Patriotic Songs - Howard Chitjian and the Concert Band of Los Angeles

For Memorial Day (at least in the U.S.) I figured I'd throw in an album of patriotic music. Some of these I remember from school, some I don't. Regardless, please try to remember that Memorial Day is more than just a day off from work and a chance to catch sales. Thanks!

Here's the track list:

1. The Caisson Song


2. Marines' Hymn


3. The Stars and Stripes Forever


4. When Johnny Comes Marching Home


5. Yankee Doodle


6. Battle Hymn of the Republic


7. America


8. America the Beautiful


9. You're a Grand Old Flag


10. This Is My Country


11. God Bless America


12. Columbia the Gem of the Ocean


13. The Star Spangled Banner


14. There Are Many Flags in Many Lands


15. An American


16. This Land Is Your Land


17. Flag Song

Click here or here to download!

Cleveland Smith: Bounty Hunter

In honor of the new Indiana Jones movie here's a parody of "Raiders of the Lost Ark" starring Bruce Campbell and Sam Raimi made back in 1981!





If you'd like to read a more fleshed out script for this, go here. It's pretty silly, but I had to admit that I got a few good laughs out of it!

It's Cool in the Furnace II - The Adventure Continues

I wanted to put the original "It's Cool in the Furnace" up here, but it looks to be available here as part of a 35th anniversary re-release (and is recommended as probably one of the better Christian musicals for kids), so instead here's the little known sequel. It really has nothing to do with the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, but it does continue the story after that with Daniel, culminating in his adventure in the lion's den. This has got some pretty catchy tunes in it as well, and I hope you like it!

UPDATE: I've been told that the re-release of "It's Cool in the Furnace" was actually a different production, so I've made the original available here! (and thanks Mr. Anonymous for correcting me about Daniel. That's what I get for blogging in a hurry!)

Here's the track list:

1. We're Having a Party


2. Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin


3. Yes Indeed


4. God All the Way


5. That's Never Gonna Work


6. Sing a Prayer


7. A Very Bad Mistake


8. A Very Bad Mistake (Reprise)


9. Shut My Mouth


10. The Lord's Day

Click here or here to download!

Captain Kangaroo Tells Just So Stories

Here's a few of Kipling's Just So stories told by that great storyteller himself, Captain Kangaroo! (I guess that explains the last story on this list.) Enjoy!

Here's the track list:

1. How the Elephant Got His Trunk
2. How the Rhinoceros Got His Skin
3. How the Camel Got His Hump
4. How the Kangaroo Got His Legs

Click here or here to download!

Old MacDonald Had a Farm - The Merry Players

Here's another album of kid's songs performed by "The Merry Players". I haven't heard of them myself, but a number of the songs (especially ones on the second half of the record) sound like some of the same singers used on the "Songs to Tickle Your Funny Bone" album. I think it would have been a blast to be part of some roving band of studio singers that specialized in doing children's records. As many albums as there were, I think you'd be set for life (or at least as long as your voice held out)! Anyway, hope you like this one!

Here's the track list:

1. Farm Friends
2. Old MacDonald Had a Farm
3. The Farmer in the Dell
4. The Turkey in the Straw
5. Old Joe Clark
6. Goober Peas
7. Let's Grow Things
8. Six Ducks
9. The Sow Took the Measles
10. Animal Song
11. Boll Weevil
12. Barnyard Chorus Medley

Click here or here to download!

In the Navy - Irwin the Disco Duck and the Wibble Wabble Singers and Orchestra

Here's another entry in the "Irwin the Disco Duck" oeuvre. I'm not quite sure which one this was though, but it's another fun Irwin production with another great George Peed cover. However, points are lost for Irwin losing his semi-unintelligible Donald Duck voice and for him plugging another one of his albums at the end of this one. Anyway, hope you like this!

Here's the track list:

1. In the Navy
2. Macho Man
3. Y.M.C.A.
4. Music Box Dancer
5. Last Dance
6. Knock on Wood
7. Le Freak
8. Instant Replay
9. I Love the Night Life
10. Goodnight Tonight

Click here or here to download!

The Elephant Who Forgot - Arnold Stang & the Rocking Horse Players

These are some fun animal stories narrated by the unmistakeable voice of Arnold Stang. (If you don't recognize the name, you'll certainly recognize his voice!) I thought it odd that that fact isn't advertised on the record cover itself. It is mentioned on the record's label though. Part of me wonders if these were originally meant to be collected together (although the last story does reference the first one). The reason I say that is because Stang uses his standard voice for every single story. He's got others (He was the voice of Top Cat after all), but there's no variation on the characters here. I think it's still pretty neat, and I hope you do too!

Here's the track list:

1. Harry the Horse
2. Percy the Polite Seal
3. The Elephant Who Forgot
4. The Hippy Hippo
5. The Clock That Went Tock Tick
6. Schloimy the Subway Train
7. Beezy the Sneezy Bee

Click here or here to download!

