MA-21 - Music from an Inner Planet

 Here's another compilation of music regarding outer space, the Space Race, and the idea of Visitors from the Great Beyond.

The cover is an adaptation of Howard Menger's Authentic Music from Another Planet, released in 1957.  This contactee of typically friendly Space Brothers lived from 1922 until 2009.  Beginning in the mid 1950s he began to proclaim his experiences with space folk.  He wrote several books of calm nonsense and seemed a down-to-Earth guy in interviews .... until he began talking about his trips in the space ships, and how he left his first wife for a gal from Out There who had decided to come to Earth and marry him.

Here is our assemblage, including a brief welcome by our sponsor, from his album:

1 -   Introduction      Howard Menger     

2 -       Space Girl      Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger     1952

3 -  UFO (The Answer to the Flying Saucer)    Syd Lawrence      1956

4 -  Martian Love Call (A Hand Jive)      Jack Owens   1958

5 - Space Girl The Earth Boys 1958

6 - Flying Saucer Hans Conried-Alice Pearce 1959

7 - Take Me to Your Ladder (I'll See Your Leader Later) Buddy Clinton 1960

8 - Robot Man Jamie Horton 1960

9 - My Little Martian Floyd Robinson 1961

10 - Telstar Bobby Rydell 1962

11 - Magic Star   Kenny Hollywood 1962

12 - ( Help Me ) Telstar    The Gee Sisters 1962

13 - Eight Foot Two, Solid Blue Allan Sherman 1963

14 - Magic Star Margie Singleton 1963

15 - We're Going UFOing Jimmy Durante 1964

16 - The Invaders TV Theme 1967

17 - UFO TV Theme 1970

18 - Josie and the Pussycats in Outer Space TV Theme 1972

19 - A Spaceman Came Travelling Chris de Burgh 1976

20 - Arriving UFO Yes 1978

21 - Flying Saucers Nina Hagen 1984

22 - Teenagers from Outer Space The Meteors 1986

23 - Amazons from Outer Space Batmobile 1989

24 - Wishing on Telstar Susanna Hoffs 1991

25 - Spaceman Babylon Zoo 1995

26 - Rednecks from Outer Space FAQ 2004

27 - Your Neighborhood Spaceman Mike Patton & Jel & Odd Nosdam 2006

28 - She Came from Outer Space Bang! Bang! 2007

Other features of this compilation are a few TV themes, and various versions of a song usually known as an instrumental under the name "Telstar."  I've selected some of the best vocal performances of "Magic Star."  The lyrics are akin to the old "I see the Moon, the Moon sees me" tune, especially that song's chorus, "Please let the light that shines on me shine on the one I love."  Only in this more modern case, it's Sputnik's metaphorical eye watching over the loved one.

https://www.filefactory.com/file/1xw44va8sdq2/MA-21.rar

 

A Very Processed Hoedown, That Is

Here's a review of this 1961 album from allmusic.com:

The name Felix Slatkin (arranger/conductor/violin) is synonymous with the golden age of Hollywood. In the 1940s he gained a reputation as a consummate concertmaster, commencing with the 20th Century Fox studio ensemble, then moving on to conduct the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, in addition to his own hand-picked Concert Arts Orchestra. Non-tinsel town denizens might recall Slatkin as one of Frank Sinatra's favored directors beginning in 1946 and lasting through 1963, upon Slatkin's untimely passing. He also recorded dozens of long-players, including the 12 selections on Hoedown! (1962), where he is joined by Rickey Marino (co-arranger) for these overhauls. As a perusal of the track list reveals, this collection provides an interesting combination of orchestrated classics and familiar standards, each given unique settings within their stylized presentations. Initially, the fusion of traditionals steeped in Americana -- coupled with the pomp and aural pageantry associated with an orchestra -- might at first seem like a musical misnomer. However in the spirit of Aaron Copland, the modernization takes on a distinguished, if not unique Nationalistic air. Slatkin's contributions augment the melodies, creating substantial moods, such as the stately and somewhat somber prelude to "Arkansas Traveller" and the measured locomotive score that commences "Orange Blossom Special." His influence thoroughly (if not effortlessly) incorporates the original tunes with Gordon Terry (fiddle) leading the way on a majority of the numbers. Among the standout performances are the good-natured "Turkey in the Straw," the rapid-fire "Fisher's Horn Pipe," and a carefree rendition of Ward Allen's "Back Up and Push," which is perhaps better-known via the Bill Monroe cover. Modern consumers may even identify "Golden Slippers" as having been successfully adapted into the memorable advert for Golden Grahams breakfast cereal -- and what could be more American? In 2004, when Collectors' Choice Music issued Hoedown! on to compact disc, they augmented the package with Terry's previously unavailable demos, which were presumably the basis for Slatkin and Marino's additions and revisions. The juxtaposition offers listeners a keen before and after perspective into the direction and ultimate development of the material. 

