Here No Evil: A Tribute to the Monkees

I actually hoped to get this on here last week to coincide with the first two Monkees albums being re-released to CD, but I didn't make it. This CD from 1992 has a number of indie performers you've probably never heard of re-interpreting songs from the OTHER Fab Four with varying degrees of success. Give it a try. I hope you like it!

Hey hey here's the track list:

1. The Day We Fall in Love - Deacon Lunchbox
2. Take a Giant Step - The Chant
3. St. Matthew - Bob Rupe Band
4. Last Train to Clarksville - Big Fish Ensemble
5. Pleasant Valley Sunday - Magnapop
6. Valleri - Mitch Easter
7. The Door into Summer - Pat Johnson and the Wellsprings of Hope
8. Circle Sky - The Diggers
9. You Just May Be the One - Peter Holsapple
10. Mr. Webster - Anne Richmond Boston
11. Let's Dance On - The Doll Squad
12. Sweet Young Thing - Opium Hello
13. The Kind of Girl I Could Love - Vulgar Boatmen
14. What Am I Doing Hangin' Round? - Those Big Belt Buckles
15. A Little Bit Me, a Little Bit You - Cruisin'
16. Randy Scouse Git - Live Bait
17. Tomorrow's Gonna Be Another Day - Larry Joe Miller & the Rockabilly Rockets
18. Gonna Buy Me a Dog - Boise and Moss with a Side of Hamm
19. You Told Me - Multi-Color House
20. Daydream Believer - Man Size Job
21. (Theme from) The Monkees - The Flying Subs

Click here or here to download!

Count Chocula Goes to Hollywood

Jason at Scar Stuff posted two of the three Monster Flexis that came with Count Chocula, Frankenberry, and Boo Berry cereals back in 1979 here on his site. He asked if anybody had "Count Chocula Goes to Hollywood", and it turns out that I do. In fact, I have all three of the Flexis, as well I should, since I've been eating Count Chocula cereal for about as long as it's been around. No, seriously. I'm 44 years old now, and I still have a bowl of Count Chocula cereal for breakfast. Don't knock it. It's more nutritious than the sweet roll and cup of coffee some of you probably have! ;-D

Anyway, in this record Count Chocula wins a contest to appear on the TV western "Haunted House on the Range". He thinks he's going to be the star, but they hire him to be the stunt man and the same zany antics ensue that always do when a cartoon character becomes an unwilling stunt man. I won't give away the ending, but you probably know how it all turns out. And all this happens in less than 5 minutes! Hey, don't expect deep plots from a cardboard record in a cereal box!

Click here or here or here to download!

What a Wonderful Thing Is Me

This must have been the album cover Jiminy Cricket was posing for. Oddly enough, he doesn't make an appearance on this record at all! Instead, we get three of the four singers that were on the "Songs from the Electric Company" album I posted earlier. This has lots of cute songs about the parts of the body and what they do.

Wow! Without meaning to, I actually tied in this album to another one on this site. Hope that doesn't mean I'm getting in a rut...

Here's that track list:

1. What a Wonderful Thing Is Me
2. My Useful Nose
3. My Heart
4. Ears Are Very Nice
5. Wonderful Eyes
6. What Do We Do?
7. Busy Little Fingers
8. Fresh Air Song
9. Locomotion
10. You Don't Hear Much About Elbows
11. Be a Pal to Your Tummy
12. Activities Song

Click here or here or here to download!

Jane, Get Me Off This Crazy Thing!

You've always wanted to dance to a sampling of TV theme songs set to a pumping beat and a rocking synthesizer, haven't you? Well, here's your chance! Put out by the same company that did "Television's Greatest Hits", this EP from 1986 also functioned as a preview of sorts of what songs were available on that album. Included here was the original theme to the Jetsons (actually the opening theme with the closing theme spliced onto the end of it), as well as a "Longplay" version that included a longer instrumental break. But the mixes are definitely the most unique songs here. Everything from "Adam-12" to "The Addams Family" is represented here in small, bite-sized chunks.

And you really could dance to it, but you might feel silly doing it (especially if you dance like me)!

