Liner Notes

Movie Magic

We now pull out yet another one of the seven Henry Mancini albums my dad had. He’s one of my favorites too.

This one is a follow up to Mancini Plays The Great Academy Award Songs, the album you heard in Volume 43: Mancini and the Oscar Winners.

There’s just something about his music. You just recognize the sound right away.

So get ready to hear music from a composer arranger who had his hands on the scores for more than 100 big screen films in Volume 223: Mancini Movie Magic.

Video Intro

Listen here or on my PodBean Podcast Episode page:

You can check out the video version here or on YouTube:

Credits and Copyrights:

See information from the Discogs.com page here

Henry Mancini – 12 Great Oscar Winners Volume 2
Label: RCA Victor – PRM-175
Format: Vinyl, LP, Mono
Released: 1965
Genre: Stage & Screen

Arranged By – Mr. Mancini
Chorus – The Chorus Of Henry Mancini
Orchestra – The Orchestra Of Henry Mancini
Prepared Expressly For B.F. Goodrich

We will hear 7 of the 12 songs on this album.

Call Me Irresponsible
Written By – Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen

High Hopes
Written By – Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen

Never On Sunday
Written By Manos Hadjidakis
The lyrics to the English version of the song were written by Billy Towne

Thanks For The Memory
song composed by Ralph Rainger with lyrics by Leo Robin
Over The Rainbow
Written By – Yip Harburg and Harlold Arlen

In The Cool, Cool, Cool Of The Evening
Written By – Harold Carmichael and Johnny Mercer

Swingin’ On A Star
Written By – Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke

I do not own the rights to this music. ASCAP, BMI licenses provided by third-party platforms for music that is not under Public Domain.

#henrymancini #oscarwinningmusic #musicalmemories #musichistory #vinylcollecting #vinylrecords

Here is the Episode Script!

Thanks sweetie and thank YOU for tuning into episode 223 of Spinning My Dad’s Vinyl.

We now pull out yet another one of the seven Henry Mancini albums my dad had. He’s one of my favorites too.

This one is a follow up to Mancini Plays The Great Academy Award Songs, the album you heard in Volume 43: Mancini and the Oscar Winners.

There’s just something about his music. You just recognize the sound right away.

So get ready to hear music from a composer arranger who had his hands on the scores for more than 100 big screen films in Volume 223: Mancini Movie Magic.

[Music: Call Me Irresponsible]

The Henry Mancini Orchestra and Chorus with Call Me Irresponsible
Written By – Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen

To round out this prize-winning dozen, Mr Mancini moves up to 1963 and Call Me Irresponsible, from the Paramount film Papa’s Delicate Condition. Jackie Gleason was Papa in a bouncy comedy role that took him all the way from here to paternity.

That’s a couple lines from the back cover of the album liner notes. I’ll use them as an intro for each song.

Ok…Why this record for this episode?

While these songs weren’t written by one of my favorite composers, they all get the Henry Mancini arrangement treatment.

My dad had seven Mancini records and this is the fourth one we have pulled out. Each one is just as good as the last or the next.

Next up is one of the most uplifting songs there is. Once sung by Laverne and Shirly on their TV show.

Frank Sinatra and Edward G Robinson were the headliners in A Hole in the Head, a comedy concoction of 1959. For the occasion the songwriting team of Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen came up with
High Hopes, and their own high hopes were realized a few months later when they waltzed off with the Oscar.

[Music: High Hopes]

High Hopes
Written By – Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen

Now let me tell you about my dad’s vinyl I am spinning for this episode.

Henry Mancini – 12 Great Oscar Winners Volume 2
Label: RCA Victor – PRM-175
Format: Vinyl, LP, Mono. There’s a stereo version of this album too.
Released: 1965
Genre: Stage & Screen

All songs were arranged by Henry Mancini.

This album was prepared Expressly For B.F. Goodrich.

We will hear 7 of the 12 songs on this album.

There is one big section above the main section of liner notes. I’ll read that and some of the notes that don’t have to do with specific songs.

As sequel to the acclaimed first volume of Academy Awards songs, this lush and lovely album recapitulates two main themes: the ever-growing stature AND versatility of Henry Mancini. While most of the superlatives have been exhausted, Mancini’s creative wellsprings have not. He continues to be one of the very few whose orchestrations are as original as the music he writes, and whose impact and influence universally resound with every new score. For the above evergreens of Hollywood he has charted some of the most fresh, persuasive arrangements of the decade. Listen, then, as the orchestra and chorus of Henry Mancini perform these Academy Awards songs for today’s audience, the most fortunate in music history.

As for Oscar, he’s 36 years old, stands 10 inches tall and weighs in at a neat 7 lb, his full title: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences award. Melted down, Oscar’s golden form would fetch a bare hundred dollars, but on a Hollywood mantlepiece, he has a value beyond price. For, in an industry much given to metals and plaques and all other honor areas, Oscar still stands alone as the ultimate symbol of achievement.

The 12 Songs in this album are Oscar all the way. And, as is fitting, they’ve been arranged and conducted by a man who’s a multi Academy Award winner himself Henry Mancini.

Let’s see what prices this record is being sold at on discogs dot com.

It’s only ever been sold once. October 23, 2020 for a buck. The stereo version I looked at has never been sold.

My dad’s record is in really good condition. And I know he often had Mancini music available in his to play stack. There’s not much crackle at all. Just a couple of pops here and there.

The surface is still relatively clean. Just a few scuff marks where the automatic turntable spindle system likes to scratch records.

The cover is in fair condition. Some wear along the edges, but no tears. There’s no real record wear mark worn into the front cover like you see on so many of my dad’s covers. There is a bit of one on the back along with the word Posted stamped there.

The front cover has an ever present address label.

So I’ll value my dad’s vinyl at a buck.

Jules Dassin’s Never on a Sunday was a naughty but nice Fable of life and love in modern athens. The film rocketed Melina Mercouri to International stardom. and its title song triggered a jukebox vogue for the exotic Bouzouki music of the Balkans. The year was 1960.

Now, I noticed something when digitizing this song. At two points in the first chorus it sounds like they’re starting a record with the needle already on it, or the tape had to get back up to speed. It was a weird effect.

[Music: Never On Sunday]

Never On Sunday
Written By Manos Hadjidakis
The lyrics to the English version of the song were written by Billy Towne.

We’ve talked a lot about Henry Mancini in previous episodes, so let’s just give you a quick summary.

Henry Mancini was an American composer and conductor, born on April 16, 1924, in Cleveland, Ohio. He grew up in Pennsylvania and started learning music at a young age, inspired by his father, who played the flute. Mancini studied at the Juilliard School of Music but paused his education to serve in World War II. After the war, he joined the Glenn Miller Orchestra, where he began arranging music. Later, he worked for Universal Studios, contributing to over 100 films. Mancini became famous for his ability to mix jazz with orchestral music, creating a unique sound that stood out in Hollywood.

Mancini’s music is still celebrated today. He composed iconic scores for movies and TV shows, including “The Pink Panther,” “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” and “Peter Gunn.” His song “Moon River” from “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” won an Academy Award and became a timeless classic. Over his career, Mancini won four Academy Awards and 20 Grammy Awards, making him one of the most honored composers in history. His work continues to inspire musicians and bring joy to audiences around the world. He passed away on June 14, 1994, but his legacy lives on through his unforgettable melodies. Henry Mancini was 70 years old.

Thank you Henry for the memories.

Back to music.

Paramount started a musical trend with the Big Broadcast of 1936. The next year the studio came back with the Big Broadcast of 1937. and the following year, what else? the Big Broadcast of 1938. Third time lucky, so they say; and indeed the Third Edition hit the Oscar jackpot with Thanks for the Memory. The Big Broadcasts are museum pieces now, but Thanks for the Memory, thanks to Bob hope, is still going strong

[Music: Thanks For The Memory]
[Music: Over the Rainbow]

A song I will take every opportunity to play on this show…Over The Rainbow
Written By – Yip Harburg and Harlold Arlen

Over the Rainbow almost lost out on the Oscar because it was almost cut out of the movie, by studio decision. But somebody up there liked it and rescued Rainbow from the cutting room floor. The song went on to win honors for Harold Arland and E.Y. Harburg and hearts for a teenaged Judy Garland. The year was 1939. The movie, MGM’s Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

Before that we heard Thanks For The Memory
song composed by Ralph Rainger with lyrics by Leo Robin

Time now for this episode’s interesting side note and it has to do with another famous movie composer who added his presence to a famous detective theme recording.

