CASSIUS CLAY: "I Am The Greatest"

When great men die, of course, we should remember them by their weird novelty records.

To note the passing of the former Cassius Clay, Muhammad Ali, let's listen to The Lip From Louisville's early '60s album of his clever, funny poems, delivered with gusto. Damn near proto-rapping, I'd say. Some lame comedy sketches that he most certainly did not (entirely) write are in there too, but look on the bright side: bonus tracks that set his poems to groovy music. And then there's his singing... a karaoke-esque cover of "Stand By Me," and a ridiculous sing-along called "The Gang's All Here."

CASSIUS CLAY: "I Am The Greatest"

And don't forget his all-star kids albums:
  
"Ali and His Gang Vs. Mr. Tooth Decay" - From 1976, with Frank Sinatra! And Howard Cosell.

"The Dope King's Last Stand" - From 1977, with an even more all-starry cast. How's this for a line-up: President Jimmy Carter, Lily Tomlin, Pat Boone, Senator Hubert Humphrey, Billie Jean King, and Sinatra again.

As a Los Angeles native, I'm used to seeing celebrities here, as well as in Las Vegas, and New York. If you've spent much time in those cities you know that it's not a big deal, maybe someone will recognize a celeb, chat briefly, then leave them alone. But when I saw Ali strolling thru Caesar's Palace in Vegas, there was a veritable mob surrounding him. A peaceful, respectful mob, but still, I have never seen one individual create such a commotion. I think I saw the Pope, the President, and the cast of "Friends" waving and saying, "Hey, over here! What about us?!"

HUBBA HUBBA!: The Big Band Beat of Bad Girls and Burlesque

Back up by request: Roky Erickson's kids party, and "Carnival in Paradise."

Seeing as how our previous collection of mid-century sleazy-listening music is, by a wide margin, the most popular post of the year so far, I guess I'd better keep feeding you cool cats and crazy kitties more rarities and vinyl obscurities from the Golden Age of Bad Taste:

In the heydey of burlesque, dancin' goils twirled their tassels and bumped their rumps to live bands, not to a dj playing Salt n Pepa or Motley Crue. MCs, specialty acts, and comedy teams were also on the bill if for no other reason than to keep up the pretense that these were "variety shows" - something for everyone! - and not just lewd displays of wanton flesh. Tho the burlesque show format may have been created to skirt (so to speak) the censors, it ended up working quite well as an all-around entertainment package, surviving to this day. There's probably a 'burly-q' revival show near you now.

But this stuff is from the original era, the 1940s - 1960s (I'm aware that burlesque preceeds the '40s, I just don't know of any earlier music). The first track is  apparently   recorded live "in the field" from an album called "Burlesque Uncensored." I was gonna post the whole album, but it's actually in print thru Smithsonian Folkways (your tax dollars at work?)

Apart from the expected bump-and-grind jazz, there's also some wild early rock n roll, exploitation movie radio ads and dialogue, low-budget lounge combos, and show-tunes (e.g. Natalie Wood in "Gypsy," the Gyspy Rose Lee biopic, and another version of the "Take it off the E-string" song that was featured on vol 1).  And then there's the one musical moment from the infamous '60s S&M sound-effects album, "Tortura!"

I also recorded some burlesque film soundtrack music off videos, performed by anonymous sleaze-meisters. This was some years ago when I recorded these, and I can't find most of those films on the YouTubes now.  Too bad, the "Snakes" one in particular was great: a campy guy shouting "Snakes!" and running off camera, followed by a girl dancing with an actual, live enormous boa constrictor-type beastie. Towards the end, she even starts to put the snakes' head unto her mouth. A search for "snakes + burlesque" didn't come up with anything, but if any of you-all know this one, send us the links, pleeze!

And for some great reading whilst listening to this music, check out our pals at  
Decadent History for a plethora of fascinating articles. Learn your history, kids! 

