Ave Regina - Motets

Another fascinating example of early music which can sound remotely intellectual and passionately devoted, at the same time.

The performances on this 1977 LP will help lift you to rarefied planes of contemplation.

01. Nicolas Gombert - Ave Regina (4:16)

02. Jacob Arcadelt - O pulcherrima mulierum  (3:42)

03. Adrian Willaert - Ave Regina (3:10)

04. Jacobus Clemens non Papa - Ego flos campi (3:57)

05. Jacobus Clemens non Papa - Pastores loquebantur (4:37)

06. Adrian Willaert - In convertendo (4:25)

07. Cipriano de Rore - O altitude divitiarum (5:56)

08. Jacob Handl (Gallus) - Canite tuba in Sion (1:56)

09. Jacob Handl (Gallus) - Ave Maria (2:55)

10. Philippe de Monte - Ave Maria (2:56)

11. Philippe de Monte - O suavitas et dulcedo (5:15)

 Motets

See you Monday!

Search for Utopia -- Go Ahead, I Dare You!

I found this 1988 cassette at a thrift store, and it's just as dreamy and loopy as you might expect.

If you can reach Utopia through dreaming and detachment from the world, this might help.  If, like me, you believe that "utopia" can only be achieved by involvement with, and helping, other fallible human beings, then the music might comfort you in your struggles along the way.

The tracks are:
01. The Journey (19:47)
02. Utopian Sunrise (6:17)
03. Paradise Found (16:01)

Robert Slap ‎– Search For Utopia 



The tracks are:
See you on Thursday!
   

The Voice of Bing in the 1930's

In this 1957 LP, Der Bingle shows himself to be a crooning tenor who's not quite the Schmaltz King who became known to the Baby Boomers.

Here're the selections:

01 - Where the Blue of the Night Meets the Gold of the Day

02 - I Found a Million Dollar Baby (in a Five and Ten Cent Store)

03 - At Your Command

04 - Now That You're Gone

05 - Dancing in the Dark

06 - Too Late

07 - Sweet and Lovely

08 - A Faded Summer Love

09 - Just One More Chance

10 - I'm Through With Love

11 - Out of Nowhere

12 - Good Night Sweetheart

Also included are the rear liner notes.

The Voice of Bing in the 1930's

Somewhat of note is the last song.  "Goodnight, Sweetheart" is a 1931 number recorded many times, appearing in several films, including 1942's The Palm Beach Story (sung by Rudy Vallee) and 1943's Stage Door Canteen.  It's also the song heard playing on the radio in Star Trek's "City on the Edge of Forever," as Kirk and Keeler pitch a little woo.

See you on Monday!

Re-Post: The King of Elfland's Daughter

I came across  a promo copy of this 1977 LP in a record shop that used to be a laundromat, on Blackwelder Ave in OKC, right across from OCU.

The art looks like Brian Froud's work, but it's by a fellow named Jimmy Cauty.  But it wasn't the cover art which grabbed me, it was the title.  You see, I'd recently read the Ballantine reprint of the wonderful novel by Lord Dunsany.

How can you go wrong with such a project, mounted by members of Steeleye Span ... with Christopher Lee as narrator and the King of Elfland, with Mary Hopkin as the Princess?

1.  The Request (3.23)
2.  Lirazel (4.11)
3.  Witch (3.35)
4.  Alveric's Journey Through Elfland (4.57)
5.  The Rune of the Elf King (3.59)
6.  The Coming of the Troll (1.53)
7.  Just Another Day of Searching (5.09)
8.  Too Much Magic (3.58)
9.  Beyond the Fields We Know (4.29) 

Here's a page from Mainly Norfolk which has more info, and the lyrics.

The King of Elfland's Daughter -- 2022 link

See you on Thursday!

Let's Hear It for Vaudeville, Folks!

 When the time comes that you say to your friends, "Let's put on a Show!", this is the record you'll wish you had.

