Des O'Connor...

We are now back with some of "Bob's" contributions from "Belgium" of course...the reason that we have not had any from him for a while is that I have had a new computer and I thought that I had lost his files in the "Change Over" Saga !!....looked everywhere for them but with no luck !!..then suddenly out of the "Cosmic Blue" BINGO !!!!..as if by Magic they suddenly appeared !!!..........Arn't computers temperamental !!!.......Soooooooo we will be having a good mix of different music........And Des gets us off to a good start with some favourites that I Guess everyone will know !!....and despite all the flack that he gets about his singing I like his voice !!

1. Sometimes I'm Happy
2. She
3. My Sentimental Friend
4. What'll I Do
5. Carolina In The Morning 
6. The Old Fashioned Way
7. Smile Smile Smile

1. Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Old Oak tree
2. A Certain Smile
3. What A Wonderful World
4. Nellie Dean
5. The Most Beautiful Girl
6. If You Were The Only Girl 
7. On Of Those Songs

        2. She

Eydie Gorme.

 This is one of those L/P's that the record company fails on delivery !!...what I  mean is when I first saw and bought this L/P I was expecting some "live performances" of Eydie's.... instead on it is a selection of "Standards"....although I have said before that Eydie has never made a bad L/P this one is a mediocre one....NOW whether or not I have been initalialy disapointed by it and it has influenced my judgement I don't know....But there does seem to be something missing !!!.....Would be interested in other peoples opinon as I know there are quite a few "Eydie Gorme" fans out there !!!...so come on people let me know what you think !!

 1. Taking A Chance On Love

2. Just One Of Those Things

3. You Turned The Tables On Me

4. But Not For Me

5. Get Out Of Town

6. Alright Okay You Win

                                                       

1. I Got Lost In His Arms

2. Better Luck Next Time

3. I'm In Luck

4. I'm Shooting High

5. You're Getting To Be A Habit With Me

6. One For My Baby

    7. I Got Lost in His Arms

The Morman Tabernacle Choir

Now for somehing different and a bit rousing..this should keep you awake !!....Courtesy Of Marcos !....Thanks Marcos !

1. Les Voici ( From Carmen)

2. The Lord Now Victorious (From  Cavelleria Rusticana)

3. Soldiers Chorus (From Faust)

4. Hail Bright Abode (From Tannhauser)

5. Humming Chorus (From Madam Butterfly)

6. Anvil Chorus (From ILL Trovatore)

7. Pilgrims Chorus (From Tannhauser)

8. Bell Chorus (From IL Pagliacci)

9. Bridal Chorus (From Lohengrin)

10. Huntsman Chorus (From Der FrieSchutz)

11. Grand March (From Aida)

          1. Les Voici

Arthur Fiedler And The Boston Pops Orchestra.

This makes fantastic easy listening....just shows how good the "Lennon & McCartney" songs are when they are played by a 95 man/woman orchestra and boy do they do a great job of it !!.Very Imaginative arrangements.

1. Eleanor Rigby

2. And I Love Her

3. Ob-La-De , Ob-La-Da

4. Hey Jude

5. With A Little Help From My Friends

6. Yellow Submarine

1. I Want To Hold Your Hand

2. Penny Lane

3. A Hard Day's Night

4. The Fool On The Hill

5. Yesterday

6. Michele

    2. And I Love Her

Des O'Connor

Ok now one from "Bob" from across the channel....Even tho' in England the other comedians used to take the "Rise" "Micky" "P##s" out of his singing he does a good job of these tracks and I like his voice !!

       1. Feelings

Barbra Streisand.

 There's not much you can say about BS that hasn't been said a thousand times before so I won't say it !!.....except that she has now in 1978 got complete control of her voice !! An interesting thing to do is make a "playlist" of her first L/P "The Barbra Streisand Album" with this one starting with "Track 1" from TBSA "Track 2" from this one and so on and listen to the difference its a really cool "playlist".......Most of the songs on this one are not well known except for a couple but that really doesn't matter its her interpretation of the song and of course her voice that gets you !!!

