Frankie Laine - Rockin' (1957)

Wow! Frankie Laine was an awesome singer, but this album of his just knocked my socks off! It is really fabulous - Frankie at his best! Plus, he recorded it with Paul Weston and his orchestra - one of my favorite bandleaders. For this collection, "Rockin' Chair" was arranged by Russ Case, and Paul Weston made the arrangements for "That's My Desire", "West End Blues" and "Give Me a Kiss". All other arrangements were made by the great Billy May. So, how could you go wrong with that? I've heard many of these songs before, and it's really hard to pick a favorite. I guess, for tonight, my favorite is "Shine" - I'm just in a "Shine" kind of mood. But this whole album is great! Listen for yourselves!

Track listing for Frankie Laine - Rockin':

Side 1:
1. By the River Ste. Marie
2. So Black and Blue
3. That's My Desire
4. Blue Turning Grey Over You
5. That Lucky Old Sun
6. Baby, That Ain't Right

Side 2:
1. Shine
2. Rockin' Chair
3. We'll Be Together Again
4. West End Blues
5. Give Me a Kiss
6. On the Sunny Side of the Street

Sammy Kaye and his Orchestra - Music for Dancing (1957)

Here's one for you big band enthusiasts. This was released on the Camden label, which was the budget label for RCA, in 1957. But, after listening to it, I think these songs must've been recorded a lot earlier - they kind of have a 1930s sound to them. It could be, too, that they just sound that way because this is a mono recording. Regardless, there are a lot of familiar tunes on this album that are sure to bring a smile to your face. I like how Sammy would introduce the vocalists, like - "and now here are the Kaye-dettes to sing..." or "to sing this beautiful song is so-and-so..." Anyway, enjoy!

Track listing for Sammy Kaye - Music for Dancing:

Side 1:
1. Baby Face
2. Miss You
3. Let's Have Another Cup of Coffee
4. Begin the Beguine
5. Pretty Baby
6. You Call It Madness

Side 2:
1. Amapola
2. You Always Hurt the One You Love
3. Taboo
4. Taking a Chance On Love
5. South of the Border
6. I Understand

Pepe Jaramillo - Mexican Fiesta (1960)

Here's a very enjoyable record of Latin American rhythm! This is one of those records that I have no idea if it belonged to my mother, or if I bought it - I just don't remember. But, I like it. I would even call it a "lounge" or "exotica" record. One of the things I really like is that, on the back cover, it tells you what kind of dance that song is. I only know how to dance two of the dances listed (bolero and cha cha cha), but I'm willing to give the others a try. Now, this record was pretty beat up, and I ran it through the click removal several times, but there's still some clicks and pops, and several of the songs have skips (not that obvious) in them. But it really is still a nice album to listen to, and you'll find many of the songs quite familiar. If there is anyone out there who happens to have a better recording of this album, please do share it with us!

Track listing for Pepe Jaramillo - Mexican Fiesta:

Side 1:
1. Bolero: Green Eyes
2. Baion: Cachito
3. Bolero: The Breeze and I
4. Guaracha: Cachita
5. Cha Cha Cha: Amor
6. Beguine: Siboney
7. Cha Cha Cha: Sway

Side 2:
1. Bolero: South of the Border
2. Baion: El Choclo
3. Bolero: Stairway to the Sea
4. Cha Cha Cha: Torero
5. Beguine: To Be Or Not To Be
6. Son Mambo: Capullito de Aleli
7. Baion: The Man Who Plays the Mandolino

Bill Haley and The Comets - Rock 'n' Roll Revival (1971)

"One, two, three o'clock, four o'clock, rock!"

How many of you remember those first words of one of the greatest rock 'n' roll songs ever? Some of us remember that song from the movie "The Blackboard Jungle", others from 1950s AM radio, others from the first season of the television series "Happy Days". I was not around in the 1950s, but I was introduced to the 50s rock in 1973 by my seventh grade Texas history teacher, Brother Joseph Scanlon. I remember that it was the day before a holiday (Thanksgiving, I think), when no one has their mind on school work, and he brought in a portable record player and a record. He played it while the class did busy work - and I was completely blown over by the music. A short time after that, I watched "The Blackboard Jungle" on late night TV with my mom, and I thought I was being such a rebel because I listened to that crazy 50s rock. Isn't it great the way kids' minds work? And then, several years later, "Happy Days" came on the air and I was ecstatic.

