Howdy Folks! Check out my Atomic Age Vinyl Finds! If there are copyright issues or a problem with any post, just contact me and I will make corrections. I'm here to have fun and hope you will share in my process of discovery!
I didn't have much hope for a 1982 record featuring Catholic religious songs aimed at children. But this record sounds like it was recorded earlier, maybe as early as the early 60s. Some vocals sound like The Andrew Sisters are involved in the project (kidding).
What I find most amusing are that the concepts dished up are pretty heavy.You'll hear tongue twisting words and complicated subject matter that the vocalists find hard to spit out dressed up in light and peppy sing song arrangements.
Let's Dance Dance Dance
David Carroll and his Orchestra
Mercury MG 20649
1961
Featured on the jacket is Cynthia Maddox who graced the cover of Playboy five times in the early 60s. She dated Hefner for a time and apparently left him because he wasn't into marriage. But what I find interesting is that she worked her way from a receptionist position at Playboy to assistant cartoon editor!
This album is split between some very nice space age pop and more standard sounding easy listening numbers.
The Minute Samba & So It Goes
Enric Madriguera and his Orchestra
Violin Solo By Madeiguera – Dana Choir
Vocals By Patricia Gilmore and Dana Choir
Vogue R-760
This is a wonderful exotica offering from Columbia and Welcom. Magical, subdued and otherworldly.
The women on the cover is not Welcome but Dolores Greer. "A ballet dancer, and Michigan's entrant in a recent Miss America beauty contest – (don't let the witch costume fool you!) – she is one of Hollywood's top professional models. Talented as she is, Miss Greer assures us that in real life she practices neither black magic nor the zither."
Curious why Capitol had to go into this long explanation of the cover photo. I mean... who cares? And why the disclaimer? As if we are worried about Miss America practicing the black arts or, heaven forbid... the ZITHER!
Welcome played the Zither on at least 14 Capitol projects in the 50s. This album is apparently her 3rd LP for Capitol.
The Best Of Cugat Cover Photos by George Pickow - Three Lions Cover Photos posed by Abby Lane Mercury Records PPS 2015 & SR 60870 1961
Available from online vendors so I will not be posting a sample. Presented here to share the cover variations.
Terrific cheese cake photos of Cugat's wife (m. 1952 - 1954), Abby Lane, grace the front and back cover of this jacket that Mercury styled after Enoch Light's Command label gatefold album designs. The third image is Mercury's single sleeve jacket variation of the album (SR 60870).
Mama Inez Tea For Two Tequila Taboo Sway Amor Amapola El Cumbanchero Ba-Tu-Ca-Da Misirlou It Happened In Monterey Always In My Heart
Enoch Light And His Orchestra
Far Away Places (Featuring Harpischord and Exotic Arrangements)
Volume 2
Art Direction: Charles E. Murphy
Command RS 850 SD
Grand Award Record Co., Inc.
1963
From Billboard - May 4, 1963: Light does it again with a topnotch instrumental album with bright use of voices. This is the second volume in the "let's take a trip" theme with fine tracks like "Istanbul," "Colonel Bogey," "Cielito Lindo" and "Under Paris Skies," just a few of the standouts. Use of stereo technique again is done with the utmost taste and showmanship. This is another Light winner.
Istanbul
Isle Of Capri
Cielito Lindo
The Moon Of Manakoora
Wee Bit Of Heather Medley
Flying Down To Rio
By The River Sainte Marie
Ching Ching Ching Chow
Tales From The Vienna Woods
Coloney Bogey
The White Cliffs Of Dover
Under The Paris Skies
Good Feelin's
The Happy Day Choir
Arranged by Wright & Carmichael, Inc.
Produced by Lee Young for Arthur James Productions
Dunhill - ABC Records
DS 50061
1969
Here's an album with a marketing problem. The cover features what looks like the backup singers for The Dean Martin Comedy Hour. If you look at the back cover you might think that this set might be some sort of "kids" record and or even a religious record. However, when you note song titles like: "California Dreamin'," "Hey Jude," "Let The Sun Shine In" and "Mrs. Robinson." and when you read the copy a little more closely you will understand that the creators made an effort to blend pop tunes with a black gospel sound. This approach seems like a disaster brewing but, God help me... it works. The pop songs feature strong vocal leads blended with killer gospel chorus.
Some tracks work better then others, but I've never heard a pop song cover set done up this way. Even during the cover of Hey Jude, I thought the song was going "off-course" and then the arrangers somehow manage to make it work.
