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!

Fred Astaire Dance Studio Orchestra - Merengues and Mambos (1959)

This is another of the records I bought when I began ballroom dancing. I know I bought it because it was the Fred Astaire Dance Studio Orchestra, and the first studio I danced at was a Fred Astaire Dance Studio here in Dallas! Unfortunately, there aren't any more Fred Astaire Dance Studios in Dallas - they all closed (although I think there are some in the Houston area). Anyway, I especially liked the latin dances, and mambo is my very favorite. I bought this at my favorite place (Half-Price Books), and the free dance instruction booklet was long gone. Oh, well. Anyway, if you like to mambo or merengue, then you need this album!

Track listing for Fred Astaire Dance Studio Orchestra - Merengues and Mambos:

Side 1:
1. The Ingenue Mambo
2. Timbales Mambo
3. El Guapo
4. The Panther Mambo
5. Top Hat Mambo
6. Mambo Loco

Side 2:
1. Merengue Merengue
2. Haitian Merengue
3. Pineapple Merengue
4. Hop Skip Merengue
5. Sliding Merengue
6. Si Si Merengue

Xavier Cugat and His Orchestra - The King Plays Some Aces (1958)

This is one of the early additions to my record collection. Before 1987, the records I bought were the rock, soft rock, and pop that was popular at the time. Sure, I had grown up listening to my mom's big band and easy listening records, but I certainly didn't buy that kind of music. Until 1987, that is. In 1987, I accidentally discovered a local radio station that played "big bands and great singers". At first, I was angry that someone had messed with my radio at work, but as I heard the songs, I realized how cool it was. Then I entered a radio contest and won some free ballroom dance lessons. The world of music just opened up to me and I started working on my current record collection. (Needless to say, my mother was very happy that I now liked "real" music - like the kind she liked.) So, my early purchases were mostly big band or the kind of music that we danced to at the dance studio. The latin dances became my forte, so I started buying a lot of records of latin dance music. Of course, I had to buy some Xavier Cugat records! Again, before this the only thing I knew about Xavier Cugat was that Charo was married to him, because she would often comment about him, and that he was much older than she was. Oh, and something about him carrying around a little Chihuahua dog. When I finally bought one of his records (at HPB, of course!), it was this one, and I was hooked. I do love me some Cugat!

Track listing for Xavier Cugat - The King Plays Some Aces:

Side 1:
1. Oye Negra
2. Danse des Mirlitons
3. Carioca
4. Night Must Fall
5. Linda Mujer
6. Cuban Mambo

Side 2:
1. Green Eyes
2. Chiu Chiu
3. Danse Arabe
4. Baia
5. Mambo No. 5
6. Adios

Nat King Cole and The Trio - After Midnight (1956)

Yet another gem I rescued from the HPB bargain bin - and what a gem it is! This is an absolutely awesome record. I mean, how can you go wrong with Nat King Cole? And I really liked it when he performed with the Trio. Superb. I think I've said it all. If you don't already have this album, get it now!

Track listing for Nat King Cole and The Trio - After Midnight:

Side 1:
1. Just You, Just Me
2. Sweet Lorraine
3. Sometimes I'm Happy
4. Caravan
5. It's Only A Paper Moon
6. You're Looking At Me

Side 2:
1. Lonely One
2. Don't Let It Go To Your Head
3. I Know That You Know
4. Blame It On My Youth
5. When I Grow Too Old To Dream
6. Route 66

Here's a video clip of Nat and the Trio singing "Route 66":

The Ray Charles Singers - Songs For Latin Lovers (1965)

Here's another of the treasures I found in the HPB bargain bin, and it was the album artwork that prompted me to buy it. Of course, after listening to it, I loved it! I like this type of music - very smooth, melodic, and rhythmic. I am transported back to the mid-1960s when I listen to this - love it! This is a great album to play at your next cocktail party. And, it's the perfect album to listen to on a lazy Sunday afternoon such as today!