Anyway, I think I must've bought this record from the HPB bargain bin a while back, because it's a promotional DJ copy (and where else would I be able to find a promotional DJ copy?). Bill Haley and the Comets are required for any rock 'n' roll collection, in my opinion. This album was released in 1971, when there was a resurgence or "revival" of 50s rock. I think Bill and his band must've rerecorded all these songs, because they sound a little different from the way I've heard them on other (older) albums. So, dig out those saddle shoes and poodle skirts and get ready to dance to this album!

Track listing for Bill Haley and The Comets - Rock 'n' Roll Revival:

Side 1:
1. Rock Around the Clock
2. Blue Suede Shoes
3. Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On
4. Kansas City
5. No Letter Today
6. Shake, Rattle and Roll

Side 2:
1. Crazy Man, Crazy
2. There's a New Moon Over My Shoulder
3. I'm In Love Again
4. Detour
5. Blueberry Hill
6. Stagger Lee

And here's a great video of Bill Haley and The Comets singing their signature song!

Geraldo and his Orchestra - Dance, Dance, Dance! (1958)

Woo hoo! As of today, I have passed 150,000 hits on my blog! Thanks so much to all of you who visit regularly, and welcome to those who are only now finding this blog! I love music and I am glad that I am able to share my records with you all!

Well, ever since I brought up my entire record collection from my other house, I have shared several records that once belonged to my mom. This is another one, and it was a gift from my Uncle Abel (my mom's younger brother) to my mom in the summer of 1959 (my mom scribbled this on the back of the album). My uncle also shared my mom's love of music, and I even have some of his old records (my aunt gave them to me after he died). Anyway, this album is great for dancing as each track is actually a medley of several songs lasting about 5 minutes or so. According to the album cover, there are "36 Dance Favorites in Hi-Fi". Geraldo was actually Gerald Bright, a British bandleader, who adopted the name "Geraldo" in 1930 to become one of the most popular dance-band leaders of the 1930s with his "sweet music" and his "Gaucho Tango Orchestra". He died in 1974 while on holiday in Switzerland.

So, put on your dancing shoes and "Dance, Dance, Dance!" to the music of Geraldo!

Track listing for Geraldo and his Orchestra - Dance, Dance, Dance!:

Side 1:
1. Dance Little Lady; All the Things You Are; Button Up Your Overcoat; The Way You Look Tonight; The Lady is a Tramp
2. The Merry Widow Waltz; Falling in Love with Love; The Blue Danube Waltz
3. Long Ago (And Far Away); Dearly Beloved; You Were Never Lovelier; Love Walked In
4. Nice Work If You Can Get It; The Best Things in Life Are Free; Shall We Dance; A Fine Romance; You're the Cream in My Coffee

Side 2:
1. It's Delovely; Easy to Love; I Won't Dance; I Love Paris; In the Still of the Night
2. Lovely to Look At; We'll Gather Lilacs; Can I Forget You; There's a Small Hotel
3. Carioca; Cherry Pink Mambo; April in Portugal; Mu Cha Cha; My Heart Belongs to Daddy
4. The World is Waiting for the Sunrise; Why Do I Love You; I'm Old-Fashioned; On Your Toes; You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To

Here's a video of Geraldo and his Gaucho Tango Orchestra in 1932:

Percy Faith - Viva! (1957)

Hola, amigos! (Yes, I am fluent in Spanish, but I'll continue the rest in English.) Today's offering is another album of my mother's that I grew up listening to. My mom belonged to the Columbia House record club (I later belonged to it - the apple doesn't fall far from the tree), and she bought lots of cool records, most of which I have now. My mom loved Percy Faith, so I have several of his records. Although this album was released in 1957, I don't think my mom bought it until 1959 because on the back of the album cover she wrote her name and '1959' (my mom liked to scribble notes on the backs of her record albums). So, take another trip down memory lane and give a listen to this "Music from Mexico" album from Percy Faith and his orchestra!