Composer John Williams played piano on the original 1958 recording of “Peter Gunn,” written and conducted by Henry Mancini. Williams was then known as Johnny T. or Curly. Williams met Mancini while both were working for Universal Studios. Al Schmitt, sound engineer on the recording sessions for “Peter Gunn,” recalled of Williams, “He was a sweet guy…The last time I saw him, I said, ‘You’re big now, but in those days, I could get John Williams for three hours – and for just 42 bucks.’” Williams played “Peter Gunn” on piano again in 2017 – part of a fundraising tribute to Henry Mancini in Beverly Hills – and was conducted by Quincy Jones that time! Both Williams and Jones credited Mancini with opening doors for them.

I will never listen to that song the same again.

Moving on now with music from a couple of familiar songwriters. This one has such clever lyrics…like “when the party’s getting a glow on.”

Next comes a hit from Here Comes the Groom, a Bing Crosby starrer, vintage 1951. The highlight in the film’s gentle zaniness was Der Bingle’s rendition of the Hoagy Carmichael Johnny Mercer song, In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening.

[Music: In The Cool, Cool, Cool Of The Evening]

In The Cool, Cool, Cool Of The Evening
Written By – Hoagy Carmichael and Johnny Mercer

Well, I hope you enjoyed this episode as much as I enjoyed bringing it to you.

Any piece of music that has been touched by Henry Mancini always had some extra magic on it. And this album showed off his movie magic.

I think I remember this album cover from my growing up days in the house. My dad had a lot of Mancini albums lying around.

The photo on the album cover is typical Mancini. Henry has music scores in one hand and a conductor’s baton in the other while leaning against one of those old monstrous movie cameras.

The top touts the Orchestra and Chorus of Henry Mancini with the title Academy Award Songs Volume Two 12 Great Oscar Winners.

It lists the songs from the album and then shows the BF Goodrich logo.

The back holds all the liner notes I read from along with the list of songs.

And there are four recent RCA Victor albums by Henry Mancini that you will enjoy over a row of four album covers.

OK, let’s swing on out of here.

Paramount’s Going My Way just about made a clean sweep of the Oscars in 1944. The film was voted best picture of the year. Bing Crosby walked off with the best actor award and Johnny Burke and Jimmy Van Heusen shared the best song kudos for Swingin’ on a Star.

[Music: Swingin’ On A Star]

Swingin’ On A Star
Written By – Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke

And there you have selections from the second album filled with music from a composer who loved his movies.

So thanks for tuning into Volume 223: Mancini Movie Magic

however you did. If you want more information about this SHOW, head over to spinning my dad’s vinyl dot com.

I’ll be back next week with all my skips, scratches, and pops

FOR Volume 224: Big Band Bards Record 2

Until then,
Go with the flow my friends.

Liner Notes

Historic Concert Appearance

I attended the Wednesday, March 26, 2025 Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass concert at the Goodyear Theater in Akron, Ohio.

Yes, Herb is still touring at 89 years old. Yes, I was excited to see him again.

Obviously, I can’t can’t record the show. That’s why I’m going to do something the FM radio stations did when I was younger. After a show, they would play the entire set list in order. Sit tight. This will be a long episode.

So get ready to hear one of the most influential artists in music recording, art, and philanthropy in Volume 222: A TJB Concert Rewind.

Promised link for Lani Hall bio. 

Video Intro

Listen here or on my PodBean Podcast Episode page:

You can check out the video version here or on YouTube:

Credits and Copyrights:

The Lonely Bull (El solo toro)
Written-By – Sol Lake
The Lonely Bull (El solo toro) 1962

Work Song
Written-By – Nat Adderley and Oscar Brown, Jr.
SRO 1967

Memories of Madrid
Written-By – Sol Lake
What Now My Love 1966

Whipped Cream
Written-By – Naomi Nevillev
Whipped Cream and Other Delights 1965

Spanish Flea
Written-By – Julius Wechter
!!Going Places!! 1965

A Banda
Written-By – Chico Baurque De Hollanda
Herb Alpert’s Ninth 1967

Ladyfingers
Written-By – Toots Thielemans
Whipped Cream and Other Delights 1965

Lollipops and Roses
Written-By – Tony Velona
Whipped Cream and Other Delights 1965

Bittersweet Samba
Written-By – Sol Lake
Whipped Cream and Other Delights 1965

Mexican Shuffle
Written-By – Sol Lake
South Of The Border 1964

Tangerine
Written-By – Johnny Mercer, and Victor Shertinzer
Whipped Cream and Other Delights 1965

I’m Getting Sentimental Over You
(The Dorsey Brothers Orchestra cover)
Written-By – George Bassman
!!Going Places!! 1965

Love Potion No. 9
(The Clovers cover)
Written-By the writing team of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller
Whipped Cream and Other Delights 1965

This Guy’s in Love With You
Vocals – Herb Alpert
Written-By – Burt Bacharach and Hal David
The Beat Of The Brass 1968

Tim Dom Dom
(with Lani Hall)
Written by Brito Clodoaldo and Luiz Joao Mello
Herb Alpert Presents Sergio Mendes and Brasil ’66 1966

One Note Samba
Sergio Mendes and Brasil ’66
(with Lani Hall)
Herb Alpert Presents Sergio Mendes and Brasil ’66 1966

The Fool on the Hill
(The Beatles cover) (with Lani Hall)
Sergio Mendes and Brasil ’66
Fool on the Hill 1968

Mas que nada
written by Jorge Ben Jor
(Jorge Ben Jor cover) (with Lani Hall)
Herb Alpert Presents Sergio Mendes and Brasil ’66 1966

Rise
Written-By – Andy Armer, Randy Badazz Alpert (Herb’s nephew)
Rise 1979 Solo

A Taste of Honey – TJB
Written-By – Bobby Scott, and Ric Marlow (Scott Cover)
Whipped Cream and Other Delights

A Taste of Honey – Solo
Midnight Sun 1992

Zorba the Greek
Written-By – Mikis Theodorakis
!!Going Places!! 1965

Smile
Written-By – Charles Chaplin, Geoffrey Parsons, and John Turner
Midnight Sun 1992

What Now My Love
(Gilbert Bécaud cover)
Written-By – Carl Sigman, Gilbert Bécaud
What Now My Love 1966

A Banda (Reprise)
(with band intros)

Tijuana Taxi
Written-By – Ervan Coleman
!!Going Places!! 1965

On The Sunny Side of the Street
written by Dorothy Fields, and Jimmy McHugh
Sunny Side Of The Street 2022

I do not own the rights to this music. ASCAP, BMI licenses provided by third-party platforms for music that is not under Public Domain.

#herbalpert #herbalpertandthetijuanabrass #musicalmemories

Here is the Episode Script!

Thanks sweetie and thank YOU for tuning into episode 222 of Spinning My Dad’s Vinyl.

Well, if you’re watching the video version of this episode you can already tell it’s going to be special.

I am recording this intro Wednesday, March 26, 2025 and we are here at the Goodyear Theater in Akron, Ohio to see Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass.

Yes, Herb is still touring at 89 years old. And from what I’ve seen in videos from early in this tour, he still sounds great.

Yes, I’m excited to see him again.

I saw a version of the TJB in the 1980s with my parents at Blossom Music Center.

Karen and I saw Herb and Lani Hall a couple years ago in Cleveland.

She’ll be singing three Brasil ‘66 tunes, but the rest of it is Tijuana Brass music, with a couple of Herb’s solo tunes mixed in.

Now, obviously, I can’t can’t record the show.

That’s why I’m going to do something the FM radio stations did when I was younger. After a show, they would play the entire set list in order. Sit tight. This will be a long episode.

So get ready to hear one of the most influential artists in music recording, art, and philanthropy in Volume 222: A TJB Concert Rewind.

[Music:
The Lonely Bull (El solo toro)
Work Song
Memories of Madrid
Whipped Cream]

Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass with the title track of one of the most famous album covers in music history, Whipped Cream.
Written-By – Naomi Neville
The full name of the album is Whipped Cream and Other Delights and it was released in 1965.

And other delights are the key to this album and the tour the TJB is on now. This album has the most tunes played from it. “And other delights” on the record represent all of the food-themed titles of the songs there. “And other delights” from the name of the tour represents the music that comes from artists other than the TJB. Herb’s solo recordings and Lani’s work with Sergio Mendes and Brasil ‘66.

Before Whipped Cream we heard Memories of Madrid
Written-By – Sol Lake
From the album What Now My Love released in 1966.

And Work Song
Written-By – Nat Adderley and Oscar Brown, Jr.
That appeared on the album SRO released in 1967.

