Wednesday, April 29, 2009

2 ENZED & 3 FOREIGN

Today we have here some Kiwi/Foreign with

KIWI
Simple Im
age - Spinning spinning spinning. They used the shortwave fade effect sound in this song like in West of the Wall.
John Grenell - Blue smoke. Formerly of course he was John Hore but as I understand it the name Hore does not go down well in the good ol' USA so he changed it to his mothers maiden name of Grenell. Interestingly he couldn't use his middle name due to a conflict with another artist - his middle name being Denver. So he had C & W in him from birth!!

FOREIGN

Kyu Sakamoto - Sukiyaki. Not the usual version - the foreign bit being he was Japanese but this version he sang in English
Rocco Granata - Marina - Italian

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

THE KEIL ISLES

Herma Keil in front, Bill Fairs to his left, Norman Akers then Olaf Keil at top
with Lou Miller and Klaus Keil.

One of the greatest NZ groups of the early 60's. Stars of the Jive Centre (where Johnny Devlin got his start) they started at the Orange Hall at the top of Symonds Street around 1958.

The Orange Hall was also Bill Sevesi's home - Bill was the backing band for many others such as Ronnie Sundin, under the name of Will Jester & his Jesters.

Freddie Keil also played for a while before going solo as Freddie Keil & The Kavaliers.

I saw the Keils perform in 1961 at the Auckland Town Hall with Cliff Richard and The Shadows and the next year with Bobby Rydell and Del Shannon.


Later in the mid-late 60's they became the resident act with the Pete Sinclair hosted, Kevan Moore produced TV show C'Mon.

The Twist, the biggest seller for Herma, was recorded because the NZBS refused to play Chubby Checker's original version, considering it to be too loud (they also wouldn't have Bobby Rydell on TV as they didn't like his looks!!).
As I have said before they were the Post Office in Show Business.

Today Herma and the group perform -

Around the world
The Twist
Quarter to 3
Goodnight Irene
What a night
Say mama
If you want to be happy


(Previously I have posted their version of Be My Guest)

ALL MEN

For your listening pleasure here is todays offering.
Charlie Drake with Darin's Splish splash.
John Leyton - Johnny Remember Me

Carl Mann - Ubangi stomp

Jay Justin - Reminiscing
Billy Grammer Gotta Travel On



Charlie Drake was better known as a comedian with his hit My boomerang won't come back and Mr Custer.
He was very stubborn and like a great many great artists, wasn't the easiest person to get on with. It is said his stunts and slapstick humour led to Michael Crawfords creation of Frank Spencer.

Monday, April 27, 2009

ALL LADIES

Patsy Riggir - Sailor
Helen Shapiro - Lipstick on your collar.
Alma Cogan - Lucky lips
Sue Thompson -Norman - 1960
Sarah Vaughn - Broken Hearted Melody

All ladies - Patsy is a Kiwi singer - the original was by Lolita (German) & Petula Clark. Lipstick was Connie Francis while the others were the hit versions.

(Link in previous post)

Sunday, April 26, 2009

THE SUNDAY SELECTION

Mostly C & W today.
Ned Miller - Invisible Tears
Ned Miller - Do what you do, do well
Joe Brown & the Bruvvers - Sea of heartbreak - the original written & sung by Don Gibson
Jack Scott - Cool water
Duane Eddy - Freight Train - originally by Chas McDevitt & his Skiffle Group featuring Nancy Whiskey
Tony Bennett - Cold cold heart - one of Hank Williams greatest songs

Saturday, April 25, 2009

ANZAC DAY



Vera Lynn - A medley for today's auspicious date - Bless 'em all, Siegfried Line, Kiss me goodnight Sgt Major

Mitch Miller - March from the film Bridge over the River Kwai.

(Link in previous post)

Friday, April 24, 2009

GET OUT THOSE OLD RECORDS

Get out those old records is the theme of this blog and you can get that old record record and some others right here.

So we have Guy Lombardo and his Orchestra with that song and the others in todays production of the old records are -
Roy Rogers - Don't fence me in
Gaylords - The Little Shoemaker
Vaughan Monroe - Ballerina
Jaye P Morgan & Eddie Arnold - Mutual Admiration Society
Gordon McRae & Jo Stafford - Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo


Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo came from the film Cinderella.



