Monthly Archives: December 2009

New MP3s for Masayoshi Takanaka

If you’ve downloaded this in the past or haven’t picked it up now’s the time to download. New rip of the record with better sound. Peep the post here: http://rebuilttrannyrecords.com/2009/07/16/masayoshi-takanaka-rainbow-goblins-story-live-at-budokan-1981/

2001: A Space Odyssey Vol. 2 (1968) vinyl

*download below*

This album consists of songs that weren’t actually in the movie but rather “inspired” by it. I have a feeling that these tracks were considered for the original score but Kubrick didn’t have quite enough room. It’s a shame because the songs in Vol. 2 are quite good. So, you can consider this collection an excellent supplementary B-Side set to the original, if you so desire. I have to admit I prefer Vol. 2 to the original because the songs have a darker, deep space feel. More insane warp tunnel/Spacebaby, less space station/moon base.

Click here to download Vol. 2 to MP3

Tracks with descriptions from album cover:

 1. Richard Strauss – Also Sprach Zarathustra

This selection composted by Richard Strauss is heard at the opening of the motion picture “2001: A Space Odyssey” Karl Böhm conducts the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.

2. Leo Delibes – Coppélia

(This) was composed by Leo Delibes and conducted by Herbert von Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. As in the film. Mr. von Karajan’s performance conveys the feeling of the graceful rocket ships speeding through space.

3. György Ligeti – Lontano

Ligeti’s contribution to the music in “2001:” was very important. This selection, which does not appear in the film, was conducted by Ernest Bour and the Südwestfunk Orchestra.

4. Anton Webern – Entflieht Auf Leichten Kähnen

Written by one of the innovators of modern music with words by Stefan George. It is performed by Clytus Gottwald and the Stuttgart Schola Cantorum, who performances also appeared in the motion picture.

5. Richard Strauss – Waltzes From Der Rosenkavalier

Karl Böhm conducts the Berlin Philharmonic. Again, spacious music for outer space.

6. Richard Strauss – Thus Sprach Zarathustra (Part 2)

Additional exciting music from Richard Strauss symphonic poem from the original recording by Karl Böhm and the Berlin Philharmonic.

7. György Ligeti – Volumina

Performed by organist Karl-Erik Welin. This impressive Ligeti music give the feeling of rushing through space.

8. Aram Khachaturian – Berceuse

From Khachaturian’s “Gayne Ballet Suite.” This was conducted by Gennadi Rozhdestvensky and the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra. Both the conductor and the composer were well represented in the motion picture.

9. György Ligeti – Requiem

This is another part of Ligeti’s Requiem,” a portion of which appeared in the original film. This, however, is performed by the Hessian Symphony Orchestra conducted by Michael Gielen.

10. Charles Gounod – Margarethe

Charles Gounod’s music by the Radio-Symphony orchestra of Berlin and conducted by Ferenc Fricsay, also gives impressions of graceful objects speeding through space to the accompaniment of graceful music.

2001: A Space Odyssey Vol. 1 (1968) vinyl

*download below*

I’m posting this as a reference point for the rarely seen pressing of 2001: A Space Odyssey Volume 2 that will follow shortly. Download and enjoy.

Click here to download Vol. 1

A1 Karl Bohm* & Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra*  - Also Sprach Zarathustra (Thus Spoke Zarathustra) 1:37  
  Composed By – Richard Strauss
Conductor – Karl Bohm*
A2 Francis Travis & Bavarian Radio Orchestra*  - Requiem For Soprano, Mezzo Soprano, Two Mixed Choirs And Orchestra 4:04  
  Composed By – Gyorgy Ligeti*
Conductor – Francis Travis
A3 Clytus Gottwald & Stuttgart Schola Cantorum*  - Lux Aeterna 5:50  
  Composed By – Gyorgy Ligeti*
Conductor – Clytus Gottwald
A4 Hervert von Karajan* & Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra*  - The Blue Danube 6:55  
  Composed By – Johann Strauss*
Conductor – Hervert von Karajan*
B1 Gennadi Rozhdestvensky & Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra  - Gayane Ballet Suite (Adagio) 5:12  
  Composed By – Aram Khachaturian*
Conductor – Gennadi Rozhdestvensky
B2 Ernest Bour & Sudwestfunk Orchestra*  - Atmospheres 7:56  
  Composed By – Gyorgy Ligeti*
Conductor – Ernest Bour
B3 Herbert von Karaja* & Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra*  - The Blue Danube 3:30  
  Composed By – Johann Strauss*
Conductor – Herbert von Karaja*
B4 Karl Bohm* & Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra*  - Also Sprach Zarathustra (Thus Spoke Zarathustra) 1:37  
  Composed By – Richard Strauss
Conductor – Karl Bohm*

