Summer Compilation Vol.6 (2012)

Happy First Day of Summer (barely making it before it's over)! It's time for my annual summer songs compilation! Summer is my very favorite season, and I am glad it's here! The first three summer compilations contained only songs with the word "summer" in the title, but two years ago I expanded the song choices to include the words "beach", "surf", and "sun", and this year I added songs about summer and summer activities, but don't necessarily include any of those words in the title. Please do post a comment with other summer song suggestions that I can use in future compilations. Hope you enjoy this!

Track listing for Summer Compilation Vol.6 (2012):

1.Wipe Out - The Surfaris
2. Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini - Brian Hyland
3. Surf City - Jan & Dean
4. Surfin' U.S.A. - The Beach Boys
5. Muscle Beach Party - Annette Funicello
6. Beach Baby - First Class
7. On the Beach at Waikiki - Martin Denny
8. Beach Trip - Morton Stevens
9. Miami Beach - Phillip Green
10. The Things We Did Last Summer - Vic Damone
11. Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In - Henry Jerome
12. Cloudy, Summer Afternoon - The Serendipity Singers
13. Midnight Sun - Si Zentner
14. The Green Leaves of Summer - Patti Page
15. The World is Waiting for the Sunrise - Tony Mottola
16. In the Good Old Summertime - The Osmond Brothers
17. I'll Catch the Sun - The Stanyan Strings
18. Summer Days - David Cassidy
19. Theme from "A Summer Place" - The Tornadoes
20. On the Sunny Side of the Street - The Johnny Mann Singers & the Si Zentner Orchestra
21. Summertime - Wynton Marsalis
22. East of the Sun - The Ames Brothers
23. We'll Sing in the Sunshine - Trini Lopez
24. Saturday in the Park - Chicago
25. Sunny - Leonard Nimoy
26. Sunshine On My Shoulders - John Denver


If you haven't downloaded the first five volumes of my Summer compilations, click on the "summer" label to take you directly to those posts (I have re-upped them). Happy Summer!

Cool Yule Tunes 2011 - A Stax o' Wax Compilation

It's time for my annual Christmas compilation! I've picked some favorite Christmas songs for this year's Cool Yule Tunes 2011 as 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. I haven't been as consistent in posting this year, but I plan to get back into it in 2012!

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 four Christmas compilations and download them to have a complete collection!

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas, and I hope you get to spend it with those you love. (I still have three more Christmas albums I plan to share this year before I take my Christmas holiday.)


Track listing for Cool Yule Tunes 2011:

1. We Wish You a Merry Christmas - The Mastertone Orchestra featuring The Don Janse Chorale
2. I'll Be Home for Christmas - Bing Crosby
3. Santa Claus is Coming to Town - The Mistletoe Disco Band
4. Winter Wonderland - Lena Horne
5. Jingle Bells - The Partridge Family
6. White Christmas - Vera Lynn
7. I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day - Johnny Cash
8. Hark the Herald Angels Sing - The Lennon Sisters
9. Sleigh Ride - Fred Waring & The Pennsylvanians
10. Do You Believe in Santa Claus - Billy May
11. Deck the Halls - Mirror Image
12. The Christmas Song - Esquivel
13. Christmas Dreaming (A Little Early This Year) - Lawrence Welk & His Champagne Music
14. Silver Bells - Jack Jones
15. O Little Town of Bethlehem - Helen O'Connell
16. Christmas Is - The Harry Simeone Chorale
17. Blue Christmas - Bobby Sherman
18. Silent Night - The Golddiggers
19. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus - Teresa Brewer
20. Merry Christmas, Baby - Lou Rawls
21. We Need a Little Christmas - The Muppets
22. What Child is This - Tijuana Voices with Brass
23. The Twelve Days of Christmas - Harry Belafonte
24. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen - The Three Suns
25. Joy to the World - Ed Ames
26. Frosty the Snowman - Ray Conniff
27. The Merry Christmas Polka - Freddy Martin
28. What Are You Doing New Year's Eve - Johnny Mathis

Summer Compilation Vol.5 (2011)

It's time for my annual summer songs compilation! The first day of summer is not for two days yet, but it's felt like summer for a few weeks already! It's already hit the three digit temperatures in Dallas, Texas! The hot temps don't bother me though, as summer is my very favorite season, and I am glad it's here! The first three summer compilations contained only songs with the word "summer" in the title, but last year I expanded the song choices to include the words "beach", "surf", and "sun". Please do post a comment with other summer song suggestions that I can use in future compilations. Hope you enjoy this!