Here's the track list:

1. The Jetsons Main Title (Original Version)
2. The Jetsons Main Title (Longplay Version)
3. Jane, Get Me Off This Crazy Thing! The TeeVee Toons Master Mix (Prime Time Radio Mix)
4. Jane, Get Me Off This Crazy Thing! The TeeVee Toons Master Mix (Late Night Dance Mix)
5. Jane, Get Me Off This Crazy Thing! (Dubs)

Click here or here to download!

Rock 'N Roll Disco with Fat Albert and the Junkyard Band

This Fat Albert album from 1980 is different than the one I've seen offered elsewhere. It's still got some great songs from Fat Albert and his gang. This one mentions that the music and lyrics are by Dean Andre and Jeff Michael, just in case you wanted to know that. I include a scan of the back cover as well which lists the character's names with their pictures, which would come in handy if you don't know your Dumb Donald (the guy with the pink hat with the eyeholes cut out of it) from your Weird Harold (the tall skinny guy). Anyway, hope you enjoy this!

Here's the track list:

1. Saturday-Sunday-Monday-Funday
2. Mr. Shakespeare
3. Little Tiny World
4. Skippin' Out
5. She Doesn't See Me
6. You're My Hero
7. Goodie, Goodie, Goodie
8. I Wanna Be a Cowboy
9. Rainbow of Love
10. Friends

Click here or here to download!

Kasenetz-Katz Super Circus

Here's an album of crazy bubblegum music from the people who brought you the Ohio Express, the 1910 Fruitgum Co., and others. I apologize for the condition of the album cover above. (And to be honest, so should they. I don't think I've seen so many Mad Magazine art swipes in one place in my life!)

Here's the track list:

1. Quick Joey Small
2. Let Me Introduce You
3. Easy to Love
4. Log in Fire
5. Shake
6. I'm in Love with You
7. New York Woman
8. Up in the Air
9. I Got It Bad for You
10. Down at Lulu's
11. The Super Circus

Click here or here to download!

Having Fun with Elvis on Stage

In 1991 a book came out called "The Worst Rock and Roll Records of All Time". Their criteria was that "the artist must have at least passively condoned the project, and the work must be done by a 'major' artist". So with all there was to choose from, how could this 1974 Elvis Presley concert album have possibly attained the top spot? Surely a live Elvis concert would have some great performances of songs made famous by the King of Rock and Roll himself, wouldn't it? But let your eyes travel to the top right corner of the album cover with me, and notice four simple words that made all the difference. (I blew up the picture in that area if you couldn't read it.)



Yes, this is an actual Elvis live concert album WITHOUT THE SONGS!! This has got to be heard to be believed! Elvis Presley was a great charismatic performer, but he wasn't so good on the between-song patter (and remember, that's all there IS here)! And one last thing: the management will not be responsible for injuries caused by jaws dropping and heads shaking in confusion after listening to this album.

Click here to download!

With Love and Kisses from Tiny Tim: Concert in Fairyland

Remember Tiny Tim? If you don't, he was an odd looking (but very entertaining) man who played the ukulele and appeared on such shows as "Laugh-In" and "The Ed Sullivan Show" in the late 60's. He had a big hit with "Tip-Toe Through the Tulips", which became his signature song. This was actually his second album, released in 1968. However it was an unauthorized release that, according to a Tiny Tim website, was actually recorded in 1962 and pushed back into release when Tiny Tim became famous. It's really not that bad, except that whoever put it together wanted it to sound like a live album so they dubbed in audience cheers and applause. The trouble is, they WAY overdid it. It sounds like the Beatles, Elvis, and Hulk Hogan winning the final game of the World Series (or the World Cup if you're not from the U.S.)!

Here's the track list:

1. Oh, How I Miss You Tonight
2. Let Me Call You Sweetheart
3. On the Good Ship Lollipop
4. Secret Love
5. Animal Crackers
6. Indian Love Call
7. Don't Take Your Love from Me
8. If I Didn't Care
9. You Make Me Feel So Young
10. I Got a Pain in My Sawdust
11. Be My Love
12. Toot-Toot-Tootsie

Click here or here to download!