Danny Kaye Tells Six Stories from Faraway Places

(Sorry, I didn't realize my scheduled posts ran out!)

Here's Danny Kaye telling some fun stories, some of them in silly accents. Enjoy!

Here's the track list:

1. The Farmer of Babbia (Ethiopia)
   
2. The Big Oven (Russia)
   
3. Master of All Masters (Scotland)
   
4. The Most Remarkable Cat (Vietnam)
   
5. Nail Broth (Sweden)
   
6. The Tale of the Name of the Tree (Bantu)
   

Click here or here to download!

And if you'd like a CD of Danny Kaye telling stories from Grimm's Fairy Tales and Hans Christian Andersen, you can get that from Amazon.com here!

I Believe: Songs of Devotion - Peter Pan Orchestra & Chorus

Here's an album of great devotional and inspirational songs suitable for kids, like I Believe, He's Got the Whole World in His Hands, Faith of Our Fathers, The Great Pretender, Climb Every... wait a minute..."The Great Pretender"???? Yeah, it's the one you're thinking, but I'm not really sure what a song about pretending to do well by "pretending that you're still around" has to do with devotional songs. Is he supposed to be talking about God? That's not really sending a good message to kids, is it?

One other thing. The cover (and the record label itself) mentions two songs that are not on the actual record: Rock of Ages and The End. Rock of Ages I know, but which The End are they talking about? The only one I know is the Beatles one ("And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make."), but this came out way before that did. Even so, it would be a better Song of Devotion than The Great Pretender! Anyway, hope you enjoy this!

Here's the track list:

1. I Believe
2. The Bible Tells Me So
3. Little Child
4. The Great Pretender
5. Climb Every Mountain
6. Open Up Your Heart and Let the Sunshine In
7. Because
8. He's Got the Whole World in His Hands
9. Deck of Cards
10. Faith of Our Fathers

Click here or here to download!

Talkin' Smokey

Remember back when CB radios were the big craze? Well, this record from 1975 was trying to cash in on the fad. I don't know, to me this guy doesn't sound like your typical CB trucker guy at all. He just sounds like a guy singing in a studio with a bunch of back-up singers. It's still fun to hear though. Hope you like it!

Here's the track list:

1. Hey Uncle Charlie


2. Just Gotta Have That C.B. Radio


3. Lover Man


4. Talkin' Smokey


5. Old Collins Airfield


6. Smokey Joe


7. Who Could Ask for Anything More


8. Handle Song

Click here or here to download!

Iron Man Theme

Let's hope the new Iron Man movie can find a spot for this...



UPDATE: I saw "Iron Man" Saturday night, and not only did they do a great job with it, but they actually DID include short instrumental bits from this theme in the movie! I heard it once in the casino and I think shortly thereafter when Stark was romping around in bed with a woman. I think my favorite instance of it was hearing it as Rhodie's ringtone for Tony Stark! (I was actually joking around. I didn't figure they really did it!)

Thanks to dlevy for confirming that my ears weren't playing tricks on me!

OGF Wisdom for May!

(Click on the pic to make it bic...I mean big)

I hope you guys are enjoying these quasi-educational tidbits from the good Professor Otis G. Firefly. I would like to know if anybody tries the self-expression suggestions (although I wouldn't recommend the one for this month)!

Let's Subtract

These are drills to help you learn how to subtract, but I think the makers of this album took the word "drill" way too seriously. This teaches subtraction tables with a lady singing over the same four bars of music over and over and OVER except for a small bit at the beginning and the end of each side. I see this being used less for learning subtraction and more for torturing roommates or coercing information from enemy spies. I will not be held responsible as to how you use it!

Here's the track list (such as it is):

1. Instruction and Participation: Ones
2. Twos
3. Threes
4. Fours
5. Fives
6. Sixes
7. Sevens
8. Eights
9. Nines
10. Practice and Testing: Ones
11. Twos
12. Threes
13. Fours
14. Fives
15. Sixes
16. Sevens
17. Eights
18. Nines

Click here or here to download!

Romper Room Birthday Party

Now this is the Romper Room stuff that I remember better, combined with another one of those Birthday Party themed albums that were all over the place. I don't know about you, but those are some pretty scary looking kids on the cover! The songs aren't really split up, so this is just split into Side 1 and Side 2. The zip file also includes the back cover, which had lyrics for some of the songs. Enjoy, and Happy Birthday wherever you are!

Click here or here to download!

Paul Lynde: Recently Released

I remember Paul Lynde most from Hollywood Squares (the original one) and his role as Uncle Arthur on Bewitched. He was also in one of those Frankie and Annette Beach Party movies. I knew he did quite a bit on Broadway as well. What I didn't know about him was that he did stand-up too! (At least I guess you'd call this stand-up--he does little character bits in front of an audience.) Anyway, it's some pretty funny stuff, and I hope you like it too!

