George Maharis - Sings! (1962)

I love celebrity vocals. And I love my George Maharis albums! In case you are not familiar with him, he starred in the TV series "Route 66" along with Martin Milner. George was a singer before he became an actor, and switched to acting due to overuse of his vocal chords. As it seemed to be the thing to do back in the day, he recorded several albums while he was a popular TV star. I found this album in the HPB bargain bin and was very excited and surprised that the 5x7 b&w "autographed" picture of George was still in the record sleeve! (The picture is just a b&w version of the album cover.) All the songs are familiar pop standards, and I like all of them, but I really like his jazzy version of "Route 66". As the liner notes sum up:

George Maharis' interpretations of the ballads in this album reflect the highly creative and individual nature of a young actor who is seeking, and finding, new means of self-expression.

Track listing for George Maharis - Sings!:

Side 1:
1. I Want to Be Wanted
2. It's All in the Game
3. I'll Never Smile Again
4. Moon River
5. Can't Help Falling in Love
6. Hurt

Side 2:
1. Teach Me Tonight
2. You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby
3. (Get Your Kicks on) Route 66!
4. My Kind of Girl
5. Witchcraft
6. After the Lights Go Down Low

Jerry Murad's Harmonicats - Fiesta! (1962)

Who doesn't love some good harmonica music??? And the Harmonicats are awesome! It's kind of hard to believe that all the music on this album is just three guys - Jerry Murad, Al Fiore, and Don Les - playing their harmonicas. I grew up listening to most of these songs (performed by others), and these versions are just great! I would definitely play this album at my next fiesta themed dinner party!

Track listing for Jerry Murad's Harmonicats - Fiesta!:

Side 1:
1. Guadalajara
2. The Peanut Vendor (El Manisero)
3. Espana Cani
4. La Golondrina
5. Siboney
6. Adios Muchachos

Side 2:
1. Adios
2. Les Filles de Cadix (The Maids of Cadiz)
3. La Virgen de la Macarena
4. La Cumparsita
5. Mexican Hat Dance
6. Granada

Jackie Gleason - Music, Martinis, and Memories (1954)

This is the last of my Jackie Gleason albums. The best way to describe it is by its liner notes:

Music, martinis, and memories... each creates a wonderfully soft, romantic haze. Put them all together and you have a very special effect - a mood whose warmth and tenderness are irresistibly appealing.
The memories and martinis should be yours, of course; the music may be provided by someone else - and nobody can do that more expertly than Jackie Gleason. His famous album presentations - lovely ballads richly orchestrated and featuring the lyric trumpet of Bobby Hackett - are remarkably conducive to that intriguing sentimental spell.
It's really quite possible, in fact, to omit the memories and martinis; but with or without them, you'll find this collection of Jackie Gleason interpretations to be romantic music at its very best, an ideal setting for your most delightful listening moments.

Track listing for Jackie Gleason - Music, Martinis, and Memories:

Side 1:
1. Once In a While
2. I Can't Get Started
3. I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good
4. My Ideal
5. Yesterdays
6. I Love You
7. Unforgettable
8. How High the Moon

Side 2:
1. I'll Be Seeing You
2. Shangri-La
3. I Remember You
4. It Could Happen to You
5. Somebody Loves Me
6. Time On My Hands (You in My Arms)
7. The Nearness of You
8. The Song is Ended

Fats and the Chessmen - Let's Twist (1962)

I really didn't expect much from this album when I bought it, as I really only bought it for the cover art. But, boy, did I love it when I listened to it! This album was obviously recorded to capitalize on the popularity of the Twist dance craze, as there were many Twist records that came out around that time. And I have no idea who Fats and the Chessmen were (no, it's not THE "Fats"). But this album will certainly get you up and dancing! It's quite enjoyable and a fun one to play at your next dance party! If one of your new year's resolutions was to exercise more, then I suggest playing this record and dancing to it - a lot more fun than any of the Wii Fit exercise routines!


Track listing for Fats and the Chessmen - Let's Twist:

Side 1:
1. Twistin' U.S.A.
2. An Odd Twist
3. Lemon Twist
4. Ooh Poo Pa Doo
5. Organ Twist
6. Peppermint Twist

Side 2:
1. Let's Twist Again
2. Old MacDonald Had a Twist
3. Big Ben Twist
4. Insistin' On Twistin'
5. Honkin' the Twist
6. The Twist

The Everly Brothers - A Date with the Everly Brothers (1961)

Today's offering is an album by those famous singing brothers, Phil and Don Everly (and, I am sorry to say that, to this day, I can't tell which is which). I think the first song by them that I remember hearing was "Bye Bye Love". And I remember that I liked all their big hits. So when I saw this album calling to me from the HPB bargain bin, I just had to rescue it! I also just really liked the cover and the nifty shirts that the brothers are wearing. This album also has their big hit, "Cathy's Clown", which I like a lot. So, I hope this takes some of you down memory lane!

