Round Up the Cowpokes

We're concluding this year's JULY SPOCKEBRATION with some nods to the Old West of lore and legend.

It's Roundup Time:

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)

This 1963 offering is credited to Slim Jim Wishbone with the Texas Twisters.  Seems legit!

****

Cowboy Songs on Folkways:

01. Harry Jackson - Morning Grub Holler (0:18)

02. Harry Jackson - Round-up Cook (0:49)

03. Tex-I-An Boys - Chisholm Trail (3:00)

04. Woody Guthrie & Cisco Houston - Whoopie-Ti-Yi-Yo, Get Along Little dog (3:02)

05. Cisco Houston - Little Joe the Wrangler (2:39)

06. Harry Jackson - Little Joe the Wrangler's Sister Nell (3:28)

07. Harry K. McClintock - Utah Carl (1:31)

08. Tex-I-An Boys - Put Your Little Foot (1:26)

09. Peter LaFarge - Trail to Mexico (2:28)

10. Peter Hurd - Las Chapparreras (1:22)

11. Woody Guthrie - Buffalo Skinners (3:15)

12. Ray Reed - Zebra Dun (3:52)

13. Harry Jackson - Some Cowboy Brag Talk (1:35)

14. Roger Welsh - Horse Wrangler (3:08)

15. Harry Jackson - Strawberry Roan (4:55)

16. John A. Lomax - Texian Boys (1:53)

17. Leadbelly - Cow Cow Yicky Yicky Ya (1:33)

18. Woody Guthrie - Jesse James (Leadbelly's version) (3:00)

19. Pete Seeger - Home on the Range (1:52)

20. Rosalie Sorrels - Empty Cot in the Bunkhouse Tonight (2:13)

21. Leadbelly - Springime in the Rockies (3:04)

22. Dave Fredrickson - Lone Star Trail (2:54)

23. Peter LaFarge - Rodeo Hand (1:48)

24. Woody Guthrie & Cisco Houston - Philadelphia Lawyer (2:31)

25. Cisco Houston - The Dying Cowboy (3:02)

26. Hermes Nye - The Devil Made Texas (2:08)

A more rip-snortin' jeans-rippin' collection ye ain't gonna find, podner!

See you on Monday for a month of compilations.  It's a date!

  

A Marchin' Jubilee

Some may find it funny to find American music played by Her Majesty's Royal Marines.

John Philip Sousa - Great American Marches Vol 11:

01. King Cotton (2:37)

02. Hands Across the Sea (2:51)

03. Solid Men to the Front (3:57)

04. The Gladiator (2:36)

05. The Royal Welsh Fusiliers (2:34)

06. Marquette University (2:46)

07. The Rifle Regiment (3:17)

08. Semper Fidelis (2:35)

09. The Legionnaires (2:47)

10. The Northern Pines (3:38)

11. The Belle of Chicago (2:13)

12. The Daughters of Texas (3:19)

13. The Gallant Seventh (2:32)

14. Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (3:20)

15. The Invisible Eagle (3:25)

16. Golden Jubilee (3:33)

17. New York Hippodrome (3:56)

18. Manhattan Beach (2:10)

19. The Pride of the Wolverines (3:41)

20. The Gridiron Club (3:21)

21. The Liberty Bell (3:20)

Listen to this 1992 release and decide how funny it is.

****

Americana Jubilee:

01. The Irish Washer Woman (A Jig) (1:59)

02. Cripple Creek (1:19)

03. Father O'Flynn (A Jig) (1:30)

04. Harvest Home (A Hornpipe) (1:29)

05. Star of the County Down (3:02)

06. Sweet Betsy from Pike (1:58)

07. Ook Pic Waltz (An Alaskan Song) (2:54)

08. When I First Came to This Land (1:48)

09. Liberty / St. Anne's Reel (2:22)

10. Simple Gifts (2:44)

11. Polly Wolly Doodle / Crawdad Song / Shortin' Bread / Sourwood Mountain (1:42)

12. Mockin' Bird Hill (2:08)

13. Blue Tail Fly / Little Brown Jug (1:17)

14. Under the Double Eagle (3:28)

15. Ghost Riders in The Sky (2:59)

Others might find it funny that the first track on an "Americana Jubilee" is named for an Irishwoman.

Go figure, this is America!  See you Thursday.

