owners intend to keep it around for awhile. I have won several contests through the years (free ballroom dance lessons - that's how I got started on that, autographed CD from Bobby Sherman, free tickets to see Patti Page) and have discovered a lot of wonderful music through this station. When my mother would come visit me in Dallas, she enjoyed the station, too, and often commented how she wished there was a similar type station back home. She even got to go with me to a couple of station sponsored events - tea dances and such. "Old" music and "classic" movies were something that my mother and I had in common and enjoyed sharing.

Well, a couple or so years ago, KAAM listed their most requested songs on their website. I copied the list and started compiling the songs. I finally finished putting it all together (I get sidetracked sometimes) so here it is. Every song is familiar and a classic. Check out KAAM on the internet and listen to it online!

Track listing for KAAM Most Requested:

1. My Way - Frank Sinatra
2. In the Mood - Glenn Miller and his Orchestra
3. Somewhere My Love - Ray Conniff
4. I Left My Heart in San Francisco - Tony Bennett
5. Moon River - Henry Mancini
6. Spanish Eyes - Al Martino
7. Theme from "A Summer Place" - Percy Faith and his Orchestra
8. Unforgettable - Nat King Cole
9. It's Impossible - Perry Como
10. Downtown - Petula Clark
11. Sugartime - McGuire Sisters
12. A Man Without Love - Engelbert Humperdinck
13. A Certain Smile - Johnny Mathis
14. Love is Blue - Paul Mauriat
15. On a Clear Day - Robert Goulet
16. Welcome to My World - Jim Reeves
17. Tammy - Debbie Reynolds
18. I've Gotta Be Me - Sammy Davis Jr.
19. Tea for Two Cha Cha - Tommy Dorsey Orchestra conducted by Warren Covington
20. Georgia On My Mind - Ray Charles
21. Cast Your Fate to the Wind - Sounds Orchestral
22. I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm - Les Brown and his Band of Reknown
23. Rainy Night in Georgia - Brook Benton
24. Music, Music, Music - Teresa Brewer
25. Love is a Many Splendored Thing - Four Aces
26. Make the World Go Away - Eddy Arnold
27. Strangers in the Night - Frank Sinatra
28. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes - The Platters
29. Today - New Christy Minstrels
30. Don't Be That Way - Benny Goodman and his Orchestra

David Cassidy - Cassidy Live! (1974)

Well, last night was a dream come true for me! After 40 years of waiting to see him in concert, I finally got to see David Cassidy perform!!! He and Davy Jones both performed in Dallas (actually, Grand Prairie) last night and it was just wonderful! Davy Jones was on first, and he sang lots of Monkees hits, his own singles, and a song from "Oliver!" He was very entertaining and full of jokes - just adorable! After a brief intermission, David Cassidy came on and he took us on his "musical journey", singing songs that inspired him when he was a boy, some Partridge Family songs, and some of his own singles. Of course, there weren't any girls fainting and it was all quite civilized - after all, most of the audience was made up of middle-aged women. But, some women did run up to the stage and tried to touch them, and a couple even got David to sign some stuff. Yours truly was not even close to the stage, but I did have a good view and was enthralled just the same. So, since I am still floating on Cloud Nine from finally seeing David Cassidy, I thought I'd post his live album from 1974 in Great Britain. I actually recorded this about a year ago as a request for someone, but did not post it then, but here it is now!

Track listing for David Cassidy - Cassidy Live!:

Side 1:
1. It's Preying On My Mind
2. Some Kind of a Summer
3. Breaking Up is Hard to Do
4. Bali Ha'i/Mae
5. I Am a Clown
6. Delta Lady

Side 2:
1. Please Please Me
2. Daydreamer
3. How Can I Be Sure
4. For What It's Worth
5. C. C. Rider Blues/Jenny Jenny
6. Rock Medley: Blue Suede Shoes, (We're Gonna) Rock Around the Clock, Jailhouse Rock, Rock and Roll Music, Rock Me Baby

Edmundo Ros - Rhythms of the South (1957)

Wow! What a great album this is! But then again, I have yet to be disappointed in an album by Edmundo Ros and his orchestra. And what a great cover, too - suitable for framing! I bought this at my favorite store, Half-Price Books, and I am grateful to Ed Basden, the former owner of this record (his name is on the back cover), for unloading it at HPB so that I could enjoy it. I'm quite familiar with all the songs on this album, and if you've listened to any latin dance music from back in the day, then these will all be familiar to you, too. There's a variety of dances and the back cover lists the appropriate dance with each song - and I've included that in parentheses by each song. Even if you don't know the particular dance steps, just get up and do your own little dance to the songs. You'll have lots of fun and get a good workout, too! As the saying goes, "Dance as if no one is watching!"