Track listing for Summer Compilation Vol.5 (2011):

1. Theme from 'A Summer Place' - The Ventures
2. The Things We Did Last Summer - The Beach Boys
3. Summertime - Chet Atkins and Jerry Reed
4. It's a Sunshine Day - The Brady Bunch
5. Sun-Kissed Chicks - Jean-Jacques Debout
6. Miami Beach Rumba - Edmundo Ros & His Orchestra
7. The Green Leaves of Summer - The Ray Conniff Singers
8. Turn On the Sunshine - Sally Field
9. Twenty-Four Hours of Sunshine - Reg Owen & His Orchestra
10. Sunny Days - Lighthouse
11. Our Last Summer - ABBA
12. On the Beach At Waikiki - Les Paul and Mary Ford
13. Summer Mood - Skip Martin
14. One Summer Dream - Electric Light Orchestra
15. Sunshine - The Partridge Family
16. Good Day Sunshine - Claudine Longet
17. We'll Sing in the Sunshine - Helen Reddy
18. Hey Mr. Sun - Kurt Russell
19. Bustin' Surfboards - The Lively Ones
20. Summer Cruise - Syd Dale
21. Surf Scene - The Surfaris
22. Bossa No Praia (Beach Samba) - Walter Wanderley
23. Bikini Beach Party - Annette Funicello
24. The Long, Hot Summer - Jimmie Rodgers


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

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

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!

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

Cool Yule Tunes 2009 - A Stax o' Wax Compilation

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. And, as has become my tradition, I've put together a compilation of some favorite Christmas songs for this year's Cool Yule Tunes 2009. This is just my little way of saying thanks to all of you for visiting my blog and sharing in my love of this type of music and the nostalgia of glorious vinyl.

Some of these songs are old favorites from my growing-up years, and there are a couple that are newer, and there are some that I'd never heard before until I heard them played on a local radio station. There's a little bit of everything here. And, if you don't already have them, click on the "Cool Yule Tunes" label to see the previous two 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 2009 - A Stax o' Wax Compilation:

1. It's Beginning to Look Like Christmas - Johnny Mathis
2. Let Me Be the First (To Wish You a Merry Christmas) - Steve Lawrence
3. Deck the Halls - The Johnny Mann Singers
4. Frosty the Snow Man - Esquivel
5. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! - Dorothy Provine
6. Pretty Snowflakes - Patti Page
7. Sleigh Ride - Andy Williams
8. White Christmas - The Ray Conniff Singers
9. Home for the Holidays - Jerry Vale
10. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus - Jackson 5
11. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen - Brothers Four
12. O Come All Ye Faithful - Mormon Tabernacle Choir
13. The Birthday of a King - Judy Garland
14. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing; Angels We Have Heard on High - Andre Kostelanetz
15. And the Bells Rang - Glenn Miller Singers
16. Jingle Bells - Jimmy Dean
17. Ring Those Christmas Bells - Fred Waring and The Pennsylvanians
18. Jingle Bell Rock - Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass
19. (Everybody's Waitin' for) The Man with the Bag - Brian Setzer Orchestra
20. Mister Santa - Amy Grant
21. The Chipmunk Song - The Chipmunks with David Seville
22. Nuttin' for Christmas - Barry Gordon
23. All I Want for Christmas (Is My Two Front Teeth) - King Cole Trio
24. Toyland - Doris Day
25. My Grown-Up Christmas List - Donny Osmond
26. Blue Christmas - The Partridge Family
27. Christmas in Killarney - Bing Crosby
28. Yah, Das Ist Ein Christmas Tree - Mel Blanc

Johnny Mercer Tribute Compilation (2009)

Today is the centennial celebration of Johnny Mercer's birth. Johnny Mercer (1909 - 1976) was a singer and songwriter. As a songwriter, he was mostly known as a lyricist but he also wrote music. He wrote over 1000 songs, many of which are in the Great American Songbook. He received nineteen Academy Award nominations, and won four. He also recorded many of his songs, as well as songs written by others. I put together this compilation of thirty-four songs in his honor and hope you enjoy them as much as I. He sings five of the songs on this compilation, three of which he didn't write (marked with ^). He wrote the lyrics for all the other songs that I've included, and also wrote the music for five of them (marked with *). The last song I've included was recorded after his death. Johnny's widow gave some unfinished lyrics to Barry Manilow, and Barry then wrote the music for "When October Goes." Enjoy!