Track listing for The Ray Charles Singers - Songs For Latin Lovers:

Side 1:
1. Song of the Jet (Samba Do Aviao)
2. My Love, Forgive Me (Amore, Scusami)
3. Maria Elena
4. No More Blues (Chega De Saudade)
5. To You
6. Adios

Side 2:
1. Desafinado (Slightly Out of Tune)
2. You're Mine (I Ricordi Della Sera)
3. Amo, Amas, Amamus
4. Carnival (Manha De Carnaval)
5. My Guitar and My Song
6. Vaya Con Dios (May God Be With You)

Pat Boone - Pat (1956)

Okay, I'm guilty. I love Pat Boone records. I love his smooth voice - and his white shoes! I think I first heard of Pat Boone when I was a little girl and he and his family did a TV commercial for juice or milk or something (I don't remember what exactly - I didn't really pay attention). But when I first really saw and heard Pat Boone, it was on a late night movie called "Bernadine" (even as a kid, I was hooked on "old" movies). I immediately liked him - his clean-cut looks and his singing (this was way before I became a punk rocker). Of course, Pat Boone was the last thing on my mind as I entered my teenage years, and I definitely thought he was a major "square". But then as a young adult when I bought my first Sony Walkman, I got a free cassette (courtesy of Reader's Digest) that had various artists on it. One of those artists was Pat Boone and the song was "Friendly Persuasion". I liked Pat again. And as time has gone by, I've liked his records more and more. And I really like this record - it's pretty rockin'!

Track listing for Pat Boone - Pat:

Side 1:
1. Flip, Flop and Fly
2. Pledging My Love
3. Money Honey
4. Tomorrow Night
5. Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens
6. Shake A Hand

Side 2:
1. Honey Hush
2. Please Send Me Someone To Love
3. I'm In Love Again
4. Rock Around The Clock
5. Shot Gun Boogie
6. Five, Ten, Fifteen Hours

Ray Conniff and His Orchestra - 'S Marvelous (1957)

This is another of my mom's old records - one with which I'm very familiar. And, as a result, I'm a big fan of Ray Conniff. I find that I am listening a lot to my mom's old records lately. They bring a sense of comfort and and overall good feeling to me. Although my mom has been gone for 16 years now, I know she is always with me, and I especially feel that when I'm listening to her records. And since Sundays are usually family days (at least they were when I was growing up), then today is a good day to post this record.

Track listing for Ray Conniff - 'S Marvelous (link deleted - go buy CD on Amazon):

Side 1:
1. The Way You Look Tonight
2. I Hear A Rhapsody
3. They Can't Take That Away From Me
4. Moonlight Serenade
5. I Love You
6. I've Told Ev'ry Little Star

Side 2:
1. You Do Something to Me
2. As Time Goes By
3. In the Still of the Night
4. Someone to Watch Over Me
5. Be My Love
6. Where or When

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

Johnny Whitaker - Friends (1973)

Time for another "celebrity" vocal. This time it's Johnny Whitaker, who starred as adorable Jody Davis in the television series "Family Affair", and later starred in the Sid and Marty Krofft Saturday morning show "Sigmund and the Sea Monsters". He also starred in several movies such as Disney's "Napolean and Samantha" with Jodie Foster, and the musical "Tom Sawyer".

Now, I love collecting "celebrity" record albums, and it seems that the worse they are, the better I like them. Let me just say that this is not an album I listen to very often. I may have loved it when I was eleven years old, but that was a long time ago. I have to laugh when I listen to some of these "celebrity" albums because of the way they would overdub the person's vocal two or three times with their own voice. I guess it was to make it sound "better". Just another reason why I love these albums! So, take a trip down memory lane and listen to Johnny sing songs from "Sigmund & The Sea Monsters". (BTW, his name was sometimes spelled "Johnnie".)