  

Hope Your Pride Ain't Raggy

From the Salvation Army comes our first selection:

American Pride - Sixteen Stirring Patriotic Themes

01. America the Beautiful (3:19)

02. Yankee Doodle Boy (1:34)

03. Medal of Honor (3:45)

04. Pioneer Spirit (4:16)

05. Simple Gifts (3:16)

06. Stars and Stripes Forever (1:48)

07. Battle Hymn of the Republic (3:04)

08. Dixie (4:38)

09. When Johnny Comes Marching Home (3:06)

10. American Dream (4:06)

11. Grand Old Flag (1:41)

12. Hail to the Chief (1:18)

13. My Country 'Tis of Thee (1:28)

14. Yankee Doodle (1:41)

15. Old Glory (2:59)

16. Star Spangled Banner (1:59)

This begins as an OK synth panorama from 1998.  A sense of humor and/or a little spriteliness is detected, and welcome.  A couple of tracks, like 3 and 4, might be originals.  But they are sufficiently tropish to work … until we get to the vocals on “Battle Hymn,” a track which runs right over the edge into cynical sentimentalism for me.

Unfortunately, the overacting comes out again in the oh-so-flamboyant vocals for the last track, our National Anthem.  Just like a political speech, passion should be used sparingly, not vomited all over the carpet.

***

Peabody Ragtime Ensemble - Ragtime Band

01. Solace (A Mexican Serenade) (4:23)

02. Something Doing - a Ragtime Two-Step (3:34)

03. Augustan Club Waltz (4:27)

04. Heliotrope Bouquet - a Slow Drag Two-Step (3:51)

05. Pleasant Moments - a Ragtime Waltz (3:06)

06. Stoptime Rag (2:07)

07. Daddy Won't You Please Come Home (3:48)

08. Troublesome Ivories - a Ragtime Rag (2:39)

09. My Handyman Ain't Handy No More (4:07)

10. Baltimore Todolo (2:52)

11. Memories of You (3:55)

12. Poor Katie Red (Eubie's Slow Drag) (4:22)

This is some pretty good music, presented in a crummy way on cassette in 1984.  That is, one of the songs on side 2 (Track 10 in this file) wasn't even listed on the cassette liner!

See you Monday for the final week in our salute to our fine nation.

  

You May Cringe ...

... but this is part of our history too.

Here's the original 2016 post for the Minstrel Show.

A Complete Authentic Minstrel Show:

01 - Opening March: Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight - Swanee River - The Company  (1:27)

02 - Medley: Old Dan Tucker - Mandy Lee - Jeannie with the Light Brown Hair - Old Folks at Home - Camptown Races - In the Evening by the Moonlight - The Company  (9:57)

03 - Sweet Sixteen - Gilbert Smith, The Southland Chorus  (3:24)

04 - Shine on Harvest Moon - The Company  (2:39)

05 - The Preacher and the Bear - Robert Lamb  (2:56)

06 - My Gal Sal - The Southland Chorus  (6:09)

07 - Lassus Trombome - The Sliphorn Four  (2:48)

08 - Asleep in the Deep - Warren Biggs  (2:36)

09 - Grand Finale: Hello, Ma Baby - Honeymoon - I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now - Goodbye My Lady Love - The Company  (5:42)

It's been a while since I listened to this.  According to Discogs, it was released in 1958, long before appearing in blackface or other things were considerations.

* * *

This one's a 1993 release.

Square Dance Tonight (More Country Time Square Dances with Calls):

01. Daisy Mae Round (4:53)

02. Red River Valley (3:31)

03. Spanish Cavalier (4:38)

04. My Little Girl (4:42)

05. Hurry Hurry (3:41)

06. Good Old Country Music (Billy Boy) (4:29)

07. Virginia Blues (Figure 8) (4:10)

08. Wabash Theme (Square Dance Tonight!) (3:17)

09. Golden Slippers (5:01)

10. Soldiers' Joy (3:32)

See you on Thursday with more refractions of America.

  

Dancing on the War Floor

Music for recent and older martial doings.