Track listing for Johnny Mercer Tribute Compilation:

1. Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive - Johnny Mercer
2. Goody Goody - Paul Petersen *
3. Too Marvelous for Words - Anthony Perkins
4. You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby - Perry Como
5. And the Angels Sing - Benny Goodman & His Orchestra
6. Day In, Day Out - Gene Barry
7. Fools Rush In - Tony Martin
8. Love of My Life - Shirley Jones & Jack Cassidy
9. Blues in the Night - Julie London
10. I Remember You - Doris Day
11. Baby, It's Cold Outside - Margaret Whiting & Johnny Mercer ^
12. Tangerine - Jimmy Dorsey & His Orchestra
13. Hit the Road to Dreamland - Betty Hutton
14. That Old Black Magic - Louis Prima & Keely Smith
15. Skylark - Linda Ronstadt
16. Dearly Beloved - Dinah Shore with Paul Weston & His Orchestra
17. Strip Polka - Myron Floren *
18. One for My Baby (And One More for the Road) - Eydie Gorme
19. Dream - Steve Allen *
20. G.I. Jive - Johnny Mercer *
21. Laura - Johnny Mathis
22. I Lost My Sugar in Salt Lake City - Johnny Mercer ^
23. On the Atchison Topeka and the Santa Fe - Woody Herman & His Orchestra
24. Autumn Leaves - George Chakiris
25. Something's Gotta Give - Lorne Greene *
26. Moon River - Andy Williams
27. Days of Wine and Roses - Wayne Newton
28. Drinking Again - Dinah Washington
29. Charade - Bobby Darin
30. Emily - Andy Williams
31. Summer Wind - Frank Sinatra
32. Whistling Away the Dark - Henry Mancini
33. San Fernando Valley - Johnny Mercer with The Berries ^
34. When October Goes - Barry Manilow

Summer Compilation Vol.3 (2009)

Happy First Day of Summer! Summer is my favorite season, and I don't care how hot it gets. I love the bright colors, the ice cold drinks, the lazy days, wearing shorts and flip-flops, and the wonderful memories it brings. So, in celebration of the First Day of Summer, I offer you my annual summer songs compilation - a compilation of songs that all have the word "summer" in the title. So, grab a cold drink and celebrate summer!

Track listing for Summer Compilation Vol.3 (2009):

1. Here Comes Summer - Cliff Richard
2. Gemini: Summer Song - Dick Jacobs and his Orchestra
3. Endless Summer Nights - Richard Marx
4. When Summer Turns to Snow - Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66
5. Summer Side of Life - Gordon Lightfoot
6. Summertime in Venice - Mantovani and his Orchestra
7. Summer Wind - Michael Buble
8. Theme from "Summer of '42" (The Summer Knows) - Johnny Mathis
9. Summertime - Ricky Nelson
10. Summer Breeze - The Isley Brother
11. Summertime Blues - The Stray Cats
12. Some Kind of Summer - David Cassidy
13. Theme from "A Summer Place" - Santo and Johnny
14. The Things We Did Last Summer - Shelley Fabares
15. I Never Dreamed You'd Leave in Summer - Stevie Wonder
16. The Green Leaves of Summer - Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass
17. Summer Means Fun - The Fantastic Baggys
18. Summer in the City - Buddy Morrow
19. Last Days of Summer - The Blue Hawaiians
20. Summertime USA - The Pixies Three
21. Summertime's Calling Me - The Catalinas
22. The Sweet Sounds of Summer - The Shangri-Las
23. Keep An Eye on Summer - The Beach Boys

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

Hooray for Hollywood (1972)

I found this album a month or two ago at an estate sale. I don't think it was played much because it still had the cellophane on the cover (but it was open), and the condition is pretty much near mint. I probably wouldn't have bought it except that Joan Crawford is one of the stars on this album. (Joan Crawford is my movie idol.) Overall, it's a fun album to have, especially if you're a classic movie fan such as I. I had heard all the stars on this album sing in various movies except for Fred MacMurray, and he didn't sound at all like I thought he would.

This album was released as part of RCA's "Vintage Series" in 1972. The inside of the album cover has a write-up on each of the songs and the star who performs it, but it's way too much to include here, so here are the liner notes that are on the back of the album:

The Vintage Series is a living history of jazz, folk, blues and popular music and of the legendary musicians and personalities who created it. Each album contains original, untampered-with recordings from the vaults of RCA Records - the true sounds of the greatest artists of their day. To the collector, the Vintage Series is an invaluable addition to a record library. And to any young person newly exploring America's musical legacy, it will be a welcome introduction to the roots of today's music.

