VA- More Texas Dance Hall Favorites

Despite being both still December and 2018, welcome to another new month and year (both for administrative purposes) of Donkey Show.  It is New Year’s Eve so if you are partying here in the Lone Star State, here is a great record to do so with.  I bought this for $2 which is the bargain price.  I bought and posted the first volume of this record some time ago and it was decent enough.

Link to the first record

From Delta Records, this is the second collection of Texas dance hall favorites.  It was released in 1980.  It also features the fiddle great Johnny Gimble.  Born in Tyler, TX in 1926, Gimble played with such luminaries as Bob Wills, Willie Nelson, and Asleep at the Wheel.  He is widely regarded as one of the greatest western swing fiddlers.  Gimble passed on in 2015 at age 88 from complications from strokes.

The club on the front cover is the REO Palm Isle Ballroom in Longview, Tx.  Opened in 1935, the club began its life hosting such big band stars such as Glenn Miller and Tommy Dorsey.  It would later become more of a dance hall hosting various stars including Ray Price, Jim Reeves, Willie Nelson, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Elvis Presley.  The 2010’s were not kind to the bar in 2014 it turned into a electronic dance club.   According to a news article on the web, it will be re-purposed into a family venue in November, which I forget for your reading purposes was two months ago.

Texas History page on the REO Palm Isle

 

The record itself is pretty good and falls in the same vein as its predecessor.  12 songs (all instrumentals) which were popular in honky tonks, dance halls, and in bars in Texas around the era.  Like its earlier volume, a good chunk of traditional songs are on here .  However, there are some country hits of the time as well.  The only song that carried over from the last record is “The Cotton Eyed Joe” as according to the sleeve, “We just don’t think it would be a true Texas Dance Hall album without that song…” Released by Delta record in 1980, the effort was produced by Darrell Holt.

For a sample, I could of gone in many directions.  I liked most of the record with my favorites being “Fraulein”, “Orange Blossom Special”, “Matilda”, “Wildwood Flower”, and “Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain”.  However, I went with the Kenny Roger’s classic “Lucille”.  I can forget the country DJ on the radio in the early 80’s who when describing an accident on 610, said “You picked a fine time to leave me loose wheel”.  Also, because as the record states, it is a Texas institution, I am also including “Cotton Eyed Joe”.

Satisfactory record.  Have a Happy New Years and see you in 2019 officially.

Ray Charles- ST

Well, here we are wrapping up another year of Donkey Show.  Strange though as I am still pretty well into the beginning of October as I write this.  One benefit of writing these ahead of schedule (besides not being in a rush to write posts), is that the posts are a bit of a surprise when they come out as I sometimes forget which records I have lined up.  I guess one downfall (besides not being able to write topically) is that I sometimes I get my months confused.  Anyway, here is this budget compilation from Premier Records in 1958 featuring Ray Charles.  I paid $6.40 for it.

Based on singles from the early 1950’s on Swing Beat Records, the album documents a time before his successful R&B sound that he would craft with Atlantic Records.  It is an alright album but clearly more blues than rhythm.  In all, it sounds more like others rather than Charles’ own unique voice, which he would soon craft with Atlantic.  I am rambling a bit.  I just want to get this post finished.

So here is a single from 1952, “Kissa Me Baby”.  All in all, satisfactory record.  That is it.  See you next month/year.

 

Enoch Light and the Light Brigade- Young At Heart

Here is someone who has been on my blog so much, I have literally nothing left to say about the artist.  This record was $3.  I got because it is from Enoch Light (say no more).  It also had a great playlist.  Finally, I am looking for Light’s version of Bert Kaempfert’s “My Way Of Life”.  It has sort of become my white whale. Well, this record does not have that song, but I feel that I am getting closer. For the record, I am also looking for Kaempfert’s version as well.

Released by Ambassador Records in what year, I am unsure, this record features the master arranger and minister of hi-fi sounds leading his orchestra and chorus thru 10 tracks of instrumental standards.  Among them, are two of this blogs favorites, both tributes to the City of Lights.  Here is Cole Porter’s “I Love Paris” as well as Hubert Giruad’s “Under Paris Skies”.  It is perhaps strange that I really like both songs yet really do not feel the overwhelming desire to go to Paris.

As most Light productions, this one does not disappoint.  Satisfactory.

Bert Kaempfert and his Orchestra- Wonderland by Night

Trying to wrap things up with subjects that have been on this blog extensively.  Well, none so extensively as the good German conductor/ composer, Bert Kaempfert.  This was $1.60.  I got it for the song I am posting.  