And we started the show off with the first song on the first side of the first Herb Alpert and Tijuana Brass album.

The Lonely Bull (El solo toro)
Written-By – Sol Lake
It was the title track of the album released in 1962.

OK…why am I doing what I’m doing for this episode?

If you are a regular listener of this show, you’ll know that Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass was the most represented artist in my dad’s collection. This band was most certainly a strong connection I had with my father.

So, when my social media news feed kept feeding me concert information, I knew I had to take this opportunity to see Herb one more time. Of course I knew it would be well worth the more than one hour drive.

I really think this playlist was well thought out. The way it flows and the music that has been chosen really encompasses the years of the TJB, plus includes the love Herb has for Lani and the importance he put on some of his solo work.

We will play a total of 25ish songs, so I want to shut up as much as possible. I’ll give you some of the highlights of the show when I think it’s needed, but I’ll let the music speak for itself.

Next up is a group of five songs that best represent that happy go lucky music we heard all the time around the house growing up.

[Music:
Spanish Flea
A Banda
Ladyfingers
Lollipops and Roses
Bittersweet Samba]

We started that set out with Spanish Flea
Written-By – Julius Wechter
That was from the album !!Going Places!! Released in 1965. A very busy year for Herb and the TJB.

Next up was A Banda
Written-By – Chico Baurque De Hollanda
That was on Herb Alpert’s Ninth in 1967.
They did a reprise of that song later in the concert in order for Herb to introduce the band. We’ll see the video of that.

Then there were three in a row from Whipped Cream and Other Delights, also released in 1965.

Ladyfingers
Written-By – Toots Thielemans

Lollipops and Roses
Written-By – Tony Velona

And we finished it off with Bittersweet Samba
Written-By – Sol Lake

You have now heard the three TJB songs used in the popular TV show The Dating Game, which had its original run from 1965 through 1973.

“Spanish Flea”: Initially used as the show’s theme music.
“Whipped Cream”: Played when introducing the contestants.
“Lollipops and Roses”: Used when the winning couple was about to meet for their dream date.

Let me quickly show you my dad’s vinyl albums I am spinning for this episode.

Herb Alpert released 13 studio albums with the Tijuana Brass between 1962 and 1970. There were a couple more releases with the group scattered over the years with Bullish being the last one in 1984. I have that album and that’s the tour my parents and I saw at Blossom Music Center that summer.

This is the stack of TJB records my dad owns. There are 11 individual albums here, but he had multiple copies of three albums. In fact a full house Lonely Bulls over Alpert’s Ninth.

He had all eight of the Tijuana Brass records I needed for this episode:
The Lonely Bull (El solo toro) 1962
South Of The Border 1964
Whipped Cream and Other Delights 1965
!!Going Places!! 1965
What Now My Love 1966
Herb Alpert’s Ninth 1967
SRO 1967
The Beat Of The Brass 1968

I had to reach into my own collection for three of the solo pieces.

Rise 1979 Solo
Midnight Sun 1992

I also own Beyond, but he didn’t play anything from that one.

I relied on the internet for one of Herb’s solo tunes and the four I needed from Brasil 66.

ALL of this music was released on the record label owned by Herb and business partner Jerry Moss, A&M Records.

I think you can tell how important the TJB was to my dad…and to me.

Up next is a set of songs with a diverse feel written by some big name pop music composers.

[Music:
Mexican Shuffle
Tangerine
I’m Getting Sentimental Over You
Love Potion No. 9]

One of my favorite melodies no matter who performs it, Love Potion No. 9
(The Clovers cover)
Written-By the writing team of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. They’re a pair from the famous Brill Building I’ve talked about in previous episodes.
That was from Whipped Cream and Other Delights.

The band really had fun with this one. Herb let all his musicians show off their solo styles. It was a nice long version of the song.

Before that was
I’m Getting Sentimental Over You
(Tommy Dorsey’s theme song)
Written-By – George Bassman
It appeared on the TJB album !!Going Places!!

We heard another tasty tune from Whipped Cream, Tangerine
Written-By – Johnny Mercer, and Victor Shertinzer
Mercer is a songwriter you’ve not only heard me mention, but you heard him sing in one episode.

And we started that set off with Mexican Shuffle
Written-By – Sol Lake who is one of Herb’s main composers at A&M Records.
It came from the album South Of The Border in 1964.

Herb stopped to tell a story about Sol and how they met. It was touching and humorous at the same time. In fact I see that someone posted that bit to YouTube,

Next up is Herb’s and A&M Records first number one hit.

The song was never intended to be released as a single. But when Herb sang This Guy’s in Love With You to his then wife on national TV, the studio got bombarded with letters and calls to release the song as a single, which A&M did just a few days later.

It reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for four weeks in 1968. I also thought it odd that an artist known for his instrumental work created a number one vocal hit.

[Music: This Guy’s in Love With You]

This Guy’s in Love With You
Vocals – Herb Alpert
Written-By – Burt Bacharach and Hal David
Found on the album The Beat Of The Brass released in 1968.

It was a song written specifically for Alpert to sing during a TV documentary on the Brass.

Next we will hear four songs featuring the love of Herb’s life, his wife of more than 52 years, Lani Hall. She was the lead singer for Sergio Mendes and Brasil ‘66 who recorded for A&M records.

In past episodes, I have spoken in depth about Herb’s music, art and philanthropy. So I thought I’d take a moment to talk more about Lani.

This is from the Lani Hall Biography by Matt Collar on all music dot com. I’ll drop the link into the episode’s liner notes.

Vocalist Lani Hall, born November 6, 1945 in chicago, is a Grammy-winning performer, best known for her iconic work as the original voice of Sergio Mendes’ Brasil ’66 and for her collaborative pop, Latin, and soft rock albums with her husband Herb Alpert. With Brasil ’66, Hall garnered fame singing such classic hits as “Mas Que Nada,” “The Look of Love,” and “Fool on a Hill.” Upon her exit from the group, she made her solo debut with 1972’s Alpert-produced Sun Down Lady, followed by 1975’s Hello It’s Me, 1977’s Sweetbird, and 1979’s Double or Nothing. She also sang the theme to the 1983 James Bond film Never Say Never Again, and won the Grammy for Best Latin Pop Performance for her 1985 Spanish-language album Es Fácil Amar.

Following an extended hiatus due to health issues, Hall returned with 1998’s Brasil Nativo and embarked on a series of collaborative standards-based albums with Alpert including 2009’s Anything Goes, 2011’s I Feel You, and 2013’s Grammy-winning Steppin’ Out. She sang on Alpert’s Grammy-winning 2016 album Human Nature, and in 2022 released her first solo album in over 20 years with Seasons of Love.

She has been touring with her husband for the last several years and sings a medley of four songs on the current Tijuana Brass tour.

Lani Hall is 79 years old.

The illness Lani has is Epstein-Barr virus, which can be debilitating. It causes excessive fatigue. But she came on stage, tenderly kissed Herb and then sang a four song medley.

I will play the full version of each song here.

[Music:
Tim Dom Dom
One Note Samba
The Fool on the Hill
Mas que nada]

Sergio Mendes and Brasil ’66 performing Mas que nada
with Lani Hall featured on vocals
written by Jorge Ben Jor
It’s found on the album Herb Alpert Presents Sergio Mendes and Brasil ’66 released in 1966.

Before that we heard a cover of the Beatles tune The Fool on the Hill
Written By John Lennon and Paul McCartney.
Found on the album Fool on the Hill from 1968

There was One Note Samba
Written by Antônio Carlos Jobim
Another tune from Herb Alpert Presents Sergio Mendes and Brasil ’66.

We began the four songs from Lani with
Tim Dom Dom
Written by Brito Clodoaldo and Luiz Joao Mello
Also found on Herb Alpert Presents

In 1979, Alpert released his solo album Rise. The title track became extremely popular because it was used in a scene on the popular daytime soap opera General Hospital. It rose to the top of the Billboard charts in October of 1979 where it stayed for two weeks.

There were several versions. The 12 inch dance version was very popular for club DJs. The 3:50 radio version which was the hit version. And the long album version which I will play for you now.

[Music: Rise]

There is the title track from Herb Alpert’s 1979 solo album Rise.
Written-By – Andy Armer, Randy Badazz Alpert (Herb’s nephew)

When Rise hit number one it was the first and still only time a recording artist has hit the top spot with both a vocal and instrumental song.

Next up, we’re going to take a little side trip. First, we’ll play what is probably my favorite TJB tune the way they did it in 1965 and on this tour.

