Hawaiian music with a slight twist…
LP: Honolulu Honky Tonk
Performed by Frankie Carle, his Piano and Orchestra
Label: RCA
Category: International/Popular
Australian Catalogue Number L101372 (U.S. Catalogue Number LPM 2540)
Arranged and Conducted by Billy Liebert (with kind permission of Capitol Records)
Produced by Neely Plumb
Recorded at RCA’s Music Centre of the World, Hollywood Calif.
Recording Engineer/Mastering: John Norman
Side 1
-
Lovely Hula Hands
-
Aloha Paradise
-
The Hukilau Song
-
The Moon of Manakoora
-
My Little Grass Shack (in Kealakekua Hawaii)
-
On The Beach at Waikiki
Side 2
-
The Honolulu Honky Tonk
-
My Isle of Golden Dreams
-
Yaaka Hula Hickey Dula
-
Paradise Isle
-
The Cockeyed Mayor of Kaunakakai
-
Song of the Islands/Aloha Oe (medley)
©MCMLXII, Radio Corporation of America
Of all the LP’s I have of Hawaiian Music, this is the first one (and I believe the only one) done in the honky-tonk style
If I was to pick a few favourites, it would have to be “Lovely Hula Hands” and “The Hukilau Song”.
Welcome to part 8 in my “12 Discs of Christmas” collection, and today, it’s John Denver with The Muppets…
LP Title: John Denver and the Muppets – A Christmas Together
Performed by John Denver and Jim Henson’s Muppets
Label: RCA
Catalogue Number APL1 3461
Category: Christmas
Starring Frank Oz as Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear and Animal
Jerry Nelson as Robin, Floyd and Lew Zealand
Richard Hunt as Scooter, Janice, Statler and Beaker
Dave Goelz as The Great Gonzo, Zoot, Beauregard and Dr. Bunsen Honeydew
and Jim Henson as Kermit the Frog, Rowlf, Waldorf and Dr. Teeth
With Louise Gold, Kathryn Mullen and Steve Whitmire
Art Direction and Illustrations by Michael K. Frith
Photography Nancy Moran and Donal Holway
Special Thanks to Calista Hendricksen, Kathryn Mullen, Martin Baker, Anne Gaylor and Barney Wyckoff (for Tea and Glee)
Recording Engineer: Ed Burton/Assistant Engineera Ralph Osborn, Tchad Blake, Andrew Clarke, Andy Todd and Randy Pipes
A&R Co-ordination Lynne Moore
Produced by Milton Okun
Original Concepr by Jim Henson and John Denver
Tracks Arranged by Hal Blaine, James Barton, Emory Gordy, Jr., Glen D Hardin, Jim Horn, Herb Pedersen, Danny Brooks, Danny Wheetman and John Denver
Orchestral Arrangements Lee Holdridge
Vocal Arrangements and Conductor Ray Charles
The Musicians
John Denver: Vocals and 12 String Guitar, Hal Blaine: Drums and Percussion, James Burton: Electric and Accoustic Guitars and Dobro, Emory Gordy, Jr.: Bass, Glen D. Hardin: Keyboards, Jim Horn: Reeds, Herb Pedersen: Banjo, Electric and Accoustic Guitar, Denny Brooks: Accoustic Guitar, Danny Wheetman: Mandolin and Harmonica
Side 1
The Twelve Days of Christmas - John and the cast
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas – John and Rowlf
The Peace Carol – John, Scooter and the cast
Christmas is Coming – Miss Piggy, Gonzo, Scooter and Robin
A Baby Just Like You – John
Deck The Halls – The Cast
When The River Meets The Sea – Robin, John and the cast
Side 2
Little Saint Nick – Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem
Noel/Christmas Eve – John
The Christmas Wish – Kermit the Frog
Medley: Alfie The Christmas Tree/Carol For A Christmas Tree/It’s in Everyone of Us – John and the Cast
Silent Night – John and the Cast
We Wish You a Merry Christmas – John and the cast
A complete volume of Christmas favourites starring John and the Muppets.
My pick track from this LP has to be “The Twelve Days of Christmas”.
Another Christmas LP from the vaults will be posted here tomorrow.
A single from left field
Hot on the success of the revival of The Chipmunks, Ross Bagdasarian Jr., had Simon, Theodore and Alvin sing a collection of major Rock hits.
In this case, it was Carly Simon’s Bette Davis Eyes and Heartbreaker (I do not know who was the original performer. E-mail me to help me identify the performer.)