I just think it's a cheesy delight!  How much artifice must have gone into a finished product that is so irresistibly unbearable!

01. Devil’s Dream (1:38)

02. Turkey in the Straw (1:49)

03. Back Up and Push (1:34)

04. Maiden’s Prayer (3:03)

05. Golden Slippers (2:33)

06. Fire in the Mountain (1:46)

07. Arkansas Traveler (2:15)

08. Orange Blossom Special (2:39)

09. Listen to the Mocking Bird (1:58)

10. Faded Love (3:11)

11. Fisher’s Horn Pipe (1:31)

12. Chicken Reel (1:52)

Cringe (with joy) for yourself!

MA-20 - The Fallout Follies

Here's another entry in my continuing quest to find fun pop songs from every genre about atomic topics.

1 -   Talking Atom      Pete Seeger         1947

2 - The Fall of the Planet Earth     The Moonbillies         1960

3 -  Talkin' World War III Blues       Bob Dylan          1963

4 -  Mushroom Clouds     Love   1966

5 -  Handsome Johnny     Richie Havens      1967

6 -  Thank Christ For The Bomb (edit)     Groundhog 1970

7 - King Of The World Steely Dan 1973

8 - Atom Satillite Del Byzanteens 1979

9 - Face The Fire Dan Fogelberg 1979

10 - Uh-Oh Plutonium Anne Waldman 1982

11 - Two Suns In The Sunset Pink Floyd   1983

12 - I Hate You (from STAR TREK IV)   Edge of Ettiquette 1986

13 - After the War Gary Moore 1989

14 - The Bomb Song Corey Dwyer 1990

15 - Enola Gay Utah Phillips 1991

16 - Hot Frogs on the Loose Frank Small 1993

17 - Duct Tape John McCutcheon 2004

18 - Feed the Bomb Project Bluebird 2009

19 - Whistling in the Nuclear Wind Karl W Mahlmann 2011

Some songs are pretty awful (Track 2), some are pop treasures (Track 10), some are sarcastic (Tracks 12 or 17).  All are fun! 

 MA-20 - The Fallout Follies

See you Monday!

 

Young Master Primas

 

Another fascinatin' thrift-store discovery, this music is outre enough that I have no way to evaluate, as to its "authenticity" or not.

Instead of being the lively, sprightly, or melancholy tunes we're used to hearing via works by Brahms or Liszt (or even Universal monster movies), these selections appear to be mostly vamps by the lead violin, with the rest of the "gypsy band" providing sustained  background chords.

I keep waiting for the praeludium to end, and the "real" music to kick in!  Maybe that's the point ... You tell me.

YOU, my friend, try to make some sense out of the track listings on the tape insert.  As the doctor said in the 1989 Batman to Jack/Joker just before the facial surgery, "You can see what I have to work with."

But, I've done my best to transcribe these tracks into names.

“Asztali Muzsika”

01 - Levelem, levelem - Mit keres a temetoben - De szeretnek en a regi kis falumba visszaterni

02 - Ne szidjadok soha engem - Kiballagok a vasuthoz - Azt mondjak a mennyorszagben

03- Ugye most mar tifeletek

04 - Leveles az erdo

“Csardasok”

05 - Lakodalom van a mi utcankban - Jon a tavasz, jon mar - Felrevagom a kalapom - Zold ablakos kicsi haz - Szeretem a cseresznyet - Koncert friss

06 - Hideg szel fuj, edesanyam - Hazam ereszere raszallott - Mikor kezdtem a ladamat pakolni - Orszaguton hosszu a jegenyesor - Koncert friss

07 - Ez a kislany most kezd nekem - Csak ugy mondom maganak - Libamaj, kacsamaj - Lore, lore - Hallod-e notas, futtyos kismadar

08 - Oreg czardas - Buzavirag, buzavirag - Paros elet a legszebb - Gyere velem kiskertembe

This is one of those so-odd-it's-amazing entries.

Akana mukav tut le Devlesa.

See you Thursday.