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!
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
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
I see that the final episode for the "new" "Battlestar Galactica" series is going to be airing soon. So, I thought now might be a good time to post the soundtrack for the original "real" "Battlestar Galactica". I absolutely loved the original series (have never watched the new one) and have been lucky to meet several of the stars at sci-fi conventions - Richard Hatch (Apollo), Dirk Benedict (Starbuck - for whom one of my cats is named), Anne Lockhart (Lt. Sheba), and Herbert Jefferson Jr. (Lt. Boone). I have their autographed pictures hanging on my home office wall as part of my "Wall of Fame", and I was able to have my picture taken with them! (I tend to be very star struck.)
The reason I bought this soundtrack was really just for the theme song, but the one song sung by the Space Angels is pretty hilarious. Funny how disco music made its way to outer space. I believe this soundtrack is from the pilot episode, although I couldn't really tell you for sure. I just remember how much I really liked the show and all the stars, the ones mentioned above plus Lorne Greene as Adama. And the pilot also had Jane Seymour and Rick Springfield! I also remember watching the second series, "Galactica 1980", but all I remember from that one was that it starred Kent McCord (from "Adam 12" fame). All music (except the one noted) was performed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Stu Phillips, who was also the composer. Enjoy!
Side 1: 1. Main Title: Theme from "Battlestar Galactica" 2. Destruction of Peace 3. Fighter Launch 4. Adama's Theme 5. Exploration/Theme from "Battlestar Galactica" 6. The Cylon Base Ship (Imperious Leader) 7. Cassiopia and Starbuck 8. End of the Atlantia
Side 2: 1. The Cylon Trap 2. Boxey's Problem - Serena's Illness 3. The Red Nova 4. Suffering 5. The Casino on Carillon "It's Love, Love, Love" - performed by The Space Angels 6. Escape from the Ovion Mines 7. Dash to the Elevator 8. "Let's Go Home" - End Title
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
I thought I'd do a little change of pace today and post one of my soundtracks. I know that Halloween is still a little over a month away, but I thought I'd start getting in the mood by posting "The Original Music From ABC-TV's Dark Shadows". This is the first album of music from the show (I think there were four, because I also have number 4), from 1969. This album originally came with a poster of Barnabas and Quentin, but I bought this at an estate sale, and unfortunately, the poster was long gone - probably hung in some 1960's teen-age girl's room until she moved on to other faves.
The show started in 1966 and it was my absolute favorite TV show when I was a little girl. I became a horror movie/show fan at the tender age of 4, when I saw "The Brain That Wouldn't Die" on TV, so when "Dark Shadows" came on the air, I was ecstatic. All my friends liked the show - we would even play "Dark Shadows" during recess at school (this was first through third grades). I had the honor of being "Barnabas" - it was all girls (it was a co-ed school, but at that age, we didn't play with boys) so we played both the male and female parts. Oh - the reason I got to be "Barnabas" was because I had the pointiest teeth (the cuspids or bi-cuspids - I don't know which). Problem was that the girl who was "Josette" was much taller than I was (I was one of the "pee wees" of the class), so it was a little difficult to bite her neck (I really got into character). I also sometimes would be "Quentin" - don't remember what qualified me for that role...maybe my wild hair. But, hey - I got to be the main characters - pretty good!
I have many memories of the show and the two movies (of course, I went and saw them at the theatre when they came out!), and I have many favorite characters (my mother was even impressed because Joan Bennett was in the show). Besides Barnabas and Quentin, my favorite was Angelique. What a beautiful woman - and so evil! I also liked the werewolf a lot (can't remember who that was). Note to self: I really need to buy the DVD collection.
Anyway, I can go on and on about this show, but I'll stop (for now), and let you download the album. It'll be great to play as background music for your Halloween party! BTW, the two "Blue Whale" tunes are pretty groovy and you can dance to them!