No, it's not somebody else's Vaudeville Show.  This is the chance for you and your friends to get up there on the stage and knock 'em dead.

 Just like Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney in 1939's Babes in Arms, you can do it!

And this record is all you need.

Side 1 will teach you the songs, from Opening Curtain, through love songs and dance numbers, to the big sign-off.  But, here's the kicker:

Side 2 has all the songs, in the same arrangements, but with no vocals.  That's right, you and your friends get to sing the lead!  You're putting on the show!

And it's all thanks to our friends at Hoctor, a Division of Dance Records, Inc.  The songs include:

01. Vaudeville (2:49)

02. I Never Thot (2:04)

03. Copycats (1:54)

04. Alice from Dallas (2:31)

05. Once Upon a Time (2:41)

06. Minuet Mambo (2:17)

07. We’ve Got to Go (0:56)

08. Vaudeville (Instrumental) (2:49)

09. I Never Thot (Instrumental) (2:03)

10. Copycats (Instrumental) (1:53)

11. Alice from Dallas (Instrumental) (2:31)

12. Once Upon a Time (Instrumental) (2:41)

13. Minuet Mambo (Instrumental) (2:16)

14. We’ve Got to Go (Instrumental) (0:58)

Listen and see if you don't agree that Track 3, "Copycats," is a musical "copycat" of Leroy Anderson's 1945 "The Syncopated Clock."

Vaudeville
 
Let me know about your show!  See you Monday.

Times Square OST

It's like this.  I came across this record in the discount bin at Peaches Records, or maybe Sound Warehouse.  Some tracks grabbed me more than others:  "Rock Hard," "Innocent, Not Guilty."

Then I caught the movie on HBO.  Critic Roger Ebert's opinion that the flick is on the verge of greatness but never makes it -- wow, isn't that the most appropriate metaphor for teenage life, as depicted in the film?

One of the great blessings of art is when you can share the artists' reaction to their pain -- but you don't have to feel that pain yourself!  Yes, we are all psychic vampires, I guess.

Anyway, these songs are fun.  I dummied up a CD disc to emulate the LP cover.

The songs are:

01. Rock Hard - Suzi Quatro (3:19)

02. Talk of the Town - The Pretenders (3:13)

03. Same Old Scene - Roxy Music (3:54)

04. Down in the Park - Gary Numan (4:23)

05. Help Me! - Marcy Levy & Robin Gibb (3:25)

06. Life During Wartime - Talking Heads (3:36)

07. Pretty Boys - Joe Jackson (3:21)

08. Take This Town - XTC (4:06)

09. I Wanna Be Sedated - The Ramones (2:29)

10. Damn Dog - Robin Johnson (2:38)

11. Your Daughter Is One - Robin Johnson & Trini Alvarado (2:10)

12. Babylon's Burning - The Ruts (2:31)

13. You Can't Hurry Love - D L Byron (3:07)

14. Walk on the Wild Side - Lou Reed (4:08)

15. The Night Was Not - Desmond Child & Rouge (3:00)

16. Innocent, Not Guilty - Garland Jeffreys (2:13)

17. Grinding Halt - The Cure (2:48)

18. Pissing in the River - Patti Smith Group (4:39)

19. Flowers in the City - David Johansen (3:04)

20. Damn Dog (Reprise) - Robin Johnson (2:51)

21. Dangerous Type - The Cars (4:19) -- Bonus Track

And here you go.

See you Thursday!

Beatles Remixers Group: Tuned to a Natural E, 1

I've featured tracks from some of the members in my 45s & Favorites series of comps, and shared their Abbey Road remix.

While the Beatles Remixers Group administrates itself into producing entire Beatles albums with songs by various members, they also release general compilations of all kinds of Beatles stuff, from remixed single songs to mashups of Beatles songs with others.

Here's what's on  Volume 1 of their Tuned to a Natural E series.  