This was the single from the LP Chipmunk Rock
Single title: Bette Davis Eyes b/w Heartbreaker
Performed by the Chipmunks (Alvin, Simon and Theodore)
Label: RCA
Catalogue Number 104012
Produced by Janice Karman and Ross Bagdasarian Jr.
Category: Rock/Childrens
This is the first time that the Chipmunks had released a single from an LP since the 1960′s (if there were others, let me know)
My copy was a little bit different as someone at RCA had blundered
The label on side 1 was only a blank (with no production info at all, I ended up writing on the label. Side 2 had all the record info
the stuff that was blanked out on the bottom half had my old address in inner Sydney, and was removed to protect the innocent. 
If memory serves me right, all the copies they had at the store I bought this had the same “deficiency” which was a rarity.
On the home stretch in the RCA Spike Jones trilogy:
Title: Spike Jones (and his City Slickers) Can’t Stop Murdering – Volume 3
Category: Comedy
Label: RCA Schallplatten, Hamburg
Catalogue Number: PJM2-8021
(tracks that seem to be edited are marked with an asterisk)
Record 1, Side 1
-
Ill Barkio (Il Baccio)
-
Peter Cottontail (Vocals: Peter Cottontail (Marian Richman) and the Four Long Hares)
-
Deep Purple (Vocal: Paul Frees)
-
Riders in the Sky (Vocals: I.W. Harper, Sir Frederic Gas and the Sons of the Sons of the Pioneers)
-
Pal-Yat-Chee (Pagliacci) (Vocals: Homer and Jethro, assisted by Sir Frederic Gas)
-
Rum Tee Diddle Dee Yump (Vocals: Sir Frederic Gas featuring the Sadivarius)
Record 1, Side 2
-
The Nutcracker Suite * (With Chorus. Special Lyrics and Effects by Country Washburne and Foster Carling)
-
Morpheus (Orpheus Overture) *
-
I Haven’t Been Home for Three Whole Nights (Vocal: Richard Morgan)
-
Alto, Baritone and Bass (Vocal: Eddie Maxwell)
-
The Tennessee Waltz (Vocals: Sara Berner assisted by Sir Frederic Gas)
Record 2, Side 1
-
Too Young (Vocals by Sara Berner, Paul Frees and the Jud Conlon Choir)
-
Rickyshaw
-
Chinese Mule Train (Vocals: Freddy Morgan)
-
Oh, By Jingo (Vocals: Del Porter and the Boys in the Backroom. Willie Spicer at the Anvilaphone)
-
the Shiek of Araby (Vocals: Del Porter and Carl Grayson. Willie Spicer at the Hiccuphone)
-
Wild Bill Hiccup (Vocals: Spike Jones, Jack Golly, Freddy Morgan, George Rock and the Four Fifths)
Record 2, Side 2
-
Three Little Fishies (Itty Bitty Poo) (Vocals: George Rock)
-
Popcorn Sack (Vocals: The Boys in the Back Room and Sir Frederic Gas)
-
Fiddle Faddle (Vocals: Homer and Jethro)
-
I Wonder Where My Baby Is Tonight (Vocals: Gil Bert and Sully Van)
-
My Two Front Teeth (All I Want For Christmas) (Vocal: George Rock)
-
It Never Rains in Sunny California (Vocals: Larry Cotton and Richard Morgan)
(P) 1974, RCA Schallplatten
The third and final double LP Set that RCA in Hamburg released.
Sadly there were many more tracks that never saw the light of day until the RCA CD compilations started coming out in the 1990′s (Spike Jones Greatest Hits for example)
The Nutcracker suite track was severly cut with whole sequences excised (the Granny speaks segment) and and other segments shortened so that it could fit on an LP (the complete version appeared on the CD “Spiked!”)
On the plus side though, that the record included the original cut of “Riders In The Sky” (“I Can Do Without His Singing… But I Wish I Had His Dough!”)
Getting back to the edits, and it’s in regards to “Morpheus”. I seem to have two versions of this track. One version on this LP and another version on the LP “Spike Jones is Murdering the Classics”. So I’m wondering if there was a long version (can someone clarify this for me? Thanks.)
(Update: 10/6/2010): I recently got a few of the answers clarified for me by fellow Spike Jones enthusiast and researcher, Ted Hering (who was also responsible for the bonus material for the recent Spike Jones titles on DVD, Spike Jones – The Legend and The Best of Spike Jones Collection)
I also found out about a few locally produced recordings in the following e-mail (which is re-posted here with Ted’s kind permission)
Good evening!
I’ve registered at your web site, but haven’t received the password. So I’ll use the tried-and-true e-mail system.