1. Tomorrow

2. A Man I Loved

3. I Don't Break Easily

4. Love Breakdown

5. You Don't Bring Me Flowers

1. Honey Can I Put On Your Clothes

2. One More Night

3. Stay Away

4. Deep In The Night

5. Songbird

       2. One More Night.

Peters & Lee.

 Ok now this one is quiet pleasant and will please the "Easy Lisening " Folks...20 nice easy songs sung well but wish they could have "Swung" them a bit !!!

1. Mayday
2. Only You
3. Remembering
4. Wonderful Baby
5. Closer
6. Oh Baby I Love You
7. Don't Blame Me
8. Killing Me Softly With His Song 
9. Don't Stay Away To Long
10. I'll Be Your Baby Tonight

1. Comin' Home Baby
2. Guess You'll Never Know
3. The Crying Game
4. Our Song
5. Old Fashioned Way
6. Come To Me
7. I'm Confessin'
8. If I Fell
9. The Last Happy Song
10. Welcome Home

          2. Only You

Des O'Connor.

Des does a great job with the title song on this L/P it stands up with the best of singers that has tackled it !!.....the more I hear his voice the better I like it !!...forget what the other comedians have said and give him a listen maybe you will be surprised !!!....Love his "clipped pronunciation" on "I Won't Dance" give it that 20's feel !!

1. What I Did For Love
2. Each Day's A Holiday 
3. What'll I Do
4. That's Why I Love Her
5. I Won't Dance

1. Remember
2. I Don't See Me In Your Eyes Any More 
3. The Folks Who Live On The Hill
4. Faded Words
5. I Write The Songs

       5. I Won't Dance

Ted Heath & His Band

Big Band Sound in "Phase Four Stereo"....crank that volume up for some great sounds of The swing bands !!

1. Blue Flame
2. Moonlight Serenade
3. Uptown Blues
4. Snowfall
5. Flying Home

1. One O'clock Jump
2. When It's Sleepy Time Down South
3. Skyliner
4. Contrasts
5. Body And Soul

          6. One Oclock Jump

Des O'Connor

On this L/P Des talks as well as sings....he does what a lot of singers were doing in the 70's joining two songs together with same themes...and even tho' there is nothing on the sleeve to tell you the date all you have to do is look at the "Flares" that Des is wearing and "Bingo" the 70's !!!!...This one came from "Bob" !!

      5. The One I Love Belongs To Someone Else 

Ted Heath

Ted Heath in "Phase 4 Stereo" doing most of Glenn Millers Classic hits !...from one great band to another !!

1. In The Mood

2. Little Brown Jug

3. At Last

4. Chattanooga Choo-Choo

5. Moonlight Serenade

6. American Patrol

1. Anvil Chorus

2. String Of Pearls

3. I've Got A Gal in Kalamazoo

4. Pennsylvania 65000

5. Serenade In Blue

6. Tuxedo Junction

         8. String Of Pearls

Jerry Reed.

 Here is one for the "Country" fans...Jerry together with Chet Atkins ....They were two of the greatest popular guitarists since people started plucking strings on a wooden base !!....Notice I said "Popular" I think probably in the "Classical" world of Guitarists there are some greats there too !!....Back to the L/P Jerry is alone and singing...Half of the tracks he wrote himself so he was a composer as well something I was not aware of..It all adds up to a very pleasant easy on the ear L/P which I hope people who are not into "Country" music gives it a listen too....Broaden your musical tastes keeps you young !!!

1. Smell The Flowers
2. Don't Get Heavy
3. Endless Miles Of Highway
4. Take It Easy
5. It Don't Work That Way

1. If Ever I Love Again
2. My Guitar And My Song
3. Don't Let The Good Times Pass You By
4. It Ain't Home But It Ain't Bad
5. Pave Your Way Into Tomorrow 

          8. Don't Let The Good Life Pass You By

Jerry Reed.

Back now from the cold cold waters of the Channel !!!...not much difference here !! good job the heating is on !!!...now for a couple of Re- Posts then I recon i'll get the carpet out and have a trip over the pond see what the weather is like over there and have a rummage around "John's record store !!....still by the time you read this you will see what i've found....as the order of posts don't get reversed !!!...Unless I do it every post !!..like changing the time !!!

A little bit of country and western now....