Track listing for Percy Faith - Viva!:

Side 1:
1. Granada
2. La Golondrina (The Swallow)
3. La Cucaracha (The Mexican Cockroach Song)
4. Chiapanecas (The Mexican Hand-Clapping Song)
5. Estrellita (My Little Star)
6. El Rancho Grande (My Ranch)
7. La Paloma (The Dove)

Side 2:
1. Be Mine Tonight (Noche de Ronda)
2. Mexican Hat Dance (Jarabe Tapatio)
3. Guadalajara
4. Zandunga; Jesusita en Chihuahua (The Dancing Donkey)
5. Cuanto Le Gusta
6. Solamente Una Vez (You Belong to My Heart)

Rick Ely (1970)

Does anyone out there remember a very short-lived television series called "The Young Rebels"? Or the handsome star, Rick Ely (wasn't he just dreamy?), who played "Jeremy Larkin" on the show? Well, here's a record from my celebrity vocal collection that I forgot I even had! I searched for this for a long time and finally found it on eBay a few years ago (sealed!), listened to it once, and forgot about it. So, I thought this would be a real treat (depending on how you look at it).

I never watched an episode of the show - it came and went pretty fast - but I do vaguely remember watching commercials for it. And I do remember Rick Ely from the teen magazines like Tiger Beat and 16 (okay, I still have a few of those). He wasn't one of my "faves" back then (I was more in the David Cassidy and Donny Osmond crowd), but when I bought some old teen magazines on eBay a few years ago, and some of them had pictures and articles about him, I developed a bit of a crush on him - well, a crush on the guy in the pictures from 38 years ago anyway (I'm thinking he must be in his early sixties now). I don't know what happened to him after that except that he was on a soap opera for a while. But then... nothing. So, if anyone out there can give me an update on Rick Ely (also went by Richard Ely and Richard K. Weber), I would love it! I know there are other Rick Ely fans out there who would like to know whatever happened to him.

This album is the only album he recorded, that I know of. He did release a single off it - "Circle Game" - but it wasn't a top-40 hit, although I think I read that it enjoyed some modest play in Hawaii. His voice reminds me a little of Bobby Sherman - easy, laid-back, mellow - and I find it rather pleasant. You'll recognize most of the songs, too, as it's mostly covers (I think just about everybody has recorded "Your Song"). I even have a suggestion for a double-play - download this one and the album by Peggy Lipton (who is still HOT), and you'll have a nice double-album to burn to a CD. So, go back to 1970 and listen to Rick sing.

Track listing for Rick Ely:

Side 1:
1. Circle Game
2. Up On the Roof
3. The Other Side of Life
4. Something
5. Make It With You

Side 2:
1. Morning Girl
2. Your Song
3. The Last Thing On My Mind
4. The Fool On the Hill

De Vol - The Theme from Peyton Place and 11 Other Great Themes (1965)

This is yet another treasure from the HPB bargain bin! I think most of us are familiar with the music of Frank De Vol. We've heard it in lots of movies and lots of television series. Well, this album has some great movie and TV themes as played by Frank De Vol and his orchestra (but couldn't they have thought of a better, shorter album title?). He co-wrote three of the themes on this album - "My Three Sons" (one of my all-time favorites), "Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte", and "Give Me a Souvenir". And I absolutely love his arrangement of the theme from "Peyton Place" - one of my favorite TV shows when I was a very little girl (I barely remember it). And "Combat" - I LOVE this TV show, and watch it every evening on the ALN channel. When I was a little girl, my father bought me a plastic tommy gun and I used to play "Combat" in our backyard, hiding behind the bushes and waiting to ambush the enemy. "Bewitched" - always loved Elizabeth Montgomery as Samantha! Anyway, I hope you enjoy this album as much as I did!

Track listing for De Vol - The Theme from Peyton Place and 11 Other Great Themes:

Side 1:
1. Theme from Peyton Place (For Those Who Are Young)
2. The Addams Family
3. The Rogues Theme
4. Sunday Night at the Movies
5. Show Street
6. Combat

Side 2:
1. Bewitched
2. General Hospital
3. My Three Sons
4. Give Me a Souvenir
5. Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte
6. Hollywood Palace (Put On a Happy Face)

Frankie Carle - The Golden Touch (1960)

Well, this album really brought back memories for me. This is one of the albums that my mom played a lot when I was growing up. I'd forgotten about it until I started going through my albums to see which one to post tonight. As soon as the first song started playing, I was taken back in time to my living room in my childhood home (which I still own, but it's been remodeled so it doesn't look the same). Once again, I was a little girl playing with my Barbies or coloring in one of my coloring books, while my mother listened to this record. I even remember that I would always ask her which one of the serenades (Sunrise or Penthouse) was which - I always got them mixed up. I was also pleasantly surprised at how well this album sounded - very little clicks and pops considering that my mom played it a lot. She even marked the back cover - there are plus (+) signs by "Deep Purple" and "Diane", a note by "Diane" that says "from Seventh Heaven" (a movie), and two check marks by "Falling Leaves" (I guess she really liked it). So, it was kinda neat to listen to this, and to see my mom's scribbles on the back cover. I hope you like this album as much as I - the songs are great and it's wonderful piano music to listen to!