America's Favorite Patriotic Songs:

01. America, the Beautiful (2:40)

02. God Bless America (3:44)

03. This Land Is Your Land (2:18)

04. The Star Spangled Banner (2:15)

05. Armed Forces Medley (4:05)

06. My Country 'Tis of Thee (2:08)

07. God Bless the USA (3:18)

08. The Battle Hymn of the Republic (3:49)

09. If My People (4:27)

10. God Save America (3:43)

11. The Stars and Stripes Forever Medley (2:42)

Regarding the above, you will acknowledge these songs as your favorites, or the chirpy choir and importunate orchestra will smother you with good cheer!  Yes, YOU!

Below are some more gritty nationalistic sentiments.

This is a 1971 release:  American Indian Ceremonial and War Dances:

01 - War Dance - Ponca

02 - New War Dance Song - Taos

03 - Slow War Dance - Kiowa

04 - Fast War Dance - Kiowa

05 - Knife's Warrior Song - Arikara

06 - Chief's Honoring Song - Sioux

07 - Old Glory Raising on Iwo Jima - Navajo

08 - Korea Memorial Song - Sioux

09 - Mountain Spirit Song - Apaches

10 - Lightning Song - Apaches

11 - Sun Dance Song - Cheyenne

12 - Sun Dance Song - Arapahoe

13 - Sun Dance - Ute

14 - Song of  the Black Mountain - Papago

15 - Song of the Green Rainbow - Papago

Sure wish we could appreciate the sentiments without emulating them.  

Welcome to 2026's JULY SPOCKEBRATION!

We're gonna begin this month's celebration of this great and aspiring-to-be-greater country, with two patriotic comps.

MA-73 - American Favorites:

01. The Star-Spangled Banner - Jerry Goldsmith (1:22)

02. This Land Is Your Land - Peter, Paul & Mary (2:27)

03. Let' s All Be Americans Now - Arthur Hall (3:05)

04. People Like You and Me - Glenn Miller & His Orchestra (3:46)

05. The Stars and Stripes Forever - The US Army Ceremonial Band (3:33)

06. Home On The Range - Roy Rogers & the Sons of the Pioneers (2:41)

07. God Bless America - Kate Smith (2:04)

08. Variations on 'America' - Charles Ives (7:10)

09. The House I Live In - Frank Sinatra (3:39)

10. The Magnificent Seven Main Title - Elmer Bernstein (1:59)

11. Pleasant Moments - Scott Joplin (3:02)

12. Ragged Old Flag - Johnny Cash (3:08)

13. No Restricted Signs (Up in Heaven) - Golden Gate Quartet (2:59)

14. You're a Grand Old Flag - James Cagney (5:39)

15. High Noon - Tex Ritter (2:47)

16. Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree (With Anyone Else But Me) - Glenn Miller & His Orchestra (3:11)

17. Battle Hymn of the Republic - John Williams & The Boston Pops (5:01)

18. A Lincoln Portrait - Aaron Copland (15:44)

19. The Stars and Stripes Forever - Vladimir Horowitz (4:00)

Special mention:  Track 1 is a great arrangement of our national anthem, and it's heard in Poltergeist as a TV station signs off.  Track 13 is a great idealization of our country's promise of fair treatment for all; can we live up to it in our personal lives?  Track 18 is an off-the-air recording of an unknown performance, but the spoken words are recited by the composer, Aaron Copland himself!

MA-150 - National Anthems:

01 - The Star-Spangled Banner - Reuben Guevara - 1978  (3:45)

02 - Long Long Ago - Merry-Go-Round Records - 1959  (2:45)

03 - There's a Service Flag Flying at Our House - Sterling Trio - 1918  (3:09)

04 - On the 4th of July - James Taylor - 2002  (3:24)

05 - America, Communicate with Me - Ray Stevens - 1970  (3:12)

06 - American Flag on the Moon - Brad Paisley - 2014  (3:49)

07 - Yankee Doodle Blues - Billy Murray & Ed Smalle - 1922  (2:56)

08 - Dixie & The Bonnie Blue Flag - Classical Brass - 1991  (2:25)

09 - Where the Stars and Stripes and Eagle Fly - Aaron Tippin - 2001  (3:44)

10 - Because All Men Are Brothers - Peter, Paul and Mary - 1965  (2:09)

11 - Only in America - Jay and the Americans - 1963  (2:01)

12 - National Emblem March - Tommy Dorsey - 1943  (3:00)

13 - Cool Water - Sons of the Pioneers - 1959  (2:08)

14 - America - Waylon Jennings - 1984  (3:24)

