Welcome to the American Mosaic

That's the title of this 2001 release.

01. Powell - Pretty Sally (2:36)

02. Powell - At the Foot of Yonders Mountain (3:01)

03. Hovahness - Sonata #3 - Prelude (1:11)

04. Hovahness - Sonata #3 - Cantando (3:02)

05. Hovahness - Sonata #3 - Dance (1:26)

06. Hovahness - Sonata #3 - Lullaby (1:50)

07. Hovahness - Sonata #3 - Andante Dolce (0:55)

08. Campbell - Nocturne, Op. 27/2 (10:41)

09. Stringfield - Pastorale Scene (3:59)

10. Stringfield - Chipmunks (3:21)

11. MacDowell - To a Wild Rose (1:49)

12. Kreuzer - Crushed Violets (3:14)

13. Broeders - Milonga (2:15)

14. Broeders - Romanza (2:42)

15. Tillery - Simple Things (3:30)

16. Maganini - Caprice Terpsichore (3:57)

17. Stern - Mosaico (3:36)

18. Spelman - Rondo (8:48)

19. Stringfield - Indian Serenade (3:32)

It’s classical, but not all the music is necessarily melodic.  You might find it challenging, or delightful.

An American Mosaic

Well, this is the end of the 2023 JULY SPOCKEBRATION.  Check back on Thursday for some more of our random record collection, not focused on America.

  

Oh, Irving!

I bought this 1989 release on cassette. Another buncha fun Amercanski musics.

01. Bing Crosby and Al Jolson - Alexander's Ragtime Band (2:59)

02. Linda Ronstadt and The Nelson Riddle Orchestra - What'll I Do (4:04)

03. Fred Astaire - Puttin' on the Ritz (2:10)

04. Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra - Cheek to Cheek (3:05)

05. The Mills Brothers - I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm (3:13)

06. Teresa Brewer - All by Myself (4:33)

07. Ethel Merman - There's No Business Like Show Business (2:29)

08. The Andrews Sisters, Bing Crosby, and Dick Haymes - Anything You Can Do (3:01)

09. Duke Ellington and His Orchestra - Home Again Blues (2:57)

10. Al Jolson - Easter Parade (2:54)

11. Bing Crosby - White Christmas (3:04)

12. Kate Smith - God Bless America (2:02)

Berlin 100

Ya can't get any more American than that last track!  See you Monday the 31st for the last of this year's JULY SPOCKEBRATION!

  

One Push of Many

This anthology is evidently the companion disc to some documentary program.

01 - Over There - Dick Powell with the American Four - 1942

02 - Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition - Kay Kyser and His Orchestra and the Glee Club - 1942

03 - Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy - The Andrews Sisters with Vic Schoen and His Orchestra - 1941

04 - Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree - Glenn Miller and His Orchestra with Marion Hutton, Tex Beneke, the Modernaires - 1941

05 - Der Fuehrer's Face - Spike Jones and His City Slickers with Carl Grayson - 1942

06 - When the Lights Go on Again (All Over the World) - Vaughn Monroe and His Orchestra - 1942

07 - GI Jive - Johnny Mercer with Paul Weston and His Orchestra - 1943

08 - What Did You Do in the Infantry - The Sportsmen - 1943

09 - He Wears a Pair of Silver Wings - Dinah Shore with Gordon Jenkins and His Orchestra - 1942

10 - Comin' in on a Wing and a Prayer - The Song Spinners - 1943

11 - Lili Marlene - Perry Como - 1944

12 - We'll Gather Lilacs - Gene Krupa and His Orchestra - 1946

13 - It's Been a Long, Long Time - Bing Crosby with Les Paul and His Trio - 1945

14 - Waitin' for the Train to Come In - Harry James and His Orchestra with Kitty Kallen - 1945

VA - D-Day 6-6-44

It's another stirring collection of mostly still-fun songs and performances. See you on Thursday!
  

Hi-Yahh, Mule!

It's a 1986 CD of Western-type music.

01 - Sounds of the West - fx

02 - William Tell Overture Finale - Rossini

03 - The Magnificent Seven - Bernstein

04 - The Furies - Waxman

05 - TV Western Themes - arr Palmer

06 - How the West Was Won - Newman

07 - Gunfight at the OK Corral - Tiomkin

08 - Pops Hoedown - Hayman

09 - Big Country - Moross

10 - High Noon - Tiomkin

11 - Coyote and Crackling Campfire - fx

12 - Western Medley - arr Palmer

13 - Silverado – Broughton

Exciting music, played about 5% too slow.  How the heck can the William Tell Overture be unexciting?  Well, it is here.  And Frankie Laine sounds as if he was told to emote.  Singing the songs “straight” would have been much more impressive.  And if they like Laine’s voice as much as I do, why didn’t they mic him well on “Gunfight at the OK Corral”?  Half of this song, you can’t hear the words!  And on the stark, beautiful “High Noon,” did they change keys so much to stay in Laine’s range?  They should’ve just pitched it lower!