Here's the track list:

1. The Trip of the Month


2. The Family Just Across the Moat


3. A Few Odd Odes


4. The Monster Stalks


5. Phlegm Falls Drama Club


6. Let's Be Frank

Click here or here to download!

Let's Play School - The Rocking Horse Players and Orchestra

This album is supposedly by the Rocking Horse Players and Orchestra ,but it's really one of those albums that you know they patched together from other albums from other times (possibly even other decades). That lady sure hit the high notes on the Star-Spangled Banner though. If I played that as a kid it probably would have made my dog's ears explode!

According to the back cover "The Rocking Horse Players and Orchestra have written and produced hundreds of happy records for young folks to provide them with hours and hours of 'fun-a-plenty'". Hope you have "fun-a-plenty" with this one!

Here's the track list:

1. The Little Red Schoolhouse


2. The Counting Song


3. The Alphabet Song


4. The Good Habit Song


5. Frere Jacques


6. The Pledge of Allegiance


7. The Star Spangled Banner


8. Round and Round the Village


9. All Around the Mulberry Bush


10. Did You Ever See a Lassie?


11. The Farmer in the Dell


12. Old MacDonald Had a Farm


13. Here We Go Looby-Loo


14. She'll Be Coming Around the Mountain


15. Pop Goes the Weasel

Click here or here to download!

Father Guido Sarducci - Live at St. Douglas Convent

I've been looking for this one for a while, and finally found it last weekend. With the Pope making a trip to the U.S., I figured this would be worth bumping ahead in the currently scheduled albums. There's some great bits on here (I especially like the Five Minute University since I'm taking classes right now). Enjoy!

Click here or here to download!

Smurfs Party Side

Here's another great Smurfs album from Jon. More fun songs about little blue guys. I'm not exactly sure what album this is because I haven't found this combination of songs on any one album. If any of you can figure out which album this is for sure (and verify the song title on #11) I'd appreciate it!

NOTE: This file is a .rar file, so you need a program like WinRAR to unzip it.

Here's the track list:

1. Gargamel and the Smurfs
2. Purple Peter From Mars
3. The Hiccup Smurf
4. Smurfette
5. Smurf Party
6. Lullaby
7. The Smurf School (some skips)
8. A Picnic
9. Mr. Pigeon
10. Lazy's Song
11. Smurf the Day (?)
12. Laughing Smurfs

Click here or here to download!

The Wizard of Oz and Other Favorite Children's Stories - The Rocking Horse Orchestra and Chorus

This has probably one of the shortest versions of "The Wizard of Oz" that I've ever encountered (besides this one). I seem to remember a couple of these songs from another album I had (and lost) when I was a kid that was much newer than this one, especially the King Midas and Aladdin ones. This has got some fun stories and catchy tunes on it, so I hope you like it!

Here's the track list:

1. The Wizard of Oz
2. Rumpelstiltskin
3. Aladdin
4. The Further Adventures of Wynken, Blynken, and Nod
5. King Midas
6. The Adventures of Simple Simon

Click here or here to download!

The Mister Rogers Music Mix! (fixed)

Wow, there's so many Mister Rogers songs here that I could only make one upload link for it! (CORRECTION: I've split the file into two parts, so I think it'll work better.) You won't be hurting for a dose of Mr. R. after downloading this file, brought to us again by John, one of my great readers. Thanks John!

Here's the track list:

1. Everybody's Fancy
2. Exercise Your Eyes
3. Find a Star (CBC) (John Readron)
4. Goldilocks and the Three Bears
5. I Like to Take My Time
6. I Like to Take My Time (alternate version)
7. I Need You
8. I'd Like to Be Just Like Mom and Dad
9. I'm Proud of You
10. I'm Still Myself Inside
11. I'm Taking Care of You
12. It's a Lonely Kind of Thing
13. It's Such a Good Feeling
14. It's You I Like
15. It's You I Like (faded sound)
16. Let's Think of Something to Do
17. Perfect Day Song (1968)
18. Scary Mad Wishes (Joe Negri)
19. Scary Mad Wishes 1
20. There Are Many Ways to Say I Love You
21. This Is Just the Day
22. Tomorrow Song (CBC)
23. Tree, Tree, Tree
24. Tree, Tree, Tree (faded sound)
25. Welcome Song
26. What Do You Do
27. When the Baby Comes to Your House
28. Who Made the Rainbow
29. Who Shall I Be Today
30. Won't You Be My Neighbor
31. You Are My Friend
32. You Are You (faded sound)
33. You're Growing
34. You're Growing (1967)
35. You've Got to Do It (1969)
    

Click here or here for the first part,

and click here or here for the second part!