Gisele MacKenzie - Christmas with Gisele (1959)

I found this little gem last year at my favorite little resale store nearby. I bought it because I just loved the cover. I have never heard of Gisele MacKenzie, but one of my coworkers had and he liked her. I did like the album once I listened to it, and here are a few of the liner notes:

In this album, the Canadian-born songstress sings a collection of Christmas songs gathered from all parts of the world.... Gisele is a bewitching combination of gamin and grand lady.

I just love that description of Gisele! Now I have to find other albums by her!


Track listing for Gisele MacKenzie - Christmas with Gisele:

Side 1:
1. Silent Night; God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen; The Coventry Carol
2. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
3. Dans Cette Etable (In This Stable); Les Anges Dans Nos Campagnes (The Angels in Our Fields); La Marche Des Rois (The March of the Kings)
4. White Christmas
5. We Three Kings of Orient Are; Good King Wenceslas; Gesu Bambino
6. The Christmas Song

Side 2:
1. Santa Claus is Comin' to Town
2. Parade of the Wooden Soldiers
3. The Night Before Christmas Song
4. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
5. Too Fat for the Chimney
6. Jingle Bells


Click here to go see a video of Gisele singing "White Christmas"! (It wouldn't let me embed the video.)

Percy Faith - Music of Christmas (1959)

Christmas just would not be Christmas without listening to one of my mom's Christmas albums. My mother was an elementary school teacher for 48 years (she retired in 1985) and was either in charge of or helped with her school's annual Christmas pageant. (Are public schools even allowed to have Christmas pageants anymore???) So, she had a nice collection of Christmas albums which she would use for the pageants. I only have one memory - and it's pretty vague - of one of the pageants and it is of a little girl lip-syncing to "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus". I was probably only 5 or 6 years old at the time, and I thought she was really singing and was very impressed. The only other thing I remember is that it was cold (December in South Texas can be 70 degrees or 50 degrees), and that my father and I had to stand at the back of the auditorium because there were no available chairs. Oh, and my mom also played the piano for some of the Christmas carols. Anyway, this is one of the few Christmas albums that I have that belonged to my mom because some were destroyed in Hurricane Beulah (1967) and some others were stolen from her classroom. I'm glad this one has survived all these years because it's by Percy Faith and his orchestra, which is probably the orchestra that most reminds me of my mom. Enjoy!

Track listing for Percy Faith - Music of Christmas:

Side 1:
1. Joy to the World
2. Silent Night, Holy Night
3. Deck the Halls with Boughs of Holly
4. It Came Upon the Midnight Clear
5. Good King Wenceslas
6. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

Side 2:
1. The First Noel
2. Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming; O Little Town of Bethlehem
3. O Holy Night
4. The Holly and The Ivy; Here We Go A-Caroling
5. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
6. O Come, All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fideles)

Bert Kaempfert - Christmas Wonderland (1963)

Today's Christmas album is a thrift store find, bought for 50 cents at my favorite little resale/thrift store down the street. I think Bert Kaempfert's music is very danceable, and I think this album is great to play at your holiday party! Interesting cover, too. Enjoy!

Track listing for Bert Kaempfert - Christmas Wonderland:

Side 1:
1. The Little Drummer Boy
2. Santa Claus is Comin' to Town
3. I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
4. Holiday for Bells
5. Winter Wonderland
6. Children's Christmas Dream

Side 2:
1. Sleigh Ride
2. White Christmas
3. Toy Parade
4. Christmas Wonderland
5. Jingo Jango
6. Jumpin' Jiminy Christmas

The Ray Charles Singers - Winter Wonderland (1956)

The second Christmas album offering this year is an album I found in the HPB bargain bin earlier this year - for only 50 cents! I bought it for two reasons - the cover and the Ray Charles Singers. I love choral groups like this, especially the vocal arrangements. This album has some of the usual holiday songs, plus a couple I had never heard before. Here's some info from the liner notes as to who the singers and musicians are:

The Ray Charles Singers heard in this recording are Lillian Clark, Kathleen Wallace, Lois Winter, Miriam Workman, Robert Bollinger, Jerry Duane, Edwin Lindstrom, Eugene Lowell, Arthur Malvin, Alan Sokoloff, Michael Stewart, and Eugene Steck. Mr.Charles himself is heard in the solo in WHEN WINTER COMES. The outstanding musicians who accompany the vocal group are Dick Hyman, piano (especially notable are his solos in WHEN WINTER COMES A-CALLIN' and SNOWFALL); Nick Perito, accordion; Tony Mottola, guitar; Robert Rosengarden, drums; John Zimmermann, bass; and Pearl Chertock, harp. (My note - I'm sure you see some familiar names there!)