California Dreamin'
Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show
Hey Jude
Little Green Apples
For What It's Worth
Son Of A Preacher Man
Green, Green Grass Of Home
Aquarius/Let The Sun Shine In
Mrs. Robinson
Words
O Happy Day
Organ Melodies
From Hobby-Lesson Course For Wurlitzer Organs
Total Tone Series
Rite Records Cincinnati, Ohio
Promotional item from The Wurlitzer Company, Dekalb, Illinois. A two record set sol in a book-fold jacket that featured no printing on the inside. There is reams of copy on the back cover marketing the Wurlitzer Organ, but no real hint of how this set is supposed to help you learn to play, as a "hobby lesson course". There is no instructional material hear on the record(s).
Perhaps this set was meant to entice people to sign up for a "course" or there was additional printed material to be found package with this set that is gone now.
The Mystic Moods Orchestra
Love The One You Are With
Warner Brothers BS 2577
1972
This is Brad Miller's first record with Warner Brothers and apparently his 12th album. Miller's approach on this project like many of his works is one of mixing "found" natural sounds he recorded in the field with easy listening. This technique works to blend tracks together to form a "landscape" of sound that allows you to drift off into a Mystic Mood.
It works and there are some cool easy listening tracks on this album. Some of the best 60s/70s easy listening in my opinion. The set is simply well done and holds up musically.
Soul Groove!
Programmed by Dave Dexter, Jr.
Creative Products/Capitol SL-6678
Nancy Wilson Uptight - Everything's All Right
Cannonball Adderley - 74 Miles Away
Lou Rawls - I Love You, Yes I Do
King Curtis - Soul Serenade
Bettye Swann - Willie & Laura Mae Jones
Nancy Wilson - West Coast Blues
Cannonball Adderley - I Remember Bird
Lou Rawls - Wee Baby Blues
King Curtis - Watermelon Man
Bettye Swann - Don't Touch Me
Paul Mauriat And His Orchestra
Philips PHS 600-248
1968
This was a very popular set and therefore a common album to find in the bins around here. The tune, Love Is Blue, charted at #1 for 5 weeks. Sales where brisk and many where pressed.
Love Is Blue is the best tune on the LP. But there are a number of other 60s pop ear candy tracks to keep easy listeners awake!
Hawaiian Paradise
Leo Addeo His Orchestra and Chorus
RCA Camden CAS-853
1965
Leo Addeo was a key RCA house arranger for most of the 50s and 60. This is his 6th RCA album.
The record is a pleasant 60s blend of AM radio easy listening and Hawaiian flavored music.
RCA tries to sell this LP as "authentic" because Addeo uses all of the Hawaiian percussion instruments from steel guitars and tom-toms to native feathered gourds (Although the feathers probably don't actually contribute to the "sound." If you use your imagination you can picture the movements of the colorful instruments and there's a certain authentic flavor Addeo that adds to your listening enjoyment.). Really… that was copy found on the back cover.
Addeo features an organ on this set which is cool and adds a bit of interest to the music.
Claudine
The Look Of Love
Arranger: Nick De Caro
Album Design: Perter Whorf Graphics
Engineer: Bruce Botnik
Producer: Tommy LiPuma
A&M SP 4129
1967
The Look Of Love
Man In A Raincoat
Think Of Rain
How Insensitive (Insensatez)
Manha De Carnaval
Love How You Love Me
Creators Of Rain
When I'm Sixty-Four
Good Day Sunshine
The End Of The World
Tahiti Dances
Authentic Tahitian Chants, Drum Rhythms and Songs
Actually Recorded in Papeete, Tahiti
HI-FI Tahiti Records TR-201
1961
From the back cover: Eddie Lund, in this album, has given the world its first discs of authentic Tahitian music as recorded in the islands themselves. He has studied the music ever since his arrival in Papeete in 1936 and is one of the leading authorities in this field. To insure absolute authenticity in these recordings, Lund traveled to some of the most remote of the Society Islands to assemble talent. Many performers never before had seen a microphone.
Eddie Lund is an interesting character. He formed a band, which is featured on this LP called Eddie Lund and his Native Tahitians. It would seem that he played with the local musicians, although it is not at all apparent what the role of his "band" had in the project. This is his fourth record of Tahitian music. He stayed in Tahiti permanently and became know as the Irving Berlin of Island music and the father of modern Tahitian folk Music. He died in 1973.
The music on this disc is varied. I simply picked, by way of example, the more "unique" track.
Raisins & Almonds Cha Cha Cha & Merengues
Johnny Conquet, His Piano and Orchestra
RCA Vicrtor LSP-1789
1958
Terrific cover. I think this record sets the bar higher for me when it comes to vintage Cha Cha. This is a great record. Conquet takes Jewish folk songs and dances and turns them "into mambo, merengue and cha cha cha".