Track listing for Hooray for Hollywood:

Side 1:
1. I Used to Be Color Blind - Ginger Rogers
2. Ich Bin die Fesche Lola (I Am the Glamorous Lola) - Marlene Dietrich
3. Alone - Allan Jones
4. I Never Knew Heaven Could Speak - Joan Crawford
5. Got a Bran' New Suit - Eleanor Powell
6. All I Want Is Just One - Fred MacMurray
7. Paradise - Dorothy Lamour
8. When April Sings - Deanna Durbin

Side 2:
1. Something's Gotta Give - Fred Astaire
2. I'm Gonna File My Claim - Marilyn Monroe
3. Mary's a Grand Old Name - James Cagney
4. It's Oh So Quiet! - Betty Hutton
5. That Certain Feeling - Bob Hope
6. The Saga of Jenny - Ann Southern
7. Stardust - Harpo Marx
8. I Couldn't Be More In Love - Mickey Rooney

Something NEW Compilation

Greetings and HAPPY NEW YEAR to everyone! I hope y'all had a restful and joyful holiday season. Now it's on to a NEW YEAR - 2009. Did y'all make any New Year's resolutions? I gave up on that years ago. But, I am starting something new this year and that is that I'm going back to school this semester (while working full-time) to pursue yet another degree. Well, I wish you all the best for 2009... and I wish you lots of groovy music!

To start off the new year, I thought I'd put together a compilation of songs with the word "new" in them. Turns out that I didn't have as many (in digital format) as I thought, but there were just enough to put this together. (I know I have more that this, but there are only so many hours in the day to which I can dedicate to digitizing my record collection!) There's quite a variety - some you've heard and some you probably haven't - and my favorites are the ones by the Partridge Family (mainly because I'm still in love with David Cassidy). I hope you enjoy these as much as I had putting this together. And, again - HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Track listing for Something NEW Compilation:

Open A NEW Window (From "Mame") - Angela Lansbury and Company
City Of NEW Orleans - Arlo Guthrie
Weekend In NEW England - Barry Manilow
There's A NEW Moon Over My Shoulder - Bill Haley and The Comets
I Found A Brand NEW Baby - Damita Jo
A NEW Kind Of Me - Danny Bonaduce
A Brand NEW Me - Dusty Springfield
NEW York, NEW York - Frank Sinatra
What's NEW - Jackie Gleason
I Happen To Like NEW York - Judy Garland
There's A NEW Girl In Town (Theme from "Alice") - Linda Lavin
What's NEW - Linda Ronstadt
Sunday In NEW York - Mel Torme
Brand NEW Key - Melanie
NEW World In The Morning - Roger Whitaker
You Make Me Feel Brand NEW - Stylistics
Brand NEW Me - The Partridge Family
Something NEW Got Old - The Partridge Family
What's NEW Pussycat - Tom Jones
So What's NEW - Walter Wanderley

Cool Yule Tunes 2008 - A Stax o' Wax Compilation

Hey, all! Well, I finally finished putting together my Christmas compilation for this year. I was going to let iTunes randomly pick the songs for me, but I was never happy with the choices so I decided to just go through all my Christmas songs and hand-pick the songs. This is a little different from last year's Cool Yule Tunes - I think it has more less-traditional Christmas and holiday songs. But it's great to play in the car, or add to your iPod, or play at your Christmas party! And if you go download last year's compilation, you'll have double the fun! This is basically "my Christmas card to you" (as the Partridge Family would sing), and I hope that you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed putting it together!

Track listing for Cool Yule Tunes 2008 - A Stax o' Wax Compilation:

