Let's Mambo - Sonny Burke

Bara Au Rhum

Let's Mambo
Sonny Burke And His Orchestra
Decca Records DL 8090
1955

From March 12, 1955 Billboard Magazine: The market is crowed with mambo packages right now, but this LP should enjoy a brisk sale on the strength of its cover alone; it features a torrid photo of a nude torso, veiled only in strategic shadows. Bruke's first Mambo LP did well, and this package should pull its full share of sales. The band leader contributes an excellent blend and a good dance beat to 12 instrumentals of the oldie Pick Yourself Up, to his own Phfftt Mambo.

Tops In Pops

To Know Him Is To Love Him

Tops In Pops
Allegro (Halo 50220X)
1956

More Tops In Pops madness!

Stock covers with the track lists over printed or more likely stamped on the cover.

Crazy People - Somethin' Smith And The Redheads

Crazy People

Crazy People
Somethin' Smith And The Redheads
Arranged And Conducted By O.B. Masingill
Epic LN 3517
1958

The group consisted of Smith (vocals, banjo), Saul Striks (piano) and Major Short (double bass).

Hitchin' A Ride - Jack Reno

What's The World Coming To

Hitchin' A Ride
Jack Reno
Target T13-1313

1972

I bought this album because I noted the local (for me) freeway sign in the cover photo.

There is a "reproduction" letter printed on the back cover from John Kyl who was a U.S. Congressman from 1967-73 representing the 5th District, Iowa. The letter is addressed to a Cincinnati, Ohio P.O. Box. Basically the letter states that Kyl was glad to know Reno in Davis County, Iowa as a classmate in high school.

The cover photo is credited to Damron of Peoria, Ill. Car Courtesy of Gene Lehmann's Riverside Ford, Newport, KY.

The title track, Hitchin' A Ride charted on American country music charts and can be found on a few compilations, but this album is somewhat obscure.

Reno played with Waylon Jennings and Dolly Parton. He was a music DJ who worked in Cincinnati, Ohio. From his wiki page I found that he passed away of brain cancer in 2008 in Florence, Kentucky. Florence, KY is a city located just south of Cincinnati, Ohio. I found the album in Florence.

Beautiful Echoes From The South Seas

Moon Of Manakoora - Frank Losser - Alfred Newman

My Tane (My Man) John Nobel - Dirk Gump - August Goupil

Beautiful Echoes From The South Seas
Played By Popular Hawaiian Orchestras including The Royal Garden Islanders and Ray Kinney And His Hawaiian Orchestra
Audition Records AUD 33-5910

On The Beach Of Waikiki
Moon Of Manakoora
Blue Hawaii
The Aloha Waltz
Old Plantation
My Isle Of Golden Dreams
Surf And Sand
My Tane (My Mom)
To You Sweetheart, Aloha
Ua Like No-A Like

The Best Of The Movie Themes 1970 - Enoch Light

The Day Of Anger

The Best Of The Movie Themes 1970
Enoch Light And The Light Brigade (This album is rated "G")
Project 3 Total Sound PR 5046SD
1969

This whacky cover image is probably poking fun a the MPAA rating system which took effect in 1968 and was updated in 1970.

The album is a bit uneven in approach. There are some cool tracks that you expect to hear on a Light album and some with vocals that seem out-of-place in the mix.

Tops In Pops

Wind And The Rain

One Night With You

Tops In Pops
Halo 50220 Z

And now for more "Tops In Pops" budget madness! Tops In Pops "stock" covers featuring a sloppily printed (or hand stamped) track list.

You never know what the heck you are going to hear. Check out this mad version of Danny Boy found on this Tops In Pops gem.

A Tribute To The Big Bands - Russ Williams

Peanut Vendor

A Tribute To The Big Bands
Played By The Russ Williams Orchestra
Tops L1600
1959

Here we have a decent budget big band album featuring a sexy cover of Peanut Vendor

At The Woodchoppers Ball
Nightmare
Ciribiribin
Mood Indigo
Peanut Vendor
Heartaches
I'm Getting Sentimental Over You
The Breeze And I
Auld Lang Syne
Pennsylvania Polka

This Is Hugo Montenegro

MacArthur Park

This Is Hugo Montenegro
RCA Victor VPS-6036
1971

This album is a compilation of awesome light pop arrangements from a variety of Montenegro albums. Some of the tracks are available for digital purchase/download. I've posted one of the samples that I can't find online for purchase.

Montenegro's pop arrangements are always inventive and the variety of approaches easily hold your attention.

Side 1
Good Vibrations
Theme From The Man From UNCLE
Good Morning Starshine
Come Spy With Me
Theme From The Fox

Side 2
Hang 'Em High
Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head
Our Man Flint
Aquarius
Viva Max March

Side 3
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
Goldfinger
Lullaby From Rosemary's Baby
MacArthur Park
Lady In Cement

Side 4
Theme From A Fistful Of Dollars
Theme From Valley Of The Dolls
Happy Together
Moog Power
For A Few Dollars More

Broad Minded - Billy Devroe

Big Fat Lorraine

Broad Minded
Billy Devroe and The Devil-Aires
Tampa Records - Hollywood, CA
TP-41 Vol. III