It’s also a case of TOO MANY RESOURCES.  A session orchestra with one-quarter the players could have played this material with more pep.  There’s too “big” a sound.  And the penultimate track, the “Western Medley”?   Performed by some steroidal male chorus?  How monumentally unmoving!

This album is an overproduced mess, full of missed opportunities.  It leaves me baffled by its mix of tin-ear production and marvelous source music.

Round-Up

... No, this album is NOT the source of this blog's title.  See you Monday.

  

Wotta Bunch Falderol!

Silly behavior to entertain others ... ain't that the American way?

01. Buffalo Gals (3:10)

02. Johnny Grey (1:29)

03. Snake River / Quince Dillon (2:30)

04. It Can't Be Done (2:03)

05. You Ain't Talkin' to Me (2:30)

06. Spanish Waltz (4:05)

07. Irish Potatoes (2:16)

08. Booth Shot Lincoln (1:40)

09. Yes, Pappy, Yes (3:05)

10. Out of the Wilderness (2:08)

11. Beware (2:54)

12. Jessie's Polka (2:28)

13. Whoa Back Buck (1:40)

14. Stetson Hat (3:29)

15. Froggie Went a'Courtin' (2:27)

16. Home on the Range / Coleman's March (6:50)

And while you're listening to this fun 1996 cassette, some of our representatives will be meandering through the assembled crowd soliciting your kind donations!  

Free Show Tonight! 

See you Thursday!

  

Refined American Dreams

This 1992 release is beautifully performed. Hampson's voice is very refined and this seems like a pitch-perfect performance. Almost TOO refined.

01. Opening (0:25)

02. Jeanie With The Light Brown Hair (4:17)

03. Hard Times Come Again No More (5:13)

04. The Voice of Bygone Days (3:57)

05. Favorites Medley (3:52)

06. Open Thy Lattice, Love (2:44)

07. Beautiful Dreamer (3:54)

08. That's What's the Matter (3:19)

09. Old Home Medley (4:58)

10. Molly! Do You Love Me? (3:24)

11. Sweetly She Sleeps, My Alice Fair (3:29)

12. Comrades, Fill No Glass for Me (4:08)

13. Dancing on the River (4:27)

14. My Wife Is a Most Knowing Woman (3:49)

15. Gentle Annie (3:28)

16. Linger in Blissful Repose (3:08)

17. Ah! May the Red Rose Live Alway (5:19)

Be thankful for Stephen Foster and for those who can perform his songs with feeling.  I am!

American Dreamer: TheSongs Of Stephen Foster

See you Monday, my fellow dreamers!

  

An Alligator in Your Ear!

It's a two-disc set from a record company who wants to present stuff a little raw, a little direct ...

The Alligator Records 20th Anniversary Collection, Disc 1

01. Hound Dog Taylor - Give Me Back My Wig (3:36)

02. James Cotton - No Cuttin' Loose (3:23)

03. Albert Collins and Johnny Copeland - Black Cat Bone (4:59)

04. Professor Longhair - Big Chief (3:15)

05. Koko Taylor - That's Why I'm Crying (4:30)

06. Tinsley Ellis - Double Eyed Whammy (3:29)

07. Lucky Peterson - I'm Free (5:19)

08. A.C. Reed with Stevie Ray Vaughn - These Blues Is Killing Me (3:09)

09. Little Charlie and the Nightcats - Rain (5:19)

10. Kenny Neal - Look But Don't Touch (3:24)

11. Elvin Bishop - Fannie Mae (3:21)

12. Jimmy Johnson - Serves Me Right to Suffer (3:59)

13. The Siegal-Schwall Band - Leavin' (3:21)

14. Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown - Born in Louisiana (3:52)

15. Charlie Musselwhite - Leaving Your Town (3:17)

16. Roy Buchanan - Drowning on Dry Land (6:23)

17. Detroit Junior - If I Hadn't Been High (4:03)

18. Big Walter Horton - Trouble in Mind (4:38)

The Alligator Records 20th Anniversary Collection, Disc 2 (73:06)