Flashbeagle

This is the soundtrack to the 1984 Peanuts special "It's Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown". There's a pretty good variety of music here, from disco to country to ballads. Also the song "Let's Have a Party" became the theme song to "The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show". Hope you like it!

Here's the track list:

1. Flashbeagle
2. Pigpen Hoedown
3. Don't Give Up, Charlie Brown
4. Peppermint Patty's P.E. Program (I'm in Shape)
5. Snoopy
6. Someday, Charlie Brown
7. Let's Have a Party
8. Lucy Says
9. Woodstock
10. Snoopy's Big Debut

Click here or here to download!

UPDATE: I've read that the bonus special on the upcoming "Snoopy's Reunion" DVD will be "It's Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown"! So if you'd like to get the special that these songs were taken from, just click on the link below!

The Temple City Kazoo Orchestra: Some Kazoos

You know, I feel like I've been a bit remiss in my duties lately. I mean I've had some fun junk here, some neat junk, maybe even some cool junk, but it's been a long time since I've actually put something here that's lived up to the title of this blog. Well, Gang, I'm going to rectify that right now! This is most definitely WAY OUT JUNK!

This short album from 1978 features the Temple City Kazoo Orchestra doing a few of your old favorites, all using that "most difficult of all intruments to master properly", the kazoo. There really isn't much to say here, other than download and enjoy!

Oh yeah, one other thing. If you looked at the record closely, you could read messages written in the run-off groove (that groove between the end of the music and the center label). Here's what was written in that area: "Kazoos...America's best entertainment value!", "A 'Top Ten' smash!", "Rhino Records! Collect them all! Trade them with your friends!", and "Like the record?...then see the movie!!" I guess there's not enough space to do that on a CD, huh?

The last track was taken from another record, but I felt it deserved to be included here. Take a listen and tell me, is this Way Out or is this WAY OUT?!

The track list:

1. 2001 Sprach Kazoostra
2. Stayin' Alive
3. Miss You
4. Whole Lotta Love
5. Kazooed on Classics

Click here or here to download!

The Funky Phantom

Remember the Funky Phantom? This cartoon came out in 1971 on the heels of Scooby-Doo. It was a similar concept, except they had a Revolutionary War era ghost and his cat helping them solve mysteries. This one didn't take off like Scooby-Doo did, and only ran 17 episodes. Here's four stories of Jonathan Wellington Muddlemore (or Mudsy for short), Boo the cat, and their teenage friends. However, they didn't use the original cast for these stories. Instead it sounds like most of the voices were being handled by Peter Fernandez and Corinne Orr of Speed Racer fame. Did they think us kids would be stupid enough not to notice the difference? WERE we stupid enough not to?

Anyway, here it is for your enjoyment and edification. I cheated a bit on the cover picture above. I bought mine at a church garage sale a few months ago, and the child who owned it drew circles in magic marker all over it. This one's much cleaner.

Click here or here to download!

Things Go Better With...(with Bonus Tracks!)

This was a promotional record containing commercials for a certain cola-flavored soft drink. (Hey, if they're not going to say the name, neither am I!) But if you can't figure it out from the slogan and the color scheme of the cover, you probably wouldn't be interested in "Over 50 Classic Endorsements of 'The Real Thing'" . There is quite a line-up here as you can see, divided into three sections: The American Jingles, The British Sound, and The Downunder Sound (and the fourth section of bonus tracks I had from other sources). It was really pretty neat how different groups approached their commercials. Some did the regular jingle. Some incorporated it into a song they already sang. And others did a totally original song about the product. All of these are fun to listen to and hard to find otherwise. So kick back, have a Co...I mean a certain cola-flavored soft drink, and enjoy!