Lowbrow Vol.3 Hubba Hubba! - A MusicForManiacs Collection

01 "Burlesque Uncensored" - lobby talker-chorus line-strip tease
02 Natalie Wood-Let Me Entertain You [from "Gypsy," 1962]
03 "Angels Wild Women"
04 Perez Prado - Exotic Suite of the Americans (excerpt)
05 Kay Kyser His Orchestra - Strip Polka [The Andrews Sisters also recorded this popular '40s Big Band number]
06 Dick Dale & His Del-Tones - Take It Off
07 "Varietease" - Betty Page, Bobby Shields [video soundtrack]
08 "The Naughty Stewardesses"
09 Dick Contino & Eddie Layton - Blues in the Night [accordionist Contino isn't just a James Ellroy character; in fact, he's real, alive, and still performs] 
10 Barbara Stanwyck - The G-String Song [from the 1943 film "Lady of Burlesque", recorded off video]
11 Big Jay McNeely - Striptease Swing [sax wildman, veteran of LA's legendary Central Ave scene, is also still alive and blowin']
12 Eddie Wayne [actually surf/session guitarist Jerry Cole] - Dig Ye Deep
13 Jayne Mansfield - Suey [the great blond bombshell is backed here by a pre-fame Jimi Hendrix!]
14 Ricky Vale & The Surfers - Ghost Surfin'
15 "Nurses for Sale"
16 John Barry - The Stripper [nope, not the David Rose hit (see below); yep, the James Bond soundtrack guy]
17 Ernie Freeman - The Stripper [Freeman's the man who brought Sinatra into the r'n'b scene with "That's Life"]
18 "Porno Photos"
19 "Tortura" - untitled (Track 21)
20 "Snakes"
21 Snakes! [burlesque film soundtrack]
22 The Knight Beats - Going To Town
23 Hal Blaine & The Young Cougars - Gear Stripper [Blaine is possibly the most recorded drummer in history; he's certainly one of the few to record a drag-race/burlesque fusion song]
24 The Bangers - Baby Let Me Bang Your Box, Part 1 [this r'n'b shouter is, of course, referring to the lady's piano]
25 John Buzon Trio - Ill Wind
26 Voodoo Virgin - [burlesque film soundtrack]
27 Stan Kenton - Blues In Burlesque [No, that's not Tom Waits singing, it's drummer Shelly Mann, with Maynard Ferguson blowin', from 1951]

All tracks safe for work! We like wholesome sleaze around here.

The Brigitte Bardot Show

An extremely rare example of a celebrity who made actual good records, French sex kitten Brigitte Bardot used her alluring personality, and the genius of collaborator Serge Gainsbourgh, to make a series of super swell Sixties sides. Like one of Serge's other gals, Jane Birkin, Ms BB isn't a great singer. But rather than try to fit into a standard pop singer mold - the downfall of so many singing-actor records - Bardot sings cute and sexy over music that is tailored for her. There's a psych-rock edge to many of the songs here.

This 1968 tv special soundtrack features a couple of familiar classics ("Harley Davidson," and "Contact"), some great songs I wasn't familiar with (the rocker "Ce N'est Pas Vrai", the kooky tablas-a-go-go "Oh Qu'il Est Vilain"), and the instrumental interludes of Francis "Theme From A Man and A Woman" Lai. His "Saint-Tropez" is one of the best tracks on this album.  If I had a radio show this would be my opening theme.

The Brigitte Bardot Show

A1	Harley Davidson	2:30
A2	Marseillaise Générique	2:10
A3	Mister Sun	3:12
A4	Ay Que Viva La Sangria	2:30
A5	Ce N'est Pas Vrai	1:38
A6	Gang Gang	2:00
A7	Saint-Tropez	1:10
A8	Port Grimaud	0:30
B1	Oh Qu'il Est Vilain	2:25
B2	Paris	1:35
B3	Je Reviendrai Toujours Vers Toi	2:23
B4	On Déménage	2:03
B5	Le Diable Est Anglais	2:40
B6	David B...	1:10
B7	Contact

Thanks again to that international master of musical mystery, Count Otto Black!

The Groovy World Of Marcia Strassman

The recent news about the passing of actress Marcia Strassman payed little heed to her short, strange music career. She recorded a few singles in the late '60s, including one of my all-time fave examples of...what's a word for something that you know is awful, but love it just the same? Maybe there isn't one. (Let's invent one!) Whatever it is, that's what Strassman's "The Flower Children" is. This 1967 Uni records 45, one of those only-in-the-'60s odes to the counter-culture, was one of the last gasps of the big-hair, lushly produced girl-group sounds. Soon the flat-haired, acoustic guitar strumming singer-songwriters would take over. But not before Mrs. Kotter sang the hell out of this ridiculous number, redeeming it thru her passion and sincerity (and a great arrangement). It was a hit in California, if nowhere else.