1. Happy Holiday/The Holiday Season - Andy Williams
2. Sleigh Ride - The Ventures
3. Santa Baby - Eartha Kitt
4. Joy To The World - The Mistletoe Disco Band
5. Merry Christmas Darling - The Carpenters
6. It Happened In Sun Valley - Glenn Miller Singers
7. Suzy Snowflake - Rosemary Clooney
8. You're A Mean One Mr. Grinch - Thurl Ravenscroft
9. O Tannenbaum - Vince Guaraldi Trio
10. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - Ella Fitzgerald
11. Little Saint Nick - The Beach Boys
12. The Christmas Song - Mel Torme
13. We Wish You A Merry Christmas - Ray Conniff & The Singers
14. I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm/I Love The Winter Weather - Tony Bennett
15. It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year - Amy Grant
16. Mistletoe And Holly - Jack Jones
17. Pine Cones And Holly Berries - The Osmonds
18. Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree - The Partridge Family
19. Here Comes Santa Claus - Esquivel
20. Frosty The Snowman/Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer - Henry Mancini
21. The 12 Days Of Christmas - The Sinatra Family
22. Carol Of The Bells - Leonard Bernstein & The New York Philharmonic
23. That Holiday Feeling - Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gorme
24. Cha-Cha All The Way - Capitol Studio Orchestra
25. Baby It's Cold Outside - Carmen McRae & Sammy Davis Jr.
26. Here We Come A-Caroling - The New Christy Minstrels
27. We Need A Little Christmas - The Golddiggers
28. I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas - Gayla Peevey

Greatest Hits From The Movies (1972)

Today's offering is one of my mom's old albums - a 1972 Columbia release called "Greatest Hits From The Movies". I do remember my mom playing this album a lot. It's a compilation of familiar themes from familiar movies. I think the only two movies represented here, that I've never seen, are "Z" and "Such Good Friends". Anyway, I don't really have any "story" to accompany this post - and I'm kind of in a hurry because tonight is the season premiere of "Dexter" - so I'll just let y'all grab this album and give it a listen!

Track listing for Greatest Hits From The Movies (1972):

Side 1:
1. Love Theme from "The Godfather" - Andre Kostelanetz
2. (Where Do I Begin) Love Story - Johnny Mathis
3. Suicide is Painless (Main Title) - The MASH
4. Theme from "Summer of '42" - Peter Nero
5. Theme from "Z" - Eugene Ormandy and The Philadelphia Orchestra
6. Electronic Prelude - R. Strauss: Also Sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30 (Opening) - Eugene Ormandy and The Philadelphia Orchestra

Side 2:
1. Mrs. Robinson - Ray Conniff and The Singers
2. Love Theme from "Romeo and Juliet" - Percy Faith, His Orchestra and Chorus
3. Theme from "Shaft" - Percy Faith and His Orchestra
4. If I Were a Rich Man - Topol
5. Suddenly, It's All Tomorrow - O. C. Smith
6. Purcell: Music for the Funeral of Queen Mary - Maurice Peress and The Columbia Brass Ensemble

Sessions Presents 26 Original Hits (1978)

As we count down the last few hours of summer, I've decided to share a double-record set with you today. Remember those TV commercials that would advertise record compilations by a company called Sessions? Well, this is one of those albums - and I got it for $1 in the HBP bargain bin! It's a great album with some wonderful familiar hit songs from the late 1950s and early 1960s. And I really like the cover - with the old record player and 45s. Remember how fun it was to buy the latest record and invite your friends over to listen to it? And you would have an impromptu dance party after school? Kids today don't know what they're missing since they don't do that anymore!

I like all but one song on this double-album (I've never liked #3 on Side 1, and I particularly don't like this version - I've always found it annoying with his "oh, yeah!"). But the one song that I think I really, really like is "Born Too Late". The first time I heard it was around the time that David Cassidy became a big teen idol. He was 20 when "The Partridge Family" first came on TV, and I was 9. I developed a huge crush on him, and "Born Too Late" became the song that I would dedicate to him every time I listened to it. I still think of him when I hear it. Sigh.

Well, anyway, I think you should definitely download this and play it at your next Saturday night sock-hop! It'll bring back lots of wonderful memories!

Track listing for Sessions Presents 26 Original Hits:

Side 1:
1. My Happiness - Connie Francis
2. Tom Dooley - Kingston Trio
3. I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter - Billy Williams
4. Teenager in Love - Dion & The Belmonts
5. Born Too Late - Poni-Tails
6. Wayward Wind - Gogi Grant
7. Young Love - Sonny James

Side 2:
1. Bye Bye Love - Everly Brothers
2. Why Do Fools Fall in Love - Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers
3. It's Just a Matter of Time - Brook Benton
4. Tonight You Belong to Me - The Lennon Sisters with Lawrence Welk
5. I Hear You Knocking - Gale Storm
6. Don't Forbid Me - Pat Boone

Side 3:
1. Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare) - Domenico Modugno
2. To Know Him Is to Love Him - Teddy Bears
3. Smoke Gets in Your Eyes - The Platters
4. Ivory Tower - Cathy Carr
5. 26 Miles (Santa Catalina) - Four Preps
6. Green Door - Jim Lowe
7. Allegheny Moon - Patti Page