Track listing for Edmundo Ros - Rhythms of the South:

Side 1:
1. Spanish Gypsy Dance (Pasodoble)
2. The Blue Danube (Valse Creole)
3. Barcarolle (Baiao)
4. La Maxixe (Marcha)
5. Capullito de Aleli (Son Rumba)
6. Siboney (Mambo)

Side 2:
1. Isle of Capri (Cha-Cha-Cha) - has a small skip
2. Colonel Bogey (Merengue)
3. Elizabeth (Samba)
4. Caminito (Tango) - has a small skip
5. Marta (Bolero)
6. Cachita (Guaracha)

Sam Makia and the Makapuu Beach Boys - Hawaii: The Fabulous Fiftieth State (1959)

As we get ready for another cold spell to hit Dallas in a day or so, my mind drifts away to Hawaii, where I hope to live one day. Sigh. So, I took this album off the wall (I have it framed) of my Hawaii room (the guest room in my house) and decided to share it with you. This is another rescue from the HPB bargain bin, and I immediately fell in love with the cover! I have three Hawaiian music albums hanging on the wall in that room, and I change out the other two, but this one stays because I just love the statue of King Kamehameha. I've only been to Hawaii once - in 1997, when I participated in the Honolulu Marathon - and I did get to see the statue "in person" during one of my sight-seeing tours. Just that one visit to Hawaii was enough to know that I want to live there. One day... So, join me right now and go on a little trip to Hawaii.

Track listing for Sam Makia and the Makapuu Beach Boys - Hawaii: The Fiftieth State:

Side 1:
1. Sweet Leilani
2. The Hawaiian Wedding Song (Ke Kali Nei Au)
3. Maui Chimes-Hilo March
4. Blue Hawaii
5. Waipio
6. King Kamehameha (The Conqueror of the Islands)
7. To You Sweetheart, Aloha

Side 2:
1. Across the Sea; Mai Poina Oe I'au
2. Hawaiian War Chant; Hana Lei
3. Kuu Ipo Ika Hee Pue One
4. Lovely Hula Hands; Anapau
5. Kaimana Hila-Kalena Kai
6. Aloha Oe

Peggy Lee - Latin ala Lee! (1960)

Sorry I didn't get around to posting last Wednesday. I try to post on Sundays and Wednesdays, but I've been swamped at work and doing overtime, so I just ran out of time.

But today I have some Peggy Lee for you! What can I say about Peggy Lee? She was absolutely WONDERFUL! I bought this album during my ballroom dancing days and immediately loved it! All the songs are familiar because they are "Broadway hits styled with an Afro-Cuban beat". The back of the album says it best, "Here's Manhattan with a twist of Latin as Peggy Lee swings through hit songs from the Great White Way, accompanied by authentic Afro-Cuban rhythms." It's hard to pick a favorite from this album, but if I had to pick just one then I pick "Heart."

Track listing for Peggy Lee - Latin ala Lee! (link has been deleted - go buy CD on Amazon):

Side 1:
1. Heart ("Damn Yankees")
2. On the Street Where You Live ("My Fair Lady")
3. Till There Was You ("The Music Man")
4. I Am in Love ("Can-Can")
5. Hey There ("The Pajama Game")
6. I Could Have Danced All Night ("My Fair Lady")

Side 2:
1. The Surrey With the Fringe On Top ("Oklahoma!")
2. The Party's Over ("Bells Are Ringing")
3. Dance Only With Me ("Say Darling")
4. Wish You Were Here ("Wish You Were Here")
5. C'est Magnifique ("Can-Can")
6. I Enjoy Being a Girl ("Flower Drum Song")

Jackie Gleason - Lonesome Echo (1955)

This is probably one of the more famous album covers since it was by Salvador Dali. This was the first Jackie Gleason album that I bought and it was because of the Dali cover. Now, I really don't know much about art and famous painters, but I knew enough that Dali was famous, and I had seen that one painting with the weird clocks. So I bought this album for the sole purpose of framing it and hanging it on my wall. What a pleasant surprise it was when I actually listened to it! So, I ended up buying several more of Jackie Gleason's albums, two of which I've already shared. I just find listening to these albums so relaxing and soothing. They're great to play while reading a book, doing some paperwork, or as background music while having a nice dinner with guests or that special someone. So, kick back and treat yourself to some relaxing music.