Track listing for The Ray Charles Singers - Winter Wonderland:

Side 1:
1. Winter Wonderland
2. Button Up Your Overcoat
3. June in January
4. When Winter Comes
5. Snowfall
6. I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm

Side 2:
1. Winter & Theme for Indoor Sports
2. Moonlight in Vermont
3. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
4. When Winter Comes A-Callin'
5. Jingle Bells
6. By the Fireside

Andy Williams - Christmas Present (1974)

Hi, all! Took a little hiatus due to my work schedule, but I started a new job (hoping for NO or very little overtime) and I'm ready to get back at sharing my love of music with you! So, as we approach another Christmas season, let's get this going!

I remember buying this album with my own money from my allowance back in 1974 or 1975. I had just seen Andy Williams' Christmas special titled "Christmas Present" and absolutely loved the show. I especially liked the version of "Christmas Bells" sung by Andy's wife, Claudine Longet, and their daughter, Noelle. When I saw the record at the store, I just had to have it, but I had to convince my mother to let me buy it because it was "expensive" - $4.58 was a lot for a kid to spend on a record back then. Well, when I got it home, I was disappointed in the record (but I didn't dare tell my mother) because I had expected it to be a soundtrack of the show, but it was just Andy singing all the songs from the show. Now, of course, I love this record and Andy's singing, but I would still love to have a copy of that Christmas special, especially to see Claudine and Noelle singing "Christmas Bells". (So, if anyone knows if this show is available on DVD, please let me know!) I hope this album gets you all in the Christmas spirit!

Track listing for Andy Williams - Christmas Present:

Side 1:
1. Christmas Present
2. Joy to the World
3. O Little Town of Bethlehem
4. Christmas Bells
5. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
6. Ave Maria (Schubert)

Side 2:
1. Oh Come All Ye Faithful
2. Angels We Have Heard On High
3. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
4. Ave Maria (Gounod)
5. What Child Is This
6. I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
7. The Lord's Prayer

Here's a public service announcement that Andy did around the time "Christmas Present" aired on TV:

The Arthur Murray TV Dance Orchestra - Arthur Murray's Music for Dancing (1958)

Here's another record that I bought back during my ballroom dancing days. It's got some really great songs for dancing fox trots, waltzes, and some latin dances. They're not too fast so a beginner can easily keep the rhythm while learning to dance. And if you don't like or know how to dance, the songs are just great for listening!

Track listing for Arthur Murray's Music for Dancing:

Side 1:
1. I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm - Fox Trot
2. Deep Purple - Fox Trot
3. It's a Big Wide Wonderful World - Waltz
4. When My Dream Boat Come Home - Rock 'n' Roll
5. You're a Heavenly Thing - Rock 'n' Roll
6. When We Do the Cha Cha Cha - Cha Cha

Side 2:
1. Lisbon Antigua - Cha Cha
2. Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White - Rumba
3. The Fence (El Merengue Empaliza) - Merengue
4. Uno! (One More Kiss) - Tango
5. Sway (Quien Sera) - Mambo
6. Anna - Samba

Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 - Fool on the Hill (1968)

I was listening to "When Summer Turns to Snow" the other day (now that summer is over and winter looms ahead), so I thought I'd share this album. LOVE the whole Brazilian sound that became popular in the mid-1960s. Something interesting about this album is that this is the second version of the band. Sergio Mendes got rid of all the original band members, with the exception of lead singer Lani Hall, for this album. I don't know what the reasoning behind that was, and if anybody is in the know, please do tell. Anyway, I do love the sound of this band, and Lani's voice is always a pleasure.