The equally ludicrous follow-up, "The Groovy World of Jack and Jill," similarly has a swell pseudo-Phil Spector sound. And, really, I like all of her records (tho surprisingly, a  Kim Fowley production ["Stargazer"] is a bit of a dud.) How can you not like such choice lines as: "My toys are all dead, but my friend is here/nothing is wrong with me" (from the song "Self-Analysis").

Even more tragic than her early death from cancer - the fact that her frog-voiced "Welcome Back Kotter" co-star John Travolta was the one with the far more successful musical career. A great record like "The Flower Children" languishes in obscurity, while that execrable "Grease" soundtrack lives on. Won't someone please think of the children?!
Marcia Strassman - Singles (1967-68)

1. The Flower Children
2. Out Of The Picture
3. The Groovy World of Jack and Jill
3. The Flower Shop
4. Self-Analysis
5. Stargazer

This isn't a complete discography. I am missing one of her songs: "Flower Shop." Anyone, anyone..?  Mega-thanks to super-reader Holly for supplying not only the missing song, but higher-bitrate copies of the other songs AND the artwork!

JANE BIRKIN "Lolita Go Home"

Filthy Mondays? If last week's Kay Martin album whet your appetite for songstresses known more for sex appeal than singing abilities, check this 1975 product of the post-birth control pill, pre-AIDS "Sexual Revolution." Music for water beds, wife-swapping parties, and singles bars where people may have actually said things like "Your place or mine?" 

This album was released six years after France's greatest musical export Serge Gainsbourg recorded the all-time heavy-breathing classic duet "Je t'aime... moi non plus" with non-singer English actress Jane Birkin. This time out, Serge contributed original songs like the lovely disco-lite title track, and "Bebe Song," one of his catchier creations, all sung by Jane in her best French-as-a-second language come-hither voice. These are mixed with unlikely porno-funk versions of English language standards that are usually sung with a swingin' beat. Dig the fantastic take on Cole Porter's "Love For Sale" that's pure shag-carpet '70s polyester electric-piano sleaze. It's the kind of thing that shouldn't exist, but fortunately it does. 

"Lolita Go Home" 

Music by Serge Gainsbourg, words by Philippe Labro; except where indicated

1. Lolita go home 
2. What Is This Thing Called Love? (Cole Porter)
3. Bebe song 
4. Where or When (Rodgers, Hart)
5. Si ça peut te consoler
6. Love for Sale (Cole Porter)
7. Just Me and You
8. La fille aux claquettes  (Words and music by Serge Gainsbourg)
9. Rien pour rien 
10. French graffiti 
11. There's a Small Hotel (3:05) (Rodgers, Hart)

Arranged and conducted by Jean-Pierre Sabar

Thanks again to Count Otto Black!

FILTHY FRIDAYS: Lowbrow vol.1 Sweet Beat

For a variety of reasons that I'll get into next week, I felt that the world needed more musical Sin! Sleaze! and Vice! So every Friday, I will endeavor to provide you hep cats 'n' flipped chicks with all manner of mid-century garage, surf/hot-rod, burlesque, novelty, rhythm 'n' blues, soul, lounge, b-movie ads and soundbites, and any other audio effluvia that can lead to the moral degradation of this once-great land of ours. Basically, if you can imagine Lux and Ivy spinning these platters in their leopard-skin draped den, sipping lethal cocktails, then baby, it's in. Let the weekend begin!