The German Spike Jones LP set, “Spike Jones Can’t Stop Murdering (Vol. 3),” contained no less than FOUR previsouly usissued tracks when it was issued! Rum Tee Diddle Dee Yump, Alto, Baritone and Bass, Rickyshaw, and Fiddle Faddle (although an alternate “take” of Fiddle Faddle was issued in a limited 45rpm 9-disc (!) compilation as a gift premium from RCA in 1956 or 1957).
As to the question of the edits, Nutcracker Suite on this version draws from the early 1950s 45 rpm EP release. The idea, as you say, was to fit as much as they could on one 7-inch disc. (The different edit on Nurcracker on the “Spike Jones Is Murdering The Classics” from 1971 was made just for that LP, and was intended to (1) fit on the LP with the 12 or 15 other tracks, and (2) to eleminate the choir passages as much as possible. The lyrics to Nutcracker are clever, but difficult to understand, due to the low-fi 1945 masters.
I don’t know why “Morpheus” is cut down on the 1971 LP. Probably just an attempt to save another 20 seconds or so. (Interestingly, ANOTHER edit was issued on the original 78rpm release in Canada: the Canadian version ends with the gunshot and body drop. The final fanfare and sneeze are missing. Was this an accident? Or some Canadian’s idea of a funnier punch line?)
Ted Hering
PS: At least one, and possibly two Spike Jones 78s were issued ONLY in Australia and New Zealand: “What Is a Disc Jockey?” and “Are My Ears On Straight?”
The second volume of Spike Jones classics. (tracks that seem to be edited will be marked with an asterisk)
LP Title: Spike Jones (and his City Slickers) Murders Again
Category: Comedy
Label: RCA Schallplatten (RCA, Hamburg)
Catalogue Number: RCS 3217/1-2
Record 1, Side 1
- Clink, Clink, Another Drink * (Vocals: Del Porter and the boys in the Back Room. Hiccups by Mel Blanc)
- Laura (and his Other Orchestra with Jimmy Cassidy, Red Ingle and Dr. Horatio Q. Birdbath. Vocals)
- My Old Flame (Vocal Refrain by the Barefoot Pensylvanians, Dr. Horatio Q. Birdbath, The Saliva Sisters, Paul Judson and Paul Frees)
- Cocktals for Two (Carl Grayson: Vocals)
- Chloe (Red “Swamphead” Ingle: Vocals)
Record 1, Side 2
- Doin’ the New Raccoon (Gil Bert and Sully Van – Vocals)
- Old MacDonald Had A Farm (with Chorus)
- The Charleston
- MacNamara’s Band (I.W. Harper and the Four Fifth – Vocal)
- Blowing Bubble Gum (Vocals: George Rock)
Record 2, Side 1
- Holiday For Strings
- My Pretty Girl (Vocals: The Boys in the Back Room)
- I’m Getting Sentimental Over You
- Secret Love
- Our Hour
Record 2, Side 2
- People Are Funnier Than Anybody
- The Man On The Flying Trapeze (Vocals: Doodles Weaver)
- Der Fuehrer’s Face (Vocals: Carl Grayson. Willie Spicer at the Birdaphone)
- You Always Hurt the One You Love (Vocals: Carl Grayson)
- Charleston-Mio
(P) 1973, RCA Schallplatten
Another two disc volume of musical mayhem from Spike and the Slickers.
If you have a look at Track 3 on Disc 2, side 2, you will find “Der Fuehrer’s Face” was included (which is a surprise considering the LP came from Germany)
This would be the final time Jack’s artwork would appear in this series. When volume three came out the following year there would be new artwork.
Volume 3 of the series will appear on Friday.
Welcome to the first of three volumes starring the master of Musical Mayhem, Lindley Armstrong (Spike) Jones.
A bit of background before I start the trilogy.
