Christmas In July-Part 15

Today is pretty much the halfway point for my little Christmas In July share-a-thon, so I hope you are all enjoying it. I know I'm enjoying trying to find all these records, but I'm barely staying ahead of the shares with my recording. Don't worry about me though, I'll manage somehow. Today's another four-share day, so let's see what I've got for you.

Wait For The Wagon by The 3-D's from Mormon Folk Ballads (Century V-17451) Century is a custom record production and pressing plant, so this is probably something put together privately by a Utah group. Oh, wait, here in small type on the front cover it says "Produced and distributed by the Department of Audio Visual Communication, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah". So there you go. From the crew cuts on the guys pictured on the sleeve, it's late 50's or very early 60's. The song itself isn't very Christmassy, but it was on a Christmas record we had as a kid, so it always makes me think of Christmas. Maybe it will do the same for you.

Sleigh Ride by Frederick Fennell Conducting The Eastman-Rochester Pops Orchestra from The Music Of Leroy Anderson Vol. 1 (Mercury MG50130) If you like Sleigh Ride, stay tuned. I've got plenty of versions coming. I threw this one in here just to get all of my Frederick Fennell stuff together.

Brazilian Sleigh Bells by Frederick Fennell Conducting The Eastman-Rochester Pops Orchestra from Music And Plunk, Tinkle, Ting-A-Ling (Mercury MG50338) I mentioned Brazilian Sleigh Bells in my last post, and it was this recording that made me aware of it. I knew of the song from a version by Ferrante & Teicher, but didn't know the author was Percy Faith. But back to the LP at hand. This is actually a collection of different artists performing some of the more noisy compositions for orchestra that they could dig up. I wish I could find it in stereo...

Children's March by Frederick Fennell Conducting The Eastman Wind Ensemble from the same LP as above. I threw this one in there because it has a small snippet of Jingle Bells in it near the beginning. You'll like it, I'm sure.

And here's the download link. Enjoy the music!

PS-I did manage to dig up a copy of Percy Faith doing Brazilian Sleigh Bells today. I'll get it shared out at some point, promise!

Christmas In July-Part 14

My internet connection was down last night, so I couldn't post yesterdays shares until today. And today's shares? I don't know yet. My connection is still up and down. So, real quick, the three songs you couldn't download yesterday all come from Percy Faith:

Toyland and March of The Toys from The Columbia Album Of Victor Herbert (Columbia C2S 801, 1958)

Little Bells And Big Bells from Passport To Romance (Columbia CL 880, 1956)

That last track is quickly growing on me, I must admit. And before all you completists point it out, there are a couple of other Percy Faith tracks I need to find that would fit my theme here at Christmas In July. Be A Santa and Brazilian Sleigh Bells both show up on normal non-holiday albums from Mr. Faith. The hunt is on!

Christmas In July-Part 13

On the 13th day, Ernie went skating. Let's just hope it turns out better than when I tried my hand at skiing. Three tracks today, two about skating, which seems like something you might do around the holidays in colder climes, and one actual Christmas song from 'Mame' (No, it's not by Lucille Ball or Angela Lansbury.), you know the one. Here's the list:

The Skater And His Dog by Bernie Green from Musically Mad (RCA Victor LSP-1929, 1959) This is one of those Living Stereo releases that collectors tend to drool over. The cover features Alfred E. Newman of Mad Magazine fame.

Skatin' Waltz In Swing by Lawrence Welk from Dance Party (Wing MGW 12119) I don't think any collector has drooled over a Lawrence Welk album. Well, maybe the occasional completist, but rarely.

We Need A Little Christmas by The Monterey Brass from The Hit Songs From Mame (Diplomat DS 2385) I'm sure some of you are excited to see something from The Monterey Brass, so I hope you enjoy it. After a bit of hub-bub on FaLaLaLaLa last year over some Christmas Brass LPs, I've collected up a few and hope to share them out this Christmas. Keep your eyes open.

Anyhow, those are the shares for this evening. Please download them, and then enjoy them.

(Note to self: For future reference, I hit 80000 on the old hit-o-meter today. Half of those I got last Christmas, but I came by the rest of them fair and square.)

