Christmas Doodles

I came home from the store today with the Mahalia Jackson Christmas LP shown above.  And it reminded me of the one shown below from Arthur Lynds Bigelow & Marjorie MacComb.  Both of them are on Columbia, and came out a year apart (1955 & 1956).  And they both have the cool little Christmas artwork at the top of the LP above an appropriate photo.  I'm wondering if this was a series that Columbia did for Christmas?  I know I've seen the Mahalia in another cover that has no doodle and a different picture, not sure which is the original, though.  Anybody aware of any Columbia Christmas issues from around this same time period that has something similar?  I need to go dig through the piles...

Oodles Of Doodles CLXV

Here's doodle #165, filling in a hole in the collection from way back in December of '05. I haven't posted anything in a while 'cause I've been busy trying to put up some shelves for my records. It's gotten a little out of hand, but I'm hoping to have it under control soon. Plus, the battery in my car died today and it took a few hours to get that fixed. Funny how they often die all at once with no signs of impending doom. Anyhow, this nautical scene is from the back of Sea Shanties by The Men Of The Robert Shaw Chorale (RCA Victor Red Seal LM-2551, 1961).

Oodles Of Doodles CLXIV

If memory serves, I skipped doodles 164-168. So here's the first one of the fill-in doodles. I think it was November 0f '08 when I last brought you a doodle, but I think I need to throw a few up just for old times sake. This is from the back-side of Mood Italiano by Tommy Gumina (Decca DL 8630), an LP I picked up this weekend. Hope you like it.

Oodles Of Doodles XLV-Redux

While I'm beating my poor old Ralph Hunter record into the ground, I may as well go ahead and repost the doodles from the back side of it. I first posted these way back in July of 2005, when the blog was only a few months old, as part of my first Christmas In July celebration. Those scans were a little dubious, so I'm happy to offer these crisp new scans. The original images are actually quite small on the back of the album, so some of the fuzziness is coming from the fact that I'm blowing them up, but I still think these look better than the originals. Again, these are from the flipside of Christmas Surprises From The Ralph Hunter Choir (RCA Victor LSP-2063, 1959).

Oodles Of Doodles CCCXLV

Here are a couple of great doodles from the back of the record I just shared with you, The Blazers & The Yodelin' Guides-Track! Songs Of The Skiers (Kapp 1218, Mono, 1960). Pretty cool, eh?

Oodles Of Doodles CCCXLIV

I found this great set of four color doodles on the inner sleeve of a record I was scanning the cover of for the upcoming Christmas sharity marathon here at Ernie (Not Bert). The record was on Columbia, but the inner sleeve was from RCA Victor. All of the records advertised were in mono, and the highest catalog number was for a record released in 1958, so that's the date I'm gonna give you for this great doodle. The text across the top of the sleeve said POPULAR-JAZZ-ORIGINAL CAST SHOWS-MOVIE SOUND TRACKS, so you can figure out which doodle stands for what as an exercise. I've seen this artist before, but I can't find any of the other doodles I've shared to link to right this second. I think it's the pointy feet that gives it away.

Oodles Of Doodles CCCXLIII

Another week, another doodle. Actually, I think it's been more like two or three. Anyhow, here's a great doodle from Mozelle Thompson, much more of whose work can be seen here. This comes to us from the flipside of George Feyer-Memories Of Popular Operas (RCA Victor LSP-1926, 1959). When I found this doodle on the back of the record, it was in terrible shape. The top and bottom of the art were covered in strapping tape, and it took a lot of work to get the image out from under there. I, of course, was too lazy and inexperienced, so I asked my friend Inkydog to see if he would take a crack at it. He did, the results look great, and I thank him very much!

Oodles Of Doodles CCCXLII

A little bit of old-school military might for you here tonight, doodlewise. This artillery comes from the back cover of Felix Slatkin Conducting The Light Brigade-Charge! (Capitol T1270). I don't think this group has anything to do with the Enoch Light big band of the same name. I'm pretty sure Enoch's band was well known by this date, so it's odd that they used the same name. The liner notes make reference to Alfred Lord Tennyson and The Charge Of The Light Brigade, but still... This is the second doodle of a cannon that I've brought you, the other being from the inimitable Billy May. (Speaking of whom, I've got another doodle from one of his records coming up soon.) You know, looking at that other cannon doodle, I'm thinking they are by the same artist. Shame that neither one is signed. Oh, one more thing. Click here for some Felix Slatkin Christmas tunes. Good stuff!