Thursday, April 23, 2009

CLASSIC

Here are some classical -semi-classical.

Allan Jones - The Donkey Serenade
Lawrence Tibbett - The Toreador Song
Mario Lanza - The Loveliest Night Of The Year

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

ALL AMERICAN

All American's here today.

Bobby Darin - Plain Jane
Mitchel Toorock - Carribean
Ben E. King - Will you still love me tomorrow - The Shirelles hit sung the ex lead singer of the Drifters
Olympics - Western Movies
Eddie Cochran-Sittin' In The Balcony - A John D Loudermilk song
Chubby Checker - At the Hop. The twister himself with the original sung by Danny & the Juniors

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

ALL J's

No not the group The J's and Jamie - just all J christian names here.

Jackie Wilson - Reet Petite
Jade Hurley - Three Bells
Johnny Cash & Julie Andrews - Love me tender
Jody Reynolds -Endless Sleep
Jan & Kjeld - Banjo Boy

Jackie Wilson had a hit in the 50's then it was revived again in the 60's. There was a great video which is probably on You Tube.

An odd coupling of Cash & Andrews.

Jody Reynolds was a one hit wonder (died 2008)

A couple of Danes, Jan & Kjeld Wennick were 13 and 15 years old respectively when they had the hit Banjo Boy in 1959. I beleive the song is actually sung in German. Today Kjeld is a Danish Idol judge.

Sunday, April 19, 2009

A REAL MIXTURE

Eleanor Rigby statue in Liverpool

Les Humphries Singers - Mexico
Diane Renay - Blue Navy Blue
Sandpipers - The French song (live) - the Lucille Starr hit
Kahmahl - World In Union. Breaking the rule as a relatively new song being the anthem of the Rugby World Cup.
Tommy Steele - live - Wedding Bells. England's Elvis who did go on to become an all round entertainer and later an accomplished sculptor who did a work of Eleanor Rigby in honour of the The Beatles for Liverpool

A real mixture today right here.

FIFTY YEARS AGO


It does seem incredible that todays songs all came out 50 or more years ago.
It also seems inconceivable today that a top singing group could call themselves The Gaylords, but times change.However, the good music never changes - it just gets better,

Gaylords - From The Vine Came The Grape The Gaylords were one of the tops groups of their day and had many hits in the early 1950's
Johnny Devlin - Turn the lights out Johnny
G Clefs - I understand (just how you feel) - really Auld Lange Syne
Velvets - Tonight could be the night.
Big Bad Shaking - Put a light in the window ( A Four Lads song)
Clyde McPhatter - Its a lovers question. Clyde was the lead singer for The Drifters before going solo.
Bill Haley - I'm Walkin'. The orginal King.

(Link is in the previous post)

Friday, April 17, 2009

SKIFFLE, COUNTRY, FOLK


Some Skiffle and similar with the King of Skiffle - Lonnie himself - to listen to.

Lonnie Donnegan - A skiffle medley
Vipers Skiffle Group - Don't You Rock Me Daddy-O
Rolf Harris - Sun arise (is this 'Indigenous Music')
Goldie Hill - I'm Yvonne from the bayou (Jambalaya) - an answer song
Eddie Cochran - Have I Told You Lately That I Love You
Vera Lynn - Paper roses
Dell Vikings -- Whispering Bells
Duane Eddy - You are my sunshine
Gogi Grant -Wayward Wind

Where did the word skiffle come from? I thought it was British but it seems it is from the US - from around 1925.

Thursday, April 16, 2009

T FOR THURSDAY

Two of each today Thursday to listen to T-here.

Tommy Steele - Water water
Tommy Steele -  Only Man on the Island
Terry Dene -  Blue Moon Of Kentucky   
Terry Dene -   Poor Boy 
Trini Lopez - A-me-ri-ca 
Trini Lopez - This Land Is Your Land 

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

IN THE LIMELIGHT (LIMELITE)

The Limeliters have appeared before and they now appear again as a group but, also appearing on its own is the wonderful voice of Glen Yarbrough who was the lead singer of the original group. 