Track listing for Frankie Carle - The Golden Touch:

Side 1:
1. Roses in the Rain
2. Deep Purple
3. Diane
4. Falling Leaves
5. Missouri Waltz
6. The Golden Touch (of Love)

Side 2:
1. Sweet and Lovely
2. Sunrise Serenade
3. A Lover's Lullaby
4. Penthouse Serenade
5. If You Were the Only Girl
6. Rumors Are Flying

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

Harry Belafonte - Belafonte (1956)

I really like Harry Belafonte, and I wish I had a better copy of this album. But, I haven't been able to find a posting of it, so I thought I would go ahead and record and post my copy. I ran it through the click removal five times, but there is still noise, and several of the songs have skips. So, if anyone out there has a better copy, please post it and let me know!

This is one of Harry's early albums (I think it was his second), and the liner notes say that "most of the songs in this collection will be familiar to all". Well, I've only heard three of them, but the entire album is good. As the liner notes say, "great folk themes are immortal and timeless". The three songs that I'm familiar with (and thus my favorites on the album) are "Matilda" (makes me want to sing along), "Scarlet Ribbons" (it's so sweet it always makes me cry), and "Unchained Melody" (always a beautiful song). I hope you like these songs, and the rest of the album!

Track listing for Harry Belafonte - Belafonte (link has been deleted - go buy CD on Amazon):

Side 1:
1. Water Boy
2. Troubles
3. Suzanne (Every Night When the Sun Goes Down)
4. Matilda
5. Take My Mother Home

Side 2:
1. Noah
2. Scarlet Ribbons (For Her Hair)
3. In That Great Gettin' Up Mornin'
4. Unchained Melody
5. Jump Down, Spin Around
6. Sylvie


BTW, the last four records (and this one) were recorded on my new ION USB turntable! I got the TTUSB05 and it works great! Also, I haven't received any comments on Sharlene Sharp. Doesn't anyone out there have any info on her or Sonny Look???

Barclay Allen - Latin and American Piano Rhythms (1957)

Here's an album cover with a couple of beauties! (I'm kind of partial to the blonde - she's so perky!) And the tunes are familiar standards performed by "one of America's foremost piano virtuosos", Barclay Allen. Allen was a pianist and bandleader whose brilliant career was tragically cut short by an auto accident. He was a mainstay with the Freddy Martin band before forming his own highly successful orchestra. He became popular for his Latin-esque theme song, ''Cumana,'' which he co-wrote with Harold Spina and Roc Hillman. In 1949 Allen was paralyzed when he lost control of his car while driving all night between performances. This copy of the album has had its share of being played a lot, and I tried to remove the clicks and pops the best I could, but it still has some noise. Also, the first song on the second side has some skips. But, I think it's still well worth a listen - Barclay Allen could really tickle the ivories!

Track listing for Barclay Allen - Latin and American Piano Rhythms:

Side 1:
1. Cumana
2. It Happened in Havana
3. September Song
4. At the Crossroads
5. Green Eyes
6. My Adobe Hacienda

Side 2:
1. The Whole World is Singing My Song
2. Old Lamplighter
3. Stardust
4. Linda
5. For Sentimental Reasons
6. That's My Desire

Sonny Look Presents Sharlene Sharp - Rare and Well Done

Well, here's a doozy of an album cover! My friends, Dan and Bradley, gave me this record this past Christmas, and they said they chose it because it was such a weird cover. They know me too well. I have to admit I was a little afraid to play this record for fear that it would be absolutely awful, but today I decided to record it for the blog and it's not as bad as I thought. I'm not saying it's wonderful - I'm just saying it's not as bad as I feared. But the cover makes up for it! Who the heck thought up this cover??? You can tell that Sharlene is pasted in there - she's not really sitting on that horse! And what's with the jousting outfit on the horse? Poor thing looks like he's one of the horses at Medieval Times. It's a pretty funky cover, all right - I'll be framing it and hanging it in my entryway - I'm serious!

