Individualization

Mirror Game

Activities For Individualization In Movement And Music
For Grades K-6
Educational Activities, Inc.  AR 49
1973

A record for K-6 who can read alien? I mean, it took me a moment to figure out what that big word was written in the 70s Space Type. What kid is going to understand the title? In fact, I'm 53 and have no idea what it means.

There is no way that there will be anything of interest to share from this record, right? The songs, for the most part, are about shaking body parts and hopping around. You know, like a pink bunny wrote the music. But listen to the last track on the A side. I kid you not. I think this song was recorded by The White Rabbit.

Of course, one of the authors is listed as Henry "Buzz" Glass. Note, this is a cover of Scarborough Fair (which Simon & Garfunkel made famous).

Enjoy!

Dance Around The World In SRS Hotels

Singapur

Dance Around The World In SRS Hotels
EMI Electrola - Press in Germany

SRS is Steigenberger Reservation Service. This Album was created to "introduce" SRS. I can't imagine how the LP was distributed so that the advertising produced return on investment.

I bought the LP as an advertising collectible and didn't expect much from it. But there are a good number of great 60s flavored pop jazz tunes on the LP, a few with a touch of exotica. The song choices make the album good and quirky. The effort is as interesting as many of the easy listening/pop/world recordings made during this time.

Don't judge a book by the cover.

Music For Young Lovers

The Thrill Is Gone

Music For Young Lovers
The Organ Masters
Camden/RCA CAS-2412
1970

Today's slice of audio life is this perfect 1970s easy listening album pressed on Camden (RCA's budget label). And budget it is. The jacket notes do not make note of who the "Organ Masters" are. Are they like the Puppet Masters? What organs are they masters over? The small intestines? You think the notes would go over this.

The jacket notes do say: Love is what counts. The Organ Masters prove the point.

The Thrill Is Gone is the heaviest tune on the LP. How could you ask for more love to start your day?

Hawaii - Nearer Than You Think

Ke Kali Nei Au

Hawaii - Nearer Than You Think... Lovelier Than You Dream

This is a very interesting private press produced by Trade Wind Tours Of Hawaii.

This very expensive and complex print project was apparently a handout to folks who signed on to take a tour with Trade Wind. There are so many pages (30 single pages) that the album had to be coil bound.

All the pages are full color.

The record features The Hilo Hawaiians. Honeymoon In Hawaii (their first record).

The book goes into detailed covering the geography of The Big Island and surrounding islands. There is a wonderful illustrated map of the island chain along with other illustrated maps featuring individual islands. There are many pages of Hawaiian history. A page of what to bring with you on your vacation. And it finishes up with a look at Pearl Harbor, The Polynesian Cultural Center, Honolulu and Paradise and Sea Life Park.

It's Polka Time

Polka Chips Polka

It's Polka Time
Stan Wolowic and The Polka Chips
ABC-Paramont ABC-151
1957

Normally, it is never polka time around The Art Villa. But this album sported a fun graphic and fun play on words. Apparently Stan Wolowic was a regular on Polka Time, an ABC Television Series that appeared on the network from July 1956 to September 1957.

This record was release in January, 1957.

A 52 year old polka never ages does it?

The Desert Song - RCA Victor 10 Inch 78 RPM Set

Love's Dear Yearing - Side 5

Gems From The Desert Song
RCA Victor Musical Smart Set
Harbach - Hammerstein, II - Mandel - Romberg

With Earl Wrightson, Frances Greer, Jimmy Carroll, The Guild Choristers and Al Goodman and his Orchestra.

This record set is outside of my normal collecting area. But I couldn't resist the great cover art and 33¢ thrift price.

This is an 8 sided, 10 inch, 78 RPM set.  This version of The Desert Song is from the 1943 movie.  I suspect the movie is visually grand as it was filmed in Technicolor.

My set is missing one record (side 1-8).

Songs And Stories About Cuddly Teddy Bears

Sweetie Bear

Songs And Stories About Cuddly Teddy Bears
Diplomat Records
Rocking Horse Series 5025

AHHHHH!!!! Everyone loves a Cuddly Teddy Bear!

Curious LP of collected children songs. Most songs sound like they were plucked from 1940s 78 RPM children records. So the music is well done and quite fun compared to horrible 60s and 70s children records.

Interestingly... Diplomat ran out of bear songs so they tacked an Ostrich and Donkey song onto the end of the LP. But Sweetie Bear is more cuddly... Ostriches are mean as hell.

Fallout Protection - What To Know And Do About Nuclear Attack

Fallout Protection

What To Know And Do About Nuclear Attack
Department Of Defense - Office Of Civil Defense
H-6 December 1961

Another source for great amusement is any government booklet that features helpful hints on what to do if someone drops the big one on your house.

