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.

  

Sweethearts on the Trail

A couple of yee-haws for you today, ladies and gentlemen ...

Scotty Howard - Oklahoma Sweetheart:

01. Long Journey Home (3:01)

02. Roll in My Sweet Baby's Arms (2:29)

03. Oklahoma Sweetheart (2:59)

04. Never Ending Love (2:43)

05. It May Be Silly, But Ain't It Fun (2:11)

06. Fallen Angel (2:43)

07. Smokey Mountain Smoke (2:34)

08. The Angel Song (4:02)

09. I Over Looked an Orchid (3:31)

10. Long Black Veil (4:02)

11. I'll Fly Away (3:22)

12. Heaven Bound Train (2:08)

13. I'm Free (2:51)

Scotty was inducted into America's Old Time Country Music Hall of Fame in 2008.

Bar D Wranglers - 50 Years on the Trail:

01. The Wild and the Lonely (4:33)

02. Remember the Alamo (2:07)

03. Moving Slowly (2:35)

04. The Same Ole Range (3:27)

05. The Alpine Cowboy (2:01)

06. I'm My Own Grandpa (2:34)

07. 16 Tons (2:41)

08. A Cowboy Has to Sing (2:41)

09. The Possum Song (2:10)

10. I'm an Old Cowhand (2:43)

11. Texas Plains (2:36)

12. The Yellow Rose of Texas (2:37)

13. The Strawberry Roan (3:45)

14. Old Matt Palmers Farm (4:41)

15. Around the Old Chuckwagon (2:34)

16. The Devil Went Down to Georgia (3:28)

The Wranglers are pretty much the house band for a cowboy-type experience in Durango.  I imagine they sell their CDs at the show.  Track 9 is a cute rearrangement of “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.”  Yum!  Track 11 is a rearrangement of “I Want to Be a Cowboy’s Sweetheart.”

See you on Monday for some possibly uncomfortable relics of past American musical life.

  

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.

  

Wish I Could Perform Like That

Prepare to be amazed!

The Performing Piano (55:20)

01 - Minuet in G - Paderewski - performed by  Ignace Paderewski  (3:50)

02 - The Beautiful Blue Danube - Strauss   (arr Schulz-Evler) - performed by  Josef Lhévinne  (8:41)

03 - La Campanella (The Bells) - Paganini   (arr Liszt) -performed by  Josef Lhévinne  (5:08)

04 - Scherzo, Op 39, No 3 - Chopin -performed by  Sergei Rachmaninoff  (10:03)

05 - Invitation to the Dance - von Weber -performed by  Artur Schnabel  (7:25)

06 - Hungarian Rhapsody 2 - Liszt -performed by  Alfred Cortot  (7:58)

07 - Mazeppa - Liszt - performed by  Erwin Nyiregyházi  (8:04)

08 - Prelude in C Sharp Minor - Rachmaninoff - performed by  Sergei Rachmaninoff  (4:12)

 The Performing Piano II (70:14)

01 - Moonlight Sonata 1 - Beethoven - Lhévinne (6:35)
02 - Moonlight Sonata 2 - Beethoven - Lhévinne (1:58)
03 - Moonlight Sonata 3 - Beethoven - Lhévinne (5:24)
04 - Valse Caprice in Eb - Rubinstein - Rosenthal (5:41)
05 - Gypsy Rondo - Brahms - von Dohnányi (6:15)
06 - Valse Leute - Delibes - von Dohnányi (5:18)
07 - Spinning Song - Mendelssohn - Rachmaninoff (1:57)
08 - Were I a Bird - von Henselt - Rachmaninoff (1:58)
09 - Troika - Tchaikovsky - Rachmaninoff (3:45)
10 - Barcarolle #2 - Rubinstein - Rachmaninoff (4:54)
11 - Etude #6 - Rachmaninoff - Rachmaninoff (3:04)
12 - Concerto in A Minor 1 - Grieg - Volavy (10:59)
13 - Concerto in A Minor 2 - Grieg - Volavy (5:19)
14 - Concerto in A Minor 3 - Grieg - Volavy (7:07)

These early piano rolls provide astounding musical realities from long ago. See you Monday!

  

Twice the Retro Sizzle

Here are two old-fashioned re-ups from older posts, which have now-dead links.  Resurrected for you!

