Racy Egyptian Music

Of course, an alternate title for this post might be (to echo the Wings song) "Spirits of Ancient Egypt."

This 1979 album  features music composed for King Tut -- actually, composed as background music for the showing of Tut's stuff in Seattle.

The pieces are:

01. The Lamentations of Isis (3:03)

02. The Land of the Blessed (6:55)

03. Hymn to Osiris (5:28)

04. The Boat of Millions of Years (4:53)

05. The Holy Lotus (3:36)

06. Funeral Procession (5:07)

07. Hymn for Sunrise (5:28)

08. The Triumph of the Deceased (5:38)

... which reminds me of a T-shirt owned by my friend Maggie Melton, in 1977.  It was purple, but otherwise similar to this one:

I bet, after you hear this evocative music, you won't sniff and say, "Tut, tut."

Nothing like oud times ....

See you next Monday!

Ukrainian Songs -- Heavy-Duty Folk Music

From some time in the late 1950s or early 1960s, we have this fiery set of music presented by Eugenia Zareska.

Make no mistake.  While she looks like a demure farm maiden, this woman's vocal cords could hold you down while her tonsils stomp you to death.

01. Oy, Pid Hayem Zelenenkym (The Widow’s Love Song), Folksong (5:19)

02. Ty Skazala "Pryidy, pryidy" (“You asked me to come ...”), Humorous folksong (1:39)

03. Synia Chiechka (The Blue Flower), Popular song (2:46)

04. Chorna Kura  (The Black Hen), Folksong (2:34)

05. Oy, Nahnuvsia Dub Vysokyi (The Tall Oak Tree), Love song (4:12)

06. Duda (Bagpipe), Humorous folksong (1:52)

07. Verkhovyn, Highlander’s song (3:22)

08. Y Snylosia a Nochi Divchyni (And the girl was dreaming last night), Love song (1:46)

09. Oy, Vershe Miy, Vershe (“O, my green mountain top”), Folksong (3:25)

10. Chom-chom Ne Pryishov? (“Why, why didn’t you come?”), Folksong (1:42)

11. Vivtsi Moyi, Vivtsi, Shepherd’s song (3:56)

12. Oy, Ne Khody, Hrytsiu, Folk ballad (4:21)

And when you read the "synopses" of the songs, you will come to the conclusion that the Ukrainian folk must be pretty dam' depressed, if their folks songs are all about oak leaves making you feel "life's so distant, I'm alone."  Or when a "humorous" folk song  BEGINS with your loved one dying and leaving you his bagpipe.  Or a cheerful folk ballad in which a girl poisons her fella because he can't keep it in his pants around other farm girls.

Sheesh, guys!  Lighten up!

Now you can listen for yourself and find out why they need to get blitzed on vodka to forget their troubles.

On the bright side, the logo for Urania Records is pretty neat.

Go ahead -- I dare ya!  Let li'l ol' Eugenia charm your blues.

See you next Monday.

From the Aulde Sod ... Moore's Irish Melodies

This 1984 album is full of wonders.

The songs are:

01 - The Minstrel Boy

02 - Silent, O Moyle, Be the Roar of Thy Waters

03 - When in Death I Shall Calm  Recline

04 - Here We Dwell

05 - Lesbia Hath a Beaming Eye

06 - The Dirge / How Oft Has the Banshee Cried

07 - While Gazing on the Moon’s Light

08 - What the Bee Is to the Flow’ret

09 - Believe Me, If All These Endearing Young Charms

10 - The Harp That Once Through Tara's Halls

11 - How Dear to Me the Hour When Daylight Dies

12 - Oh! Doubt Me Not

13 - At the Mid-Hour of the Night

14 - It Is Not the Tear at This Moment Shed

15 - Fill the Bumper Fair

16 - Planxty Johnstone / Captain Magan

17 - My Gentle Harp

18 - ’Tis the Last Rose of Summer

Here's a contemporaneous review from The New York Times of this album.

While I can't condone the wanton sowing of wild oats, nor the indiscriminate worship of Bacchus, it must be said that this is fun stuff to listen to, especially in advance of St Paddy's Day.

Moore's Irish Melodies.

 

It's Roundup Time!

From 1963, It's Slim Jim Wishbone with the Texas Twisters - It's Roundup Time!  This was released on Peter Rabbit Records.

It's pretty high-energy, even if to a more grown-up ear it sounds cheesy.

01. Red River Valley (3:24)

02. Polly Wolly Doodle (2:26)

03. Oh, Susanna (2:13)

04. Billy Boy (2:42)

05. Little Brown Jug (2:02)

06. She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain (2:56)

07. Turkey in the Straw Square Dance (1:56)

08. Clementine (2:44)

09. Chisholm Trail (2:06)

10. Jesse James (3:06)

11. Big Rock Candy Mountain (2:25)

12. Home on the Range (2:31)

13. Hand Me Down My Walking Cane (2:08)

14. Good Night Children (0:39)

So, saddle up your stick horse and steal your daddy's stainless-steel Zippo lighter.  Take some of big sister's teen magazines to build that campfire, and go out into the backyard for a real Wild West Roundup!  (Make sure Mom is going to bring out some milk and Hershey bars later.)

It's Roundup Time!

See you next Monday.