I have absolutely no idea who Sharlene Sharp is (I'm assuming she's still with us), and I could find no information about her on the internet. But I did find out that Sonny Look had a famous restaurant in Houston called the Sir Loin Restaurant and Club, and that he died in 2003. I figure that Sharlene must've been an entertainer at his restaurant and he thought she was just wonderful so he had her record this album. The only other information I have on this album is that the liner notes were written by Mel Arvin (must've been a local Houston celebrity), and that the album was recorded by ACA Recording Studios in Houston. I don't know what year it was recorded but I'm thinking the late 60s, since "Sunny" was a Top-40 hit in 1966. If anyone has any info they can share about Sharlene and/or Sonny, please post a comment!

So, give old Sharlene a listen. Maybe (if she's still with us) we can track her down and convince her to come out of retirement and record another album.

Track listing for Sharlene Sharp - Rare and Well Done:

Side 1:
1. Your Nobody Till Somebody Loves You - (notice the misspelling of "you're" - but I put it the way it's on the album)
2. Where Are You?
3. Meditation
4. Might as Well Be Spring
5. Since I Fell for You
6. Hey Look Me Over

Side 2:
1. Born to Lose
2. Your Gonna Hear from Me - (again, "you're" is misspelled)
3. Masquerade is Over
4. Trolly Song - ("trolley" is misspelled)
5. There's a Tree in the Meadow
6. Sunny

Ethel Smith - Rhythm Antics!

Here's another gem from the HPB bargain bin. I'd never heard of Ethel Smith, but I love organ music and I couldn't resist the hilarious album cover - it just cracks me up! I have since found out who Ethel Smith was (good write-up on Space Age Pop), and have added this album as a must-play for my housewarming party. This is a great album to play at your next happy hour or cocktail party!

Track listing for Ethel Smith - Rhythm Antics!:

Side 1:
1. Desafinado
2. I've Got Your Number
3. What is This Thing Called Love
4. Rhythm Antics
5. Diga Diga Doo
6. Makin' Whoopee

Side 2:
1. By the Light of the Silvery Moon
2. Carioca
3. Ooh That Kiss
4. Moanin'
5. It Ain't Necessarily So
6. Baia

Here's a video of Ethel Smith (accompanied by a bevy of beauties!) playing her hit "Tico Tico":

Discotheque - The Discotheque Dance Album (1966)

Well, I finally did the Big Move of my furniture and stuff up from my old house to my new house over Memorial Day weekend. It was the drive from hell. It usually takes 8 to 9 hours to drive from Brownsville (the very bottom tip of Texas) to Dallas, but I was driving a 16-foot Budget truck (a piece of crap) and knew it would take longer. Well, when the truck started rocking from side to side in San Antonio, I knew it was not a good sign and had to drive even slower. I ended up stopping in Waco and calling a friend to drive down from Dallas to drive the truck the rest of the way. My friend said it was good that I stopped driving because there was something wrong with the front stabilizer, or something like that. But, he had driven big rigs so he knew how to handle trucks that drive bad. Anyway, I left Brownsville at 8 AM (with my teenage cousin to accompany me) and didn't get to Dallas until 11 PM - big fun. But, I have my stuff now - including the rest of my record collection! Woo hoo!

One of the albums I brought back is the one I've chosen for today's post. I liked the cover art and the name of the album, so that's why I bought it. It's an album of groovy instrumental hits performed by an all-star orchestra that includes Tony Mottola, Doc Severinsen, Dick Hyman, Bob Haggart, and is directed by Bobby Byrne. According to the liner notes, it is "played for continuous dancing discotheque style... the frug, the watusi, the swim, the fly, the twine, the hammer, the Prince Charlie, you name it..." Now, I've heard of the first three, but not the rest - and I have no idea how to dance any of them! But, it's a fun record to listen to, and also one to play at your next dance party! So, break out the cocktails and party dip, and prepare yourselves for "an unforgettably VIVID musical experience!"