[Music: A Taste of Honey – TJB]

There was A Taste of Honey
Written-By – Bobby Scott, and Ric Marlow (Scott Cover)
Whipped Cream and Other Delights

So here’s my little side trip that I hope you will indulge me on.

In 1992, Herb released his solo album Midnight Sun and I had grabbed a copy of the CD. On it is my now favorite version of my favorite TJB song. Give it a listen.

This is why I love music so much.

[Music:
A Taste of Honey – solo
Zorba the Greek]

From the movie of the same name there is Zorba the Greek
Written-By – Mikis Theodorakis
You can find that on the album !!Going Places!!

Time now for this episode’s interesting side note and it has to do with how much Herb Alpert loves seeing creativity in the young.

Here’s the story he told at the concert.

[Play video]

Next up, a song written by the silent movie star Charlie Chaplin.

[Music:
Smile
What Now My Love]

There was What Now My Love
(Gilbert Bécaud cover)
Written-By – Carl Sigman, and Gilbert Bécaud
It appeared on the TJB album What Now My Love in 1966.

Before that we heard Smile
Written-By – Charles Chaplin, Geoffrey Parsons, and John Turner (BTW…Charles Chaplin is better known as the silent movie clown Charlie Chaplin.)
That appeared on the solo album Midnight Sun in 1992

Well, I hope you enjoyed this episode as much as I enjoyed bringing it to you.

I remember all of these album covers from my growing up days in the house. Of course with the most famous being the three-month pregnant woman covered in shaving cream…yes, shaving cream. Otherwise real whipped cream would have melted in the hot photography lights.

And yes…Dolores Erickson was pregnant with her son.

I was so excited to see that Herb and the TJB would be within driving distance for me. And I am super glad I drove down to see him because you know. He’s 89 years old!!

Actually, the day after this episode drops is Herb Alpert’s 90th birthday.

The concert was everything I had hoped for. The set list was perfect. I loved how the video screens worked in photos and videos of Herb, along with album covers at appropriate times. Herb sure has had fun in his 90 years.

The most asked question I had was can Herb still play. Yes. He can. Obviously not as strong as before, but he was never the loud trumpet player with the soaring solos in the first place. It was always about staying within the tune and the vibe the band was giving.

Now, I will admit that his horn had a kind of airy sound on some of the softer pieces, but he was still hitting the notes.

Unfortunately he did forget some of the words to This Guy’s in Love with You…but so what. He even made fun of himself when he did.

It was a night of music and memories I will never forget and I know my dad was with me in spirit the entire show.

And of course, I will not forget the great guys he now travels with.

The musicians of the 2025 version of the Tijuana Brass are talented. I loved how they got to show off their solo skills several times throughout the show. But most importantly they had respect for the music. And it was obvious Herb has respect for them. Because he was constantly cheering them on.

So I’ll let Herb do the introductions.

[Play video]

Now let’s finish this concert rewind up with the encores.

[Music:
Tijuana Taxi
On The Sunny Side of the Street]

We wrap things up with one of my favorite jazz standards On The Sunny Side of the Street
written by Dorothy Fields, and Jimmy McHugh
That came from Herb’s solo album Sunny Side Of The Street released in 2022.

And before that is one of the most recognizable tunes by the group Tijuana Taxi
Written-By – Ervan Coleman
From the album !!Going Places!!.

And there you have all the songs in order from the Herb Alpert and Tijuana Brass and Other Delights Tour show on Wednesday, March 26, 2025 at the Goodyear Theater in Akron, Ohio.

So thanks for tuning into Volume 222: A TJB Concert Rewind

however you did. If you want more information about this SHOW, head over to spinning my dad’s vinyl dot com.

I’ll be back next week with all my skips, scratches, and pops

FOR Volume 223: Mancini Movie Magic

Until then,
Go with the flow my friends.

Liner Notes

The Versatile Twist

This is going to be an extra fun episode. Many of the tunes have melodies you already know. Some tunes were created for this album.

The trumpet player leading the band was part of some great music history in the form of some famous big bands, including some history he claimed on his own.

So get ready to hear the last living member of the original Glenn Miller Orchestra in Volume 221: Every Twist You Take.

Video Intro

Listen here or on my PodBean Podcast Episode page:

You can check out the video version here:

Credits and Copyrights:

See information from the Discogs.com page here

Ray Anthony And His Bookends – The Twist
Label: Capitol Records – T 1668
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Mono
Released: 1962
Genre: Jazz, Blues
Style: Big Band, Rhythm & Blues, Twist

We will hear 9 of the 12 songs from this album.

The Twist
Written-By – Hank Ballard

Twistin’ Alice
Written-By – Don Simpson, Ray Anthony

Twist Around Mister
Written-By – Don Simpson, Ray Anthony

Peter Gunn Twist
Written-By – Henry Mancini

Tequila With A Twist
Written-By – Chuck Rio

Twist And Rock Around The Clock
Written-By – Jimmy De Knight, Max C. Freedman

Mexican Hat Twist
Arranged By – Don Simpson, Ray Anthony

Bookend Twist
Written-By – Don Simpson, Ray Anthony

Bunny Hop Twist
Written-By – Leonard Auletti, Ray Anthony

I do not own the rights to this music. ASCAP, BMI licenses provided by third-party platforms for music that is not under Public Domain.

#rayanthony #twist #thetwist #musichistory #vinylrecordcollecting #vinylrecords

Here is the Episode Script!

Thanks sweetie and thank YOU for tuning into episode 221 of Spinning My Dad’s Vinyl.

This is going to be an extra fun episode. Many of the tunes have melodies you already know. Some tunes were created for this album.

The trumpet player leading the band was part of some great music history in the form of some famous big bands, including some history he claimed on his own.

So get ready to hear the last living member of the original Glenn Miller Orchestra in Volume 221: Every Twist You Take.

[Music: The Twist]

Ray Anthony And His Bookends with the title track of this album The Twist
Written and first recorded By – Hank Ballard. Of course, most of you know the Chubby Checker version.

Ok…Why this record for this episode?

This is the first of two Ray Anthony records my dad had and they had stayed hidden at the beginning of the record stack. I know that sounds weird, but I kept flipping by them.

I am certainly glad I finally grabbed one of them.

If there’s one dance I can do, it’s the twist. It’s easy. Pretend you’re holding a rolled up towel by each end while you are drying your butt and moving your feet to put out that cigarette.

If this music doesn’t get you moving, I don’t know what will.

Right Alice? Alice? Who the heck is Alice? I cleaned that up a bit.

[Music: Twistin’ Alice]
[Music: Twist Around Mister]

There were a couple of tunes Written-By – Don Simpson, and Ray Anthony
Twist Around Mister is what we just heard.

And before that we heard Twistin’ Alice.

Sorry about the tease. That was a cleaned up shout we do at the High Tide in Geneva on the Lake during a certain song about Alice.

Now let me tell you about my dad’s vinyl I am spinning for this episode.

Ray Anthony And His Bookends – The Twist
Label: Capitol Records – T 1668
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Mono (there is a stereo version of this album as well.)
Released: 1962
Genre: Jazz, Blues
Style: Big Band, Rhythm & Blues, Twist

We will hear 9 of the 12 songs from this album. They’re very short tunes.

The liner notes aren’t long, but I’m still not going to read quite all of them.

Ray Anthony has probably been associated with more new dance crazes than any other top band leader in recent years, having won renown as the innovator of the bunny hop, the Sluefoot, and several similar Sensations whose popularity has swept across the Nation’s waxed floors. Now the man with the golden horn and the driving beat issues this wide open invitation to dancers of every age to join him in doing the very latest of America’s dance manias. That new rockin’ rage they call the twist!

Ray’s great trumpet is backed here by three saxes, rhythm, and two driving guitars, in a collection of twist-inspired arrangements that really swing with an exciting new sound. Here, then, is the best thing that happened to dancers in a long long while. It’s the Twist.. Ray Anthony style.

Let’s see what prices this record is being sold at on discogs dot com.

$12.99 High
$1.00 Low

$4.81 Average
$2.99 Median

Last sold on Mar 09, 2025 for $2.81.

My dad’s record sounds surprisingly good. The wear marks on the surface mean he played this a lot. But there’s not much crackle or hiss between the tracks and within the music.

The cover is in fair condition. There’s the normal record outline showing through the cover. The word Posted is stamped on the back above the green magic marker streak. The front cover has two address labels on top of each other.

So I’ll value my dad’s vinyl at two bucks.

Next up is a Henry Mancini song that Ray Anthony made popular. Here it gets “the treatment.”