15 - Brother, Can You Spare a Dime - Rudy Vallee and His Connecticut Yankees - 1931  (3:39)

16 - The Immigrant (dedicated to John Lennon) - Neil Sedaka - 1975  (3:46)

17 - We Must Be Vigilant (American Patrol) - Hour of Charm All-Girl Orchestra - 1942  (2:51)

18 - Bugle Call Blues - Jack Pettis and His Pets - 1929  (2:42)

19 - It's America - Rodney Atkins - 2009  (3:29)

20 - Barnum and Bailey's Favorite - United States Army Band - 2012  (2:26)

21 - America Is My Home, Part 1 - James Brown - 1968  (3:20)

22 - Melting Pot - Blue Mink - 1969  (3:47)

23 - Alexander's Ragtime Band - Joe “Fingers” Carr - 1956  (2:07)

24 - Home on the Range - Gene Autry - 1947  2:37)

25 - Battle Cry of Freedom - John Williams and Chicago Symphony Orchestra - 2012  (2:14)

26 - Country Dances - The Swingle Singers - 1991  (3:30)

I hope you can take heart from these two panoplies of the wonders of American musical expression.  Sah-LOOT!

See you on Monday.

  

Anything's Possible in the Fourth World

It's a fascinating 1980 release.

01. Chemistry (6:54)

02. Delta Rain Dream (3:29)

03. Griot (Over Contagious Magic) (4:02)

04. Ba-benzele (6:17)

05. Rising Thermal 14 Deg 16 Min N 32 Deg 28 Min E (3:09)

06. Charm (Over Burundi Cloud) (21:30)

It's electronics laid over indigenous-sounding source music.  You too may be enchanted.

DRIME LINK.

See you Thursday for the last installment of this year's APRIL FUN!

  

Erin Go Synth!

An all-natural 2000 release.  I mean, synthesizers are natural, right?  The laws of nature allow their existence!

01. Geordie (3:03)

02. Ar Erinn Ni Neosfaninn (3:11)

03. Danny Boy (Londonderry Aire) (3:00)

04. Greensleeves (4:08)

05. The Coulin (4:00)

06. Brian Borus March (3:50)

07. Bauch Na Carraige Baine (3:11)

08. Charles Magee (3:27)

09. Hough O'Donnell (2:29)

10. Old Black Jack (3:34)

11. She Moved Through the Fair (3:39)

12. Join This Parade (3:02)

13. Lord Inchquin (3:05)

14. Blind Mary (3:36)

15. Ned of the Hill (3:43)

16. My Darling Spalpeen (2:43)

I think this is all synth generated.  But it’s still bemusing or fun or a little weepy here and there.  Sure it’s cashing in on followers of Auld Eire.  But’s it’s OK.

There’s something hinky about Track 7.  It’s labeled “Bauch Na Carraige Baine,” but it’s really Bach’s “Prelude in C Major” from The Well-Tempered Clavier.  You can look up the name of the track online and what you hear as “Bauch Na Carraige Baine” AIN’T what you hear in Track 7.

FILEFACTORY LINK.

DRIME LINK.

See you Thursday with a bit o' April Fun!

  

Gotta Ramble!

It's a 2007 release.

01. Studentmarch (2:33)

02. The Glendy Burk (1:20)

03. Rosie (2:29)

04. Hornpipes (3:16)

05. Gangar (1:00)

06. Rolling Home (2:46)

07. Little Rabbit (1:27)

08. The Whole Crwth (1:08)

09. Bridalmarch (2:06)

10. Busker's Lament (2:24)

11. P'tit Mamou Two Step (2:23)

12. Rambling Sailor (1:52)

13. Nyckleharpa Tunes (2:50)

14. Camptown Races (1:37)

15. Auto-Ferry Medley (2:56)

16. Waterbound (2:57)

17. Truncles (2:27)

18. Springar (1:15)

19. Humours of Annagasson (4:13)

20. Kind Friends and Companions (2:39)

FILEFACTORY LINK.

DRIME LINK.

Some are fun like the instrumental “P'tit Mamou Two Step.”  But others are depressing.  Boy, that “Busker’s Lament” is boring.  This album is so frustrating because the vocals weigh it down.

See you Monday for the final entry in this year's SPOCK'S OUTTA COUNTRY CORK!

