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

Walter Brennan - The Country Heart of Walter Brennan (1966)

Been in a Walter Brennan mood lately, so I thought I'd share this album. Love him. Love his movies, TV shows, and the way he "spoke" on his albums. He spoke with such emotion that listening to his albums always brings a tear to my eye. "Scarlet Ribbons" does it for me on this album. Here's some of what the liner notes say:

Somewhere between outer space and the inner man stands Walter Brennan. There's a bit of earth and heaven in the way he reaches into all of us with a sprightly tug at the heart, a friendly chuckle or the shedding of a warm tear now and then. ... Walter Brennan is all of us put together as he tells us many things that we already know, but perhaps have neglected to ponder on for some time.

Track listing for The Country Heart of Walter Brennan:

Side 1:
1. Keep A Movin' Old Man
2. Cotton-Eyed Joe
3. Old Courthouse
4. Detroit City
5. Waiting for a Train

Side 2:
1. Moon Wanderer
2. Don't Go Near the Indians
3. Scarlet Ribbons
4. The Sound of Silence
5. Tennessee Stud

Walter Brennan - Dutchman's Gold (1960)

Here's another from my "celebrity vocals" collection. I absolutely adored Walter Brennan in all the westerns and Disney movies he was in. Of course, he didn't really sing on his albums... he spoke the lyrics with the music as background. I guess you could say he was "rapping" - wow, he was a "rap" pioneer! Who knew?

Anyway, I really do like listening to Walter's albums. Some people might say they're pretty corny, but I like corny. And you can bet that some of the songs, like "Old Shep", bring a tear to my eye. ("Old Rivers" makes me cry every time!) I think one of the reasons that I like Walter's albums is that they remind me of simpler times. I'm often nostalgic for simpler times. Sigh. Something of note for this album is that the orchestra and chorus were conducted by Billy Vaughn!

Track listing for Walter Brennan - Dutchman's Gold:

Side 1:
1. Dutchman's Gold
2. Life Gits Tee-Jus, Don't It?
3. The Shifting Whispering Sands Part I
4. The Shifting Whispering Sands Part II
5. Six Feet Away

Side 2:
1. I Believe
2. Back To The Farm
3. Tribute To A Dog
4. Old Shep
5. Suppertime

Walter Brennan - 'Twas the Night Before Christmas...Back Home (1962)

Here's an album from one of my favorites - Walter Brennan! I don't know why, but I just loved this man - in all his movies, in his TV shows, and on record (I have several of his albums!). My favorites of his songs are "Old Rivers" and "Old Shep" - they both bring me to tears because they're so sad and he was such a good story teller. For those of you who aren't familiar with Walter's recordings, he didn't sing - he spoke along to background music and sometimes background singers. Walter just seemed like such a nice man - sort of like a kindly grandfather. And his voice was perfect for telling stories, especially sad or sentimental ones - something about the timbre of his voice, I guess. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this Christmas album - "Just Three Letters for Christmas" will be sure to bring a tear to your eye.

Track listing for Walter Brennan - 'Twas the Night Before Christmas...Back Home:

Side 1:
1. White Christmas
2. Just Three Letters for Christmas
3. A Farmer's Christmas Prayer
4. Henry Had a Merry Christmas
5. Old Time Christmas Stories
6. (There's No Place Like) Home for the Holidays

Side 2:
1. Silent Night
2. Christmas Together
3. Let the Bells Ring Out
4. A Good Year for Santa Claus
5. O Come All Ye Faithful