01. 01 - It Won't Be Long (0:46)
02. 02 - Love Me Do (2:19)
03. 03 - Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand (2:25)
04. 04 - P.S. I Love You (2:02)
05. 05 - She Loves You (2:19)
06. 06 - I'll Get You (2:03)
07. 07 - I Wanna Hold Your Mix (1:17)
08. 08 - Bell Trance (3:30)
09. 09 - Things We Said Today (2:33)
10. 10 - Leave My Kitten Alone (2:22)
11. 11 - Rock And Roll Music (2:30)
12. 12 - You're Going To Lose That Girl (2:17)
13. 13 - I'm Looking Through You (2:23)
14. 14 - Wait (2:11)
15. 15 - If I Needed Someone (2:20)
16. 16 - Rain (2:59)
17. 17 - Hey Bulldog (3:09)
18. 18 - Best Of Ringo Drum Mix (2:54)
19. 19 - RainniaR (2:57)
20. 20 - Beatle Trance (Rain Mix) (1:30)
21. 21 - Tomorrow Never Knows (2:54)
22. 22 - Magical Mystery Tour (2:46)
23. 23 - I Am The Walrus (4:22)
24. 24 - Penny Lane (2:57)
25. 25 - Mrs Much (0:44)
26. 26 - I Will (1:45)
27. 27 - Old Brown Shoe (2:59)
28. 28 - I Am The Walrus (4:38)
29. 29 - Evolution Take 5 (3:58)
30. 30 - I Me Mine (2:26)
31. 31 - Tuned To A Natural 'E' (0:56)
32. 32 - All My Loving (2:05)
33. 33 - Hello Goodbye (0:38)

The Beatles - BRG Tuned To A Natural E Vol. 1 (79:52)

Some are fully fleshed, some are more abstract concept pieces.  But wowow, what fun!

See you Monday.
 

English Madrigals from the Courts of Elizabeth I and James I

This fine 1969 album provides refined listening.

The media I'm sharing was a cassette version, so no pops, clicks, or skips are hangin' round.

Madrigals from the Reign of Queen Elizabeth I (d 1603)

01 - All Creatures Now Are Merry-Minded - John Bennet   (2:01)

02 - This Sweet and Merry Month of May - William Byrd   (2:30)

03 - Say, Dear, When Will Your Frowning Leave? - Thomas Weelkes   (3:25)

04 - Whither Away So Fast? - Thomas Morley   (2:27)

05 - Construe My Meaning - Giles Farnaby   (2:17)

06 - Though Amaryllis Dance in Green - William Byrd   (2:13)

07 - Sorrow Consumes Me - George Kirbye   (3:35)

08 - Now Is the Month of Maying - Thomas Morley   (1:53)

09 - Lullaby, My Sweet Little Baby - William Byrd   (2:07)

10 - Fair Nymphs, I Heard One Telling - John Farmer   (2:03)

Madrigals from the Reign of James I (d 1625)

11 - Come Away Sweet Love and Play Thee - Thomas Greaves   (1:11)

12 - Sweet Suffolk Owl - Thomas Vautor   (2:31)

13 - Sister Awake, Close Not Your Eyes - Thomas Bateson   (1:54)

14 - The Silver Swan - Orlando Gibbons   (1:57)

15 - Shall I Abide This Jesting? - Richard Alison   (2:42)

16 - Too Much I Once Lamented - Thomas Tomkins   (5:57)

17 - Sweet Honey-Sucking Bees - John Wilbey   (4:32)

18 - Retire, My Troubled Soul - John Ward   (3:22)

Also included are scans of the insert and liner notes.

While this lovely music won't cure a steamy, sticky summer's day, they will provide a perfect accompaniment to resting in the shade after the heat of the day passes.  For some reason, I'm charmed by the thought of this music in the air, with background noises of cicadas and crickets.

English Madrigals from the Courts of Elizabeth I and James I - (48:36)

See you Thursday!