  

Terpsi-WHAT?

It's a 1994 release.

01. Espie McNabb (4:51)

02. Long Pond Reel (4:52)

03. Set of Strathspeys (3:18)

04. Ellie's Jig (4:49)

05. Seann Truibhas Willichan (8:20)

06. West's Hornpiipe (2:30)

07. Waltz for Mary Kay (2:51)

08. The Shuttle Bus (4:48)

09. Sleepy Maggie (4:42)

10. Birks of Invermay (8:21)

11. Light and Airy (4:49)

12. Reel of the Royal Scots (4:56)

13. Rosewood Waltz (4:14)

FILEFACTORY LINK.

DRIME LINK.

Aye, and it’s a fun romp fer shure!  And look at the packaging—I would’ve sworn this was a Musical Heritage Society release!  See you Thursday.

A Two-fer Trip to Them Thar Isles

I ain't never been to them Scot nor Irelandish lands, though much of my fambly done come from thar long ago.

Here we got a two-disc set from 2000.

DISC 1:

Jeff Victor - Lifescapes, Scottish Moors (53:49)

01. The Ghost Piper of an Allt Mor (2:34)

02. The Mermaid's Tears (5:07)

03. Farewell to the Lasses of Mon Tays (2:29)

04. The Widow of Loch Lemond (6:15)

05. The Rowan Tree Trilogy (6:48)

06. Tir-nan-Og (The Land pf Eternal Youth) (7:16)

07. 7th Child of the 7th Child (7:26)

08. Dance of the Dumfrieshire Dwarves (3:41)

09. The Fisherman's Sorrow/The Battle Cry of Killecrankie (9:56)

10. Epilogue: Farewell (2:16)

DISC 2:

Jeff Victor - Emerald Isle (58:37)

01. The Emerald Isles (8:08)

02. She Wove a Cloak of Many Yarns (5:44)

03. The Jolly Beggar (3:26)

04. Fair, Brown and Trembling (6:59)

05. Yellow Lilly (5:37)

06. Keester McGee's Favorite Drinking Song (3:20)

07. The Rose of Tralee/Danny Boy (8:30)

08. The Enchanted Valley/Farewell to Ireland (5:35)

09. Spike Island Lasses (3:41)

10. Amanda's Wedding (7:38)

This is as stereotypical as you might imagine.  That understood, most is just dandy.  However, I must draw the line.  BAGPIPES ARE ATROCIOUS.  Hearing a bagpipe for any amount of time longer than ten seconds should be considered torture under the Geneva Convention.

The bagpipes are confined to disc 1.  Nowhere near as egregious, yet still irritating, are the pennywhistle-type stylings heard in some of disc 2’s offerings.

But track 6 of disc 2, the so-called “Keester McGee's Favorite Drinking Song,” is offensive in concept as well has ham-handed in execution.

You’ve been warned!  If you wish to proceed anyway, a little of this aural atmospherics may go a long way.

FILEFACTORY LINK.

DRIME LINK.

See you Monday.

  

Do Dead Men Sing?

Listen, to find out!

01. High Barbary (2:13)

02. Gathering Peasecods (2:18)

03. The Jovial Broome Man (1:55)

04. Newcastle (2:24)

05. Al Die Willen Als Kaperen Varen (0:40)

06. Bravade (1:48)

07. The Fourteenth of February (1:47)

08. Jenny Pluck Pears (2:42)

09. Captain Ward and the Rainbow (1:40)

10. Haul on the Bowline (0:48)

11. La Matelotte/The Female Sailor (2:09)

12. The Downfall of Piracy (3:28)

13. Cuckolds All Awry (1:13)

14. Jonas and the Devil (2:54)

15. Epping Forest (1:57)

16. Flying Cloud (4:09)

17. Lord Mayo (2:25)

18. Down Among the Dead Men (1:58)

On this 2018 release, some tracks are performed acapella, and that’s a dang shame.  In fact, this fun ride would be funner if we had a more polished singer.  The guest singer on Track 9 is welcome.

Some are vocals plus fiddle, some are fiddle only, with a couple of guest instruments.

FILEFACTORY LINK.

DRIME LINK.

See you Thursday!

  

Stereotypical, If I’m Not Mystiquen!

It's a 2001 release.