Track listing for The Original Music from Dark Shadows:
Side 1: 1. Opening Themes: 1. Dark Shadows 2. Collinwood 2. I'll Be With You, Always - Narration by Jonathan Frid 3. Josette's Theme 4. A Darkness at Collinwood 5. Meditations - Narration by Jonathan Frid 6. Night of the Pentagram 7. When I Am Dead - Narration by Jonathan Frid 8. No. 1 at the Blue Whale
Side 2: 1. Shadows of the Night (Quentin's Theme) - Narration by David Selby 2. The Secret Room 3. Epitaph - Narration by Jonathan Frid 4. Seance 5. I, Barnabas - Narration by Jonathan Frid 6. Back at the Blue Whale 7. The Old House 8. 1. Epilogue 2. Dark Shadows
And, just to remind you of the opening sequence, here's the color one used from 1967 to 1971:
One of my favorite movies of all time is "An Affair to Remember", starring Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr. And, yes, I do cry each and every time I see it. Actually, I start crying before the sad or sentimental parts even start! And sometimes even just talking about the movie and the sad or sentimental parts will start me crying. I'm as bad as Rita Wilson was in "Sleepless in Seattle" when she was describing the movie. This is one of the movies that my mother introduced me to when I was growing up, and we would often watch it together when it was on TV. I also grew up listening to this soundtrack, so this record has been played A LOT. This record belonged to my mother (I believe she bought it in 1957, when it came out), so it is now 50 years old! Wow! The cover is quite worn, and you'll still hear quite a bit of clicks and pops (especially on side 2) even though I ran it through the click and pop removal software. But, Vic Damone still sounds loud and clear on the title song (make me swoon!).
Other info about this album... Lionel Newman conducting the 20th Century-Fox Orchestra and Chorus; Music - Harry Warren; Lyrics - Harold Adamson and Leo McCary (the director of the film); Incidental Music - Hugo Friedhofer; Soloist - Marni Nixon; title song sung by Vic Damone. Harry Warren, Harold Adamson, Leo McCary, and Hugo Friedhofer were all Academy Award winners for various other works. The title song was nominated for Best Song at the 1957 Academy Awards but didn't win ("All the Way" from "The Joker is Wild" won instead). Hugo Friedhofer was also nominated that year for Best Score for "An Affair to Remember", but Malcolm Arnold won for "The Bridge on the River Kwai". "An Affair to Remember" had two other nominations - Cinematography and Costume Design - but didn't get those either.
Track listing for An Affair to Remember OST:
Side 1: 1. Main Title - An Affair to Remember (Our Love Affair) - vocal by Vic Damone 2. Continue - instrumental 3. "Villefranche" and "In the Chapel" - instrumental 4. Tomorrowland - vocal and instrumental 5. Pink Champagne - instrumental 6. Revelation - instrumental 7. You Make It Easy to Be True - instrumental 8. Proposal - instrumental
Side 2: 1. Continue - vocal and instrumental 2. Night Club Affair - vocal and instrumental 3. Empire State Montage - instrumental 4. Return to Villefranche - vocal and instrumental 5. Tiny Scout (He Knows You Inside Out) - children's chorus 6. Ballet - instrumental 7. End Title - An Affair to Remember (Our Love Affair) - chorus and instrumental
Hope y'all had a great Thanksgiving holiday! Now that we're officially in the Christmas season, I'll be posting Christmas albums until Christmas. To start off, I decided to post the soundtrack to the Hallmark Hall of Fame Special, "The Littlest Angel", from 1969. This TV special starred Johnnie Whitaker (Jody on "Family Affair") and Fred Gwynne (Herman on "The Munsters"), with appearances by Cab Calloway, Tony Randall, Connie Stevens, E.G. Marshall, John McGiver, and George Rose. I remember watching this when I was a little kid and loving it! I don't know when they stopped showing it on TV, but a Google search revealed that it is available on DVD (I currently have a bid on a copy on eBay). Johnnie Whitaker was such a cutie-pie in this special, and on "Family Affair". Later on, he starred in the Sid & Marty Krofft show, "Sigmund and the Sea Monsters", and in several Disney movies. (At a later date, I'll be sure to post the album he recorded when he was on "Sigmund".) Hope y'all enjoy this!
Side 1:
1. I'm Master of All I Survey (Johnnie Whitaker & Chorus)
2. Where Am I (Johnnie Whitaker & Chorus)
3. The Heavenly Ever After (Cab Calloway & Chorus)
4. Where is Blue (Johnnie Whitaker & Fred Gwynne)
5. You Can Fly (Connie Stevens & Angel Chorus)
6. Once Upon Another Time (Fred Gwynne)
Side 2:
1. You're Not Real (Tony Randall & Corinna Manetto)
2. What Do You Do (Fred Gwynne)
3. I Have Saved (Johnnie Whitaker & Chorus)
4. I Bring You Good Tidings (Angel Chorus)
5. May It Bring Him Pleasure (Angel Chorus)
6. I Have Saved - Reprise (Johnnie Whitaker)
The music that is shared here is old and assumed to be out-of-print or otherwise not easily available for purchase. It is shared here to educate others about the artists and their music; there is no commercial purpose involved. Should anybody holding a copyright claim to any of these materials object to their presence here, please post a comment, and I will promptly remove the download link.