Track listing for The Discotheque Dance Album:

Side 1:
1. A Taste of Honey
2. I'm Henry VIII, I Am
3. St. Louis Blues
4. I'm Telling You Now
5. Old Devil Moon
6. Mr. Tambourine Man

Side 2:
1. Bathtub Saturday Night
2. King of the Road
3. Gonna Build a Mountain
4. My Girl Sloopy (Hang On Sloopy)
5. Tonight
6. Baby Love

Eydie Gorme - More Amor (1965)

Y'all have probably figured out by now that I love Eydie Gorme, thanks to my mother playing the "Amor" and "More Amor" albums when I was growing up. Well, one of my early posts was the "Amor" album (click on the Eydie Gorme label to get all her posts), so now I'm finally getting around to posting "More Amor" (or "Mas Amor", depending which part of the world you are from). If you download both of these albums, you can easily burn them together to one CD! Eydie recorded both of these albums with the famous Mexican trio, the Trio Los Panchos. (I think I may have an album by them, and I'll post it if I do.) Once again, Eydie's voice is inspiring and beautiful as she is accompanied by the melodious guitars and harmonies of Los Panchos. This is a must!

Track listing for Eydie Gorme - More Amor:

Side 1:
1. Vereda Tropical (Tropical Trail)
2. Cuatro Vidas (Four Lives)
3. No Te Vayas Sin Mi (Don't Leave Without Me)
4. Mas Amor (More Love)
5. Desesperadamente (Desperately)
6. Guitarra Romana (Roman Guitar)

Side 2:
1. Oracion Caribe (Caribbean Prayer)
2. Flores Negras (Black Flowers)
3. Mala Noche (Evil Night)
4. Fuego Bajo Tu Piel (Fire Under Your Skin)
5. Luna Lunera (Bright Moon)
6. Nochecita (Little Night)

Paul Mauriat - Blooming Hits (1968)

Here's another album with a humdinger of a cover! Wow! I can definitely say that it was the cover that first grabbed my attention. I wonder what ever became of the girl on the cover...

Anyway, this is a great album! It's just perfect to play on a lazy spring or summer day - like today! I think it got up to close to 90 degrees in Dallas today - nice and sunny, barely a breeze, a beautiful day! It was the kind of day to just lie on the couch, or hammock, or outdoor lounger, and relax and listen to great music such as this. So, grab a cool drink, take it easy, and give it a listen.

Track listing for Paul Mauriat - Blooming Hits:

Side 1:
1. Somethin' Stupid
2. Penny Lane
3. This is My Song
4. Seuls Au Monde (Alone in the World)
5. Inch Allah

Side 2:
1. (There's a) Kind of Hush
2. Puppet on a String
3. L'Amour Est Bleu (Love is Blue)
4. Adieu a la Nuit (Adieu to the Night)
5. Mama

Lorne Greene - The Man (1965)

Here's one of my favorites from my celebrity albums! I have several Lorne Greene albums, and I posted the "Bonanza Ponderosa Party Time" album before. I also have one by Dan Blocker that I'll get around to posting. If anyone has anything by Pernell Roberts, I'd love for you to share it! :-)

I grew up watching "Bonanza" - and "Gunsmoke", "The High Chapparral", "The Big Valley", "The Virginian", "The Rifleman", "Branded", "Laredo", and many others! If it was a western or a war show (like "Combat!" or "The Rat Patrol"), then I watched it with my father. Those were the days when a home had only one TV (two TVs meant you were "rich"), and I even remember when we got a COLOR TV! My father would sit in his vinyl recliner and I would sit next to him in my little rocking chair. Oh - and I was the remote control, too! Well, I'm just glad I have cable TV and get the Encore Westerns channel and American Life Network - I get to watch a lot of these old shows and relive happy memories of my childhood.

Listening to this album also brings back pleasant memories of an era gone by. Henry Mancini wrote the liner notes and here's a snippet:

I like this album! It's a steel-drivin', mountain-movin' album full of exciting hammer-swingin', rock-splittin' rhythms....
Everybody knows Lorne Greene. Sure...he's the Big Boss of the Ponderosa Ranch on TV's "Bonanza," but that's NOT the Lorne Greene I'm talking about. In this album he takes off his shirt and bends these great work songs in his bare hands like some kind of way-out giant. In every groove there's pure, naked virility that will give your loudspeaker a real traumatic shock. There's bone, muscle and guts in these songs....

Okay - you get the idea! So, give it a listen! Lorne Greene is, indeed, The Man!


Track listing for Lorne Greene - The Man:

Side 1:
1. Pop Goes the Hammer
2. End of Track
3. Nine Pound Hammer
4. Bring on the Dancin' Girls
5. Oh! What a Town
6. Fourteen Men

Side 2:
1. Destiny
2. Sixteen Tons
3. Trouble Row
4. Chickasaw Mountain
5. Darling, My Darling
6. The Man

Here's a hilarious clip of Lorne Greene with Dean Martin:

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