Oodles Of Doodles CCCXLI

I always love the dancing doodles, but even among those, this one seems to stand out. These flappers come from the flipside of Georgie's Varsity Five-Razz Ma Jazz (HiFi R-805, 1958). Turns out that the George of Georgie's Varsity Five is none other than George Wright, one of the organists I like to share out with you at Christmas time. And the doodle turns out to be by someone you may know from the blog, Frank Page. I featured him on another HiFi release just a couple of days ago, as well as three (1, 2, 3) other times before that. With doodles like this, he's certainly a blog favorite!

Oodles Of Doodles CCCXL

If a doodle a day keeps the doctor away, then I suppose I'm not going to be too healthy. I tried for a while, but I couldn't do it. But I'm back today with another great doodle for you, this time from The McGuire Sisters and their album While The Lights Are Low (Coral CRL 57145). It's a pretty ornate street lamp, well, two actually, but there's no signature to tell us who may have done this doodle. Such doodles are pretty few and far between on the Coral label. Searching the archives around here yields only three instances (1, 2), and they are all three from Lawrence Welk. (I combined two of them into a single post, that's why I'm only giving you two links.) The McGuire Sisters are also responsible for one of my favorite Christmas shares here at the blog, so go check it out.

Oodles Of Doodles CCCXXXIX

When I first spotted the doodle above, I thought perhaps it had sprung from the pen of Dr. Seuss. Just look at those fish! But I sorta doubt that Dr. Seuss would have been doing doodles for RCA in 1958. The back of the album is no help in the matter, I'm afraid. Sometimes a doodle is bound to remain a mystery forever. This art springs from the back of The Trembling Of A Leaf And The Sounds Of The Sea by Ray Hartley, Piano, with David Terry And His Orchestra (RCA Victor LSP-1659, 1958). Whoever the artist is, he came up with a doodle that matches the title of the album. Not very many doodles have anything to do with the LP they decorate. Now, just step back and imagine those fish in red and blue, and one and two...

Oodles Of Doodles CCCXXXVIII

What doodle have I got for you tonight? How about another great picture by the great Mozelle Thompson? The style is almost unmistakable at this point, I've seen so many of them. As soon as I picked this LP up and turned it over, I knew who it was. The LP in question is The Voices Of Walter Schumann-When We Were Young (RCA Victor LPM-1477, 1959). This doodle takes up over 2/3 of the back cover, so the graphic designers at RCA knew what they had on their hands. Art like this can't be confined to some out-of-the-way corner of a back cover. I recently got a comment from a grand-nephew of Mr. Thompson's, but I'm afraid he didn't know much more about him than I do. Someday we'll get the right visitor around here, and they'll spill the beans on the story behind this great illustrator. I think Mozelle is now the most frequently blogged doodle artist around these parts. Follow these links for all the other times he's been displayed around these parts. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and one maybe.

Oodles Of Doodles CCCXXXVII

I figured since my last doodle featured a microphone, I may as well follow it up with another doodle featuring a microphone. This one is a little more elaborate, offering a glimpse inside a recording studio, perhaps the very studio in which this record was recorded. And what record would that be? Why, it's George Siravo And His Orchestra-Swingin' Stereo In Studio A (RCA Victor LSP-1970, 1959). If you're curious as to what the vinyl inside the sleeve sounds like, you can download a copy of the mono version of this LP, entitled Swingin' Hi-Fi In Studio A, over at The Vinyl Lounge Hut. Enjoy!

Oodles Of Doodles CCCXXXVI

Short and simple. Well, actually quite long, but you get the idea. This microphone comes from the back of The Mills Brothers-Singin' And Swingin' (Decca DL 8209). I really should listen to this one, it looks like it could be quite good. But it's pretty beat, so I don't know if listening to it would be a very rewarding experience.

Oodles Of Doodles CCCXXXV

I'm doing my best to get on a roll here and throw up a bunch of doodles while I'm in the mood. I think finding this one is the reason why I got in the mood to post some of these again. Isn't this just a great little piece of art? These happy drummers hail from the flipside of Steel Drums (HiFi R817, 1959), credited on the label as 'Live Recording of Native Steel Drum Group'. I can't say much for their record keeping or cultural sensitivity, but at least they gave us a great doodle. And if you look close, you'll see the name of a great doodle artist at the base of the palm tree at far right. F. (Frank) Page is a name that has popped up here many times (1, 2, 3), and it always brings a great doodle with it. I think this is the first time it's shown up on this label, previously showing up on Capitol and Dot. Oh, the sun below is actually from up above the scene below, but I wanted you to see the funky drummers first. Sorry if I confused anybody.