[Music: Peter Gunn Twist]
[Music: Tequila With A Twist]

That was Tequila With A Twist (Who doesn’t drink Tequila with some sort of bite out of a fruit)
Written-By – Chuck Rio

Before that was Peter Gunn Twist
Written-By – Henry Mancini

Now let’s learn a little about this great artist.

Raymond Antonini, better known as Ray Anthony, was born January 20, 1922. He is an American retired bandleader, trumpeter, songwriter and actor.

Anthony was born to an Italian family in Bentleyville, Pennsylvania, but moved with his family to Cleveland, Ohio, where he studied the trumpet. He played in Glenn Miller’s band from 1940 to 1941 and appeared in the Glenn Miller movie Sun Valley Serenade before joining the U.S. Navy during World War II as Miller joined the Army. After the war Ray formed his own group, The Ray Anthony Orchestra which became popular in the early 1950s with “The Bunny Hop”, “Hokey Pokey”, and the memorable theme from the radio/television police detective series Dragnet. He had a No. 2 chart hit with a recording of the tune “At Last” in 1952; it was the highest charting pop version of the song in the U.S.

In 1953, Ray Anthony and his orchestra appeared on a TV show that replaced Perry Como’s show for the summer. From 1953 to 1954, Anthony was the musical director for TV’s Top Tunes. He also appeared in movies like Daddy Long Leg* and The Five Pennies. (Who we just featured in the last episode) In 1955, he married actress Mamie Van Doren, and they had a son named Perry Ray in 1956. Anthony had his own TV show, The Ray Anthony Show, but it didn’t last long. He appeared in more films and TV shows, but after his divorce from Van Doren in 1961, he focused more on music. One of his famous songs was the theme from Peter Gunn, which became very popular. A song we already heard, of course, but this one got his twist treatment for this album.

Anthony became the last living member of Glenn Miller’s band when trombonist Nat Peck died in 2015.

This past January 20, 2025 Ray Anthony turned 103 years old.

Next up is a melody made famous by Bill Haley and His Comets.

[Music: Twist And Rock Around The Clock]

Twist And Rock Around The Clock
Written-By – Jimmy De Knight, Max C. Freedman

Time now for this episode’s interesting side note and it has to do with what you’re doing to your body when moving to this music.

The Twist was a dance craze that took over America in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It all started with a song called The Twist by Hank Ballard and the Midnighters in 1958. Ballard wrote the song after seeing teenagers dancing in Tampa, Florida. Even though the song didn’t become a huge hit right away, it introduced a simple yet exciting dance move that looked like you were putting out a cigarette with your foot while drying your back with a towel. The real explosion came in 1960 when Chubby Checker released his own version of The Twist and performed it on national television. His performance on American Bandstand made the dance an instant sensation!

At first, the Twist was mostly popular with teenagers. They loved it because it was so different from the formal dances their parents did, like the waltz or the foxtrot. Instead of dancing with a partner in a close embrace, the Twist allowed people to dance by themselves while still facing each other. It was energetic, fun, and most importantly, easy to learn. Teens loved the freedom it gave them to move in new and creative ways without needing to worry about fancy footwork or complicated steps.

The popularity of the Twist kept growing as more and more Twist-themed songs hit the radio. Chubby Checker followed up with songs like Let’s Twist Again, and other artists jumped on the bandwagon with songs like Twistin’ the Night Away by Sam Cooke. Even adults started to get in on the fun, and soon the dance spread from teen parties to high-society events and nightclubs. Even First Lady Jackie Kennedy held “Twist parties” at the White House. The Twist became more than just a dance—it became a symbol of how music and dance were changing in the 1960s, making room for more individual expression and carefree fun.

OK…here’s a dance within a dance.

[Music: Mexican Hat Twist]
[Music: Bookend Twist]

Named after his female backup singers, there is Bookend Twist
Written-By – Don Simpson, Ray Anthony

Before that we heard Mexican Hat Twist
That was arranged By – Don Simpson, Ray Anthony

Well, I hope you enjoyed this episode as much as I enjoyed bringing it to you.

I think I remember this album cover from my growing up days in the house.

This is such a 60s album cover. The woman dancing in the black and white photograph on the front cover reminds me of a scene from It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. Except the dancer on the cover is…uh…much more covered than the bikini clad dancer from the movie. It’s the moves she is seemingly making and the attitude that struck me as similar.

While the cover dancer is in bare feet, she’s wearing a skirt that goes down to about mid thigh and what’s probably an Angora sweater. She’s in mid gyration, but she doesn’t need the towel to guide her movement.

The photo takes up about two thirds of the right side of the cover. The left portion gives the title of the record, the artist and a list of the tunes.

The back cover has another image of our dancer, probably more reminiscent of that movie scene than the front. There’s pretty much the same information plus the liner notes I read.

I have a feeling my parents pulled this out at parties. My dad always had that big Magnavox console stereo going.

We’re going to finish up with a mix of the Twist and the song that put Ray Anthony on the pop musical map.

[Music: Bunny Hop Twist]

Bunny Hop Twist
Written-By – Leonard Auletti, Ray Anthony

And there you have selections from an album that was meant for a certain to every tune.

So thanks for tuning into Volume 221: Every Twist You Take

however you did. If you want more information about this SHOW, head over to spinning my dad’s vinyl dot com.

I’ll be back next week with all my skips, scratches, and pops

FOR Volume 222: A TJB Concert Rewind

Until then,
Go with the flow my friends.

Liner Notes

Red Hot Ragtime

Gee, imagine that! Another album featuring a trumpet player from my dad’s collection. And a trumpet player we’ve heard from before.

This time, we get to hear some great ragtime.

This artist not only fronted his own band, but got his pedigree through some of the best big bands in history.

So, get ready to hear a musician who had a movie made about his life in Volume 220: Red Hot Pennies.

Video Intro

Listen here or on my PodBean Podcast Episode page:

You can check out the video version here:

Credits and Copyrights:

See information from the Discogs.com page here

Red Nichols And His Famous Pennies – Hot Pennies
Label: Capitol Records – T 775
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Released: 1956
Genre: Jazz
Style: Ragtime

Recorded in Capitol Tower on September 7 and 10, 1956.

We will hear 6 of the 10 songs on this album.

Louisiana
written by Andy Razaf, J. C. Johnson, and Bob Schafer

Marchin’ With The Saints (aka When the Saints Go Marching In)
(Traditional)

Maple Leaf Rag
written by Scott Joplin

Blues At Midnight
written by Ivory Joe Hunter

Row, Row, Row
written by William Jerome, and Jimmy Monaco

Farewell Blues
written by Elmer Schoebel, Leon Roppolo, and Paul Mares

I do not own the rights to this music. ASCAP, BMI licenses provided by third-party platforms for music that is not under Public Domain.

#rednichols #ragtime #dixielandjazz #musichistory #vinylrecordcollecting #vinylrecords

Here is the Episode Script!

Thanks sweetie and thank YOU for tuning into episode 220 of Spinning My Dad’s Vinyl.

Gee, Imagine that! Another album featuring a trumpet player from my dad’s collection. And a trumpet player we’ve heard from before.

This time, we get to hear some great ragtime.

This artist not only fronted his own band, but got his pedigree through some of the best big bands in history.

So, get ready to hear a musician who had a movie made about his life in Volume 220: Red Hot Pennies.

[Music: Louisiana]

Red Nichols And His Famous Pennies with Louisiana
written by Andy Razaf, J. C. Johnson, and Bob Schafer

Ok…Why this record for this episode?

Because I really like this trumpet player. I wish my dad had more of his records.

He can switch gears with the best of them. Some hard Dixlieland and Ragtime, but able to play so smooth and soft when needed. It’s no wonder he was a favorite of some big name big band leaders.

Before we move on, let me introduce you to Red Nichols And His Famous Pennies.
Alto Saxophone – Wayne Songer
Bass Saxophone – Joe (Blizzard Gizzard) Rushton
Bass – Jack Ryan
Clarinet – Billy Wood, Heinie Beau
Drums – Rollie Culver
Guitar – George Van Eps
Piano – Bobby Hammack
Piano [Rhythm] – Al Stevenson
Trombone – Abe Lincoln, King Jackson, and Moe Schneider
Trumpet and Leader – Red Nichols

And I really like their treatment on this next one. Among my dad’s favorite tunes which is why it starts and ends every episode.

[Music: Marchin’ With The Saints]

Marchin’ With The Saints (aka When the Saints Go Marching In)
(Traditional)

Now let me tell you about my dad’s vinyl I am spinning for this episode.