I realize that this is not new territory, so I'll try not to feature anything that has already appeared on compilation series like "Nuggets," "Back From The Grave," "Wavy Gravy," "Las Vegas Grind," "Jungle Exotica," "Songs The Cramps Taught Us," "Lux and Ivy's Favorites," and rare surf collections. To increase the level of difficulty, I'm also trying to avoid songs /albums that are currently being featured by such music blog compadres as Office Naps, Surfadelic, The Devil's Music, and Titty-Shakers. That still leaves plenty, as I delve into regions other trash collectors might overlook - comedy albums that might have one good dirty song amidst the stand-up stuff, film soundtracks (see the Kenyon Hopkins track below) or easy-listening albums (e.g.: Enoch Light, Lester Lanin) that throw in one sleazy rocker, international releases that have only recently hit our shores, even recording off video for film songs never released on record. And there are still 45s that have not yet been comped. This collection is a sampler, a little taste of some of the varia-tease of sleazy-listening musics that we'll be exploring in the coming weeks and months. Aren't you happy that there really was a band called the Four Finks?

The name of this collection and the artwork come from an old nudie magazine spread (if you'll pardon the term, boom-tish!) featuring model/singer Bonnie Logan.

Lowbrow vol.1: Sweet Beat

Alternate Link (courtesy of super-swell reader Soylent White Trash)

1. Official Warning (from "Blood Feast")
2 Rusty Warren - Do It Now [song extracted from a track-less comedy album by that "Bounce Your Boobies" gal]
3 Billy Mure - Supersonic
4 from "Porno Holocaust"
5 Willie Tomlin - Stroke My Yoke [I am fairly certain that this naughty R'n'B singer was not related to Lily Tomlin]
6 De Maskers - The Saint [mid-'60s Dutch band]
7 "Triple Terror Show" ad
8 The Four Finks - Rock-o-Nails
9 Ron Haydock and the Boppers - Rat Pfink [from the soundtrack to "Rat Pfink a Boo Boo" by the great Z-movie director Ray Dennis Steckler; this really is one of my favorite rockabilly songs]
10 The Deuce Coupes - Starter's Nightmare [anonymous studio cats on a "budget" label album; you'll be hearing plenty of those]
11 Scatman Crothers - Transfusion [Oh! happy day, when I found this 45 in a Las Vegas thrift store - the great comic actor covered the classic Nervous Norvous car-crash novelty song?! Wow, who knew - I probably skipped merrily about the shop holding it up: "look what I got!"]
12 Bill Black's Combo - The Wheel [Black was Elvis' original bassist]
13 "Mark of the Devil" ad
14 Lester Lanin - Guitar Boogie Twist
15 "fourteen Baby"
16 Enoch Light - The Gang at the Green Grotto
17 "Superchick" ad
18 Barbara Stanwyck - Take It Off The E String [predating our post-WWII time frame for this one, recorded off the video of the film "Lady of Burlesque"]
19 Ricky Vale And His Surfers - Soul Full of Surfin
20 B. Brock and the Sultans - 30 Lb. Beetle [another budget label mystery; one of a few mp3s found on this collection that I've had on a hard-drive for ages; I might be able to get a better quality - maybe - were I to try digitizing the album with my latest music software; it really is excellent trad-surf, despite the ridiculous Beatles cash-in angle]
21 "Dr Jekyll & Sister Hyde" ad
22 Los Saicos - Demolicion [teen garage-punk from Peru (!?) from an excellent recent reissue]
23 Sil Austin - Fallout
Lookit!  The song titles are now telling a story:
24 Jerry Colonna - Hey Barmaid!!
25 Don Carson and the Casuals - Yes Master
26 The Daddy Os - Got a Match
27 Lonnie Duvall - Cigarettes [this short-lived soul singer was backed by Booker T & The MGs, no less, on this 45]
28 The Three Suns - Tequila
29 The Vagabonds - Walkin' And Talkin
30 Billy Mure - Drums of India [exotic rock remake of the old standard "Song of India"]
31 Brother Theodore - Horror of the Blood Monsters
32 Kenyon Hopkins - Let Me Out [from the soundtrack to "The Fugitive Kind" 1960; is that Pere Ubu's David Thomas on vox?]
33 The Vox Poppers - The Last Drag

Thanks to Count Otto Black for the international nuggets - plenty more of those to come.