Track listing for Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 - Fool on the Hill:

Side 1:
1. Fool on the Hill
2. Festa
3. Casa Forte
4. Canto Triste
5. Upa, Neguinho

Side 2:
1. Lapinha
2. Scarborough Fair
3. When Summer Turns to Snow
4. Laia Ladaia (Reza)

Mantovani - Mantovani Film Encores Volume 1 (1957)

This is one of my mom's albums that I listened to many a Saturday when growing up. My mom loved to play her records on her General Electric console stereo almost every Saturday while doing some house cleaning, or working on lesson plans, or making banners for our church. This was definitely one of her favorites. The album jacket is very worn - masking tape all around the edges, major scuffing, plus my mother's handwriting all over - so the picture above is one I found on the internet. But the album itself is in really good shape. My mom did try to take good care of (most of) her records (still trying to figure out what that clear red liquid was that she used to clean them). Anyway, both my mom and I really liked this record because they are all songs from movies. And besides a love of music, a love of movies is something else we shared. My mom's favorite from this album was "Theme from 'Limelight'".

Track listing for Mantovani Film Encores Volume 1:

Side 1:
1. My Foolish Heart
2. Unchained Melody
3. Over the Rainbow
4. Summertime in Venice
5. Intermezzo
6. Three Coins in the Fountain

Side 2:
1. Love is a Many Splendored Thing
2. Laura
3. High Noon
4. Hi-Lili, Hi-Lo
5. September Song
6. Theme from "Limelight"

Arthur Lyman - Yellow Bird (1960)

It's a beautiful, lazy Sunday in Dallas, Texas, and this is the perfect album to go with it! So easy to listen to, to read by, to just sit on the porch sipping a cool one... ahhh! Arthur Lyman is truly one of the kings of exotica. If you're a long-time fan/collector of exotica, then you probably already have this one, but if you're just starting your collection, then you definitely need this one. Enjoy! (BTW, if you think some titles are misspelled, I just typed them the way they are listed on the back cover.)

Track listing for Arthur Lyman - Yellow Bird:

Side 1:
1. Havah Nagilah
2. Yellow Bird
3. Ravel's Bolero
4. Autumn Leaves
5. Arrive Derci Roma
6. Sweet and Lovely

Side 2:
1. Bamboo Tamboo
2. Andalusia
3. Adventures in Paradise
4. Granada
5. September Song
6. John Henry

Julie London - Julie Is Her Name Volume Two (1958)

I was listening to this album the other day so I decided to go ahead and post it. I only have one or two more albums by Julie, and I'm sure I'll get around to posting those in time. Besides being a beautiful WWII pin-up girl, Julie was quite a talented singer and recorded around 40 albums. Her sultry voice is certainly pleasing to the ears and her albums make great mood music. Enjoy!

Track listing for Julie Is Her Name Volume Two (Link has been deleted. Go buy CD on Amazon.):

Side 1:
1. Blue Moon
2. What Is This Thing Called Love
3. How Long Has This Been Going On
4. Too Good to Be True
5. Spring Is Here
6. Goody Goody

Side 2:
1. The One I Love (Belongs to Somebody Else)
2. If I'm Lucky
3. Hot Toddy
4. Little White Lies
5. I Guess I'll Have to Change My Plan
6. I Got Lost in His Arms

The Keymen - Dance with Dick Clark Volume One (1958)

Here's a little gem I picked up at my favorite resale store down the street from my house, and it was only 50 cents! Besides HPB, I find some real treasures at this little shop. They don't have very many records, but the ones they have are usually ones I don't see at HPB.

I have to say that the main reason I bought this was for the cover of a young Dick Clark. He's a legend for all of us baby-boomers! How many of us grew up watching "American Bandstand" every Saturday morning (that's when it showed in my hometown) and learning new dance steps? Then of course, we started ringing in the New Year with Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve (and left our parents to watch the Guy Lombardo New Year's show). This cover will definitely be hanging on my wall. The album itself is very nostalgic. I thought it was going to be a compilation album with the songs performed by the original artists, but when I got home I saw that it was actually the songs played as instrumentals by the Keymen. Lots of sax and twangy guitars - which I love. And they definitely "have a beat and you can dance to them"!