In one photo we have a family building a shelter as a wholesome group activity. After you boys get finished maybe we'll have time to grill out! Ha! Ha! Mom... When they drop the big one we will be the ones grilling out! Oh... you! Don't worry dear, little Bobby is just so excited about death, horrible sickness and the ensuing mayhem that will bring about the complete breakdown of societal structures that he CAN'T wait!

Atomic Wasteland? You can fix that up with a little pressure to a cut, a splint and your local fire department can wash all that nasty radiation down into the city sewer system with their fire hoses and push brooms.

I'm sorry dear... but you have to quit trying to breath life into our son, he's dead.  Oh... and we are eating the dog for supper tonight can you skin it for me?

Yup. Governments backed by stupid people will try anything once including a little doomsday fun! Don't say that I didn't warn you.

Real Relaxation

Daytime Relaxation

Real Relaxation
A Prime Key To Good Health
Gol Records, Lexington MA 1970

Vanity press record by Gladys Ruth Kanter who for some reason refers to herself as "Gol, a graduate Public Health Nurse".

Interesting LP. The A side is a lesson in "relaxation techniques of letting go". As in... keep letting go of your buttocks and other parts of your body. I was concerned about letting go of my buttocks as you might well imagine. This particular exercise may have prompted Gol to print this cautionary note on the back cover: To obtain the most benefit from this record, be sure not to strain, grunt, or hold your breath at any time during your practice.

I found it humorous that after, say... the first 20 minutes of the A side Gol tells us to relax, maybe go to sleep for the next 5 minuets and then... just lets the record play... completely blank for the next 5 minuets.

That 5 minuets of blank LP... that worries me... that I paid for that part of the LP and didn't get anything for my money. I just can't let go. I can't.

Emotional Problems Of Growing Up

These booklets are usually good for a laugh because techniques and presentation becomes dated. Which makes me believe that all "self-help" books are about 30% helpful and 70% worthless trend.

Anyway, the cover sports a great photo of a "troubled youth". This was probably the kid mentioned in the book who was told that if he didn't masturbate until his 18 birthday that his Dad would give him a gold watch.

Or this could be the kid that was never offered a prize one way or the other.

When I was growing up I didn't know all the other kids were getting prizes.

Life is so complicated!

Melody Lee

Indian Love Call & By The Waters Of Minnetonka

Music! Music!! Music!!!
When Melody Lee Plays Melodies

Vanity press from Loma Linda, CA.

Minty fresh from sealed shrink it's Melody Lee! Cute record with the A side containing Lee's organ numbers and the B side, the accordion numbers.

The jacket notes are interesting in that the copy goes into how "Melody has never attended a school for the blind. She has taken her place among the sighted and much of the time with superior grades." Along with other copy written to let us know that Lee can do "sighted" things.

We are drawn to the gimmick like flies. Interesting how we love unusual people and then immediately try make them "normal" so that we can feel comfortable around them.

Lee also brings "music and cheer to the aged in rest homes and playing for those in jail."

Note that the aged get the "music and cheer" while she just "plays" for those in jail because, maybe prisoners don't deserve any cheer in their wretched lives. I can't imagine introducing a little girl to jail anyway. Seems scary and like you are asking for trouble.

Out Of This World - Richard Marino Orchestra

Misty

Out Of This World
Richard Marino Orchestra
Liberty Records LSS 14007
1961

Today's slice of my audio life is a completely wonderful exotica LP produced by the amazing Liberty Record Label.

The jacket is an expensive affair. The four corner circles are die-cut through the jacket to reveal the printing of the high quality paper stock album sleeve. Lot's of expensive full color printing.

The music is perhaps just a touch less spacey then the cover suggests. The tracks are all covers of popular tunes that have something to do with the "heavens". This is easy listening with, for the most part, "spacey" lead ins and lead outs. But the engineer (Ted Keep) and Marino do an excellent job of blending audio effects. And the songs blend together to create a mellow and dreamy space scape. The LP is well worth adding to your collection.

Martin Denny - Taste Of India

Hypnotique

Martin Denny
A Taste Of India
Liberty Records LST-7550 1968

I know... Denny's all over the place. But I like to pile on something good. Today's slice of my audio life comes from this wonderful LP, A Taste Of India.

I was pleasantly surprised by this Denny offering. To me, this album seems more American easy listening/exotica. The Indian musical influences, with the exception of the Sitar, seem almost non-existent. There is one great cover of Incense And Peppermints on this LP which goes a touch beyond easy listening and is a bit out-of-place compared to tone found on the other tracks.

According to the jacket notes, Denny also included the instruments Tabla and Tamboura which he brought back from India. The last track on the B side, A Touch Of India, has more Asian influences and may be closer to the sound folks buying the LP might have expected to hear.

Put this LP on the turntable when you are in the mood for sitting back and enjoying a terrific mix of easy listening/exotica with a taste of India!

Enjoy!