The grroup sing some funny songs -  Madeira and Vasectomey -  but maybe the oddest is a 'song' of them singing an advertisement for a famous soft drink manufacturer!!

Also in the limelight is the theme from the Chaplin film Limelight - sometimes called Terry's Theme. Chaplin composed this and won an Academy Award for it. 

(Go to posting of 11 April to get the link)

Limelighters  - Lonesome Traveler. 
Limelighters - Coke Advert. 
Glen Yarbrough (Limeliters) -Baby, the Rain Must Fall. 
Limeliters (Live) - Vasectomy . 
Limeliters - Madeira My Dear. 
Hugo Winterhalter Orch - The Terry (Limelight) Theme. 

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

MORE CLASSICAL



More classical than pop. It is funny what ones musical taste is. Generally I prefer popular music from late 50's to the mid 60's but there is some older stuff and some newer stuff and some more 'high falutin' stuff (where did falutin' come from?) that I like. Eclectic taste is what I think they call mine!!

So today (go to a previous post for the listening link) we have featuring some classic classical including the Red Army Choir.

Jan Peerce - Bluebird of happiness
Joseph Locke - Goodbye (used by Dudley Moore and Peter Cook as their closing theme on TV)
Red Army Choir - The Internationale
David Whitfield - Ramona

Monday, April 13, 2009

Radio

I usually play CD's throughout the day but when I listen to radio I mostly listen to The Coast, a bit of National Radio (mainly their News) and if I need to liven up the day with talkback it is Michael Laws on Live.   


All the 40's





From the 1940's - 

Al Jolson 1930 -40's  Anniversary Waltz, The Spaniard that blighted my life and Waiting for the Robert E. Lee. A man who made the right decision - to star in a 'Talkie' - Milton Berle turned it down. What a mistake. I remember seeing the film The Al Jolson Story and one of his innovations was to build a runway from the stage out into the audience. 

Doris Day and Quicksilver from 1949. She of course was a big star in music and films for over 40 years, often appearing with the Rock Hudson.

Judy Garland performs Meet me in St. Louis from the 1944 film. I remember seeing the film as a child and thought it was wonderful. Now it seems stilted. 

(Listen from the 11 April link)

Sunday, April 12, 2009

FIFTIES

From the 50's 

Eileen Barton - If I'd known you were coming I'd have baked a cake 
Eddie Fisher - Little shoemaker
McGuire Sisters - Sugartime
Teresa Brewer - Ricochet Romance
Ames Bros - Hawaiian war chant

(Link in previous post)

Saturday, April 11, 2009

SIX FOR SATURDAY

Some real oldies but goodies to listen to .

Ruby Murray - Softly softly
Eden Kane - Well I ask you
Bobby Vinton - Beet barrel polka
Tony Bellus - Robbin' the cradle
Steve Lawrence - Pretty blue eyes
Troy Shondell - This time

Ruby - From Ireland - better than the Beatles, as at one stage she had 5 songs in the UK Top 20 at the same time
Eden - Real surname Sarstedt and both his brothers - Robin and Peter also had hits.
Tony - a one hit wonder
Troy - Tommy James named his group the Shondells after him
Both Bobby and Steve had long careers.

Friday, April 10, 2009

GOOD FRIDAY

A holiday here and the music is here. All todays songs have a theme with a spirit in name or words

Anne Murray - Just a closer walk with thee.

Al Hibbler - Unchained Melody from the film Unchained. I remember going to see the film probably around 1956-57 at I would think the Majestic Theatre in Auckland. At those teenage years we always went to 'The Maj' on a saturday night as it was a double header - two films for the price of one!! Can't remember a thing about the film - just the song. The song was later revived by the Righteous Brothers and revived again after being used to good effect in the film 'Ghost'.Hedgehoppers Anonymous - Its good news week. The band members were all in the RAF and used the slang for low flying planes/helicopters/Harrier Jets (although the song probably came out before the Harrier even flew) as the name of their band. One hit wonders.

Mario Lanza - Santa Lucia - Italy at its best in this trying time for them with the earthquakes.