Toni Carroll Sings Hits of the Roaring 20s

1  I'm Just Wild About Harry

2  Doodle-Doo-Doo

3  Hand Me Down My Walking Cane

4  Bill Bailey

5  Under The Bamboo Tree

6  Hello My Baby

7  Be My Little Baby Bumble Bee

8  Ida

9  Careless Love

10  Five Foot Two

More Hawaii Calls: Greatest Hits

01 - Hawaii (Main Title)

02 - Tiny Bubbles

03 - Lahainaluna

04 - Kilakila Haleakala

05 - The Windward Side

06 - Heavenly Islands

07 - One Paddle, Two Paddle

08 - A Song of Old Hawaii

09 - Pagan Love Song

10 - Old Plantation

11 - Seven Days in Waikiki

12 - To You, Sweetheart, Aloha

I'll be honest.  It's been so long that I can't tell you how charming or cringe-inducing these performances might be.  Let me know ... 

 

Write It Yourself!

This is an assemblage from several sources of some great tunes from this master.

01 - I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter

02 - Ain't Misbehavin'

03 - Your Feet's Too Big

04 - Got a Bran' New Suit

05 -  Handful of Keys

06 - I'm Crazy 'Bout My Baby (and My Baby's Crazy About Me) 

07 - Honeysuckle Rose

08 - All That Meat and No Potatoes

09 - Spring Cleaning (Getting Ready for Love)

10 - Keepin' Out of Mischief Now

11 - Ring Dem Bells

12 - Tea for Two

13 - African Ripples

14 - I Ain't Got Nobody (and Nobody Cares for Me)

15 - You're Not the Only Oyster in the Stew

16 - Medley (NBC On-Air Recording)

17 - Smashing Thirds

18 - The Joint Is Jumpin'

19 - S'posin'

20 - Carolina Shout

21 - Cash for Your Trash

22 - The Sheik of Araby

23 - Viper's Drag

24 - (Do You Intend to Put An End to) a Sweet Beginning Like This

DRIME LINK.

And after you listen, you may write me a letter of thanks too.  See you Monday!

  

This Album Title Is a LIE! -- corrected link

Spike Jones and his partners didn't "murder" music, they LIBERATED it!

01. That Old Black Magic (2:32)

02. Charlestono-Mio (3:13)

03. Riders in the Sky (3:27)

04. Morpheus (3:03)

05. By the Beautiful Sea (3:14)

06. Oh! By Jingo (3:01)

07. Little Bo Peep Has Lost Her Jeep (2:24)

08. The Blue Danube (2:55)

09. The Great Big Saw Came Nearer and Nearer (2:46)

10. Five Foot Two, Eyes Of Blue (2:00)

11. Jones Polka (2:43)

12. I Wuv A Wabbit (2:50)

13. My Cornet (3:15)

14. Gesundheit Polka (3:08)

15. Winter (2:03)

16. Sante (3:20)

17. I Kiss Your Hand, Madame (3:39)

18. Tennessee Waltz (2:54)

19. Fiddle Faddle (3:25)

20. Alto, Baritone and Bass (3:11)

21. Nyet! (2:54)

22. Carmen (4:17)

Thanks to Richard D for prompting me to fix the link!

DRIME LINK CORRECTED

A 1994 release.  The surface noise audible once in a while is because many selections are radio transcriptions—that is, recorded onto discs which were shipped to radio stations and played over the air.

See you Monday!

  

It's a GOOD Middle!

I first heard this album in the mid-Seventies.

Tolkien at least heard these songs.

01 - The Adventures of Tom Bombadil - JRR Tolkien (6:54)

02 - The Mewlips - JRR Tolkien (1:27)

03 - The Hoard - JRR Tolkien (3:36)

04 - Perry-the-Winkle - JRR Tolkien (4:28)

05 - The Man in the Moon Came Down Too Soon - JRR Tolkien (3:43)

06 - The Sea-Bell - JRR Tolkien (5:19)

07 - A Elbereth Gilthoniel - JRR Tolkien (0:16)

08 - The Road Goes Ever On - William Elvin (1:03)

09 - Upon the Hearth the Fire Is Red - William Elvin (1:37)

10 - In the willow-Meads of Tasarinan - William Elvin (2:36)

11 - In Western Lands - William Elvin (1:38)

12 - Namárië - William Elvin (2:04)

13 - I Sit Beside the Fire - Refrain A Elbereth Gilthoniel - William Elvin (2:44)

14 - Errantry - William Elvin (4:44)

For me, they sound a little antique.  Perhaps hobbits are fuddy-duddies who are charmed.  But it's still fun to hear once-subversive stuff like LOTR being treated seriously.