Track listing for Johnny Whitaker - Friends:

Side 1:
1. Friends
2. Keep It A Secret
3. A Simple Song
4. The Magician
5. Monster Rock
6. It's Up To You

Side 2:
1. Can't Get You Off My Mind
2. Running 'Round In Circles
3. Lovin' Ain't Easy
4. Sigmund & The Sea Monsters
5. Day And Night

Joe Bushkin - A Fellow Needs A Girl (1957)

This is another gem I rescued from the HPB bargain bin solely for the cover. Those are America's most famous models from back in the day - Sunny Harnett (standing behind piano), Gita Hall (leaning on Joe), Nancy Berg (the one practically lying down in front of Joe), Suzy Parker (lying on top of the piano), and Ginny Taylor (standing on the right of the piano). The only one I ever heard of was Suzy Parker, who was also an actress and was married to actor Bradford Dillman (who I love). Suzy Parker was also the first model to earn $100,000 per year. Anyway, this is a lovely "mood music" album - very soothing piano "against a rich orchestral backdrop". Give it a listen!

Track listing for Joe Bushkin - A Fellow Needs A Girl:

Side 1:
1. A Fellow Needs A Girl
2. These Foolish Things
3. How Long Has This Been Going On
4. Don't Blame Me
5. Isn't It Romantic?
6. Don't Take Your Love From Me

Side 2:
1. Falling In Love With Love
2. It's Easy To Remember
3. Then I'll Be Tired Of You
4. I'll Be Around
5. Willow Weep For Me
6. What Is There To Say

Jackie Gleason - Velvet Brass (1957)

Here's another of my Jackie Gleason albums (I have several more that I will share as time goes on). I really enjoy the Jackie Gleason albums. They always have familiar songs and arrangements that I like, and the covers are usually pretty swell! So, without further ado, here is "Velvet Brass" - enjoy!

Track listing for Jackie Gleason - Velvet Brass:

Side 1:
1. You're Driving Me Crazy!
2. Skyliner
3. But Not For Me
4. The Man I Love
5. Cherokee
6. Me And My Shadow
7. Take The "A" Train
8. By The Beautiful Sea

Side 2:
1. Am I Blue?
2. What's New?
3. Girl Of My Dreams
4. My Buddy
5. I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me
6. September Song
7. Out Of Nowhere
8. Chinatown, My Chinatown

Harry James - Harry James in Hi-Fi (1955)

This is another of my mom's old albums. I definitely remember hearing this one a lot when I was growing up. Even now, when I hear the first notes of "Ciribiribin", memories of my childhood and my mom come flooding back. Those were good times. My mom loved big band music (that was her "era"), and her favorites were Glenn Miller and Harry James. But I think Harry was her particular favorite. And now, thanks to her influence, Glenn and Harry are my favorite big band leaders, and Harry is my particular favorite. I'm also a big fan of his female vocalist, Helen Forrest. "It's Been a Long, Long Time" just gives me chills - I love it so! I think my mom's favorite was "You Made Me Love You", because she marked it on the back of the album as if highlighting it. And, although this album was released in 1955 (all selections were recorded in July 1955), my mom didn't buy it until 1959 (she had a habit of dating her albums as to when she got them). Anyway, this is one of my favorites - and my mom's. Hope you like it, too.

Track listing for Harry James in Hi-Fi:

Side 1:
1. Ciribiribin
2. Trumpet Blues
3. You Made Me Love You (I Didn't Want To Do It)
4. James Session
5. I've Heard That Song Before
6. Cherry
7. I'm Beginning To See The Light
8. My Silent Love

Side 2:
1. Sleepy Lagoon
2. Two O'Clock Jump
3. I Cried For You (Now It's Time For You To Cry Over Me)
4. Jalousie
5. It's Been A Long, Long Time
6. Velvet Moon
7. Music Makers
8. Ciribiribin

Here's a clip from the movie "Bathing Beauty", where Harry James and his orchestra play "Trumpet Blues":

Irving Fields Trio - More Bagels and Bongos (1960)

This is yet another album I rescued from the HPB bargain bin - and it was the title that caught my eye. I will buy just about any album that has the word "bongos" in the title - I love bongos! And this was just such an odd title that I couldn't resist. I love the music, too! According to the liner notes, there was a prior album titled "Bagels and Bongos" (anyone have it to share?) and these are Yiddish songs to a Latin beat. What a great idea! I read on the Internet that Irving Fields also recorded "Bikinis and Bongos" and "Pizzas and Bongos" - if anyone has these, please do share!