Track listing for A Date with the Everly Brothers:

Side 1:
1. Made to Love
2. That's Just Too Much
3. Stick with Me Baby
4. Baby What You Want Me to Do
5. Sigh, Cry, Almost Die
6. Always It's You

Side 2:
1. Love Hurts
2. Lucille
3. So How Come (No One Loves Me)
4. Donna, Donna
5. A Change of Heart
6. Cathy's Clown

The "Sensational" Guitars of Dan & Dale - The Nearness of You

Here's another great little gem that I rescued from the HPB bargain bin. It features some great old standards, and is great to play as background music while reading a book, eating dinner, or surfing through the internet! From what I've read, there was no "Dan & Dale", but if anyone out there knows any different or has more info, please let us know! There was also no date on this album, but I'm figuring it's from the 1960s. From the liner notes on this album, and from pictures of other D&D albums, the "Sensational" Guitars of Dan & Dale were previously known as the "Sleepwalk" Guitars of Dan & Dale. I'll try to keep an eye out for those albums next time I'm browsing through the HPB bargain bin.

Track listing for Dan & Dale - The Nearness of You:

Side 1:
1. The Nearness of You
2. Heart & Soul
3. Innamorata
4. Stella by Starlight
5. Only a Rose

Side 2:
1. I Don't Want to Walk Without You
2. Out of Nowhere
3. Call Me Irresponsible
4. Just One More Chance
5. In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening

Vikki Carr - Don't Break My Pretty Balloon (1968)

I love, love, love Vikki Carr! I just can't seem to get enough of her beautiful voice lately! And I lucked out recently when I found three of her albums at my favorite little resale store down the street! I know she still performs and am hoping she'll make a trip to Dallas so that I can go see her (she went to San Antonio last year, so why not Dallas?). "With Pen in Hand" always puts a lump in my throat, especially since Vikki puts so much emotion into it. Well, that song is not on this album, but you'll find some familiar songs as Vikki does her covers of them. Plus, "Vikki Carr unveils 'Your Heart is Free Just Like the Wind,' 'She'll Be There' and other vocal delights."

Track listing for Vikki Carr - Don't Break My Pretty Balloon:

Side 1:
1. Don't Break My Pretty Balloon
2. Tears On My Pillow
3. It's Not Unusual
4. Happy Together
5. Just for You
6. Your Heart is Free Just Like the Wing

Side 2:
1. All My Love
2. She'll Be There
3. The Glory of Love
4. Nothing to Lose
5. The Magic of People
6. Honey

Pearl Bailey - The Best of Pearl Bailey (1961)

This is a great album of some of Pearl Bailey's best songs, along with some of her humor thrown in. My favorite is "Ma, He's Making Eyes At Me" - a really fun song! This album also brings together for the first time on record Pearl with Louis Bellson, his drums and his orchestra. So, "here then is Pearlie Mae, as always, the irrepressible and delightfully irresistible performer and personality."

Track listing from The Best of Pearl Bailey:

Side 1:
1. Takes Two to Tango
2. That's Good Enough for Me
3. Row, Row, Row
4. Legalize My Name
5. Fifteen Years (And I'm Still Serving Time)
6. Old, Tired and Torn

Side 2:
1. St. Louis Blues
2. Tired
3. Ma (He's Making Eyes at Me)
4. Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive
5. Toot Toot Tootsie! (Goodbye)
6. Cherry's at the Top of the Tree

Rex Allen - Sings Melodies of the Plains (1962)

Wishing everyone a very Happy and Prosperous New Year!

To start off the year, I chose this album by Rex Allen. After my dude ranch experience last year, I became quite the fan of "cowboy songs" and yodeling (well, I already liked yodeling). And today I was just in the yodeling mood. I really enjoyed this album, too! I am thinking about going back to the dude ranch this year and staying for a week instead of just three days. If I do go back, I will definitely ask for my favorite horse, Bob. I've got my boots ready...