Red Nichols And His Famous Pennies – Hot Pennies
Label: Capitol Records – T 775
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Released: 1956
Genre: Jazz
Style: Ragtime

Recorded in Capitol Tower on September 7 and 10, 1956.

We will hear 6 of the 10 songs on this album.

The liner notes are not long but I’m still only going to read a portion.

Loring Nichols needs few explanatory notes to accompany his records.

For 30 years, Red has been recording the music he loves most dearly, American jazz. He was a famous leader at 16, and at 19 was the trumpet tooting boss of men like Glenn Miller, Tommy and Jimmy dorsey, Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw and other hot virtuosi of eminence.

Nichols’ famed five pennies waxed scores of hit records, his orchestras played in the pits of a dozen memorable Broadway musical shows, and radio broadcasts throughout the 1920s and 1930s further established the skilled little horn man from Ogden Utah, as an international favorite. Red’s abrupt decision in 1942 to abandon music, take a welding job in the Oakland shipyards and remain under the same roof every night with his polio stricken daughter, is a story that is perhaps without equal in American popular music.

In hot pennies, red is showcased in a Long play album recorded in true Hi-Fi for the first time in his career.

The tunes are all particularly identified with Nichols and his bright pennies, have been for years. but essentially, this is a nickel’s package, dominated by his punching trumpet and inspiring personality,

Capital is privileged to present Loring Nichols – and his hot pennies – in high fi. it’s a far cry from the twenties.

Let’s see what prices this record is being sold at on discogs dot com.

$20.00 High
$0.49 Low

$4.77 Average
$3.00 Median

Last sold on Feb 09, 2024 for that low of what actually was 45 cents Euro

My dad’s record is in pretty good condition. Not much hiss between the tracks, which seem to have a pretty clean sound themselves.

The surface is pretty clean. Only a few markings on it as if the album had been played plenty.

The cover is in poor condition. Lots of wear in the printed artwork on both sides. The top near the opening slot has a big slit and the bottom opposite it has a small slit.

The back cover has an almost unseen number penciled in the upper right corner. I can’t tell if it’s 3.98 as a price or a date of march of 1998. Can’t really be sure. But unlike any I’ve seen from my dad’s collection so far.

There is no address label on the front.

So I’ll value my dad’s vinyl at fifty cents.

Next up, a tune many of you should be familiar with and a great rendition at that.

[Music: Maple Leaf Rag]

Maple Leaf Rag
written by Scott Joplin

Now let’s learn a little about the featured artist.

Red Nichols was an American trumpet player and band leader born Ernest Loring Nichols on May 8, 1905, in Ogden, Utah. He showed musical talent from a young age and learned to play the cornet from his father. In the 1920s, Nichols moved to New York City, where he became a popular musician during the Jazz Age. He played with some of the biggest names in jazz, including Benny Goodman and Jimmy Dorsey, and led his own group called “Red Nichols and His Five Pennies.” The band recorded hundreds of songs and became known for their lively, upbeat style and skilled musicianship.

Red Nichols was known for his bright, clear trumpet sound and his ability to play both fast, catchy tunes and slower, more emotional songs. His most famous recordings include songs like *Ida! Sweet as Apple Cider* and *Battle Hymn of the Republic*. Even though the swing era of the 1930s made his music less popular, Nichols kept performing for decades, even playing in small clubs to support his family. In the 1950s, his life story was turned into a movie called *The Five Pennies*, starring Danny Kaye. His contributions to jazz and his dedication to his craft are still remembered today.

In 1986, Red Nichols was inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame

He passed away on June 28, 1965. Red Nichols was 60 years old.

And now…what better time to play the blues?

[Music: Blues At Midnight]

Blues At Midnight
written by Ivory Joe Hunter

Time now for this episode’s interesting side note and it has to do with that break during the war. Did you think I was going to skip over that story?

In 1942, Red Nichols made a tough decision to leave the music business and take a job as a welder in the Oakland shipyards in California. World War II was going on, and shipyard jobs were important for building and repairing ships. But Red had a more personal reason for making this change. His daughter, Dorothy, had been diagnosed with polio, a serious illness that left her partially paralyzed. Red wanted to be there to support her and his family, so he gave up performing and touring to stay home every night.

During this time, Red worked long hours at the shipyards, but being home every night meant a lot to him. He was determined to take care of his daughter and help her get through her illness. Even though it was hard to leave the music world behind, Red knew his family needed him more than ever. His decision showed just how much he loved his daughter and how committed he was to his family.

After the war ended, Red slowly returned to performing and rebuilding his music career. His time away from music made him appreciate it even more, and he was eventually able to form a new version of his band, the Five Pennies. Though his career took a hit during those years, his dedication to his daughter never wavered, and he managed to find his way back to the stage.

The father’s love for a daughter. I know all about it.

Next up. This is not exactly the round we used to sing in elementary school music class.

[Music: Row, Row, Row]

Row, Row, Row (kind of the softest touch on the album)
written by William Jerome, and Jimmy Monaco

Well, I hope you enjoyed this episode as much as I enjoyed bringing it to you.

I don’t remember this album cover from my growing up days in the house.

I really think, according to the clues, my dad bought this well after I left home.

The cover features a photo of Red blowing into his horn on a red background. The album title Hot Pennies and Red’s name is in yellow capital letters. Also embedded in the background are several pennies. All wheat back.

The back cover has a small area of some avant garde artwork near a photo of Red behind a director’s podium. He’s looking over the score and pointing to someone presumably in the orchestra he is leading.

And as usual, I left some pretty good tunes on the record. I can’t get to them all.

So, let’s get ready to say. Farewell.

[Music: Farewell Blues]

Farewell Blues
written by Elmer Schoebel, Leon Roppolo, and Paul Mares

And there you have selections from a pretty popular trumpet player.

So thanks for tuning into Volume 220: Red Hot Pennies

however you did. If you want more information about this SHOW, head over to spinning my dad’s vinyl dot com.

I’ll be back next week with all my skips, scratches, and pops

FOR Volume 221: Every Twist You Take.

Until then,
Go with the flow my friends.

Liner Notes

Bach’s Greatest Hits

There’s an old business saying that goes, how do you eat a whale? One bite at a time.

In this episode we take several small bites and a couple of big ones from the incredible output of the composer Johann Sebastian Bach.

Ahhhh Bach.

And to continue that M*A*S*H connection right now in the opening, the scene goes, “Somehow… there’s a mathematical precision about Bach, a complexity that adds up to actual simplicity. It goes beyond emotion.”

So get ready to hear some of the more popular of the more than one thousand composed pieces from this master in Volume 219: Bite Sized Bach Record 1.

Video Intro

Listen here or on my PodBean Podcast Episode page:

You can check out the video version here:

Credits and Copyrights:

See information from the Discogs.com page here

Connie Francis – Connie Francis
Label: Metro Records – M-519
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Mono
Released: 1964
Genre: Pop
Style: Vocal

We will hear 7 of the 10 tunes on this album.

Someone Else’s Boy
Written-By – Athena Hosey and Hal Gordon

Too Many Rules
Written-By – Don Stirling and Harold Temkin

I’m Gonna Be Warm This Winter (did I hear a little flash of an Elvis impersonation?)
Written-By – Hank Hunter and Mark Barkan

We Have Something More (Than A Summer Love)
Written-By – Jennie Lee Lambert and Mickey Gentile

It Happened Last Night
Written-By – Earl Wilson, Leonard Whitcup and Slugger Wilson

Two for the road with a double shot of Francis penned tunes
Plenty Good Lovin’
Written-By – Connie Francis

Vacation
Written-By – Connie Francis, Gary Weston and Hank Hunter

I do not own the rights to this music. ASCAP, BMI licenses provided by third-party platforms for music that is not under Public Domain.

#conniefrancis #earlyrockandroll #musichistory #vinylrecordcollecting

Here is the Episode Script!

Thanks sweetie and thank YOU for tuning into episode 219 of Spinning My Dad’s Vinyl.

There’s an old business saying that goes, how do you eat a whale? One bite at a time.

In this episode we take several small bites and a couple of big ones from the incredible output of the composer Johann Sebastian Bach.

Ahhhh Bach.

And to continue that M*A*S*H connection right now in the opening, the scene goes, “Somehow… there’s a mathematical precision about Bach, a complexity that adds up to actual simplicity. It goes beyond emotion.”

So get ready to hear some of the more popular of the more than one thousand composed pieces from this master in Volume 219: Bite Sized Bach Record 1.

[Music: Air On The G String]

There is The Marlboro Festival Orchestra conducted by Pablo Casals with
Air On The G String

Ok…Why this record for this episode?

