Ruth Lyons 50/50 Club Christmas

Ruth Lyons

Christmas Albums

Candee Records, Cincinnati, OH - 196?

The Ruth Lyons 50/50 Club was a fixture on local radio and television for decades.

National talent of all types appeared on her show. David Letterman, Phil Donahue, Nelson Eddy, Ted Lewis, Pearl Bailey and Myron Cohen appeared on her show.

As a side note, Ruth Lyons Christmas Fund was a well known local charity who gave toys to children in hospitals at least as far away as the town I grew up in three hours north of Cincinnati. Because, in 1960 when I had my tonsils taken out, I remember receiving a toy from "Ruth".

I collected these albums for the fabulous cover art. Both cover art and tracks are professionally produced as you might expect. Ruth had access to some of the best talent in the area.

Spacedout

Enoch Light Presents
Spacedout
Innovations In Stereo Sound The First New Concert Since The Percussion Era
The Total Sound - 1969

Enoch Light is well known. I love many of the album jackets created for his work. His earlier covers in the "Percussion" series are inviting abstract minimalist designs.

This record was, apparently, produced during his decline, after he sold the Command record label. Wikipedia states that his "signature gatefold format along with Light's prose were immediately discontinued" after the sale of Command. However, this 1969 LP is a gatefold with included "prose".

As you can see from the "4 Channel Stereo" sticker he was experimenting with Quadraphonic effects? I actually owned a quadraphonic receiver when I was a kid.

The music is on the light, AM side with just enough "spacedout" feeling to make it very fun. There are four Beatles covers on this record. I offer one as a sample track: OB-LA-DI OB-LA-DA.

Also note that the model's costume is made out of ALUMINUM FOIL!

As stated on the back cover "We believe you'll enjoy the hip harmonics...".

Featuring The Magic Moods of Andre Previn

Featuring The Magic Moods Of Andre Previn & Mike Di Napoli & Trio
Coronet Records CS-181
1959

You will not find "awesome lady in a blue gown in space magic" on this LP. Instead you will hear very nice small combo, piano driven jazz on the A side. The album is a "split" featuring all Napoli on side B. His stuff is formal, lacking the spark of the A side.

Apparently Coronet didn't have enough Previn tunes to fill an entire LP.

If you dig hard enough, I think all of Previn's tracks can be found online for purchase/download so I will not be posting a sample. Sorry!

Side one

I've Got A Feeling I'm Falling
Black And Blue
Fatstuff
Squeeze Me

Side Two

Esana Cani
Gypsy Dance
Habanera
Brazilian Lament
Destine Me

Foreign Soundtrack Surf Music

I Have No Idea (I mean... I have no idea what this album is titled)

Antelope - 196?

From the cover this album looks like a Thai (thanks to Jim for suggesting the country of origin) soundtrack from a 1960s teen drive-in movie. The cover is curious in that the movie stills look like they are from a 60s film. The cover design feels like it was produced in the late 70s. I must say, compared to the printing quality of American albums the screen pattern or printers dot is exceptionally dense. The cover stock is a high gloss (although light weight) paper stock.

All printer's talk aside, the record features some fun surf styled music with singing by actors (songs from the movie?). I have no idea. The singing is VERY nasal and, frankly, horrible. This could be a language or cultural thing. I don't know. I'm trying to be sensitive here.

Enjoy, what... I have no idea!

Wish Me A Rainbow - The Gunter Kallmann Chorus

Romantica

Wish Me A Rainbow

The Gunter Kallmann Chorus with Orchestra and Bells - Sung in English
4 Corners Of The World - Kapp Record

Yes, sung in English. This makes sense as Kallmann worked out of Berlin and this LP was recorded in Germany.

BELLS? Yes! There are bells like broken glass in just about every song as far as I can tell. What a silly gimmick!

What I like about Kallmann LPs is the overwhelming 60s AM radio easy listening sound. It's brutal and crushing!

Romantica? Did this term originate from a Martin Denny project? You can just hear a touch of a German accent if you listen hard enough. BELLS? YES! Listen carefully! There are BELLS!

Today's Top Hits

Way Down

Today's Top Hits - by The Homestead
Homestead Records
1977 By "Fantastic-F, Inc.

Here we have a budget exploitation record. The marketing strategy was to fool the buyer into thinking he was buying the "top hits" of the day by the original artists.

The cover and rear cover are EXACTLY the same. Sporting an cheesy stock photo. Nowhere on the jacket is there a track list.

The track "Way Down" is the last single Elvis put out before his death.

The Belle-Aires

Ticket To Ride (The Beatles)

The Belle-Aires of Bellevue Hight School
1975-76

I have no idea where this Bellevue High School is located.

And I had no idea what to expect out of this effort. I was worried about receiving an album full of grinding chorus. And this LP presents one choral track after another. Not to fear! These kids are amazing! Very professional and not one moment of embarrassment! Oh woe is me!

And there is one popular tune covered: Ticket To Ride, by The Beatles.

Electronic Hair Pieces

Electronic Hair Pieces
A&M Records - 1969

This album is outside the circle of music I usually collect.

The album art appears on the cover of "Incredibly Strange Music Volume II."

This is a Mort Garson experimental Moog synth project.

I must admit that for 1969 this stuff sounds more like 80s low budget movie soundtrack. That's how long the world took to catch up to his Garson's sound.

Free Forms - By Ralph Burns

Terrisita

Free Forms By Ralph Burns
Mercury - 195?

This album is outside of my normal collecting interests. However, the cover art isn't. Love the early "electronic" or "exotica" feel. I hoped for some CRAZY music man, but I didn't get it. Not to say the music, which is jazz(ish) isn't nice, it is. Jazz with orchestration and sprinkled here and there with "easy listening". Almost movie soundtrack like...

This album is a 10 inch 33 and a rare find for a Goodwill treasure... as this type of stuff is usually long gone before I get there.