Track listing for The Keymen - Dance with Dick Clark Volume One:

Side 1:
1. Willie and the Hand Jive
2. Drifting and Dreaming
3. Gazackstahagen
4. Short Fat Fanny
5. Dawn
6. Love is Strange

Side 2:
1. Isle of Capri
2. Miss You
3. Goggles
4. Sentimental Journey
5. Like Help Man
6. Long Tall Sally

Jackie Gleason - Music for the Love Hours (1957)

Hey there! Been super busy with work so haven't posted as often as I'd like. And I had this one ready to post last month but didn't get a chance. So, as we start out my favorite month of the year - August - I offer you one of my Jackie Gleason albums. Always great for some "mood" music, Jackie Gleason albums don't disappoint. I find them so soothing after a hard day of work. They also provide great background music if I have to work from home on the computer. So, without further ado... enjoy!

Track listing for Jackie Gleason - Music for the Love Hours:

Side 1:
1. Darn That Dream
2. Poor Butterfly
3. Serenade In Blue
4. How Did She Look
5. Moonlight Becomes You
6. Just One More Chance
7. I Love You Much Too Much
8. Hold Me

Side 2:
1. Get Out of Town
2. Our Love
3. Just a Memory
4. If I Could Be With You
5. Ghost of a Chance
6. I've Got You Under My Skin
7. Lover Come Back To Me
8. The House is Haunted

Xavier Cugat - Viva Cugat! (1961)

Here's one I've had for quite awhile, since the late 1980s when I was doing the ballroom dance thing. This is a really good record - has great songs that are very danceable. I like most anything by Xavier Cugat, and I even have an album that has four 78rpm records (can't remember off-hand what the name of the album is). If I ever finish unpacking (I moved in this house 2 years ago) and find my 78s, I'll record that one. Anyway, my favorites on this one are "Siboney" and "Isle of Capri". Enjoy this one!

Track listing for Xavier Cugat - Viva Cugat!:

Side 1:
1. Jungle Concerto
2. The Peanut Vendor
3. Isle of Capri
4. Tropical Merengue
5. Nightingale
6. Perfidia

Side 2:
1. Siboney
2. Jungle Drums
3. Anna
4. Maria Elena
5. Poinciana
6. Say Si Si

The Ray Conniff Singers - Young At Heart (1960)

Well, I posted another Ray Conniff Singers album (So Much in Love) before and thought that was the first one where the Singers got top billing, but this one was released before, in 1960. Anyway, it really doesn't matter because they're both great! Just hearing the Ray Conniff Singers sing makes me smile! :-) The songs are always so cheerful and melodic - perfect to make anyone feel better. Enjoy!

Track listing for Ray Conniff Singers - Young At Heart:

Side 1:
1. Remember
2. You'll Never Know
3. Dancing With Tears In My Eyes
4. I'm In the Mood For Love
5. I'll Be Seeing You
6. It's Dark On Observatory Hill

Side 2:
1. These Foolish Things
2. Ma, He's Making Eyes At Me
3. Young At Heart
4. If I Loved You
5. Harbor Lights
6. I'll See You In My Dreams

David Cassidy - Cherish (1972)

Wow... can you believe this album was released 38 years ago??? I don't know about you, but I still feel like the little girl whose heart went all aflutter whenever David Cassidy was on TV or the radio. Oh, I still love other "teen idols" from back in the day, but David Cassidy will always be my first love! Just look how absolutely dreamy he is on the cover! And even though this album is 38 years old, I think it still holds up. My favorite song used to be the title cover song, "Cherish", but now it's "My First Night Alone Without You". Does that mean I've grown up? Gee, I hope not.