Throughout the 1970′s and early 80′s I had heard clips of some of Spike’s most famous recordings (Hawaiian War Chant, Dance of the Hours, William Tell Overture) thanks to a certain Saturday morning kids show (as it was in the early 1970′s)
The very first tracks I heard in it’s entirety was a couple of old HMV 78′s (Yes, We have no Bananas, The Charleston, Molasses Molasses (it’s Icky Sticky Goo) and a fourth track I cannot recall)
By 1981, I had bought a RCA compilation cassette (released by Summit) of the Slickers greatest hits, and have been collecting Spike’s recordings ever since
In 1983, a small record distribution company imported a number of Spike’s double LP’s releaed by RCA’s Hamburg, West Germany office
The first two LP’s used the cover art by Mad Magazine’s Jack Davis (that first appeared on RCA’s “Best of… Volume 1″)
further comments will appear after the LP info:
LP Title: Spike Jones (and his City Slickers) Murders them All
Label: RCA Schallplatten (RCA West Germany)
Category: Comedy
Catalogue Number: RCS 3211/1-2
Record 1, Side 1
-
Liebestraum (Vocals: Carl Grayson and Red Ingle. Narration by Richard Morgan)
-
The Blue Danube (Vocals: Carl Grayson, Del Porter and the boys in the Back Room)
-
Flight of the Bumble Bee (The Jones Laughing Record)
-
None But the Lonely Heart (Cast: Girl – Helen Grayco, Boy – Spike Jones, Violin Solo by Dick Gardener)
-
Rhapsody From Hunger(y) (Vocal refrain by Freddy Morgan and Helen Grayco)
Record 1, Side 2
-
The William Tell Overture (Commentary by Doodles Weaver)
-
Carmen (Murdered) (Spike Jones: Narrator, Eileen Gallagher: Mezzo Soprano, Harry Stanton: Bass Barracuda with Sir Frederic Gas and the Hollywood Bowling Choral Group and Bull)
Record 2, Side 1
-
Dance of the Hours (Commentary by Doodles Weaver)
-
The Glow Worm (Red Ingle and Aileen Carlisle with Chorus)
-
I Kiss Your Hand Madame
-
Love In Bloom (Vocal Refrain by the Barefoot Pensylvanians, Dr. Horatio Q. Birdbath, the Saliva Sisters, Paul Judson and Paul Frees(?))
-
Hotcha Cornia (Black Eyes) (Willie Spicer at the Sneezaphone)
Record 2, Side 2
-
Black Bottom
-
Hawaiian War Chant (Ta-Hu-Wa-Hu-Wai) (with his Wacky Wakakians and Chorus)
-
I Went To Your Wedding
-
I’m In The Mood For Love (Vocals: Billy Barty with Sir Frederic Gas)
-
That Old Black Magic (Vocal refrain by Carl Grayson, Red Ingle, Narration by Richard Morgan)
(P) 1973, RCA Schallplatten
Volume 1 of some of the Slickers greatest hits (there would be more classic hits (and a surprise as well) in volume 2)
Later volumes would suffer from edits and I’ll talk about them later on this week
On top of that, I’ll be presenting a trilogy of Spike Jones double LP releases from the RCA Vaults (but not necessarily from the U.S., but from Germany!)
The BBC gallery was inspired by my online research into BBC record releases for The Vinyl Vault
During the research, I found out that many records ftom a number of online sellers were claiming that the records were manufactured in Australia, but were in fact manufactured by Pye Records/PRT in the U.K.
you will see my guide to locally manufactured and imported LPs early next week.
Here, I will be showing part 2 of the series of record labels that had not changed much during their years on vinyl
The first one, is Ron Tudor’s Fable records. This label did not change during the two decades their titles were released on vinyl:
Today, Fable’s music publishing division specialise in production music
Next in our labels gallery is the Select label of United Sound (1970-1971). Around half a dozen releases were issued
Label number three is from Landfall Press, this time with the Peter Pan logo.
Our next label in our gallery is the label of Sound and Film Enterprises of Australia, P/L, Crest Records
here is the label for the precursor to the J&B label, Dyna House (a number of titles released on the Dyna House label were re-issued years later by J&B
Like the J&B label, this appeared in a range of colour combos.
Next is the (short lived) record label of TCS Records, Sea Bird (as far as I know, only two records were released)
Next is the record label for budget record company Rainbow Products. This was their regular label in the early years. The logo changed in the mid 80′s but I’m not sure if they changed the label design.
next up is the record label of stalwart digest magazine, Readers Digest for Australia (this one is from the 1980′s)
(Update: 8/5/2010) Two more labels are being added today, the first is a one shot release on the Domino label from Bill Hayes’ 1976 LP “From Me To You With Love”
the next (new) label was a one shot release from a small record label (it was mainly a distributor. This was the only known product that the company produced themselves) the company was Message records.
Update: 17/7/10: Another one shot label from the gallery, this was the label owned by Mike Brady, Full Moon Records (which in it’s short life was distributed by Astor.) Below is the label.
There’s more to come.
Amongst my new years resolutions this year is to post a minimum of 2 label galleries a month over the year (until I have more or less completed what I intend to post)
Technically my poll from earlier this month was the first lot. Today, I am posting my second gallery and is part 1 of a gallery of record labels from companies that had a small number of releases.
the first label comes from a release from record company Endeavour records
I have only seen one release by this company and it was the LP entitled “Reach for the Sky” by Apollo 100
the next label in the gallery is for Landfall Press. The company had a number of releases between 1974 and 1977. The following is their custom release label
In part 2, I’ll post a Landfall general release with the Peter Pan records logo. (probably in March)
the next label is for Melbourne based record label, Pisces records (which was released first through Festival and later through Astor records (Astor’s gallery is coming soon))
In case if anyone is wondering, yes, it’s the same Johnny Young of “Young Talent Time” fame.