1. Goodnight Irene 
2. Medley
3. Sweet Memories
4. You Took All The Ramblin' Outa Me
5. Back Home In Georgia 

1. I'm Not Playing Games
2. Nashville Woman
3. Sixteen Tons
4. Caribbean
5. I Just Don't Understand

           8. Sixteen Tons

Dr Hook.

This group is my Sister Rina's favourite group..and I agree with her...all the songs I believe are written by the group so they are all original songs..no "Covers".....and they are all good ones and easy to remember...that I believe if you can remember the words and tune constitutes a "HIT"!!!!!

1. More Like The Movies
2. A Little Bit More
3. The Radio
4. Up On The Mountain
5. If Not You

1. Jungle To The Zoo
2. Bad Eye Bill
3. What About You
4. I Need the High
5. A Couple More Years 

        4. Up On The Mountain

Peggy Lee

This lady needs no introduction just listen !!....Not a Fever in sight !! except of course the post  below !!

          8. Seventh Son

1001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die.Part 3..VA

I think we have left the 30's/40's and are now in the 50's

1. Please Love Me......B.B.King

2. Crying In The Chapel.....The Orioles

3. Riot In Cell Block Number Nine.......Robins

4. Love For Sale......Billie Holiday

5. The Wind......Nolan Strong & The Diablos

6. My Funny Valentine......Chet Baker

7. Shake Rattle And Roll......Joe Turner

8. Rock Around The Clock.......Bill Haley & His Comets

9. I Get Along Without You Very Well......Chet Baker

10. In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning......Frank Sinatra

11. Tutti Frutti......Little Richard

12. Only You.......The Platters

13. Cry Me A River.......Julie London

14. Sixteen Tons .......Tennessee Ernie Ford

15. I'm A Man......Bo Didley

16. Blue Monday......Fats Domino

17. Burundanga......Celia Cruz

18. Lets Do It......Ella Fitzgerald

19. I've Got You Under My Skin......Frank Sinatra

20. Every Time We Say Goodbye......Ella Fitzgerald

21. Be Bop A Lula.......Gene Vincent

22. Heartbreak Hotel......Elvis Presley

23. Blueberry Hill......Fats Domino

24. Hound Dog......Elvis Presley

24. Honey Hush......Johnny Burnette

         6. My Funny Valentine

          17. Burundanga

Thelma Gracen

Another forgotten singer from the 50's /60's with her one and only L/P release !!..and its a good one well worth a listen !!....As stated at the beginning of this blog the posts are mainly Vinyl but this one is a CD so the nod has been fulfilled !!...and there might be more later !!

AllMusic Review by Jason Ankeny.....................

Thelma Gracen's lone EmArcy date boasts a warm, nocturnal atmosphere that belies the precision and complexity of its performances. Guitarist Barney Kessel, tenorist Georgie Auld, and pianist Lou Levy are all in top form, delivering graceful, almost effortless support that encircles Gracen's vocals like a kind of halo effect. Her cool, sophisticated interpretations of chestnuts like "I'll Remember April" and "Night and Day" immediately bring to mind the likes of Anita O'Day and Chris Connor, but Gracen possesses a style and intelligence all her own -- it's a shame her discography is so slim.

1. I'll Remember April

2. Night And Day

3. I'll Never be The Same

4. Tea For Two

5. I'll Get By

6. Out Of Nowhere

1. Solitude

2. Just You Just Me

3. I'm Yours

4. People Will Say Were In love

5. More Than You Know

6. Let There Be love

          5. I'll Get By 

Susannah Young

Here's a voice that I missed from the 60's!!...once again a one and only L/P from this fine British Singer who definatly should have been heard more !...very good details of her on the back sleeve !!

Sweetest Sounds was Susannah Young's very first recording ... and also her last. What a shame. In her one and only outing, this British Singer proved to be a tasteful, smart, tuneful, melodious -- in a word, solid -- singer.

         4. This Years Kisses

Des O'Connor.

So now we have a "Golden Hour " of Des's voice also from "Bob"....It's fine and as the saying goes "It Does What It Say's On The Tin".....any of you out there who don't get that Can't watch much Television !!!!

        2. And I Love You So