FILEFACTORY LINK.

DRIME LINK.

See you Monday, fellow frolickers!

  

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!

  

A Night with Elizabeth

Here's a 1985 cassette of a 1963 LP.

01 - Monsiers Almaine - William Byrd (2:15)

02 - Pavin - William Byrd   (2:50)

03 - My Lord of Oxenfords Maske - William Byrd   (0:54)

04 - The Flatt Pavin - John Johnson   (2:15)

05 - The Batchelars Delight - Richard Allison   (3:25)

06 - Kemp Jig - Anonymous   (1:08)

07 - Phillips Pavin - Peter Phillips   (3:37)

08 - O Mistresse Mine - Thomas Morley   (2:54)

09 - Fantasie La Rondinella - Thomas Morley   (1:30)

10 - Joyne Hands - Thomas Morley   (1:21)

11 - Lachrimae Pavin - John Dowland   (5:54)

12 - Fantasie - John Dowland   (3:57)

13 - De la Tromba Pavin - Richard Allison   (2:53)

14 - It Fell on a Summers Day - Thomas Campian   (2:31)

15 - Dowlands Adew - John Dowland   (3:09)

16 - The Frog Galliard - Thomas Morley   (1:34)

17 - La Rosignoll - William Byrd   (1:47)

18 - Tarletons Resurrection - John Dowland   (1:42)

19 - Galliard Can She Excuse - John Dowland   (1:13)

Them Elizabethans had some good music, huh?

PERMANENT LINK.

THIS LINK GOOD FOR SEVEN DAYS.

See you Thursday, fellow musickers!

  

Happy or Manic -- Your Choice!

It's a 1987 release.

01. Let Me Call You Sweetheart / Some of These Days / Put on Your Old Gray Bonnet (3:36)

02. The Bantam Step (2:34)

03. Fluffy Ruffles (2:31)

04. Good Gravy Rag (2:17)

05. Triangle Jazz Blues (1:31)

06. Piano Tuners Walk Away Rag (3:06)

07. Maple Leaf Rag (3:14)

08. Take Me Out to the Ballgame (2:22)

09. There's a Tavern in the Town (1:11)

10. Dill Pickles Rag (1:54)

11. Put Your Arms Around Me Honey / Come Josephine in My Flying Machine / Chinatown, My Chinatown (3:35)

12. The Band Played On / East Side West Side / Wait Till the Sun Shines Nellie (3:08)

13. At a Georgia Camp Meeting (2:39)

14. Hello My Baby / In the Good Old Summertime / My Gal Sal (3:49)

15. Meet Me Tonight in Dreamland (2:02)

16. I'm A Yankee Doodle Dandy / Shine on Harvest Moon / By the Light of the Silvery Moon (2:41)

I assume we reach the count of 26 by adding the medley elements?  I didn't try.

This is way too artificial to me!  We got an aggressively semi-tuned piano, and some very cheesy sound effects via wood blocks, wheezing whistles, and the like.  Something played bass in a couple of cuts, sounding to me like an oompahing tuba.

All I can say is, if this is good as your memories get, I pity you.

THIS LINK GOOD FOR SEVEN DAYS.

PERMANENT LINK.

See you on Monday, if you haven't been checked into a rubber room after listening!

  

I'll Say It's So Jo!

It's a fine anthology of a wonderful singer from the Big Band era.

DISC ONE:

01 - Little Man with a Candy Cigar - Jo Stafford With Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra - 1941

02 - Haunted Heart - Jo Stafford - 1948

03 - If - Jo Stafford - 1950

04 - In a Little Spanish Town (T'was on a Night Like This) - The Pied Pipers Feat. Jo Stafford - 1939

05 - April and You - Jo Stafford & Liberace - 1953

06 - Where Are You - Jo Stafford - 1953

07 - The Trolley Song - The Pied Pipers Feat. Jo Stafford - 1944

08 - I'll Remember April - Jo Stafford - 1958

09 - Blues In The Night - Jo Stafford, The Starlighters - 1959

10 - Floatin' Down to Cotton Town - Jo Stafford & Frankie Laine - 1953

11 - Every Night When the Sun Goes In - Jo Stafford, The Starlighters - 1959

12 - The Night We Called It a Day - Jo Stafford - 1963

13 - The Gentleman Is a Dope (from Allegro) - Jo Stafford - 1958

14 - My Darling, My Darling (from Where's Charley) - Gordon MacRae, Jo Stafford, The Starlighters - 1949