Here is another one shot. Impact Music Promotions only had the one release, a compilation LP of disco music (I however have a sneaking suspicion this was a one-shot release of K-Tel (as the address was the same as where K-Tel International had it’s offices at the time.))
and finally, a record company that had three or four releases (it turns out that Omega made at least two dozen releases) before finally disappearing into the ether – Omega records.
the label is from a compilation LP of comedy and novelty hits (such as Rod Boucher’s “No Worries Luv”, John Williamson’s first hit “Old Man Emu” and Ray Stevens’ “Bridget the Midget”
Recent Post
-
A quick reminder – The Vinyl Vault will be launched this Wednesday
by Bruce with No Comments
Just a quick reminder for everyone, that the Vinyl Vault will be (officially) launched on Wednesday afternoon, although it could be uploaded as early ...
-
Changes
by Bruce with No Comments
I made a big change to the registration process. I have taken off the meta tag at right. If you now wish to register online (only to post commen...
-
Touch Me in The Morning – by Patchwork
by Bruce with No Comments
The first volume of songs from the Don Lane Show's backing singers...
LP Title: Touch Me In The Morning
Perfomed by Patchwork
Category: Easy List... -
Goon Show Classics – Volume 11
by Bruce with No Comments
Here is the final cover art for the Highly Esteemed Goon Show Classics LP's
we conclude the series with the 11th and final Goon Show LP released by... -
Goon Show Classics – Volume 10
by Bruce with No Comments
Whatever you do, don't accept an offer of Blackpool Rock from Eccles...
...or the results could be explosive. ;)
LP Title: Goon Show Classics Vo...
Current Polls
Loading ...
the case of the obscured trademarks
Posted by Bruce on January 3, 2010 in Comments with No Comments
Welcome to the first post of 2010 in the Off the Record Blog
I’m starting ths year with a very unusual story. Throughout the late 1970′s and Early 1980′s we had the case of record retailers importing LP titles from the U.S. (this could be done provided that a similar release was not made available locally.)
A side effect of this was if they were releases by a U.S. major label, some slight modifications had to be done before they were released to retailers (such as Palings Music)
This would usually involve hiding all references to any trademarks or record labels.
All historical notes are taken from the book “The Guinness Book of Music” by Robert and Celia Dearling, with Brian Rust (Guinness Press, 2nd Edition, 1981)
Our first example is the case of the Disappearing Columbia trademark. But first a little bit of history.
in 1931, HMV and the London branch of Columbia Gramophone Company merged to become EMI (this merger would cause headaches for CBS records when selected titles were imported to Australia. This would also affect imports of RCA’s U.S. releases here (RCA owned the “Nipper” trademark for North America))
Of course this would mean that the U.S. office of Columbia had to be sold off due to the U.S. anti-trust laws of the time.
In 1982, Palings imported an LP under the Columbia name of Jerry Murad’s Harmonicats LP “Peg o’ My Heart” (but it could not be released under the Columbia name here because EMI owned the name back then.)
Palings decided to use a low-tech solution was to take to the cover art with a texta marker.
Below is part of the cover art for “Peg o’ My Heart”
not only that, all references to “Columbia” were also marked out on the back cover.
the label also suffered from obfuscation. Below is a label for an LP released on the Columbia label.
in this case, CBS Records Australia overlaid a sticker which was covered with the CBS records trademark.
NIPPER NIPPED
now, for our second trademark obfuscation
the History of Nipper goes back to 1899, when artist Francis Barraud modified his painting called “His Masters Voice” changing the phonograph from a cylinder player to a disc player. thus giving birth to the familiar trademark. (which would be owned by EMI for many years to come (except in North America, where it was owned by RCA))
Throughout the 1970′s and early 1980′s, RCA’s North Ameican releases appeared with Nipper at the 2 O’Clock position on the label thus:
But when the Spike Jones compilation LP “Spike Jones is Murdering the Classics” was imported, Nipper got nipped (pun intended) in the bud by affixing a sticker in the same colour as the Red Seal label with the result being this:
a similar label hide took place on the 1981 Chipmunks LP “Urban Chipmunk” (RCA Australia never released that LP locally, so it could be duly imported.)
Tags: CBS, RCA