Here's the track list (actually just the performers for each track):

1. Jerry Lee Lewis
2. The Everly Brothers
3. The Four Seasons
4. The Limeliters
5. Jan & Dean
6. Roy Orbison
7. Ray Charles
8. Ray Charles #2
   
9. Aretha Franklin
10. Little Milton
11. Fontella Bass
12. John Bubbles & the Shirelles
13. The Shirelles
14. The Supremes
15. The Supremes #2
16. Freddy Cannon
17. The Newbeats
18. Gary Lewis & the Playboys
19. Jay & the Americans
20. The American Breed
21. The Box Tops (with Alex Chilton)
22. Neil Diamond
23. The Fifth Dimension
24. Gladys Knight and the Pips
25. The Who
26. The Fortunes
27. Freddie & the Dreamers
28. Tom Jones
29. Petula Clark
30. The Seekers
31. Mary Hopkin
32. The New Seekers
33. John Farrar & the Strangers
34. Glenn Shorrock & the Twilights
35. John Farnham
36. The Easybeats
37. The Easybeats #2
38. The Easybeats #3
39. Billy Thorpe & the Aztecs
40. Normie Rowe & the Playboys
41. Ray Brown & the Whispers
42. Johnny Young & Kompany
43. John Rowles (Ja Ar)
44. The Executives
45. The Groove
46. Larry's Rebels
47. Doug Parkinson
48. Axiom
49. Brian Cadd
50. Sherbet
51. Little River Band
52. Jan & Dean #2
53. The Fifth Dimension #2
54. Aretha Franklin #3
55. Aretha Franklin #4
56. The Bee Gees
57. The Moody Blues
58. The Moody Blues #2
59. Lulu
60. Lulu #2

Click here or here to download!

What's the Good Word?

I couldn't find a date on this one, but I'm expecting it came out in the early 70's. Subtitled "Children's Sing-and-Learn Introduction to Words and How to Use Them", this album covers a lot of territory including synonyms, antonyms, homonyms, plurals, onomatopeia, and other word forms. While it's not as catchy as the Grammar Rock songs, it is brought to you by those swingers at Peter Pan Records, so it's still pretty cool!

Here's the track list:

1. What's the Good Word
2. With a Wink and a Nod
3. The Dic-Dic-Dictionary
4. A-E-I-O-U
5. Sing a Song of Synonyms
6. Antonym Island
7. It Sounds Alike
8. Ding Dong Dinging
9. The Inside Outside Words
10. The Plurals
11. I've Got a Good Dog (Comparisons)
12. Mister Big Word
13. The Goodbye Song
14. What's the Good Word (Reprise)
    

Click here or here to download!

Chantmania

Did you hear about the two monks who became best friends?

They met by chants.

[RIMSHOT]

I use this (admittedly) corny joke to introduce this (also admittedly) corny concept for an album. Back in 1994 there was an unlikely hit record featuring a group of monks doing Gregorian chants. It was called "Chant" by the Benedictine Monks of Santo Domingo de Silas. Later the same year this album was released by the Benzedrine Monks of Santo Domonica (actually members of the group Big Daddy, featured here in an earlier entry). Unlike Big Daddy, this silly concept couldn't sustain an entire album. That's why there's such a short running time here. It's still fun though. Hope you like it!

(By the way, when I was trying to get more info about this album I was reminded that there was a VIDEO mockumentary released for Chantmania as well. I just got a copy of it off eBay. I'll let you guys know how it is when I get it!)

Here's the track list:

1. (Theme From) The Monkees
2. We Will Rock You
3. Losing My Religion
4. Smells Like Teen Spirit
5. Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?
6. The Monks' Vow Of Silence

NOTE: This album is now available to purchase in mp3 format from Amazon.com. You can get it here!

The Three Stooges: Madcap Musical Nonsense at Your House

You know how I mentioned that "Howl Along with Huckleberry Hound" was one of the first albums I remember my brothers owning? Well, this was the other one. This one originally came out in 1959 and it features the Three Stooges: Larry, Moe, and (I'm sorry to say) Curly Joe. As opposed to their album "The Nonsense Songbook" where they simply sing songs as written, on this album they actually have adventures wherein they somehow end up singing their own versions of common songs (much like Dennis the Menace did on the album I featured here previously). It's a cute kids album, especially for people like me that grew up on it. Hope you like it!

Here's the track list:

1. We're Coming to Your House
2. The Concert
3. At the Baseball Game
4. Click Dart's Bandstand
5. Three Chipped Monks
6. Let's "Cut" a Record
7. Sing Along with Moe
8. At the Circus
9. The Toy Store
10. Goodbye, Auld Lang Syne!