Track listing for David Cassidy - Cherish:

Side 1:
1. Being Together
2. I Just Wanna Make You Happy
3. Could It Be Forever
4. Blind Hope
5. I Lost My Chance
6. My First Night Alone Without You

Side 2:
1. We Could Never Be Friends ('Cause We've Been Lovers Too Long)
2. Where Is the Morning
3. I Am a Clown
4. Cherish
5. Ricky's Tune

Pat Boone - Stardust (1958)

Well, this is the last of my Pat Boone records. I've had this one for some time - bought it sometime in the late 1980s when I discovered my favorite local radio station, KAAM. Pat Boone is played regularly on that station. Anyway, I've always loved his smooth voice and his choice of songs. I've also seen a few of his movies - "Bernardine", "State Fair", and "The Cross and the Switchblade". I saw the last one as an extra credit assignment for my ninth grade religion class (I went to Catholic school for 12 years) in the 1970s (it also featured a young Erik Estrada as a young punk). Well, this is a great album and it's full of lovely familiar standards. And Pat sings them all beautifully. Also, the orchestra is conducted by Billy Vaughn! Enjoy!

Track listing for Pat Boone - Stardust:

Side 1:
1. Stardust
2. Blueberry Hill
3. Ebb Tide
4. Little White Lies
5. To Each His Own
6. Cold, Cold Heart
7. Deep Purple

Side 2:
1. Autumn Leaves
2. St. Louis Blues
3. Solitude
4. Anniversary Song
5. Heartaches
6. I'll Walk Alone
7. September Song

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!

Aaron Bell Orchestra - Music from 77 Sunset Strip (1959)

Here's a gem I picked up a couple or so months ago at my favorite supplier of old records, Half-Price Books. I already posted an album of music from the TV series "77 Sunset Strip" by Frankie Ortega and Sy Oliver, and I downloaded the one by the Warren Barker Orchestra, so I guess you could say that I really love the music from that show! I just love "crime" jazz in general - too cool! Well, the sound quality on this one isn't the best, but it's still listenable (is that a word?) and just overall fun! I was reading up on Aaron Bell and he recorded other albums along these lines ("Peter Gunn" and others), so if anyone has any to share, please do!

Track listing for Aaron Bell Orchestra - Music from 77 Sunset Strip:

Side 1:
1. 77 Sunset Strip (Vocal)
2. 77 Sunset Strip Jazz
3. 77 Sunset Strip Blues

Side 2:
1. Swingin' On the Strip
2. Stu Bailey Blues
3. Caper At the Coffee House
4. Kookie's Caper

Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass - South of the Border (1964)

This was the third album by Herb Alpert and his Tijuana Brass, and one of my mom's favorites, although I don't remember her playing this one as much as a couple of the later ones. Several cover songs on this album, but my favorite song is "Mexican Shuffle". Kinda hard to believe Herb is 75 years old, but his music is ageless!

Track listing for Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass - South of the Border:

Side 1:
1. South of the Border
2. The Girl from Ipanema
3. Hello, Dolly!
4. I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face
5. Up Cherry Street
6. Mexican Shuffle

Side 2:
1. El Presidente
2. All My Loving
3. Angelito
4. Salud, Amor y Dinero
5. Numero Cinco
6. Adios, Mi Corazon

Eddie Albert - The Eddie Albert Album (1966)

Here's another celebrity vocal album. I got this at a music memorabilia show at the end of January, thanks to my friend, Dan, who pointed it out to me. We were both swooning over the young Edward Albert (Eddie's son) on the cover - wasn't he a dreamboat? Anyway, Eddie Albert recorded this album during his "Green Acres" fame, and sings that song on the album, but it's a little different from the version sung on the TV show (no Eva Gabor and some of the lyrics are different). Eddie was really a very talented entertainer - an Academy Award nominated actor, a singer, dancer, circus performer -go read about him on Wikipedia if you want to know more. And this album is a fun album. I like his version of Simon and Garfunkel's "Homeward Bound", and even "Guantanamera" (which I've always thought to be a boring song). But the one I really love is "Feeling Good" - it just cracks me up the way he says "Feeling gooooooood"! Hope you enjoy this!

Track listing for Eddie Albert - The Eddie Albert Album:

Side 1:
1. A Smile is Just a Frown (Turned Upside Down)
2. Don't Think Twice, It's All Right
3. Guantanamera
4. Colors
5. Feeling Good
6. Green Acres

Side 2:
1. Homeward Bound
2. Blowin' in the Wind
3. For Lovin' Me
4. Mr. Clown
5. Pass the Plate of Happiness Around