Bing Crosby – Merry Christmas (1955) Vinyl MCA-15024

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This is the album that really defines what an American Christmas is all about. The original LP version of this was released in 1955 but the songs were recorded as early as 1942. This, of course, puts it right smack dab in the midst of World War II. Now I don’t have any concrete evidence to go on but I’m going to say that this album won the war for the Allies. Anyone stateside with access to a radio would have heard these songs during that gnarly brawl overseas. The presence of Bing’s masculine yet gentle tremelo vocals recharged the nation of Rosie the Riveters each year with tremendous effect. His words soothed and assured them that yes, everything would one day return to normal. Our boys would be home for the Christmas; if not this year then definitely the next. Sure enough Bing was right: the boys came home  marching triumphantly and America, in their minds, had solidified its place as the moral compass for the world.

Of course when the G.I.’s returned home there were many new traditions just waiting to be created. One of these was adopting Bing, an All-American guy with an honest gee-whiz face, as the voice of the holidays. And thank you Jesus. I can’t think of anyone else I’d want captaining the U.S.S. Noel. Whenever I put on this disc it’s always like slipping on the most comfortable sweater in the world and cozying up to a real wood-burning fireplace. It’s so incredibly warm and reassuring.

If you’ve never listened to this album you’ll still recognize the majority of the tracks from movies like A Christmas Story. However, two of the most fun songs on here were written long after the war in 1950 and 1951. The 50s were a time of carefree optimism and this is perfectly captured in the songs “Christmas in Killarney” and “Mele Kilikimaka”. Both songs take a cheeky, if perhaps a bit culturally stereotypical, spin on the Christmas theme. Make sure to check them out at end of the disc–you’ll be humming them throughout the holidays.

^Christmas Vacation featuring Mele Kilikimaka^

 

Click here to download Merry Christmas to MP3

Tracklist

A1   Silent Night 2:35  
A2   Adeste Fideles (Oh, Come, All Ye Faithful) 3:08  
A3   White Christmas 3:03  
A4   God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen 2:15  
A5   Faith Of Our Fathers 2:54  
A6   I’ll Be Home For Christmas (If Only In My Dreams) 2:52  
B1   Jingle Bells 2:35  
  Backing Vocals – Andrews Sisters, The
B2   Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town 2:38  
  Backing Vocals – Andrews Sisters, The
B3   Silver Bells 2:59  
  Vocals – Carole Richards
B4   It’s Beginning To Look Like Christmas 2:43  
B5   Christmas In Killarney 2:40  
B6   Mele Kalikimaka 2:49  
  Backing Vocals – Andrews Sisters, The

ZIPs fixed for Mac Users

If you’ve had any trouble unzipping the recent posts there’s good news: I’ve installed YKK zippers on each to make them easily accessible to all. Thanks for stopping by.

The Johnny Frigo Quartet – Afro-American Jazz Dance (Orion LP-115) Vinyl

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I picked this up for $1 from a guy who had thousands of records for sale on the top floor of a horse carriage barn next door to the Mad Hatter down here in Covington.  He had tons of cool maps up there and a whole slew of weird doo-dads tucked away in glass cases.

At first I thought I was walking into a trap after I walked through the second chain link fence inside the barn. Visions of zipper-lipped rubber masks and red rubber-ball gags danced wildly in my head. I was never meant to be a barnyard boy toy; it’s just not my style.

Luckily I was assaulted only by the stench of horse crap and gnats that hung heavy in the air.  My gamble paid off because he had great gobs of good stuff up there; each a buck apiece. I bought 20 records from him and plan to go back when the fever peaks.

The best part of this story is that I just found this album for sale online for $155. The moral is that sometimes your vinyl hunt’s gotta get weird if you’re gonna get lucky.

Enjoy.