Track listing for Rex Allen Sings Melodies of the Plains:

Side 1:
1. Melody of the Plains
2. My Dear Old Arizona Home
3. I'll Go Ridin' Down That Old Texas Trail
4. I Won't Need My Six Gun in Heaven
5. The Girl I Left Behind Me

Side 2:
1. Dreaming of the Western Plains
2. Cowpuncher's Blues
3. Cowboy's Heaven
4. A Cowboy's Story (Strawberry Roan)
5. Little Puncher

John Gary - The John Gary Christmas Album (1963)

This is my final Christmas post, before I return with more vintage goodies in 2012. John Gary sang in movies, on Broadway, had his own TV show, appeared at Carnegie Hall, and was considered to be one of the best crooners of the time. He had a wide vocal range, which you can hear very well on this album. This is another one of those Christmas albums that is nice to hear on Christmas Eve when you are home with your family, sitting in front of the fireplace and sipping some hot cocoa.

May you all have a very Merry and Blessed Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year!


Track listing for The John Gary Christmas Album:

Side 1:
1. The Christmas Song
2. Winter Wonderland
3. Little Snow Girl
4. Medley: The First Noel; O Come, All Ye Faithful; O Holy Night
5. Wintertime and Christmas Time
6. White Christmas

Side 2:
1. Do You Hear What I Hear
2. Sweet Little Jesus Boy
3. I'll Be Home for Christmas
4. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
5. Medley: Hark! The Herald Angels Sing; O Little Town of Bethlehem; Silent Night

Dennis Day - Sings Christmas is for the Family (1958)

Here's an album I found in the HPB bargain bin. I never saw "The Jack Benny Show" or Dennis Day in any movie or TV show, but I had heard of him. And I loved the cover of this album, so I decided to buy it. Besides, I'm also a big fan of the "economy" record labels. This album has all the familiar favorites and is a nice album to play on Christmas Eve, when one is spending a quiet evening with the family before the fireplace, with Dad or Mom reading a favorite Christmas story. I hope you choose to make this album part of your Christmas Eve.

Track listing for Dennis Day - Sings Christmas is for the Family:

Side 1:
1. Jingle Bells
2. White Christmas
3. May Santa Fill Our Hearts
4. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
5. I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
6. Christmas is For the Family

Side 2:
1. Silent Night
2. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
3. O Little Town of Bethlehem
4. Oh Holy Night
5. Away in the Manger
6. Medley: Oh, Come All Ye Faithful; The First Noel; God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen

The Ray Conniff Singers - Christmas with Conniff (1959)

Christmas wouldn't be complete without the Ray Conniff Singers, especially for a big fan like me! And this album is perfect when played on my big vintage Magnavox console stereo in my retro mid-century modern living room, while gazing at my aluminum Christmas tree (with color wheel)! This is definitely a must-have for any Christmas collection!

Track listing for The Ray Conniff Singers - Christmas with Conniff:

Side 1:
1. Here Comes Santa Claus
2. Winter Wonderland
3. Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer
4. Christmas Bride
5. Sleigh Ride
6. Greensleeves (What Child is This)

Side 2:
1. Jingle Bells
2. Silver Bells
3. Frosty the Snowman
4. White Christmas
5. Santa Claus is Comin' to Town
6. The Christmas Song

Cool Yule Tunes 2011 - A Stax o' Wax Compilation

It's time for my annual Christmas compilation! I've picked some favorite Christmas songs for this year's Cool Yule Tunes 2011 as a little token of my appreciation to all of you for visiting my blog and sharing in my love of this type of music and the nostalgia of glorious vinyl. I haven't been as consistent in posting this year, but I plan to get back into it in 2012!

There's a little bit of everything here and I hope you enjoy the songs I've picked. And, if you don't already have them, click on the "Cool Yule Tunes" label to see the previous four Christmas compilations and download them to have a complete collection!

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas, and I hope you get to spend it with those you love. (I still have three more Christmas albums I plan to share this year before I take my Christmas holiday.)


Track listing for Cool Yule Tunes 2011:

1. We Wish You a Merry Christmas - The Mastertone Orchestra featuring The Don Janse Chorale
2. I'll Be Home for Christmas - Bing Crosby
3. Santa Claus is Coming to Town - The Mistletoe Disco Band
4. Winter Wonderland - Lena Horne
5. Jingle Bells - The Partridge Family
6. White Christmas - Vera Lynn
7. I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day - Johnny Cash
8. Hark the Herald Angels Sing - The Lennon Sisters
9. Sleigh Ride - Fred Waring & The Pennsylvanians
10. Do You Believe in Santa Claus - Billy May
11. Deck the Halls - Mirror Image
12. The Christmas Song - Esquivel
13. Christmas Dreaming (A Little Early This Year) - Lawrence Welk & His Champagne Music
14. Silver Bells - Jack Jones
15. O Little Town of Bethlehem - Helen O'Connell
16. Christmas Is - The Harry Simeone Chorale
17. Blue Christmas - Bobby Sherman
18. Silent Night - The Golddiggers
19. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus - Teresa Brewer
20. Merry Christmas, Baby - Lou Rawls
21. We Need a Little Christmas - The Muppets
22. What Child is This - Tijuana Voices with Brass
23. The Twelve Days of Christmas - Harry Belafonte
24. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen - The Three Suns
25. Joy to the World - Ed Ames
26. Frosty the Snowman - Ray Conniff
27. The Merry Christmas Polka - Freddy Martin
28. What Are You Doing New Year's Eve - Johnny Mathis