Side 4:
1. Tammy - Debbie Reynolds
2. Love Is a Many Splendored Thing - Four Aces
3. Broken Hearted Melody - Sarah Vaughan
4. Honeycomb - Jimmie Rodgers
5. Morning Side of the Mountain - Tommy Edwards
6. A Sweet Old-Fashioned Girl - Teresa Brewer

Summer Compilation Vol.2 (2008)

Happy Summer! I know it doesn't officially start until Friday, but I wanted to make sure that you start off your summer right with this new compilation I put together. I actually meant to post it last year (my first summer compilation was in 2006), but for some reason (that I don't know or remember), I didn't. So, I dusted it off, made some changes, and am now presenting it for your listening pleasure!

Summer is my very favorite time of the year. I have great memories of it from my childhood, and I love the hot weather. I know lots of people can't stand the heat, but it doesn't bother me at all. I remember as a little kid, we used to be just fine with fans in the house. My house didn't have central air, and it wasn't until we'd lived there a few years when my parents finally bought a couple of window units. Of course, those were also the days when it was perfectly safe to sleep with your windows open and leave your front doors unlocked. Those were also the days when it was perfectly safe for a little kid to walk (or ride a bike) alone down to the neighborhood candy store. We really had it made in those days, didn't we?

Anyway, I hope you like the songs I selected for this compilation. To download the first one I made, just click on the "summer" label and it'll bring it up. The link is still good.

Track listing for Summer Compilation Vol.2:

1. Summer Days - The Partridge Family
2. Can't Wait for Summer - Steve Lawrence
3. The Things We Did Last Summer - Jo Stafford
4. All Summer Long - The Beach Boys
5. Hot Summer Night - Les Baxter
6. Lazy Summer Night - Claudine Longet
7. The Green Leaves of Summer - The Brothers Four
8. Summer (The First Time) - Bobby Goldsboro
9. Summer Samba - Astrud Gilberto
10. The Door Into Summer - The Monkees
11. Summertime Dream - Gordon Lightfoot
12. Summertime - Sarah Vaughn
13. Groovy Summertime - The Love Generation
14. Summer Holiday - Cliff Richard
15. In the Good Old Summertime - Connie Francis
16. She's My Summer Girl - Jan and Dean
17. Summer Rain - Johnny Rivers
18. Summer Wine - Nancy Sinatra
19. Theme from 'A Summer Place' - The Lettermen
20. Summer Wind - Wayne Newton
21. Lost Summer Love - Shelley Fabares
22. Summer Means Fun - Bruce and Terry
23. Summer Love - Neil Diamond
24. Summertime Blues - Olivia Newton-John
25. Summer Means New Love - The Beach Boys
26. Summer Kisses Winter Tears - Elvis Presley
27. Summer is Over - Dusty Springfield

Father's Day Compilation

Happy Father's Day to all you dads out there! I know the day is almost over, but I hope you get a chance to download this and listen to the songs before the day is over. And for those whose dads have passed on (like mine), then I hope these songs bring back some happy memories of your time with your dad.

Most of my memories of Father's Day are either of my parents and me going to my uncle's house up valley, or my uncle and his family would come to our house. Whichever house we were at, we always had a cook-out (my father's favorite thing to do). After a meal of yummy steaks cooked on the grill, potato salad, and other delicious side dishes, my father and uncle would open their presents - usually ties, Old Spice or Brut cologne, and Arrow shirts. Those were the days...

Well, I hope you enjoy the songs I picked for this compilation. Some are very sentimental and moving, but there are also some fun ones. Enjoy!

Track listing for Father's Day Compilation:

Oh Dad, Poor Dad - Children's Chorus
Oh, My Pa-Pa - Eddie Fisher
Don't Cry Daddy - Elvis Presley & Lisa Marie Presley
That Silver Haired Daddy of Mine - Everly Brothers
A Father's Love - George Strait
Cat's in the Cradle - Harry Chapin
Papa's Got a Brand New Bag - James Brown
Daddy's Home - Jermaine Jackson
My Heart Belongs to Daddy - Julie London
Dance with My Father - Luther Vandross
Daddy - Pat Suzuki
My Dad - Paul Peterson
Papa Loves Mambo - Perry Como
Daddy Don't You Walk So Fast - Wayne Newton

Mother's Day Compilation

Happy Mother's Day to all you moms out there! I know the day is almost over, but I hope some of you get a chance to download this and play it for your mothers. Or, for those of you (like myself) whose mothers are no longer with you, play it for yourselves and remember your mothers with all the love they deserve.