I Do

I keep thinking of things I meant to do in Vegas, but didn't. I wanted to stick my head in one of those quickie wedding chapels, just to see how tacky they really are. A friend of mine got married in one years ago, and they actually shared the live video feed across the internet. Of course, they're divorced now, so I guess what happens in Vegas really does stay in Vegas. The photo above was a real bride and groom who showed up in a limo while I was shooting the sign. They had a pro photographer and a wedding planner and a veritable entourage in this median to get their pictures with the sign. Vegas is a weird place.

Christmas In July-Part 12

Day twelve, four tracks, ten inch records. Yep, the tracks I'm sharing out today all came from 10" records, and I believe they are all reissues of tracks that originally came out on 78s. So, what are these tracks you ask?

Holiday by Frankie Carle from Piano Magic (Decca DL 5087, 1949)
Everyday Is Christmas by Joe Bushkin from Piano Moods (Columbia CL 6152, 1950) This is available on CD? Wow!
Gin For Christmas by Lionel Hampton from Lionel Hampton-A Treasury Of Immortal Performances (RCA Victor LPT 18, track recorded 1939) This one appears to be on CD, too.

And last, but not least, a track from one of our favorite Christmas artists featured last year:

Busy Holiday by The Three Suns from The Three Suns Play (Varsity 69108) or Twilight Time (Varsity/Royale VLP 6001)

The regulars around here might remember that I managed to pull together almost all of the Christmas music ever released by The Three Suns last year around here, except for A Ding Dong Dandy Christmas and a B-side that someone mentioned that I was unaware of. And then I found these two versions of the same 10" record with a track that isn't really Christmas related, but it has a holiday name. So I hope you all enjoy it. The best of the four tracks today is actually the Lionel Hampton one. It's easy for me to picture cartoon characters in B&W playing the music, which will make sense once you hear it. If it still doesn't make sense, then nevermind. I think it's also the oldest track yet featured here at E (NB). I can't remember anything older, but then most of these things don't have dates.

Oh, the link. I suppose you want that, don't you? Thanks to eveyone out there who's been downloading all my tracks, posting comments and even sending me private email. I enjoy sharing these tracks with you. And don't worry, there'll be much, much more around here come Christmas time.

Gullwing

What was the best part of The Imperial Palace? The top floor of their parking garage is a car museum where every car (well, almost every car) is for sale. I almost bought this 300SL Gullwing Mercedes-Benz, but it was a $100,000 or so out of my price range. Maybe next time.

Cheap In Vegas

I don't think I've mentioned the hotel I stayed at most of the time in Las Vegas. This is the Imperial Palace Hotel. It may well be the cheapest place the stay on the Strip. It was the only place I went into that didn't make you walk through a mile of casino to get to the front desk. But once you got past the front desk, you had to walk past the Dealertainers, through a mile of hallway, down some stairs, out the back door, past the dumpsters, around the parking garage, through a tunnel, and around the corner to get to the room. You don' t think this place was a little different? My room was number 13. That's it, just 13. The view was of a concrete wall. My door actually opened to the outside, not into a hallway. So, if you're looking for cheap, this could be your place to stay.

Christmas In July-Part 11

I wanted to share some actual bonafide Christmas music with you today, instead of my usual winter-themed or holiday-titled stuff, so how about a couple of versions of White Christmas? The first version is from Steve and Eydie, well, actually only Steve Lawrence is audible on the track, but this is from a promo giveaway LP called Songs From The Golden Circle (ABC-Paramount 311, 1960). There was also a non-promo version that I don't have, but it's the same music, I believe. Version two is from an odd LP by Yuji Takizawa called Tachikawa West NCO Open Mess (Crown PLW-103). Seems that Mr. Takizawa was a regular at the NCO club of a US airbase in Japan, and released this LP. I wish I knew more about it.

Oh, and just for kicks, there's also Gifts Are For Giving by Ian & Sylvia from Play One More (Vanguard VRS-9215, 1964). It's got a theme of gift giving, which is sort of Christmassy, I guess. Besides, I couldn't find another version of White Christmas. Please download this trifecta of tunes, and enjoy!

Update: I found a site with lots of photos from Tachikawa Air Base, which is now in use as an alternate government center in case some disaster forces the closure of primary governmental centers. There is a picture of a moose statue that is also featured on the cover of the LP I have, as well as a shot of the actual club.. I love the Web!