Track listing for Irving Fields Trio - More Bagels and Bongos:

Side 1:
1. Mama's Mambo
2. I'll Always Be Yours
3. Hora Merengue
4. Say You Love Me, One More Time
5. Wedding Merengue
6. What Used To Be, Used To Be

Side 2:
1. I Want To Play
2. Spark Of Jewish Pride
3. The Green Cousin-Merengue
4. Papirossen
5. My Hometown Girl
6. Bublitchki

Cheryl Ladd - Dance Forever (1979)

Here's one I've had for quite awhile. A couple of years ago I posted Cheryl Ladd's first album, so here's the other album of hers that I have. Cheryl Ladd, of course, was "Kris Munroe" on the TV show "Charlie's Angels", and later became a fixture on the Lifetime channel TV movies. I only recently found out that her daughter, Jordan Ladd, attended SMU here in Dallas some years back. I wish I had known at the time. Maybe I could've caught a glimpse of Cheryl at the Galleria or something. Oh, well. Anyway, about the album... if you're a Cheryl Ladd fan or like celebrity vocals, you should like this one. I think I liked the first one better though, although she looks awfully cute on this cover! Oh, and one of the songs from this album was in my first podcast episode!

Track listing for Cheryl Ladd - Dance Forever:

Side 1:
1. Dance Forever
2. Better Days
3. Still Awake
4. On The Run
5. Teach Me Tonight

Side 2:
1. You're The Only One I Ever Needed
2. Thunder In The Distance
3. Missing You
4. Whatever Would I Do Without You
5. Rock And Roll Slave

Here's a clip from Cheryl Ladd's 1979 TV special:

Annette - Muscle Beach Party (1963)

Here is the second of the two albums I have by Annette Funicello. I bought this one some years ago at one of those record conventions (I miss the one that used to come to Dallas). Of course, I love this cover! If you didn't already know, the body builder on the right (in the blue briefs) is Peter Lupus, who was one of the stars of the TV show "Mission: Impossible". This album has some fun songs by Annette from the "Muscle Beach Party" movie, plus some from "Merlin Jones". I hope you enjoy this! (BTW, does anyone have "Danceannette" or "Italiannette" that they would like to share?)

Track listing for Annette - Muscle Beach Party:

Side 1:
1. Muscle Beach Party
2. A Girl Needs A Boy
3. Surfer's Holiday
4. I Dream About Frankie
5. Muscle Bustle
6. Merlin Jones

Side 2:
1. Custom City
2. Draggin' U.S.A.
3. Rebel Rider
4. Waikiki
5. Shutdown Again
6. The Scrambled Egghead

Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass - The Lonely Bull (1962)

This one is by request. One of my regular visitors asked if I would ever be posting some of Herb's albums on this blog, so this one is for her. I do have a special fondness for Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass because it brings back wonderful memories of my childhood. This was another of my mother's favorites so I heard these records quite a bit. I especially remember a New Year's Eve party at our house and watching the grown-ups dance in the living room to Herb's music. Wild! Well, this is the one that started it all - enjoy!

Track listing for Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass - The Lonely Bull:

Side 1:
1. The Lonely Bull (El Solo Toro)
2. El Lobo (The Wolf)
3. Tijuana Sauerkraut
4. Desafinado
5. Mexico
6. Never On Sunday

Side 2:
1. Struttin' With Maria
2. Let It Be Me
3. Acapulco 1922
4. Limbo Rock
5. Crawfish
6. A Quiet Tear (Lagrima Quieta)

Paul Petersen - My Dad (1963)

Here's a record I've had for quite a while - part of my celebrity vocals collection. A couple of years ago I posted Paul Petersen's first album, so I thought it was time to post the other album I have. Of course, you remember Paul Petersen as the son on "The Donna Reed Show". I always thought he was a cutie! Well, this album has the wonderfully sentimental song, "My Dad". It always brings a tear to my eye. Hope you enjoy it!