The Chipmunks - Christmas With the Chipmunks (1961)

How many of you grew up listening to this record every Christmas? I remember getting this when I was very little and playing it every year - and I still do! My record is still in amazing shape considering how long I've had it and that my mother would also take it to school and play it for her students. Of course, my favorite is "The Chipmunk Song", and my favorite part is about the hula hoop! I remember that as a child I would skip over the "boring" songs that David Seville sang, and I'm afraid that I still tend to skip over those. Well, I hope this one brings back memories for many of you!

Track listing for Christmas With the Chipmunks:

Side 1:
1. Here Comes Santa Claus
2. Up On the House-Top
3. Silver Bells
4. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
5. Jingle Bells
6. Over the River and Through the Woods

Side 2:
1. Santa Claus is Comin' to Town
2. It's Beginning to Look Like Christmas
3. Frosty the Snowman
4. White Christmas
5. The Chipmunk Song
6. We Wish You a Merry Christmas

The Border Brass - Tijuana Christmas (1968)

Christmas is almost here so it's time to share some of my Christmas records! I know this one has probably been shared a lot by others, but those of you who don't have it, here is one of my favorites. This record was obviously released to capitalize on the "Tijuana sound" popularized by Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass and by the Baja Marimba Band. Since I like both those bands, I knew I would like this record, and I do find it quite enjoyable. The cover is so kitschy that I find it worth framing during this time of year. So, here's the Border Brass to help you get in the Christmas spirit!

Track listing for The Border Brass - Tijuana Christmas:

Side 1:
1. We Wish You a Merry Christmas
2. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
3. What Child is This
4. Deck the Halls
5. Jingle Bells

Side 2:
1. Tijuana Christmas
2. Jolly Old St. Nicholas
3. Christmas Bells
4. The First Noel
5. Silent Night

Xavier Cugat - Cugi's Cocktails (1963)

Time to invite some friends over for cocktails and put on your dancing shoes! I have yet to find an album by Xavier Cugat that I didn't like. And I just love this one! The songs all have cocktail names and I guess my favorite (tonight, anyway) is "Zombie" (because tonight is the season premiere of the zombie TV show, "The Walking Dead"). The album cover is cool, too - definitely worth framing! So, mix yourself a few cocktails and dance a little!

Track listing for Xavier Cugat - Cugi's Cocktails:

Side 1:
1. Cuba Libre (Guaracha)
2. One Mint Julep (Cha-Cha Twist)
3. Old-Fashioned (Beguine)
4. Daiquiri (Bossa Nova)
5. Cocktails for Two (Cha-Cha)
6. Rum and Coca-Cola (Mambo)

Side 2:
1. Cugi's Cocktail (Hully Gully Cha-Cha)
2. Grasshopper (Rhumba)
3. Blue Champagne (Bossa Nova)
4. Zombie (Bolero)
5. Manhattan (Cha-Cha)
6. Singapore Sling (Rhumba)

Johnny Crawford - A Young Man's Fancy (1962)

I remember watching Johnny Crawford on "The Rifleman" when I was a little girl. It was one of the TV shows that my father and I would watch together. I had a big crush on Chuck Connors, and really didn't pay much attention to Johnny. Other than this show, I never saw Johnny in anything else, and I don't remember ever hearing his big hit, "Cindy's Birthday", on the radio. I never even knew that he was a Mouseketeer until sometime in the 1990s, when I went to a vintage toy show and he was there signing autographs. Of course, I stopped by and got an autographed pic and talked to him a little bit (by then, I was into collecting the vintage LPs, and trying to find those in the "celebrity vocals" category). That's when I found out that he was now the leader of a big band orchestra. Now, I just love Johnny and love watching him on reruns of "The Rifleman", which are being aired on AMC and the Encore Westerns channels. The title of this album was also the title of one of the episodes of "The Rifleman", and features "Cindy's Birthday", which I hear pretty regularly now on a local "music legends" radio station. I cleaned it up as much as I could, but there are still clicks and pops, and some skips. (If anyone has a better rip, please do share!) Enjoy!