UPDATE: I'm afraid I've been forced to remove my link for this, but you can buy the record from Amazon by following the link below!

...and you can find some of the cuts from this album on CD or mp3 by following this link below!

The Mighty Hercules (with bonus cut!)

Remember this cheesy cartoon from the early 60's? This is from a record based on it that originally came out in 1963 (and was re-released on CD in 2001). The odd thing is that even though there's pictures of the characters on the cover and the same people are used on the album itself, they don't use the same voices as the cartoon. Admittedly for characters like Newton the centaur that's a bit of an improvement, but it's still a strange thing to do. The best part about the show itself was the rousing theme song, and they don't even have the right version of that! However, I did add the real version of the theme song as a bonus track on the end. Hey, never let it be said that I don't take care of my peeps!

Here's the track list:

1. The Mighty Hercules Theme Song
2. Newton's Song
3. You Were Rich the Day You Were Born
4. You've Got to Be Strong
5. Tootle a Flute
6. Hercules (reprise)
7. You Can Do Anything You Want
8. The Kind of Man I Know You'll Be
9. A Bad, Bad Man
10. Newton's Song (reprise)
11. Hercules (finale)
12. The Mighty Hercules (real theme)

This album is now available to purchase in mp3 format from Amazon.com. You can get it here! (The exception to that is the actual theme song, which is available on this album here!)

The Best of Big Daddy

"While on a USO tour of Southeast Asia in 1959, Big Daddy was captured by Communist forces and held captive until the mid 80's at which time they were rescued by CIA forces and subsequently returned to the United States. While being held at Camp David for de-briefing, they were given sheet music of contemporary hit songs so that they could re-build their repertoire and get back to the only work they knew...making music. Of course, not having heard the evolution of Rock music during the quarter century they spent imprisoned in the jungles of Laos, they arranged and performed these songs the only way they knew how...in the classic styles of the 1950's."

This was the concept behind the group Big Daddy, as quoted from the liner notes of this out of print CD from 2000. These songs are taken from their two previous albums and two CD's, which I own as well. Unfortunately they're all out of print now. If you guys like this one, let me know and I'll see if I can make some of the others available. Give this one a try. I think you guys will really enjoy it.

By the way, you might notice something special about the last four cuts here. They were taken from Big Daddy's album "Sgt. Pepper's", where they re-recorded the entire Beatles album in 50's style. The song "A Day in the Life" actually takes on a whole new meaning here, and takes on a haunting effect towards the end.

Here's the track list:

1. Dancing in the Dark
2. Help Me Make It Through the Night
3. Super Freak
4. Little Red Corvette
5. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
6. Once in a Lifetime
7. Whip It
8. My Heart Will Go On
9. Eye of the Tiger
10. Every Breath You Take
11. Sukiyaki
12. Money for Nothing
13. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
14. With a Little Help from My Friends
15. When I'm Sixty-Four
16. A Day in the Life

Click here or here to download!

Micky Dolenz Puts You to Sleep

Hi again, Gang. First I'm bummed out again because Mondo Daddykin has once again decided to call it quits. He plans on starting up again when he's more confident with the file hosting environment. I hope it's soon. We miss you already, kimosabe.

However, I've decided to do my best to press on. Here's a neat out of print CD from 1991 featuring former Monkee Micky Dolenz. In it he's taken some pop and rock songs from the 60's and 70's and sings them like lullabies. On the surface you would think this is a parody album, but it's not. It's really very sweet and well-done. I think I'm going to put this one on tonight myself. After the hectic week I've had, I can use all the relaxation I can get!

Here's the track list:

1. Pillow Time
2. Dream A Little Dream
3. Beautiful Boy
4. Blackbird
5. Lullaby To Tim
6. Fool On The Hill
7. Good Night
8. St. Judy's Comet
9. The Moonbeam Song
10. Remember
11. Sugar Mountain
12. The Porpoise Song

This album is now available to purchase in mp3 format from Amazon.com. You can get it here!

Annette: A Musical Reunion with America's Girl Next Door

I've got some more records I want to make available here, but I'm having problems with them skipping. Anybody here have suggestions on how best to clean them? Until then, I've been looking through my CDs that are out of print to find things I think you guys might enjoy.