Mother's Day is a bittersweet holiday for me, as my own mother passed away 15 years ago on Mother's Day. But I lovingly remember many a Mother's Day - my father and I going shopping for a card and present, going up-valley to my uncle's house and spending the day with his family. One of the traditions our family had on Mother's Day was to go to the cemetery and place flowers on my grandmothers' and great-grandmother's graves. I know that may sound odd to some of you, but I actually remember it with fondness - I think that's one reason why I have come to value my ancestors and heritage, thanks to my mother. In my adult years, after my father passed away, I moved away but I would take my mother out to lunch or dinner if one of us was visiting the other. I was lucky to have spent a week with my mother (she came to visit for a week) just a few days before she passed away.

So, I hope you like this compilation of songs (most of them seem to bring a tear to your eye).

Track listing for Mother's Day Compilation:

Mama - B.J. Thomas
Rock and Roll Lullaby - B.J. Thomas
Mama - Connie Francis
Que Sera, Sera - Doris Day
Mama Said - Dusty Springfield
You and Me Against the World - Helen Reddy
Mother of Mine - Jimmy Osmond
The Sweetest Gift - Linda Ronstadt
Mama Tried - Merle Haggard
Songs My Mother Loved - Milton Berle
Mother and Child Reunion - Paul Simon
Mother the Queen of My Heart - Ramblin' Jack Elliott
Mama Sang a Song - Walter Brennan
My Mother's Eyes - Willie Nelson

House and Home Compilation

Hey, y'all! I'm all moved from my apartment to my new house! Woo hoo! I've officially been in the house for almost three weeks now - spent my first night here on February 23. Last weekend, I moved the final "big" things (futon, bicycle) from my apartment, so now all I have left to do at the apartment is clean it. I still have to bring all my stuff up from my house in my hometown, but that's another story.

Anyway, in honor of my new house/home, I decided to put together a compilation of songs with the word "house" or "home" in the title. There's a variety on here - classic standards, instrumentals from movie soundtracks, rock, country - so I hope you like them. The house in the photo is actually my new house. It's what's referred to as a "mid-century modern", or a "1950's soft contemporary", or an "atomic ranch" house. The inside is really cool - interior brick walls, very open, vintage kitchen, vintage bath - and it is in pristine condition for a house built in 1959. I'm very excited about my new house and plan to be here a long, long time!

Track listing for House and Home Compilation (in order by artist):

1. House of Love - Amy Grant
2. The House - Bernard Herrmann
3. Come On-a My House - Bette Midler
4. Feels Like Home - Chantal Kreviazuk
5. Our House - Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young
6. Come On-a My House - Della Reese
7. I'm Coming Home Again - Dusty Springfield
8. Around the House - Ivor Osborne
9. The Old House - Jerome Moross
10. Little Pink Houses - John Cougar Mellencamp
11. Come On-a My House - Julie London
12. Our House - Madness
13. Come On-a My House - Rosemary Clooney
14. This Old House - Rosemary Clooney
15. Homeward Bound - Simon & Garfunkel
16. Home - Stephanie Mills
17. House of the Rising Sun - The Animals
18. In My House - The Mary Jane Girls
19. This Old House - The Oak Ridge Boys
20. I'm Going Home - Tim Curry
21. That's My House - Toby Keith
22. Every Light in the House is On - Trace Adkins
23. White Houses - Vanessa Carlton

Cool Yule Tunes - A Stax o' Wax Compilation

Well, this week I was putting together a compilation of some of my favorite Christmas tunes to burn to CD to give to my friend, Bradley, for Christmas. I finished it today (and gave it to him today so he was the first to listen to it), and now I want to share it with you all. Most of the tunes are familiar to you and you probably already have a lot of them, but you don't have them in this grouping! Anyway, I enjoy doing this so I hope this compilation brings you much joy. Hey, maybe you'll like it enough to play at your Christmas party!