01. Skibbereen (3:52)

02. Cliffs of Doneen (4:59)

03. Planxty Lady Wrixon (4:23)

04. The Lamentation of Owen Roe O'Neill (4:12)

05. Planxty George Brabazon (4:40)

06. The Foggy Dew (6:06)

07. The Banks of Claudy (4:19)

08. Angel of Monmouth (4:17)

09. Highland Dance (3:46)

10. Spancil Hill (4:03)

11. Buachaill on Eirne (4:44)

12. Faire Mehli (4:34)

TRY THIS LINK WITH DRIME.

Dear friends, since FileFactory is having conniption fits, I'm lookin' fer a new filehost.  I'd love to hear if this link works OK for you.

See ya Monday!

  

Sniffing the Flowers

It's a 1997 release.

01. Wildwood Flower (2:45)

02. The Water Is Wide (2:32)

03. Swanee River (3:40)

04. Hard Times Come Again No More (2:29)

05. Red Wing (2:46)

06. The Ash Grove (2:05)

07. Danny Boy (2:41)

08. My Old Kentucky Home (3:03)

09. Bonny Eloise (2:41)

10. Simple Gifts (2:47)

11. Scarborough Fair (2:42)

12. Gentle Annie (3:39)

13. Lorena (2:31)

14. Red River Valley (1:43)

THIS LINK GOOD FOR SEVEN DAYS.

FILEFACTORY LINK.

It’s perfectly OK stuff, ranging from older things to things you might have heard on Sixties AM radio.  See you Thursday.

  

Shamrocks and Spurs

It's a 1996 release.

01. The Trail to Mexico / In the Tap Room / The Banshee (3:23)

02. Shenandoah (3:30)

03. Little Joe, the Wrangler (2:11)

04. The Lily of the West (4:23)

05. Garry Owen / Custer Died a-Runnin' / Off 'til Monday (3:39)

06. Lady in Green (3:49)

07. The Colorado Trail (2:44)

08. I'd Like to Be in Texas When They Round Up in the Spring / The Maid Behind the Bar (3:32)

09. Tempting the Salmon to Come to the Fly (3:47)

10. Down by the Brazos (4:21)

11. Goodby, Old Paint / Leavin' Cheyenne / The Strawberry Roan / Whoopie Ti Yi Yo / Git Along, Little Dogies (5:00)

12. The Girl I Left Behind Me (2:59)

13. Annie Laurie (4:29)

CORRECTED WeTransfer LINK GOOD FOR SEVEN DAYS!

FILEFACTORY LINK.

I must say this is pretty fun, even if the songs have silly lyrics.

See you Monday!

  

Who Celt It Dealt It!

Welcome to this month's SPOCK'S OUTTA COUNTY CORK, featuring folk music (or semi-related to folk music) from anywhere on the dang planet.

Here we have a1993 cassette from Brentwood Music.

01. Pride of the Parrish (2:50)

02. Ellacombe (2:29)

03. Bunessan (3:20)

04. All Things Bright and Beautiful (2:25)

05. The Merry Quaker (3:04)

06. Slane (3:06)

07. Aberystwyth (2:15)

08. Let All Things Now Liviing (2:23)

09. St Patrick's Day (3:00)

10. The King of Love My Shepherd Is (2:46)

11. Amazing Grace (3:35)

It’s a very charming instrumental nod to Celtic or neo-Celtic musical styles.  Sometimes too clinically correct?  But I daresay you’ll like it.

THIS LINK GOOD FOR SEVEN DAYS.

FILEFACTORY LINK.

See you Thursday!

 

You Too Can be Zauber

FYI, the title of this 1979 cassette means "Magic of the Mountains."

01. Alphorns (1:27)

02. G'schichten aus dem Wienerwald (5:22)

03. Schnee Walzer (2:42)

04. Bergfrühling (2:27)

05. Liebe im Schnee (2:05)

06. Spitzkehr Polka (3:14)

07. Alphorns (1:38)

08. Bergvagabunden (2:37)

09. Edelweiss (2:21)

10. Kuhtutten Michl (2:39)

11. Bozener Bergsteiger (2:51)

12. Bugaboo Bells (2:52)

13. Wann I Von der Alm Abigeh (3:04)

14. Erzherzog Johann (2:59)

THIS LINK GOOD FOR SEVEN DAYS.

FILEFACTORY LINK.