Negativland Live - "Helter Stupid Tour" 1989

At the time this excellent board tape was made, multi-media collage/ performance art/ prankster legends Negativland had been around since the early '80s, releasing several albums that served as warm-ups for their glory years of the late '80s/early '90s, when they ruled college radio, signed to the indie label everyone wanted to be on (SST Records), and generally moved from being mere (if brilliant) performers/recording artists to becoming a genuine cultural force, merry pranksters manipulating the gullible mass media, and daring to pull down the pants (so to speak) of some of the biggest figures in the music industry.  They paid for their hijinks big-time, but ultimately came out the other end bloodied but unbowed. Lo these many years later, as seen in today's post-internet media-overload environment of mashups, youtube, etc., they seem positively visionary. And this performance finds them at the top of their game. Even if you're very familiar with Negativland's "Escape From Noise"/"Helter Stupid"/"U2" era (as I would imagine many, if not most, Maniacs are) this is still a fresh experience, as they take elements from their album tracks and rework them into lovely new mutations.

Negativland Live - Hampshire College 1989

Side 1:

1 - Christianity Is Stupid
2 - Helter Stupid
3 - Escape From Noise
4 - Time
5 - Another Perfect Cut
6 - Free TV Or Pay TV
7 - The Playboy Channel

Side 2:

1 - Playboy Channel 2
2 - Why Don't They Blow Us Up?
3 - I'd Like A Piece Of Meat / Michael Jackson
4 - U2
5 - Car Bomb

This comes to us from maniac Bob Berger. Can't thank him enough. He writes: "Recorded off the sound board onto Maxell XLIIS cassette with whatever tape deck was present, this tape has been legendary among all of my friends for many years. The sound quality is amazing... I've never heard Negativland recorded quite so well... Given our state(s) of mind at that show, I have no idea how we managed to capture this as well as we did... but here it is. At home, I've chopped these bits up into each track as best I could, but I figured that it would be best to preserve the whole show's continuity as two sides of the, now infamous, cassette.

Enjoy.

colunco23"


And - hey! - let's not forget to salute "guest vocalists" like the recently departed  Casey Kasem, and  L.A newscaster Hal Eisner. When on those rare occasions I stumble across Eisner's TV appearances, I chuckle, almost expecting him to say, "This is Hal Eisner. This is stupid."

RIP Snuggles.

Brain In A Box: 5 Disks of Science Fiction Sounds!

You don't get the beautiful 3D hologram packaging that originally enclosed this stupendous set, but hey, it's out of print, so better to have lots of good listening than nuthin', eh? And I've been too busy (and will probably continue to be so for the foreseeable future) to update this blog as regularly as I'd like, so hope this will keep all my li'l maniacs happy 'til I get back.

WARNING: these tracks (113 in all) are encoded as m4a (a lossless file),not mp3. They're bigger, which is why I had to split up the disks, and I don't know if m4as play on everything.


An astronomical amount of thank-yous to maniac James C. for sending this our way.

Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection [Disc 1] : Movie Themes pt 1
Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection [Disc 1] : Movie Themes pt 2
Brain In A Box_ The Science Fiction Collection [Disc 2]  TV Themes pt 1
Brain In A Box_ The Science Fiction Collection [Disc 2] TV Themes pt 2
Brain In A Box_ The Science Fiction Collection [Disc 3] Pop pt 1
Brain In A Box_ The Science Fiction Collection [Disc 3] Pop pt 2
Brain In A Box_ The Science Fiction Collection [Disc 3] Pop pt 3
Brain In A Box_ The Science Fiction Collection [Disc 4] Instrumental/Lounge pt 1
Brain In A Box_ The Science Fiction Collection [Disc 4] Instrumental/Lounge pt 2
Brain In A Box_ The Science Fiction Collection [Disc 5] Novelty pt 1
Brain In A Box_ The Science Fiction Collection [Disc 5] Novelty pt2