15 - Young and Foolish (from Plain & Fancy) - Jo Stafford - 1955

16 - Tomorrow Mountain (from Beggar's Holiday) - Jo Stafford - 1958

17 - (There'll Be) Peace in the Valley (For Me) - Jo Stafford,Norman Luboff Choir - 1953

18 - Teardrops from My Eyes - Jo Stafford & Gene Autry - 1950

19 - Dancing in the Dark (from The Bandwagon) - Jo Stafford, The Starlighters - 1952

20 - Love Is Here to Stay (from The Goldwyn Follies) - Jo Stafford - 1953

21 - The Gypsy in My Soul - Jo Stafford And Art Van Damme Quintet - 1956

22 - Imagination - Jo Stafford - 1960

23 - If I Were a Bell - Jo Stafford - 1953

24 - No Other Love - Jo Stafford - 1963

25 - You're Blase (from Bow Bells) - Jo Stafford & Paul Weston (as Jonathan & Darlene Edwards) - 1957

DISC TWO:

01 - You and Your Love - Jo Stafford - 1943

02 - As I Love You - Jo Stafford - 1955

03 - Teach Me Tonight - Jo Stafford - 1954

04 - When April Comes Again - Jo Stafford - 1950

05 - St. Louis Blues - Jo Stafford - 1955

06 - Good Nite - Jo Stafford - 1957

07 - Make the Man Love Me (from A Tree Grows in Brooklyn) - Jo Stafford - 1951

08 - Warm All Over (from The Most Happy Fella) - Jo Stafford - 1956

09 - The Best Things in Life Are Free (from Good News) - Jo Stafford - 1947

10 - One (based on One Hand, One Heart from West Side Story) - Jo Stafford - 1957

11 - These Foolish Things (Remind Me oOf You) - Jo Stafford and Art Van Damme Quintet - 1956

12 - The Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening (from Here Comes The Groom) - Jo Stafford & Frankie Laine - 1951

13 - The Nearness of You - Jo Stafford - 1956

14 - Smoking My Sad Cigarette - Jo Stafford - 1952

15 - The Party's Over (from Bells Are Ringing) - Jo Stafford - 1969

16 - The Folks Who Live on the Hill - Jo Stafford - 1960

17 - A Thought in My Heart - Jo Stafford & Gordon MacRae - 1949

18 - Yes, Indeed! - Jo Stafford - 1941

19 - I'm Your Girl (from Me & Juliet) - Jo Stafford - 1953

20 - When I'm Not Near the Boy I Love (from Finian's Rainbow) - Jo Stafford - 1965

21 - Whispering Hope - Jo Stafford - 1978

22 - Shenandoah - Jo Stafford - 1961

23 - What Can I Say After I Say I'm Sorry - Jo Stafford - 1960

24 - I'll Be Seeing You - Jo Stafford - 1958

25 - Candy - Jo Stafford - 1960

26 - The Last Time I Saw Paris (from Lady Be Good) - Jo Stafford - 1960

DISC THREE:

01 - All The Things You Are (from Very Warm for May) - Jo Stafford - 1952

02 - If I Loved You (from Carousel) - Jo Stafford - 1947

03 - What Is This Thing Called Love (from Wake Up & Dream) - The Pied Pipers Feat. Jo Stafford - 1969

04 - Come Rain or Come Shine (from St. Louis Woman) - Jo Stafford - 1952

05 - With These Hands - Nelson Eddy & Jo Stafford - 1951

06 - Use Your Imagination (from Out Of This World) - Jo Stafford - 1950

07 - Three-Cornered Tune - Jo Stafford - 1951

08 - It Happened in Sun Valley (from Sun Valley Serenade) - Jo Stafford, The Starlighters - 1956

09 - Don't Get Around Much Anymore - Jo Stafford - 1953

10 - Oh! Look at Me Now - Jo Stafford - 1963

11 - Ghost of a Chance - Jo Stafford feat. Warren Covington, trombone - 1967

12 - My Heart's in the Highlands - Jo Stafford feat. Mitch Miller, oboe & English horn - 1953