Since the vocals are only on side 2 (Tracks 8-14), I like side 1 better.

See you Monday!

  

That Exotic Land ...

This here's a bunch of music by Ralph Vaughan Williams that I bunched together.

01 - The Lark Ascending

02 - English Folk Song Suite I March, Seventeen Come Sunday

03 - English Folk Song Suite II Intermezzo, My Bonny Boy

04 - English Folk Song Suite III March, Folk Songs from Somerset

05 - Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis, for 2 string orchestras

06 - Fantasia on Greensleeves

07 - In the Fen Country

08 - Norfolk Rhapsody No. 1

09 - Rhosymedre

PS I was amused to discover several years ago that the correct pronunciation of the composer's first name is "Rafe."

My experience of Vaughan Williams' music is of a great intellect that hasn't forgotten his sense of humor.

THIS LINK GOOD FOR SEVEN DAYS.

PERMANENT LINK.

See you on Monday.

  

Great Country, So-So Album

That's my capsule review.   Details:

01. The Pledge of Allegiance (0:31)

02. Star Spangled Banner (2:06)

03. Liberty Fanfare (4:17)

04. America (3:17)

05. This Is My Country (4:08)

06. City of New Orleans (4:34)

07. Doodletown Fifers (4:21)

08. God Bless America (4:06)

09. Boogie-Woogie Bugle Boy (2:39)

10. This Land Is Your Land (2:33)

11. The Gettysburg Address (5:38)

12. America, We're Proud to Serve (4:26)

13. America the Beautiful (5:06)

14. 1812 Overture (15:38)

15. The Stars and Stripes Forever (3:35)

Track One is ruined by some moron adding reverb to the kids’ recitation of our pledge. The other tracks live up to the broad intent of “pops.” For example, there’s probably no way to perform “This Is My Country” without it sounding campy.

“America the Beautiful” starts out schmaltzy, but wins you over by the end. The grand old “1812” would be better served without the cannon sounds, whether live or dubbed. They’re mushy sounding. And I wish they had taken the training wheels off of “The Stars and Stripes Forever”! Instead of pepping up for the big repeat at the end, the thing slows down like the orchestra ran out of steam.

Overall, this is not the best advertising for a post-Williams version of the Pops.

THIS LINK GOOD FOR SEVEN DAYS.

PERMANENT LINK.

This wraps up 2025's JULY SPOCKEBRATION.  See you on Monday for a month of music comps!

  

Some Say the Greatest

But what would HE say?

01. Woody Guthrie - This Land Is Your Land (2:44)

02. Cisco Houston - Do Re Mi (2:35)

03. The Weavers - So Long - It's Been Good to Know Yuh (2:27)

04. Odetta - Pastures of Plenty (4:05)

05. Cisco Houston - Deportee (Plane Wreck at Los Gatos) (4:40)

06. Cisco Houston - 900 Miles (3:26)

07. Country Joe McDonald - Roll on Columbia (3:28)

08. Woody Guthrie and Cisco Houston - Hard, Ain't It Hard (2:48)

09. Woody Guthrie - Dirty Overalls (1:58)

10. Woody Guthrie - (Take Me) Riding in My Car (1:52)

11. Cisco Houston - Ship in the Sky (1:51)

12. The Weavers - The Sinking of the Reuben James (2:46)

13. Odetta - Rambling Round Your City (4:05)

14. Cisco Houston - Jesus Christ (2:26)

15. Country Joe McDonald - When the Curfew Blows (2:18)

16. Ramblin’ Jack Elliott - 1913 Massacre (3:52)

17. Ramblin’ Jack Elliott - Talking Fish Blues (3:28)

18. Cisco Houston - Curly Headed Baby (3:08)

19. The Weavers - Jackhammer John (2:38)

20. Odetta - The Great Historical Bum (2:01)

21. Joan Baez - Pretty Boy Floyd (4:24)

22. Jim Kweskin - Buffalo Skinners (5:30)

23. Woody Guthrie with Cisco Houston and Sonny Terry - Hard Travelin' (2:12)

THIS LINK GOOD FOR SEVEN DAYS.

As you might imagine, for this album we’re in full-on worship mode of Ye Greate Folke Singer ande Troubadoure.

PERMANENT LINK.

Decide for yourself how much these treatments vary from your ideal.  See you on Thursday!