Quite frankly, I think Bach is a lot of fun to listen to.

He is often my go to composer when I am in the mood for classical music. I own a couple of CDs with his music performed by some talented orchestras and chamber musicians.

So, I was glad to see this two-record set in my dad’s collection. It holds most of the best slash most well-known melodies written by Bach. And they are varying lengths.

By the way, the MASH episode I quoted from is season one, episode 14, Love Story.

Next up is the first of three we’ll hear from the Philadelphia Orchestra.

[Music: Little Suite (From The Anna Magdalena Notebook)]

The Philadelphia Orchestra
Conductor – Eugene Ormandy with
Little Suite (From The Anna Magdalena Notebook)
Arranged By – Thomas Frost

By the way, Anna Magdalena is Bach’s second wife.

Now let me tell you about my dad’s vinyl I am spinning for this episode.

Johann Sebastian Bach – The Greatest Hits Album
Label: Columbia Masterworks – MG 31261
Format: 2 x Vinyl, LP, Album, Compilation, Stereo, Gatefold
Released: 1972
Genre: Electronic, Classical
Style: Baroque, Classical

We are listening to record one, sides one and two. We will hear 6 of the 8 tunes on this album.
The liner notes aren’t really long. Much of it has to do with some of Bach’s biography, so I’ll just read the intro paragraph.

When Columbia Masterworks launched its popular composers greatest hits series, the first composer to be honored was Johann Sebastian Bach. This master musician, whom Ludwig van Beethoven called “the forefather of harmony,” seemed the most fitting choice to introduce a series in which best known and most characteristic works of the great composers would be featured in performances by the elite of today’s solo stars and foremost musical organizations. it was anticipated that Bach would find wide acceptance among the record buying public, for the music of the baroque. continues to retain its popularity in today’s uptight world.

Let’s see what prices this record is being sold at on discogs dot com.
$30.00 High
$0.99 Low

$5.89 Average
$4.35 Median

Last sold on Sep 03, 2024 for $4.49

My dad’s record is in much better shape than I thought it would be because the cover looks a little worn. The first cut on this record did have some bad skips on it, so it wasn’t playable, but there were still plenty of great recordings to choose from. There isn’t much crackle otherwise the rest of the record.

The album surface is really free of markings and looks to be in really good shape.

The cover is really worn with that record outline you see so often. The front flap of the gatefold cover is torn just enough at the bottom to let the record peek through.

But the inside is still pretty good.

There is none of my dad’s usual markings on the back…or Bach…I’m sorry.

And no address label on the front.

So I’ll value my dad’s vinyl at 99 cents.

Next up is one of the many pieces where his connection to the church was evident.
[Music: A Mighty Fortress Is Our God]

A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
Arranged By – Arthur Harris
The Philadelphia Orchestra
Conductor – Eugene Ormandy

Now let’s learn a little about this historic composer.

Johann Sebastian Bach was born on March 21, 1685 in Germany into a family of musicians. His father taught him to play the violin, and he learned the organ from his older brother. As a young man, he worked as a church musician, writing music for choirs and playing the organ. His talent was so great that he became known across Germany as one of the best organists of his time.

He was a prolific composer. His sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra and solo instruments drew together the strands of the baroque genre and brought it to its ultimate maturity.

He was also prolific at becoming a father. He had 20 children, several of whom became famous musicians in their own right.

Bach’s music was deeply influenced by the composers before him, but he also added his own creativity, making his melodies and harmonies more exciting.

Some of his most famous pieces include the *Brandenburg Concertos*, *The Well-Tempered Clavier*, and the *Mass in B Minor*. Even though his music was not widely famous during his lifetime, musicians later realized how brilliant it was.

Bach’s influence on music is huge. His works taught future composers how to create rich and powerful harmonies, and his ideas shaped the way music is written even today. Great composers like Mozart, Beethoven, and Chopin admired his music and studied his techniques.

Bach was important because he perfected the way music was structured, making it more beautiful and complex. His work still inspires musicians, and his music is played all over the world.

He died of complications after a botched eye surgery July 28, 1750. Johan Sebastian Bach was 65 years old.

OK…back to church we go.

[Music: Jesu, Joy Of Man’s Desiring]

Orchestra – The Columbia Chamber Symphony
Conductor – Zoltan Rozsnyai
With Jesu, Joy Of Man’s Desiring

Time now for this episode’s interesting side note and it has to do with the instrument this next song is played on.

The Moog synthesizer was created in 1964 by Robert Moog, an engineer who wanted to make electronic music more accessible. Before his invention, synthesizers were huge and difficult to use. Moog’s design used smaller, easier-to-control modules that let musicians shape sounds in new ways. It became famous in 1968 when Wendy Carlos used it to record *Switched-On Bach*, a groundbreaking album that reimagined classical music with electronic sounds.

The Moog changed music forever by giving artists a way to create brand-new sounds that had never been heard before. It became popular in rock, pop, jazz, and even movie soundtracks. Bands like The Beatles and Pink Floyd used it to add futuristic effects to their songs.

The Moog also influenced recording studios by making electronic instruments an important part of music production. It was so important because it helped shape modern music, leading to the rise of electronic, synth-pop, and even hip-hop music.

There is one at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

So who thought we’d be talking about the Moog Synthesiser during an episode featuring the music of Bach?

So here is Wendy with help from Benjamin Folkman from that album Switched on Bach.

[Music: Final Movement From Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 In G Major]

Bach on synth.
Final Movement From Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 In G Major
Synthesizer – Benjamin Folkman and Wendy Carlos

Well, I hope you enjoyed this episode as much as I enjoyed bringing it to you.

I listened to the choices for this episode several times through. I think it was a pretty good mix. Especially with the Moog synthesiser thrown in.

I don’t remember this album cover from my growing up days in the house.

It might be one of those that my dad picked up after I left. Usually when there’s no markings or address label, that’s usually a giveaway he bought it later.

The cover is very simple. It’s black with white lettering. The words The Greatest Hits Album is in bold gothic font.

It lists the musical groups and soloists and then one very large word centered…Bach.

Underneath that is a picture of a bust of Bach. The back cover lists all of the music. Inside the gatefold is a more detailed list of the music and who is performing it. The liner notes I mentioned and then an ad for six other specially priced albums. All of them are classical music themed.

OK…This last number was used as the opener in one of my favorite Disney movies, Fantasia.

[Music: Toccata And Fugue In D Minor]

Toccata And Fugue In D Minor
Transcription By – Eugene Ormandy
The Philadelphia Orchestra
Conductor – Eugene Ormandy

And there you have selections from one of the greatest composers in the history of Western music.

So thanks for tuning into Volume 219: Bite Sized Bach Record 1

however you did. If you want more information about this SHOW, head over to spinning my dad’s vinyl dot com.

I’ll be back next week with all my skips, scratches, and pops

FOR Volume 220: Red Hot Pennies

Until then,
Go with the flow my friends.

Liner Notes

Early rock and roll female

Episode dedicated to Dino Baskovic (1974-2025)

This is the third of four records from Connie Francis that my dad has in his collection. She WAS the top charting female US artist of the late 1950s and early 1960s.

Her popularity was due to her voice and being able to sing in multiple languages. And she was a hit maker during the early days of rock and roll.

So get ready to hear a star who was estimated to have sold more than 200 million records worldwide in Volume 218: Rock and Roll Connie.

Video Intro

Listen here or on my PodBean Podcast Episode page:

You can check out the video version here or on YouTube:

Credits and Copyrights:

See information from the Discogs.com page here

Connie Francis – Connie Francis
Label: Metro Records – M-519
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Mono
Released: 1964
Genre: Pop
Style: Vocal

We will hear 7 of the 10 tunes on this album.

Someone Else’s Boy
Written-By – Athena Hosey and Hal Gordon

Too Many Rules
Written-By – Don Stirling and Harold Temkin

I’m Gonna Be Warm This Winter (did I hear a little flash of an Elvis impersonation?)
Written-By – Hank Hunter and Mark Barkan

We Have Something More (Than A Summer Love)
Written-By – Jennie Lee Lambert and Mickey Gentile

It Happened Last Night
Written-By – Earl Wilson, Leonard Whitcup and Slugger Wilson

Two for the road with a double shot of Francis penned tunes
Plenty Good Lovin’
Written-By – Connie Francis

Vacation
Written-By – Connie Francis, Gary Weston and Hank Hunter

I do not own the rights to this music. ASCAP, BMI licenses provided by third-party platforms for music that is not under Public Domain.