Track listing for Paul Petersen - My Dad (Link has been deleted. Go buy CD on Amazon.):

Side 1:
1. My Dad
2. Try a Little Tenderness
3. I Only Have Eyes for You (Bossa Nova)
4. You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby
5. Little White Lies
6. Linda

Side 2:
1. Imagination
2. Goody Goody
3. The Girl Next Door
4. Making Whoopee
5. Heart and Soul
6. Zip A Dee Doo Dah

Here's the clip from "The Donna Reed Show" where Paul sings "My Dad":

Frankie Ortega & Sy Oliver - 77 Sunset Strip (1959)

Here's another gem I rescued from the HPB bargain bin, and in pristine condition! I never saw the television series, "77 Sunset Strip" - unless I caught one episode during some nostalgic TV marathon or something like that - but I think I would have really liked this show. A couple of years ago I downloaded another album called "77 Sunset Strip" but it was by Warren Barker and his orchestra - really good album. I liked that album so much that when I saw this one, I thought I'd go ahead a buy it (heck, it was only a dollar) to see how it compared. Well, by reading the (very long) liner notes on the back, it looks like the Frankie Ortega Trio was featured on the TV show at the place where the private eyes hung out (and Ed "Kookie" Byrnes parked cars). I just love this kind of music, and I think all you "hep cats" out there will like this album. It's my new favorite album!

Track listing for Frankie Ortega & Sy Oliver - 77 Sunset Strip:

Side 1:
1. 77 Sunset Strip
2. Kookin' for Kookie
3. Spencer Stakes Out
4. What Private Eyes
5. After Sunset

Side 2:
1. Sunset Stripper
2. Stu's Blues
3. Lady in Distress
4. Dining at Dino's
5. Free Way Mambo

Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye - Music, Maestro, Please! (1955)

This is another of my mother's records that she got when she was in the Columbia Music Club. She got this one in July 1959 (she wrote that on the back of the album). Sammy Kaye has pleasant enough music, but his is not one of my favorite bands from the big band era - I much prefer the style and sound of people like Harry James, Glenn Miller, and Benny Goodman. But still, this is a pleasant enough album, and it seems that my mom really liked it. Again, I tried to clean it up as best I could of the pops and clicks, but you'll still hear some. And the first two songs have a couple of skips. As always, I ask that if anyone out there has a better rip, please share it!

Track listing for Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye - Music, Maestro, Please!:

Side 1:
1. Music, Maestro, Please!
2. Honey
3. Blue Prelude
4. Just a Gigolo
5. Dream for Sale
6. Y (That's Why)

Side 2:
1. You've Got Me Crying Again
2. As Time Goes By
3. No Greater Love
4. You Oughta Be in Pictures
5. Till I Kiss You at the Altar
6. Sittin' and Waitin'

Engelbert Humperdinck - His Greatest Hits (1974)

Happy tax day! Yeah, right. I hope all of you got nice tax refunds (I did, thanks to my purchase of my house last year), and that you're able to spend it on something fun! For those of you who had to fork over even more of your hard earned money, I dedicate this album by Engelbert Humperdinck. I hope that his smooth voice and easy songs will make you feel better! So, pour yourselves a much deserved drink, sit back, relax, and listen to Engelbert sing some of his most famous hits.

Track listing for Engelbert Humperdinck - His Greatest Hits:

Side 1:
1. Release Me
2. Quando Quando Quando
3. Les Bicyclettes de Belsize
4. Spanish Eyes
5. Am I That Easy to Forget

Side 2:
1. A Man Without Love
2. There Goes My Everything
3. The Way It Used to Be
4. Winter World of Love
5. The Last Waltz