Curious little side note for anyone who cares. This LP is marked with a red rubber stamp on the back that states: "Specially recorded in Trinidad for AREYTO Record Shops", and the right side of the stamp is some sort of Aztec or Mayan-looking mask. Does that mean anything to anybody?

Oodles Of Doodles CCCXXXIV

As the boys from Led Zeppelin said, It's been a long time. But I'm back with a new doodle or three, my first since February. Just because I haven't been posting them doesn't mean I haven't been collecting them though. There are dozens and dozens of records around here that have great doodles, and I want to share them all with you eventually. Good things take time. The three doodles here for you today are all from the back of Les Baxter-Baxter's Best (Capitol T1388), a collection of tracks from the Godfather of exotica. Looks like I previously featured a doodle from a Les Baxter LP here. I've posted so many of these things now that I have a hard time remembering what I have and haven't posted. I've got to use the search feature to see what I've already done.

Oodles Of Doodles CCCXXXIII

Well, I never thought I'd get this far in my doodles. The first hundred was pretty easy, the second hundred took a while, but it wasn't too hard. The third hundred took even longer, and now I am one third of the way to my first thousand. It's an odd milestone to celebrate, but here I am anyway. And I found a handful of doodles by one of the great doodle artists, Mozelle Thompson. Still don't know much about him, but I know he's fairly prolific. I believe that prior to this doodle, all of his work has been for RCA, but with this one, he spreads out to MGM. These six doodles are actually from inside the gatefold cover of The Starlight Symphony Conducted By Cyril Ornadel-The Musical World Of Cole Porter (MGM E3843, 1960). I've got no idea why I picked this record up, but I did, then I opened it up, and there were these doodles. I think these doodles represent the 6 musicals named on the cover, those being Kiss Me Kate, Born To Dance, Leave It To Me, Can Can, Silk Stockings and Rosalie. I can't tell you which one is which but I'm sure many of you can figure them all out.

So, where else have you seen artwork here at the blog by Mozelle Thompson? Let me count the ways: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 And one maybe that I just noticed last night in an old post.

Oodles Of Doodles CCCXXXII

Here's another doodle that I recently found from another one of my favorite doodle artists. I had already made up my mind to buy this one before I spotted the little RR down by the bull's right front hoof. This sort of blocky style has shown up in several doodles signed RR, so perhaps that's what drew me to it before I knew those initials were there. This bull fight scene is from Federico Moreno Torroba Conducting The Pasodoble Band Of Madrid-Bull Ring Pasodobles (RCA Victor LPM-1581, 1958). If I counted correctly, this is the tenth doodle I've brough to you by the mysterious RR. Here are the links: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.

Oodles Of Doodles CCCXXXI

Imagine my surprise when I walked into the Goodwill store and right there on the top of the stack, with the back side facing forward, was this awesome doodle! And not just any plain old good doodle, this is a doodle with a pedigree. According to Mr. Chusid over at the Jim Flora website, this is a Jim Flora doodle! This is only the second one I've ever found, so I'm pretty excited about it. I would not have immediately attributed this one to Flora, but I can see where it has some bits of his signature style in it. But I have to defer to Irwin on this since he's the expert. This comes from the flipside of Billy Mure's Supersonic Guitars In Hi-Fi (RCA Victor LPM-1536, 1957). I brought you a Jim Flora doodle only once before, and I have also brought you another cool spaceship as well. (While you're looking at the unsigned doodle right above the spaceship link I just gave you, tell me if that doesn't look like a Mozelle Thompson doodle to you. Sure does to me...)

Oodles Of Doodles CCCXXX

Ahhh, teenagers. Gotta love 'em. At least RCA loved 'em when they came out with the great record Chet Atkins' Teensville (RCA Victor LSP-2161, 1960). This was after Elvis but before the Beatles, so they were doing everything in their power to separate the teenagers from their dollars. I don't know how excited teenagers were about listening to Chet Atkins take on such rockers as White Silver Sands, One Mint Julep and Night Train. But at least we get a nice dancing doodle. There's also a tag line on the front, "Guitar With A Beat", which I shared with you many moons ago. I don't know how I missed this at the time, but I'm making up for it tonight.