#conniefrancis #earlyrockandroll #musichistory #vinylrecordcollecting

Here is the Episode Script!

I am dedicating this episode to a supporter we lost way too soon last week. Dino was a college classmate, a colleague, and a friend. He touched many lives in his work in public relations, as a college instructor, a YMCA youth coach, and the host of an irreverent internet show that kept many of us entertained and sane during Covid.

He was a husband and father to two girls.

He touched all of those lives in such a positive way.

Dino’s first bout with a brain tumor and operation was about 20 years ago. At the beginning of the pandemic the cancer returned and this time he suffered a stroke on the operating table. Then last February 28, he made this post:

“After yet another stroke, combined with advanced tumor growth and few if any viable options remaining, I have decided to look into End of Life care.”

What he and his friends got to witness was a one year celebration of life. When he had the strength, small gatherings would be planned so people could let him know how they felt about him.

He remained his witty and irreverent self to the very end.

One of his friends posted after his death: “he had the most positive attitude I’ve ever witnessed even when being dealt such a shitty hand.“

So I smoke this Cuban cigar and sip this glass of bourbon in your honor.

Dino Baskovic was fifty years old.

[Open]

Thanks sweetie and thank YOU for tuning into episode 218 of Spinning My Dad’s Vinyl.

This is the third of four records from Connie Francis that my dad has in his collection. She WAS the top charting female US artist of the late 1950s and early 1960s.

Her popularity was due to her voice and being able to sing in multiple languages. And she was a hit maker during the early days of rock and roll.

So get ready to hear a star who was estimated to have sold more than 200 million records worldwide in Volume 218: Rock and Roll Connie.

[Music: Someone Else’s Boy]

Backed by an orchestra conducted by Cliff Parman, there is Connie Francis singing Someone Else’s Boy
Written-By – Athena Hosey and Hal Gordon

Ok…Why this record for this episode?

Because I thought it was time to hear this great voice again. We had featured her in Volume 63: Connie’s Italian Hits and Volume 184: Connie’s Sing Along.

This time the record is filled with some great uptempo tunes along with a couple of ballads. In fact, Connie even wrote two that you’ll hear later.

But what’s interesting is, I wasn’t familiar with anything on the disk. Not sure why, but it doesn’t matter. It’s been a fun one to listen to.

So let’s move on. At the heart of any rock and roller is rebelion.

[Music: Too Many Rules]

Too Many Rules
Written-By – Don Stirling and Harold Temkin

Now let me tell you about my dad’s vinyl I am spinning for this episode.

Connie Francis – Connie Francis
Label: Metro Records – M-519
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Mono
Released: 1964
Genre: Pop
Style: Vocal

I believe this is a budget label compilation because I found most of these songs on earlier Connie Francis albums.

We will hear 7 of the 10 tunes on this album.

The liner notes are short, so I’ll read them all.

Connie Francis is the type of singer who pleases them all. She appeals to every age group from grandparents to grandchildren. When Connie Francis sings a song it is done with drama and meaning, with warmth and conviction, and every age recognizes this.

Miss Francis has the most distinguished career of any young artist in show business. She has sung around the world and in more than than a dozen languages. She is a world-wide hit-maker who takes her songs to the people of Europe and Asia in their own languages, in jukeboxes around the world you can hear Connie singing the songs on this album, and other of her hits, in German, Jewish, Italian, Spanish and French, to name just a few of the many tongues.

In this LP Connie sings her American hits of recent months. Tunes like too many rules, vacation, I’m going to be warm this winter and plenty good lovin. All are strong entries that have seen the uppermost reaches of the popularity charts. Throughout the album Connie Francis demonstrates her remarkable way with a song, any kind of song, for all kinds of people.

Let’s see what prices this record is being sold at on discogs dot com.
$10.00 High
$1.04 Low

$3.74 Average
$3.20 Median

Last sold on Dec 18, 2023 for $3.99

My dad’s record is in fair condition. Not much noise at the needle drop point or much crackling between the tracks, just that warm vinyl feeling throughout.

The record surface is relatively clean. There are a couple of marks that look like the needle might have been dropped or picked up clumsily. But that’s bound to be on most of my dad’s records.

The cover is in good condition. There’s a slight wrinkle on the closed edge, but the artwork still has a shine to it. While the back cover has a green magic marker streak and red X, there is no address label on the front.

So I’ll value my dad’s vinyl at two bucks.

Next up. Listen closely I could have sworn I heard a little flash of an Elvis impersonation

[Music: I’m Gonna Be Warm This Winter]

I’m Gonna Be Warm This Winter
Written-By – Hank Hunter and Mark Barkan

We’ve talked in previous episodes about Connie’s life, career in music, her lost love and a brutal attack.

So I’ll summarize.

Connie Francis was born December 12, 1938, Newark, New Jersey. She is an American singer whose recordings in the 1950s and ’60s encompassed country, rock and roll, and traditional vocal pop. She was known for her pursuit of non-Anglophone audiences, which made her a hugely popular international star, and for her tortured personal life.

In 1960, Francis was recognized as the most successful female artist in Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, Italy, and Australia, and in every other country where records were purchased.[5] She was the first woman in history to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 when “Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool” topped the chart in 1960, she was also the first woman to have 3 No. 1 hits on the chart, just three of her 53 career hits.

Critics say that Connie Francis became the top-charting female artist of her time because of her strong, clear voice and her ability to sing many different styles. Her recordings had a warmth and sincerity that made people feel connected to her songs. Hits like *Where the Boys Are* and *Stupid Cupid* showed her range, from romantic ballads to fun, upbeat tunes. She also recorded in multiple languages, making her popular around the world. With over 200 million records sold, her ability to bring deep emotion to her music helped her stand out in an era filled with new and exciting voices.

Connie Francis is 87 years old.
We just heard about being warm during the winter. What does the summer bring?

[Music: We Have Something More (Than A Summer Love)]

We Have Something More (Than A Summer Love)
Written-By – Jennie Lee Lambert and Mickey Gentile

Time now for this episode’s interesting side note and it has to do with what I meant by the title of this episode.

Connie Francis was not exactly one of the first voices of rock and roll, but she was one of the most successful female pop singers when rock and roll was becoming popular. But yes, some of Connie Francis’s work could be considered early rock and roll, or at least strongly influenced by it. While she was mainly known for pop and ballads, songs like *Stupid Cupid* (1958) had a clear rock and roll feel. Written by Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield, it featured an upbeat rhythm, catchy melody, and playful lyrics that fit right alongside early rock hits of the time. Similarly, *Lipstick on Your Collar* (1959) had a driving beat, electric guitar riffs, and a youthful energy that made it a crossover hit with rock and roll fans.

Though she didn’t have the raw, rebellious edge of artists like Little Richard or Elvis Presley, she blended rock elements with a polished pop style that appealed to a wide audience. Her voice had the power and clarity to handle rock-infused songs while still being smooth and melodic. She appealed to teenagers with catchy, heartfelt songs, and her music often included elements of rock, country, and traditional pop.

Because of this, some of her work sits in that early rock and roll space, showing how the genre was evolving and mixing with other popular styles of the late 1950s and early 1960s.

Now here’s one of several songs from this album I also found on Connie Francis Sings Second Hand Love & Other Hits.

[Music: It Happened Last Night]

It Happened Last Night
Written-By – Earl Wilson, Leonard Whitcup and Slugger Wilson

Well, I hope you enjoyed this episode as much as I enjoyed bringing it to you.

I don’t remember this album cover from my growing up days in the house.

In fact, I don’t think I remember any of the Connie Francis album covers my dad had.

This one has a photo of Connie dressed in a long sleeve, high collared deep red something. I can’t tell what it is because we only see her from about the rib cage up. She’s looking directly into the camera and shyly tugging at the collar. The words Connie Francis are above her in bold and a list of the tunes are underneath her name.

The back cover shows the album covers for 20 other MGM albums. None of them are in my dad’s collection.

But the music on this album sure was fun to listen to.

OK…Two for the road with a double shot of Francis penned tunes

[Music: Plenty Good Lovin’]
[Music: Vacation]

That was Vacation
Written-By – Connie Francis, Gary Weston and Hank Hunter

And before that we heard
Plenty Good Lovin’
Written-By – Connie Francis

And there you have selections from one of the four albums from this singer in my dad’s collection.

So thanks for tuning into Volume 218: Rock and Roll Connie

however you did. If you want more information about this SHOW, head over to spinning my dad’s vinyl dot com.

I’ll be back next week with all my skips, scratches, and pops

FOR Volume 219: Bite Sized Bach Record 1

Until then,
Go with the flow my friends.