This was a 2 CD set originally released in 1993 and now out of print. This features songs from many a boy's crush in the 1950's and 60's, Annette Funicello. Included is her hits, songs from her movies (including "Back to the Beach"), and other songs from her 15(!) albums. Tragically, Ms. Funicello was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 1987 and is still suffering with it today. This CD set is a fitting tribute to the happiness she has given to millions of people. I hope you like it.

Here's the track list:

Disc 1

1. Tall Paul
2. Don't Jump to Conclusions
3. It Took Dreams
4. Wild Willie
5. Lonely Guitar
6. First Name Initial
7. Jo-Jo the Dog-Faced Boy
8. My Heart Became of Age
9. Amo Que Paso?
10. Train of Love
11. It's Really Love
12. Tell Me, Who's the Girl?
13. Strummin' Song
14. Hawaiiannette (Hawaiian Love Talk)
15. Pineapple Princess
16. Luau Cha-Cha-Cha
17. Song of the Islands
18. Italiannette
19. Please, Please Signore
20. Dream Boy
21. Mia Cara, Mia Amore
22. Lucky, Lucky, Lucky Me
23. O Dio Mio

Disc 2

1. Danceannette
2. The Rock-a-Cha
3. Rock-a-Polka
4. The Flapper Flip
5. The Rock and Roll Waltz
6. Mister Piano Man
7. I Can't Do the Sum
8. Just a Toy
9. The Parent Trap
10. Merlin Jones
11. The Monkey's Uncle (with the Beach Boys)
12. Walkin' and Talkin'
13. Beach Party Tonight
14. Blame It on the Bossa Nova
15. Jamaica Ska
16. Bikini Beach Party
17. Let's Twist Again
18. Surfer's Holiday
19. Stuffed Animal
20. Canzone D'Amore
21. Music! Music! Music!
22. How Will I Know My Love?
23. No Way to Go But Up
    
24. Annette (Featuring Frankie Avalon, Shelley Fabares, Paul Anka, and Tommy Sands)

Click here or here for Disc 1

and here or here for Disc 2!

Robin Hood Featuring Top Cat (and links to other HB Records)

Here's another record in the Hanna-Barbera collection. This one's a bit different than many of the others because Top Cat doesn't just tell the story of Robin Hood here. The story starts with TC and his gang of alley cats broke and starving as usual. Brain says they ought to do like Robin Hood does and take from the rich and give to the poor. Well, they reason, nobody's poorer than they are! They learn to shoot bows and arrows (sort of), but before they get much further they run into a couple of escaped bank robbers. It all turns into the old "pretend to rob a bank for the movie we're shooting only it's really an actual robbery" plot that it seems like every show did somewhere along the way. I won't tell you how it ends (as if you can't figure it out for yourself), but it's still fun. And these records love to throw some wacky songs in as well, so that's a bonus!

I admit I cheated on the cover illustration here. I used the HB Records cover when the version I have is actually the Peter Pan Records version. I believe the records themselves are the same, but the HB Records had MUCH better covers!

Since I typed it out for another one of my faithful readers, here's the track list:

1. Song: Top Cat
2. Story: Robin Hood (pt. 1)
3. Song: M-O-N-E-Y
4. Story: Robin Hood (pt. 2)
5. Song: Robin Hood
6. Story: Robin Hood (pt. 3)
7. Song: Dibble
8. Story: Robin Hood (pt. 4)
9. Story: Robin Hood (pt. 5)
10. Song: Buddies

Click here or here or here to download!

Also I had mentioned before that I was looking for copies of the other albums in this collection, and Dartman at "Dartman's World of Wonder" just recently put up the "Snagglepuss Tells the Story of the Wizard of Oz" here at

http://dartmansworldofwonder.blogspot.com/2006/07/heavans-to-emerald-city-wizards-and.html

Thanks, Dartman! Great blog you've got there. Keep it up!

One of the first ones I remember finding online was the "Monster Shindig with Super Snooper and Blabber Mouse" at

http://monster-shindig.blogspot.com/2006/03/joining-monster-shindig.html .

There's some great voicework by Paul Frees and June Foray on this one. Don't miss it!