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

TODAYS A REAL MIXTURE

Annette Funicello when she was a Mouseketeer

Fabian - Tiger
Mark Dinning - Top 40 News Weather and Sports
Jerry Wallace - There She Goes
Annette Funicello -Tall Paul
Billy Bland - Let the little girl dance
Travis & Bob - Tell him no
Steve Lawrence -Footsteps

(Link - See a previous post)

Monday, April 6, 2009

POMS AND AN OZ

British - 
Alvin Stardust - You you you. An interesting rise to fame is detailed in Wikipedia
Helen Shapiro - Not responsible written by the fabulous Gene Pitney. 
Emile Ford - What do you want to make those eyes at me for
Alma Cogan - with two songs - How many nights, how many days and Taka Tooka
and the Aussie
Johnny Ashcroft - telling the true story of a Little Boy Lost

(The link is in the previous post)

Sunday, April 5, 2009

MORE 50's

Listen to some great old sounds from the late 50's

Mickey & Silvia singing Col Joyes great Oh Yeah, Uh Huh
Theresa Brewer - Till I waltz with you again
Megatrons - Velvet Waters - The Morrison Quartet did a vocal version
Alma Cogan - Don't ringa da bell
Kay Starr - Wheel of Fortune. David Curtis did an updated NZ version.

Saturday, April 4, 2009

FILM

Actors singing. In the 50's the studio system was entrenched and they tried to make their acting stars into singers as well. Sal Mineo, Tab Hunter and the one we have here today:

Anthony Perkins - The prettiest girl in school. His big one was Moonlight Swim - later revived by Elvis.

We also have Doris Day and Frankie Laine with Sugarbush. Laine came to Auckland but got on the booze and appeared late and drunk where he was booed.

Burl Ives again singing Pearly Shells.

Judy Garland and Fred Astaire - Easter Parade from the film of the same name.

WHITFIELD


Listen to the wonderful David Whitfield who sings -

Santo Natale
I believe
Answer Me - there were two versions - Answer Me and Answer Me Oh My Love. What was the difference? One had the words Answer me Oh my love while the original had Answer me Oh my Lord.

As the BBC did not like the religious connotations of the original it had to be changed for British consumption - and probably the US although maybe not as they were probably not as fundamentalist in the 1950's as they are now.

His career was cut short by R & R and he died early at only 54.

Friday, April 3, 2009

HAMILTON

Hamilton as in 
Russ - Rainbow and We will make love
George the IV with Four strong winds and You don't know
Roy and his You can have her.

Russ Hamilton had a double sided hit with the above songs but after these he quickly faded. A Liverpudlian that had a US hit before the Beatles. 

George Hamilton IV is a Canadian singer-songwriter who has had many hits. 

As for Roy Hamilton this is a teriffic song - one I would take on a trip to Mars. 

Hamilton not in the upper North Island but here

Thursday, April 2, 2009

BURL JOHNNY DON AND A STUFF UP

Burl Ives - The big rock candy mountain. Burl, more folk than country, was also a superb actor winning an Academy Award as Best Supporting actor in The Big Country.

Johnny Restivo - But I love you

Don Gibson - Blue blue day. Alternative version to the original release.

The stuff up - Bill Parsons - The all American boy. A parody of Elvis is a real oddity. The story seems to be that Bobby Bare did the Demo record of a song he had written for his friend Bill Parsons to record. But the record company stuffed up and released what they thought was the better version by Bobby Bare but in error credited the singer as Bill Parsons.

(For the link see previous posting)

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

APRIL FOOLS DAY THE FIRST

Animated Music
APRIL FOOLS DAY

Some foreign music with the listening link here: So turn up the volume for todays presentation by an April fool.

We have Lolita - Seemann, deine Heimat ist das. Basically the hit single known in English as Sailor. This version is all German with no English. Petula Clark had a great version as well.

Karl Denver - He of the falsetto voice with Wimoweh. It is said the song was originally Mbube (being a Zulu word for lion) and was later recorded as The Lion sleeps tonight by The Tokens. The song was of course South African and was subject to a copyright case.

Blue Diamonds -Sukiyaki - the Japanese song sung in German by the Indo/Dutch group.

Jerry Vale - Innamorata. An American singing Italian