Off The Strip

Is there anything to see in Las Vegas that isn't on the Strip. Well, yes, but they don't let you take pictures. I can heartily recommend both the Atomic Testing Museum and Elvis-A-Rama. For different reasons, of course. Well, I guess they both sort of started a chain reaction that changed the world...

Neon

I don't think I've brought you enough neon from the Strip in Vegas. Above is the front of the Flamingo, below, one face of the Riviera. Everywhere you went, there was more and more neon.

Christmas In July-Part 10

You may think you're hearing double-double after today's Christmas in July share. It's four versions of the same track, the Frank Loesser classic, Baby, It's Cold Outside. There was much discussion about this track last year over at FaLaLaLaLa, and I've always enjoyed it in it's many forms. The odder the pairing of the singers, the better in my book. But only one of the versions I have for you features a vocal, and it's a rerun from last summer at FaLaLaLaLa. But hopefully these are all new to you. Let's see, who have I got...

Jack Marshall from Soundsville! (Capitol T1194)
Marty Gold from Stereo Action Goes Hollywood (RCA Victor LSA-2381, 1961)
Meri Ellen And Her Cohorts from Hi-Fi Antics (Design DLP 63, 1957)
The Frankie Capp Percussionists from Frankly Percussion (Kimberly 11001)

Two bonafide space age pop classics in there, and a couple of tracks from artists on bottom-feeding labels you could only buy at the corner grocery. But the music is good all around. I'm sure you'll enjoy them all. Please download and enjoy!

PS-It's not cold outside, baby, it's almost 90...

Duck Amuck

Even the ducks in Las Vegas have to get in on the show. The fellow above was making his own little fountain, while the one below was doing a contortion act.

The Second Full Week In July

Another week, another beautiful picture! This shot is from one of my trips to Ohio, and you are looking at Brandywine Falls in the Cuyahoga Valley. I'm sure I've brought you shots of this waterfall before, and I'm sure I'll show you more pictures later since it's such a beautiful sight.

Christmas In July-Part 9

Welcome to day 9! Today features four tracks, two by the same artist, and one song done by three different artists. Confused yet? (Well, so am I. I seem to have accidently deleted some of the tracks I've already shared, so I'm having to download my own shares. What a pain.) Anyhow, the song you get in multiple versions is Our Winter Love, by Robert Maxwell (previously shared performing I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm from the same LP), Bill Pursell (who I know nothing about...) and Felix Slatkin (who has a full Christmas LP that just might show up here come December), who also provides us with the bonus track of the day, Winter's Sadness. You can't say that I'm not trying!

I guess you folks want details on these tracks, so let me see what I can find...

Our Winter Love by Bill Pursell from Our Winter Love-Introducing The Piano Magic Of Bill Pursell (Columbia CL 1992)
Our Winter Love by Robert Maxwell from A Song For All Seasons (Decca DL 4609)
Our Winter Love by Felix Slatkin from Our Winter Love (Liberty LST-7287, 1963)
Winter's Sadness by Felix Slatkin from Fantastic Strings Play Fantastic Themes (Liberty LSS-14021, 1962)

OK, that's enough yammering from me. Here's the link. Download and enjoy!

Taken From The Top, Part 2

I've been saving these night pictures for you since I got back from Vegas, but it's been hard to keep them under wraps this long. The view from the top of the Stratosphere Tower was awe inspiring when I first went up there during the day, but I had a feeling it would be even more impressive at night. And I was right. There are probably more lights per square foot in Vegas than on most people's Christmas trees. This shot is looking down the strip, and as nice of a picture as it is, it doesn't do the actual scene justice. No matter what direction you looked, the whole city was illuminated. A friend points out that Vegas looks it's best at night because you only see what the powers-that-be want you to see. They don't illuminate flat roofs and air conditioners. And the colors, it would take a million rainbows to equal it.

Looking Up, Part II

Here's another view or two of the Stratosphere Tower for you, this time at night. In the first shot above, the tower looms high over the only Circle K on the Las Vegas strip. The shot below features one of the few things in Vegas that comes close to towering over everything, Elvis!