Disc: 1
1. The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Science Fiction/Double Feature - Richard O'Brien
2. 2001: A Space Odyssey (Introduction) - The City Of Prague Philhamonic/Nic Raine
3. Forbidden Planet: Main Titles - Overture - Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
4. The Day The Earth Stood Still: Prelude/Outer Space/Radar - Bernard Herrmann
5. It Came From Outer Space: Visitors From Space - Dick Jacobs
6. Creature From The Black Lagoon: Main Title - Hans J. Salter
7. The Incredible Shrinking Man: Main Theme - Dick Jacobs
8. The Time Machine: Main Title/Credits - Russell Garcia
9. Them!: Main Title - Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
10. The Thing Aka The Thing (From Another World!): Prelude - The National Philharmonic Orchestra/Charles Gerhardt
11. First Men In The Moon: Main Title - London Studio Symphony Orchestra/Laurie Johnson
12. The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms: Main Title - Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
13. Fantastic Voyage: Radio Spot Announcement - Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
14. Fantastic Voyage: Main Title Sound Effects Suite - Leonard Rosenman
15. Planet Of The Apes: Main Title - Jerry Goldsmith
16. The Andromeda Strain: Desert Trip - Gil Melle
17. Close Encounters Of The Third Kind: The Conversation - John Williams
18. Aliens: Ripley's Rescue - The London Symphony Orchestra/James Horner
19. E.T.The Extra-Terrestrial: Three Million Light Years From Earth - John Williams
20. Robocop: Robo Vs. Ed-209 - The Sinfonia Of London Orchestra/ Howard Blake
21. Robocop: Main Title - The Sinfonia Of London Orchestra/ Howard Blake
22. Terminator 2: Judgement Day: Trust Me - Mark Ayres
23. Outland: The Mine - The National Philharmonic Orchestra/Jerry Goldsmith
24. War Of The Worlds: Main Title & Introduction - The City Of Prague Philhamonic/Nic Raine
25. Predator: Main Title - Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
26. The Fly: Main Title - London Philharmonic Orchestra/Howard Shore
27. Mars Attacks!: Main Title - Artie Kane
28. The Matrix: Anything Is Possible - The City Of Prague Philhamonic/Nic Raine
Disc: 2
1. The Twilight Zone, Main Title: First Season - Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
2. Lost In Space: Main Title/Main Title - Season 3 - John Williams
3. My Favorite Martian: Theme - The Warner Bros. Orchestra/Carl Brandt
4. Doctor Who: Dr. Who - Eric Winstone & His Orchestra
5. The Jetsons: Theme - Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
6. The Time Tunnel: Main Title - John Williams
7. One Step Beyond: Fear - The Berlin Symphony Orchestra/Harry Lubin
8. The Outer Limits: Control Voice Introduction - Vic Perrin
9. The Outer Limits: Main Title - Dominic Frontiere
10. Men Into Space: Theme - The Buddy Morrow Orchestra
11. The Thunderbirds: Theme - Barry Gray
12. Stingray: Theme - Barry Gray
13. Astro Boy: Theme - Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
14. Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea: Main Title - Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
15. Land Of The Giants: Main Title - Season 1 - John Williams
16. Star Trek: Main Title & Closing Theme - The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/Fred Steiner
17. Star Trek: The Next Generation: Main Title - The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/Daniel Caine
18. V (The Series): Main Title - Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
19. Babylon 5: Main Title - Christopher Franke
20. The Simpsons: Treehouse Of Horror I (Kang & Kodos Medley): Holy-Moly/We Offered You Paradise - Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
21. The X-Files: Main Title - Mark Snow
22. Changing Channels - Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
Disc: 3: Pop
1. Telstar - The Tornadoes
2. Blast Off - Jimmie Haskell And His Orchestra
3. Out Of Limits - The Marketts
4. Have You Seen The Saucers - Jefferson Airplane
5. Waiting For The UFO's - Graham Parker & The Rumour
6. Spaceman - Nilsson
7. Space Child - Spirit
8. Flying Saucer Safari - Suburban Lawns
9. UFO - Soul, Inc.
10. Rocket - Jow Bennett & The Sparkletones
11. Rocket To Nowhere - Webb Wilder
12. For Science - They Might Be Giants
13. Machines - Lathar & The Hand People
14. Beyond Tomorrow - Stan Ridgway
15. Theme For The Creature From Under The Sea - Milton DeLugg
16. Humans From Earth - T-Bone Burnett
17. One Step Beyond: Fear - Main Title - The Ventures
18. Rocket Ship - Vernon Green & The Medallions
19. Radar Blues - Chris Conner
20. Creature With The Atom Brain - Roky Erickson
21. Rocket Ship - Kathy McCarty
22. After The Gold Rush: Prelude - Prelude
Disc: 4
1. Frozen Neptune - Russ Garcia & His Orchestra
2. Lunar Rhapsody - Les Baxter
3. Man From Mars - Ferrante & Teicher
4. On The Dark Side Of The Moon - Frank Comstock
5. Saturday Night On Saturn - Les Baxter
6. Welcome To Tomorrow - Attilio Mineo
7. Space Reflex (Blues In 5/4) - Dick Hyman
8. The Planets: Mars, Bringer Of War - The City Of Prague Philharmonic/Nic Raine
9. Theremin Solo - Dr. Samuel Hoffman
10. Guitars In Space - Billy Mure
11. Nova (Exploding Star) - Russ Garcia & His Orchestra
12. Space Is The Place - Sun Ra
13. Twilight Zone - Raymond Scott & His Orchestra
14. Cosmic Ballad - Perrey-Kingsley
15. Moon Gas - Dick Hyman
16. Monsters Of Jupiter - Russ Garcia & His Orchestra
17. She Likes Me - Jerry Goldsmith
18. Tone Tales From Tomorrow - Frank Coe
19. Alien - Leonard Nimoy
20. On Planet X - David Garland/John Zorn
Disc: 5
1. The Flying Saucer (Parts 1 & 2) - Buchanan & Goodman
2. Beep! Beep! - Louis Prima
3. The Blob - The Five Blobs
4. Martian Hop - The Ran-Dells
5. Music To Watch Space Girls By - Leonard Nimoy
6. Planet Claire - The B-52's
7. Gigantor - The Dickies
8. Two Little Men In A Flying Saucer - Ella Fitzgerald
9. Flying Saucer Attack - The Rezillos
10. Flyin' Saucers Rock 'N' Roll - Billy Riley & His Little Green Men
11. UFOs, Big Rigs & BBQ - Mojo Nixon & World Famous Blue Jays
12. We're Going UFO'ing - Jimmy Durante
13. Surf Trek - The Rubinoos
14. Mister Spaceman - The Holy Modal Rounders
15. Meet Space Pilot Jones - The Satellite Singers
16. The Purple People Eater - Sheb Wooley
17. Knocked Out Joint On Mars - Buck Trail
18. Tiny Space Man - Bill Carlisle
19. (When You See) Those Flying Saucers - Buchanan Brothers & The Georgia Catamounts
20. Unfunky UFO - Parliament
21. You Came From Outer Space - The Kirby Stone Four