Track listing for Jackie Gleason - Lonesome Echo:

Side 1:
1. There Must Be a Way
2. I Don't Know Why (I Just Do)
3. Deep Purple
4. Mad About the Boy
5. Someday I'll Find You
6. Come Rain or Come Shine
7. The Thrill is Gone
8. I Wished On the Moon

Side 2:
1. How Deep is the Ocean
2. Remember
3. Speak Low
4. I Still Get a Thrill
5. Darling, Je Vous Aime Beaucoup
6. I'm Always Chasing Rainbows
7. A Garden in the Rain
8. Dancing On the Ceiling

The Percy Faith Strings - Bouquet (1959)

As I've mentioned before, I inherited my mother's records after she passed away in 1993, and I credit her for instilling the love of music in me. This particular record is one that really brings back a flood of memories. As I listen to it, I can see my mother sitting at the dining room table working on lesson plans (she was a teacher) on a Saturday afternoon while playing this album on her console stereo. Or, I can see her on a summer day sitting on a short stool, barefoot and wearing her "pedal pushers" (who remembers those?) while she cleaned her records with some red liquid. (I've never seen that red liquid since my childhood, so if anybody knows what it is, please tell me.) Percy Faith was one of her absolute favorites and "Bouquet" is probably one of the first albums I remember ever being played at our house. And after all these years, it still holds up. The lush strings, the beautiful melodies... but most of all, the vivid memory of my mother humming along and wearing those pedal pushers.

Track listing for The Percy Faith Strings - Bouquet:

Side 1:
1. Bouquet
2. Tenderly
3. Laura
4. The Song from Moulin Rouge
5. Beyond the Sea
6. Autumn Leaves

Side 2:
1. Speak Low
2. Solitude
3. Deep Purple
4. Intermezzo
5. Ebb Tide
6. Fascination

Ray Conniff - Dance the Bop! (1957)

This is an album I bought a number of years ago at HPB, and it was the cover that caught my eye. I'm a major cat lover so I couldn't resist this album when I saw the Siamese cat on the cover. Of course, the fact that this is an album by Ray Conniff is a major plus, too! I don't know how to dance the bop and, unfortunately, the instruction booklet was not in the album when I bought it used. I hope the previous owner put the booklet to good use and learned to excel at the bop. A curious bit of trivia I found out is that Ray Conniff did not want to record this album. His record company came to him and told him of this "new" teenage dance rage and to come up with some songs and record them. For those of you who were teenagers in 1957, was the bop really the teenage rage? Just wondering.

Track listing for Ray Conniff - Dance the Bop!:

Side 1:
1. Walkin' the Bop
2. The Drop
3. Just Boppin'
4. Doin' the Twister
5. The Flea Hop
6. Cross Over

Side 2:
1. Walkin' the Bop Again
2. Swingin' the Bop
3. Hand Around
4. Play a Guitar Solo
5. The Spinner
6. Honky-Tonk Rock-Around

The Brothers Four - Song Book (1961)

I hope you like folk music and great harmonies, because that's what this album is about. It is great! I first heard the Brothers Four on my local AM radio station, KAAM, and they soon became a favorite. As a kid, I never really listened to folk music since my mother never played it. I think she thought it was the kind of music that "those long-haired hippies" listened to (remember, my mother was from the big-band and crooners era). And even as I grew older, I didn't listen to it because I was more into the rock and disco of the 70s and the punk and new wave of the 80s (yes, I was a punker - who knew?). So it wasn't until I started listening to KAAM that I really became exposed to folk music and found that I liked it. So when I came across this album in the HPB bargain bin, I had to buy it. It's really a cool album because the inside has a song book! It has the lyrics for each song plus easy-to-play guitar chords, which I plan to learn if I ever find time to practice my guitar again! And even more cool - the inside is autographed by the Brothers Four!!! This album used to belong to a guy named Dave, so it says "To Dave" right above their signatures. Pretty cool, huh?

Track listing for The Brothers Four - Song Book:

Side 1:
1. Rock Island Line
2. Goodnight, Irene
3. The Tavern Song
4. Lady Greensleeves
5. The Drillers' Song
6. Nobody Knows

Side 2:
1. Viva La Compagnie
2. Ole Smokey
3. Tarrytown
4. Come for to Carry Me Home
5. Summer Days Alone
6. Frogg No. 2

Ernesto Aquino - Latin Goes Percussive Cha Cha Cha's (1960)

Happy New Year! I wish you all a year full of good health, prosperity, love, peace, and happiness!

Here's an album that I bought when I was doing the ballroom dance thing. It seemed that I was always dancing the cha cha so I bought every cha cha album that caught my eye. This one caught my eye because of the album art - simple yet colorful and worthy of hanging on my wall. Besides cha cha's, you will also find some merengues on this album. If you've never danced either and would like to learn, I recommend signing up for a ballroom dance class at your local community college. They're relatively inexpensive (versus at a dance studio) so if you end up not liking it, you're not out a lot of money. But ballroom dancing is a lot of fun and a great way to get in shape - it beats going to the gym and sweating it out on the treadmill! So, turn up the volume and "dance as if no one is watching!"

Track listing for Ernesto Aquino - Latin Goes Percussive Cha Cha Cha's:

Side 1:
1. Take My Hand Cha Cha
2. Simon Says Cha Cha
3. Merengue Moderne
4. Festival Merengue
5. Siamese Cha Cha

Side 2:
1. Manhattan Merengue
2. Iberic Cha Cha
3. Cuba Calls
4. Havana Cha Cha
5. Latin Lover