This record, from Decca in 1960 was built of the success of the title track, a key recording from Kaempfert’s catalog.  Along with several of his own compositions, the record features a decent array of covers.  One of which is the oft featured on this blog, “La Vie En Rose”, which I am using as a sample.  As far as the record, it is what you would expect from the German master.  Satisfactory record.

Lynn Anderson- You’re My Man

Here is another record this month that I bought twice.  Once for 80 cents.  The second time, $2.50.  I probably bought it both times for the song list, which contains a few good covers.  Happy Boxing Day by the way.

This record, released in 1971, came fresh off Lynn Anderson’s success with “Rose Garden”.  It would be her third and final #1 record.  The title track was Anderson’s second #1 single.

I probably bought this for the cover of “Help Me Make It Through The Night”.  “Proud Mary” also probably contributed to double buying as well.  However, I really liked both “Joy To The World” as well as ” I Might As Well Be Here Alone”. So here they are as samples.

Great little record.  Satisfactory.

 

Charles Rand- Christmas Organ in the Ken Griffin Style

Merry Christmas.  Hopefully, you were good this year.  Here is a record I got for $1.  From the budget label Premier, we have organist Charles Rand doing organ in the style of Ken Griffin (1909-1956).  Griffin, born in Columbia, Missouri, was a popular organist on radio, tv, and on stage(night clubs). He actuallystarted his career playing music in theaters during the silent movie era. He died at age 46 of a heart attack.  Charles Rand, for whom I know little, did a series of records paying tribute to Griffin.  I believe I have already posted one on this site but can not state for sure.

Well, here we go with “Jingle Bells” and “Joy To The World”

Satisfactory record.  Have your self a great Christmas.

VA- The Great Songs Of Christmas

Wrapping up the week, the month, and the year with some quick posts.  Counting down to Christmas with this one, the first in a series of records from Columbia.  We had the fourth album last week.  This week, we have this album that started it all in 1961.  It is a return to the more formal musicians, including Mitch Miler, Norman Luboff, Eileen Farrell, the rat scab known as Burl Ives, Percy Faith, and Lenny Bernstein, who would have been 100 this year.  I had many chances to talk about this fact (including this one) but somehow failed miserably.  Sorry Lenny.  

For a sample this Christmas Eve, I present a medley of songs from media conductor Frank De Vol.  Satisfactory record.

Doris Day- The Doris Day Christmas Record

Here is a good Christmas record for a Saturday; America’s sweetheart, Doris Day.  I paid $1.60 for this release from Harmony Records.  A subsidiary of Colombia, this was originally released by the label in 1964.  Not sure when this reissue came out and quite frankly (if you have not noticed this week’s emphasis on brevity), I really do not care.

For samples, we are going with “White Christmas” and “Winter Wonderland”.  If you are a fan of Day, this album is right up your alley.  If not (what is wrong with you?), still pretty good interpretations of holiday tunes.  Satisfactory.

 

Julie Andrews and Andre Previn- Firestone Presents Your Favorite Christmas Carols Vol 5

Here is the fifth record in a series of promotional records from Firestone Tires.  I had previous volumes on this site some Christmas’s ago.  This one however, features one of my favorite entertainers. Julie Andrews.  I paid 80 cents for this.

Released in 1965, this record features Andrews backed up by Andre Previn as the duo tears thru 11 songs and one instrumental.  Andrews , already a darling of Broadway, had just started her film career with Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music.

For samples, I went with “Deck The Halls” and “Jingle Bells” which really showcase the talents of both Andrews and Previn.  Satisfactory Record.

VA- The Best of Christmas

Here is another compilation for the holidays.  I paid 80 cents for this two record set.  It is the only gatefold album I have this month so yay for making things easy on me this month.  Released by Capitol Records in 1968, today’s record is less formal than yesterday’s offering.  The classical performers are still there but other genres such as pop, country, jazz, and the blues are represented as well. Artists include Bing Crosby, Nancy Wilson, Wayne Newton, Glen Campbell, Tennessee Ernie Ford, and Ella Fitzgerald as well as other notable performers of the era.

For samples, I went with a few artists who are staples of this blog.  From Peggy Lee, we have “Jingle Bells” intertwined with “I Like a Sleigh ride”.  From Nat King Cole, we have “The Christmas Song”.  Lou Rawls provides “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”.  Dean Martin offers up a swinging version of “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer”.  Finally, Marlene Dietrich rounds it out with “The Little Drummer Boy”.

A lot of samples from this one so that tells you that this is a pretty nifty album.  Satisfactory.