01. Albert Collins - Brick (4:37)

02. Katie Webster - Pussycat Moan (6:05)

03. Lil' Ed and the Blues Imperials - You Don't Exist Any More (4:05)

04. Carey Bell and Junior Wells - Second Hand Man (4:03)

05. Delbert McClinton - I've Got Dreams to Remember (4:33)

06. The Paladins - Going Down to Big Mary's (2:55)

07. Big Twist and the Mellow Fellows - 300 Pounds of Heavenly Joy (3:07)

08. Son Seals - Going Back Home (7:05)

09. Lonnie Mack - Strike Like Lightning (3:42)

10. Saffire - The Uppity Blues Women - The Middle Aged Blues Boogie (5:43)

11. Lonnie Brooks - Eyeballin' (3:36)

12. The Kinsey Report - Full Moon on Main Street (4:23)

13. Sonny Terry - Crow Jane (3:50)

14. Clifton Chenier - I'm the Zydeco Man (2:50)

15. Fenton Robinson - You Don't Know What Love Is (3:54)

16. Pinetop Perkins - Blues After Hours (5:02)

17. Johnny Winter - Boot Hill (3:35)

I’m gonna get crucified for saying this, but hearing several of these numbers in a row is just plain BORING.

Alligator

What do you think?

  

And a Bouncy World It Is!

It's another celebration of some of the music that shows America is great!

This is a fun 2-LP set from 1976.  The selections:

01. Woody Woodpecker Song (3:00)

02. On a Slow Boat to China (3:15)

03. Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition (2:31)

04. (I Got Spurs That) Jingle Jangle Jingle (3:16)

05. Who Wouldn't Love You (2:33)

06. There Goes That Song Again (2:20)

07. Horses Don't Bet on People (3:29)

08. Love on a Greyhound Bus (2:49)

09. Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive (2:58)

10. (I've Grown So Lonesome) Thinking of You (2:48)

11. Pushin' Sand (2:40)

12. Ole Buttermilk Sky (2:54)

13. The Old Lamplighter (3:14)

14. If My Heart Had a Window (2:52)

15. Why Don't We Do This More Often (2:38)

16. As Long as I Live (3:06)

17. Managua Nicaragua (2:57)

18. Three Little Fishes (3:03)

19. Strip Polka (2:49)

20. (There'll Be Blue Birds Over) The White Cliffs of Dover (2:35)

It was originally a double LP.  These tracks *might* be "electronically re-recorded to simulate stereo."  It's an actual LP dub, but the LP images are from online because I was too lazy to scan and edit together.

The World of Kay Kyser

See you Monday!

Welcome to 2023's July Spockebration!

Yes, once again it's time for out annual presentation of music which celebrates a notable aspect of American history. Remember, our nation is the worst on Earth --- except for all the other ones.

In aspirations, dreams of equality, and declared goals of access and common respect, we can't be beat!  To the extent that we fall short of these lofty aspirations, it's up to YOU to do what you can in YOUR OWN LIFE to treat those around you with respect.  And DON'T disrespect your neighbor -- either by letting your cow run free, or playing loud music after dark, or stealing or defacing another's property.

SERMON OVER.  Now, on to the show!

An American Mosaic (65:25) by Debra Wendells Cross and Barbara Chapman

This is a boffo selection of all kinds of [frowning] "serious" American music from 2001.  But don't let that be the ONLY kind of American music you listen to.

01. Powell - Pretty Sally (2:36)

02. Powell - At the Foot of Yonders Mountain (3:01)

03. Hovahness - Sonata #3 - Prelude (1:11)

04. Hovahness - Sonata #3 - Cantando (3:02)

05. Hovahness - Sonata #3 - Dance (1:26)

06. Hovahness - Sonata #3 - Lullaby (1:50)

07. Hovahness - Sonata #3 - Andante Dolce (0:55)

08. Campbell - Nocturne, Op. 27/2 (10:41)

09. Stringfield - Pastorale Scene (3:59)

10. Stringfield - Chipmunks (3:21)

11. MacDowell - To a Wild Rose (1:49)

12. Kreuzer - Crushed Violets (3:14)

13. Broeders - Milonga (2:15)

14. Broeders - Romanza (2:42)

15. Tillery - Simple Things (3:30)

16. Maganini - Caprice Terpsichore (3:57)

17. Stern - Mosaico (3:36)

18. Spelman - Rondo (8:48)

19. Stringfield - Indian Serenade (3:32)

A 2001 release.  It’s classical, but it’s not necessarily melodic.

An American Mosaic

See you Thursday!