Track listing for Johnny Crawford - A Young Man's Fancy:

Side 1:
1. Cindy's Birthday
2. Sittin' and A Watchin'
3. Debbie
4. Something Special
5. I'm Walkin'
6. Your Nose is Gonna Grow

Side 2:
1. Mr. Blue
2. In the Wee Small Hours
3. Moon River
4. Little White Cloud
5. Young at Heart

Ray Conniff - Broadway in Rhythm (1958)

Hello there! Sorry I haven't been keeping up on here - just had a lot going on. (But I do hope that in the meantime, y'all have been checking out my podcast The Spin-O-Rama Hour!) Well, I am going to try to do better and post more often on here, as I still have a lot of great vintage records that I would love to share!

To get back in the swing of things, I have this Ray Conniff gem from 1958. Ray, his orchestra and chorus, play selections from Broadway hits "Oklahoma!", "The King and I", "My Fair Lady", and "South Pacific". As always, it does not disappoint! Enjoy!


Track listing from Ray Conniff - Broadway in Rhythm:

Side 1:
1. Oklahoma!
2. People Will Say We're in Love
3. The Surrey With the Fringe on Top
4. Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'
5. Hello, Young Lovers
6. Getting to Know You; I Whistle a Happy Tune

Side 2:
1. On the Street Where You Live
2. I Could Have Danced All Night; I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face
3. A Wonderful Guy
4. Bali Ha'i
5. Younger Than Springtime
6. Some Enchanted Evening

Summer Compilation Vol.5 (2011)

It's time for my annual summer songs compilation! The first day of summer is not for two days yet, but it's felt like summer for a few weeks already! It's already hit the three digit temperatures in Dallas, Texas! The hot temps don't bother me though, as summer is my very favorite season, and I am glad it's here! The first three summer compilations contained only songs with the word "summer" in the title, but last year I expanded the song choices to include the words "beach", "surf", and "sun". Please do post a comment with other summer song suggestions that I can use in future compilations. Hope you enjoy this!

Track listing for Summer Compilation Vol.5 (2011):

1. Theme from 'A Summer Place' - The Ventures
2. The Things We Did Last Summer - The Beach Boys
3. Summertime - Chet Atkins and Jerry Reed
4. It's a Sunshine Day - The Brady Bunch
5. Sun-Kissed Chicks - Jean-Jacques Debout
6. Miami Beach Rumba - Edmundo Ros & His Orchestra
7. The Green Leaves of Summer - The Ray Conniff Singers
8. Turn On the Sunshine - Sally Field
9. Twenty-Four Hours of Sunshine - Reg Owen & His Orchestra
10. Sunny Days - Lighthouse
11. Our Last Summer - ABBA
12. On the Beach At Waikiki - Les Paul and Mary Ford
13. Summer Mood - Skip Martin
14. One Summer Dream - Electric Light Orchestra
15. Sunshine - The Partridge Family
16. Good Day Sunshine - Claudine Longet
17. We'll Sing in the Sunshine - Helen Reddy
18. Hey Mr. Sun - Kurt Russell
19. Bustin' Surfboards - The Lively Ones
20. Summer Cruise - Syd Dale
21. Surf Scene - The Surfaris
22. Bossa No Praia (Beach Samba) - Walter Wanderley
23. Bikini Beach Party - Annette Funicello
24. The Long, Hot Summer - Jimmie Rodgers


If you haven't downloaded the first four volumes of my Summer compilations, click on the "summer" label to take you directly to those posts. Happy Summer!

Petula Clark - I Know A Place (1965)

This is another of my recent purchases, although I can't remember if I got it from my v.o. instructor or from the HPB bargain bin. Either way, I'm glad I got it because I thoroughly enjoyed it. Petula Clark is one of those singers who transports me back to the 1960s just by the sound of her voice, and I really liked what I can remember of the 60s (my early childhood). There are some good songs on this album, and some of them are quite danceable! Enjoy!

Track listing for Petula Clark - I Know A Place:

Side 1:
1. Dancing In the Street
2. Strangers and Lovers
3. Everything In the Garden
4. The "In" Crowd
5. Heart
6. You're the One

Side 2:
1. A Foggy Day
2. Gotta Tell the World
3. Every Little Bit Hurts
4. Call Me
5. Goin' Out of My Head
6. I Know A Place

Here's an old clip of Pet singing the title song of this album (love the dancing!):