Click here to download Afro-American Jazz Dance

**Update: The guy I bought this album from now has some of his vinyl for sale online with Free Shipping. Check it out here http://www.thevinyldays.com/

Slim Whitman – The Very Best of Slim Whitman (1980) Vinyl

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I feel that I must warn everyone that Slim Whitman will thoroughly violate the fleshy folds of your ears with his extremely moist vocal chords. If you don’t want his lip blanket gently bristling your ear lobes with a subtle sweetness never meant to be possesed by man then please click your back button. If you find the idea of Slim may impregnating your thorax with a Burt Reynolds/Norm MacDonald hybrid demon then PLEASE…do not listen to this album. However, before you make your decision there are a few things that you may want to know.

1. Michael Jackson allegedly sited Slim Whitman as one of his top ten favorite vocalists. Well, that makes sense. I don’t see how else Michael Jackson could perform the French Tickler with his Uvula without thoroughly studying Slim’s complete body of delicous love songs.

2. George Harrison looked to Slim as an early musical influence: “The first person I ever saw playing a guitar was Slim Whitman, either a photo of him in a magazine or live on television. Guitars were definitely coming in.” I mean I guess that’s noteworthy. George Harrison was in The Beatles, wasn’t he?

3. His 1955 hit single “Rose Marie” held the record for the longest time at number 1 on the UK charts until Bryan Adams broke the record with “(Everything I Do) I Do It For You” in 1992. Only Adams’ Robin Hood could slay Slim’s dragon.

4. Slim’s unearthly yodeling from the intro of his track “Indian Love Song” killed the invading Martians on the film Mars Attacks. Pure power.

Click to download Slim Whitman’s Very Best

A1   North Wind 2:18  
  Written By – Rod Norriss
A2   Secret Love 2:36  
  Written By – Paul Francis Webster , Sammy Fain
A3   Rose-Marie 2:21  
  Written By – Oscar Hammerstein II , Otto A. Harbach , Rudolf Friml
A4   The Cattle Call 2:09  
  Written By – Tex Owens
A5   Indian Love Call 3:17  
  Written By – Oscar Hammerstein II , Otto A. Harbach , Rudolf Friml
B1   More Than Yesterday 2:43  
  Written By – L. Dickens
B2   The Twelfth Of Never 2:13  
  Written By – Jerry Livingston , Paul Francis Webster
B3   Guess Who 2:53  
  Written By – Jesse Belvin
B4   Something Beautiful To Remember 2:57  
  Written By – M Carpenter
B5   It’s A Sin To Tell A Lie 2:15  
  Written By – Billy Mayhew

Buddy Holly – For The First Time Anywhere (1983) Vinyl

*download below*

The songs on this album were lost in the storage at MCA for over 20 years. You can find a pretty cool story about how these tracks were saved from the bowels of eternity here.

Click here to download For The First Time Anywhere

Tracklist

1. Rock-A-Bye-Rock

2. Maybe Baby (1st Version)

3. Because I Love You

4. I’m Gonna Set My Foot Down

5. Changing All Those Changes

6. That’s My Desire

7. Baby Won’t You Come Out Tonight

8. It’s Not My Fault

9. Brown-Eyed Handsome Man

10. Bo Diddley

Vince Guaraldi Trio – A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965, 1988 mastering) Vinyl Download

*download below*

I remember watching A Charlie Brown Christmas for the first time coincidentally the same year that this album reissue dropped. The funny thing is that one main thing I remember most about watching it is the commercials. This is probably because my parents recorded it for my brother and me on a Beta tape. We watched it every year over and over, commercial jingles and all, until out tape player conked out a decade later.

It goes without saying that A Charlie Brown Christmas is a classic. The story, the style, the characters…all classic. But I might be so bold to say those commercials recorded on that Beta tape in the winter of 1988 were also classic. You just can’t top the 7-up dot dude crashing his fire truck into a Christmas tree. Nor will new anchors ever again look as cool giving news previews…you can’t even fathom how big their hair and shoulder pads were. That tape must be digitized and posted online for posterity’s sake.

Will five year olds today think that this season’s commercials are classics 20 years from now? I can’t possibly see anyone looking back fondly on the wasteland of holiday cell phone ads.  Then again, kids today are so lame.

Merry Christmas, you filthy animals.

Click here to download A Charlie Brown Christmas