THE GREAT CELEBRITY SING-OFF

Remember the wildly popular "Golden Throats" collections of singing celeb records? 'Twas one of the few areas where the strange-music world and the mainstream met. Those comps, the gods' gift to "morning zoo" radio shows, reveled in recordings by misguided (mostly) actors who probably shouldn't have had any business singing. Record collector extraordinaire MadJon, the man who bequeathed the "Disco Sellout" and "Come Suck With Me" collections unto us, has picked an amazing assortment of Hollywood fruits for us, continuing the "Golden Throats" tradition. There are some straight novelties here by actors who were not trying to be real singers, e.g.: Jim Backus' classic "Delicious," in which he and a lady friend get gradually rip-roaring drunk, and Frank Gorshin's utterly nutso appearance as his "Batman" character, The Riddler.  But most of these sincere attempts at musical art range from unintentionally hilarious to just appalling. The Bruce Willis track in particular will make you want to punch the guy should you ever meet him.

The Brady Bunch's version of the usually interminable "American Pie" is one of the best recorded - it's only 3 minutes long! Why does Pat Boone get so much crap for his Little Richard cover? After all, Gale Storm's take on Smiley Lewis' "I Hear You Knockin" is just as jaw-dropping. Both Rex and son Noel Harrison are repped here, and the Burl Ives song is actually called "The Tail Of The Comet Kohoutek." Was great to finally get a copy of Bert Parks singing the traditional "there she goes...Miss America" pageant theme. And what the hell is Richard Harris on about? Even if you're not familiar with all the names here, the tunes, in styles ranging from rockabilly to schmaltzy lounge, are a sick treat.

MAD JON'S GREAT CELEBRITY SING-OFF

Much thanks to Mad Jon!