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

1. Prologue - Bobby Sherman
2. My Christmas Card to You - The Partridge Family
3. Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree - Brenda Lee
4. A Holly Jolly Christmas - Burl Ives
5. Christmas Waltz - The Carpenters
6. The Christmas Song - Nat King Cole
7. Grown-up Christmas Wish - Amy Grant
8. Blue Christmas - Elvis Presley
9. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas - Judy Garland
10. Christmas Trumpets/We Wish You a Very Merry Christmas - Ray Anthony
11. Christmas Island - Bob Atcher & The Dinning Sisters
12. Mele Kalikimaka - Poncie Ponce
13. (Everybody's Waitin' For) The Man with the Bag - Kay Starr
14. Here Comes Santa Claus - Esquivel
15. Jingle Bells - Barbra Streisand
16. Jingle Bell Rock - Wayne Newton
17. Silver Bells - Doris Day
18. Frosty the Snowman - The Brady Bunch
19. Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer Mambo - Billy May
20. Happy Holiday - Peggy Lee
21. (There's No Place Like) Home for the Holidays - Robert Goulet
22. It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year - Andy Williams
23. Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow - Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gorme
24. Winter Wonderland - Johnny Mathis
25. Sleigh Ride - Jack Jones
26. Marshmallow World - Dean Martin
27. Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth - Bing Crosby & David Bowie
28. What Are You Doin' New Year's Eve - Donny Osmond

Live Long and Prosper

Well, this has truly been a sad month for me. Only two weeks after losing my beautiful Sabrina, my little guy, Mr.Spock, joined her in the big kitty condo in the sky (on my birthday, no less). Spock was an 18-year-old Manx, and I'd had him since he was 2 years old, when I adopted him from the Humane Society where I volunteered at the time. He and Sabrina were best buddies for 16 years, so I knew it wouldn't be long after she died that he would be joining her, especially since he'd been ill for almost 3 years. Diagnosed with chronic kidney disease, arthritis, and dementia at the end of 2004, the vet gave him maybe 2 months to live. But, Spock was quite the little fighter and just kept bouncing back after each of his crises. In the last year, he also developed some masses which most likely developed into lymphoma, which is what eventually caused his demise.

Besides the fact that he was so cute at the Humane Society, one of the reasons I fell in love with Mr.Spock was his name - I am quite the Star Trek fan. My little guy was the sweetest of my feline family - he never got into trouble and was always the most affectionate. In his later years, he was happiest when he was lying on my lap or chest, or when he was cuddled up next to his buddy, Sabrina. As with my other two cats, Stinkerbelle and Sabrina, I have made this compilation to honor him.

Most of this compilation consists of several versions of the theme from Star Trek the Original Series and some of the movies with the original cast, since those are the ones where Spock was a main character. Two vocal versions are included - and you'll understand after you listen to the lyrics why the theme was usually played as an instrumental - but the truly scary version is the one sung by Nichelle Nichols. Still, it's a must for any Star Trek collector or collector of "interesting" songs. I've also included the more sad tunes from "The Wrath of Khan", where Spock dies. Anyway, I hope you like this compilation that I dedicate to my cat, Mr.Spock. In my heart, he will always Live Long and Prosper...

Track listing for Live Long and Prosper Compilation:

1. Star Trek Main Title - from "The Cage" soundtrack
2. Theme from Star Trek - from Leonard Nimoy Presents Mr.Spock's Music from Outer Space
3. Star Trek Theme (end title) - from "The Cage" soundtrack
4. Star Trek Theme - The Secret Agents
5. Star Trek Main Title - from Star Trek the Original Series soundtrack
6. Theme from Star Trek (vocal) - Nichelle Nichols
7. Mr.Spock - from Star Trek the Original Series soundtrack
8. Theme from Star Trek - Van McCoy
9. Star Trek End Title - from Star Trek the Original Series soundtrack
10. Theme from Star Trek - The Galactic Force Band
11. Star Trek Theme - from Star Trek the Motion Picture soundtrack
12. Theme from Star Trek (vocal) - Project:Pimento
13. Spock's Arrival - from Star Trek the Motion Picture soundtrack
14. Theme from Star Trek - Jeff Wayne Space Shuttle
15. Spock Walk - from Star Trek the Motion Picture soundtrack
16. Star Trek Theme - Todd Rundgren and Utopia
17. Spock - from Star Trek II:The Wrath of Khan soundtrack
18. Star Trek Main Theme - Cincinatti Pops Orchestra
19. Spock's Death - from Star Trek II:The Wrath of Khan soundtrack
20. Spock's Funeral - from Star Trek II:The Wrath of Khan soundtrack
21. Prologue and Main Title - from Star Trek III:The Search for Spock
22. Star Trek TV Theme - with narration by William Shatner
23. Live Long and Prosper - Star Trek TV Quote by Mr.Spock