13 - My One and Only Highland Fling (from The Barcleys of Broadway) - Jo Stafford & Gordon MacRae - 1949

14 - I Didn't Know About You - Jo Stafford with The Pied Pipers - 1944

15 - Indiscretion (from Indiscretion of an American Wife) - Jo Stafford & Liberace - 1953

16 - Old Devil Moon (from Finian's Rainbow - Jo Stafford - 1957

17 - For You - Jo Stafford With Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra - 1941

18 - Silence Is Golden - Jo Stafford, Vic Damone - 1957

19 - The King of Paris - Jo Stafford, Norman Luboff Choir - 1956

20 - I Should Care - Jo Stafford - 1958

21 - Stardust - Jo Stafford - 1950

22 - I See Your Face Before Me (from Between the Devil) - Jo Stafford - 1965

23 - You Belong to Me - Jo Stafford - 1952

24 - Stayin' Alive (from Saturday Night Fever) - Jo Stafford & Paul Weston (as Jonathan & Darlene Edwards) - 1979

25 - I Am Woman - Jo Stafford & Paul Weston (as Jonathan & Darlene Edwards) - 1979

DISC ONE PERMANENT LINK.

DISC TWO PERMANENT LINK.

DISC THREE PERMANENT LINK.

THIS  LINKFOR ALL THREE DISCS GOOD FOR SEVEN DAYS.

Happy listening!  See you 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!

  

No Need to Be Beastly Anymore!

It's a 1995 release of some nifty WWII-era songs.

01. Helen Forrest, Harry James and His Orchestra - I Don't to Walk Without You, Baby (2:55)

02. Kay Kyser - Praise the Lord & Pass the Ammunition (2:34)

03. Jo Stafford - There Are Such Things (3:01)

04. Rod McKuen - I Fall in Love Too Easily (3:08)

05. Vera Lynn - The White Cliffs of Dover (3:04)

06. Soviet Army Chorus & Drum Corps - Katyuska, Towards the Unknown March (2:21)

07. Lena Horne - You Don't Have to Know the Language (2:57)

08. The Andrews Sisters - Pennsylvania Polka (2:49)

09. Elton Britt - There's a Star Spangled Banner Waving Somewhere (2:44)

10. Fred Waring & His Pennsylvanians - The Marine's Hymn (2:33)

11. Noel Coward - Don't Let's Be Beastly to the Germans (3:13)

12. Ambrose & Anne Shelton - Comin' in on a Wing and a Prayer (2:49)

13. Paul Weston & His Orchestra, Jo Stafford - I'll Be Seeing You (3:32)

14. The Soviet Army Big Band - The Allies March (1:45)

After hundreds of hours adoring songs of the big-band era, I had honestly never before heard Tracks Seven or Eleven.  Of course, like all normal types, I would have been glad to go on not hearing Rod McKuen’s breathy, weepy exhalations.

Tracks Six and Fourteen, songs by our OTHER allies in WWII, are interesting too.

THIS LINK GOOD FOR SEVEN DAYS.

PERMANENT LINK.

  

See you on Monday for our final week of this year's JULY SPOCKEBRATION!

  

It's All Rigged, I Tell Ya!

This 1988 release is fun and peppy.

01. Blow Ye Winds (1:15)

02. Away Rio (2:20)

03. Heave Away Me Johnnys (1:56)

04. Maid of Amsterdam (A' Rovin') (1:24)

05. Shenandoah (2:13)

06. Staten Island Hornpipe (1:44)

07. Boston Harbor (1:06)

08. Black-Eyed Susan (3:03)

09. Blow the Man Down (1:39)

10. Steamboat (1:12)

11. Bold Riley (2:08)

12. Sailor's Hymn (Eternal Father) (1:38)

13. Strike the Bell (1:31)

14. Bound for South Australia / New York Girls (2:32)

15. Rollin' Down to Old Maui (2:41)

16. I'm Bound Away / Lord Franklin (4:08)

17. Off to Sea Once More (1:43)

18. Ripples of Music (1:31)

19. Leaving of Liverpool (2:12)

20. Spanish Ladies / Admiral Benbow (1:38)

21. Baltimore Clipper (4:30)

22. The Water Is Wide / Skye Boat Song (2:31)

23. Under the Bridge (3:36)

Make sure to mail in the customer survey, too.

THIS LINK GOOD FOR SEVEN DAYS.

PERMANENT LINK.

See ya on Thursday, swabbies!