PRELUDES TO SPRING

by Robert Paul Zajac

SICE RECORDS
1960s

SIDE A:

1. Spring



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2. Happy Wanderer Val-Deri Val-Dera



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3. Stormy Winds Do Blow



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4. Mary Ann



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5. Spanish Cavalier



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SIDE B:

1. Swiss Marching Song



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2. Greensleeves



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3. Believe Me If All These Endearing Young Charms



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4. Black is The Color Of My True Love's Hair



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5. You, You, You're In My Heart



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6. Viva L'amour



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Editor's note: Mr. Zajac lived a relatively short life and much of what can be gleaned from his public life is contained on the back of this record sleeve. That's not to say that he didn't have a fulfilled or accomplished life but little of it leaked into the mainstream news and that's usually a good thing.

The few things I did learn was that he was born on May 14, 1939, enlisted and served in the navy for an undetermined time, turned to teaching and performing music after his service in the 1960s and '70s and passed away October 17, 1981.

As for the record: it's mostly traditional ballads and love songs. His singing is pleasant and varies from folk to operatic lite. If the record quality wasn't so poor this would be an excellent record. Unfortunately there's enough pop, crackle and hiss to lessen the shining moments but it's not for a lack of talent, that's for sure.

I SIT RIGHT DOWN SKA B/W SAN SOUCI SKA

by Lloyd Richards

KALYPSO RECORDS

FSSH-6713/4

1960s?

SIDE A:

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SIDE B:

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Editor's note: I'm not going to pretend that I know anything about ska just as long as you refuse to admit that you're a low frequency pirate. Not that I'm condemning you because somebody's out there scratching at their eyeballs right now trying to find their old Lloyd Richards album and having failed to do so is crawling the net looking for a backup source. That is I. 

This dude, at times, reminds me of a less soulful Otis Redding (that's a fucking compliment because Otis had alllll the soul!) or a more upbeat Freddie Fender and a few others that I've now. Ah- well... have at this scratched up and sullied old thing.

SNOOPYCAT

performed by Marion Anderson


FOLKWAY RECORDS
FC 7770
1963

SIDE A:



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SIDE B:



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Editor's note: this is a great record even if you don't care much for operatic singing. It does seem a bit much for a children's story but the actual rendering of the tale by Anderson is quite excellent. I'm going to play it for my 5 year old and if she likes it then it's done its job. Even if she doesn't like it I'll still listen to it anyway!

ASHES TO ASHES B/W YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT LOVE

by The Mindbenders

FONTANA RECORDS

F-1555

1966

SIDE A:

ASHES TO ASHES

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SIDE B:

YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT LOVE

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Editor's note: the first track, "Ashes to Ashes," is in the vein of a Beatles b-side but catchy nonetheless while "You Don't Know About Love" is a Zombies-esque 3:00 power pop ballad that sticks with me better than the feature song. Neither reached the chart-topping success of their predecessor "A Groovy Kind of Love" which topped out at #2 in both the US and UK and that probably can be attributed to their somewhat drab demeanor. They'd both still make for good selections on a hippy dippy mix tape, if such things even exist any more. 

LISTEN TO ME WEARING DENTURES

by Alvin V. Pensler


EVA-TONE RECORDS
1963
33 1/3


SIDE A:



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Editor's note: first off, with the condition that parts of this flexi disc are in it shouldn't have even made it to the blog. But seeing as how the cassette tapes are being received by the discerning mooches of the internet I thought this might reel a few of you back in.


Yes, the fingernail grooves to the rims of the start and finish give it a rickety cadence but the message still comes through loud and clear: DON'T BE YOUR OWN DENTIST! Strong words from the man with a plan.

DECLARATION OF MISREPRESENTATION

by G-Spot


SELF PUBLISHED
1990s?
CASSETTE





SIDE A:

DECLARATION OF MISREPRESENTATION



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REASON OF SOCIETY



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SIDE B:

REGULATE THE PACE



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Editor's note: being that Yourofsky is an activist I kind of figured this would be either acid metal or gangsta rap and, of course, it's neither. More hip hop political rap or something of that ilk which I know basically nothing about. The one thing that I do know is that I like it. Not in the "I'd go to his concert if he had one" sort of way but in a "I"m happy to pass this shit along to the eager consumer" way. A solid Detroit white-boy rap EP.

DEVELOPING YOUR ESP

by Robert E. Griswold, music by Steven Bergman

EFFECTIVE LEARNING SYSTEMS, INC.
1986
CASSETTE


SIDE A:



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SIDE B:



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Editor's note: I don't want to say that I feel cheated by this recording but I sure expected lots of talking and little music. Not that the music is bad but it's not giving me any subliminal thoughts because I'm busy multi-tasking due to the fact that's what people do when they listen to music. Just the same it's better than REO Speedwagon. 

Ooops, just realized that I listened to the B side first which is apparently the pure music portion of the programming. SIDE A has just about what I expected from the ESP field and some pretty good sections of music which meld into more new age during the lesser parts. Most excellent.

WHO YOU ARE

by David Robinson


CAMPUS CRUSADE FOR CHRIST INTERNATIONAL
1995
CASSETTE

SIDE A:

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Editor's note: I've resisted long enough so let the cassette era officially commence! Since I'm without a worthy camera -- and don't want to post shittier cover art than I already have -- and am chock full of scanners it seems only fitting that I should make the switch. Not that I won't post records again as 45s are within the scanner realm and at some point my poverty will end but I'm feeling the audio cassette for now.

This offering is from Hall of Fame basketball player David Robinson (along with CNN sports anchor Fred Hickman) and delves into his spiritual journey to Christ and some anecdotal biographical material as well. But the gist of the recording is to discover Who U Are by turning to Gawd. Great. Whatever gets you through the night, etc. A well-spoken brutha who might be a fuddy-duddy to some true gangstas but at least the dude ain't broke or in jail.

THE LAST GREMLIN STORY 5

WARNER BROS. RECORDS
1984
33 1/3


SIDE A:



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SIDE B:



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Editor's note: you really don't expect me to research a motherf**@&@@ Gremlin's record do you?

TWO SIDES OF LEONARD NIMOY

by Leonard Nimoy


DOT RECORDS
DLP 25835
1968
STEREO





SIDE A:



Highly Illogical 2:21
The Difference Between Us 2:15
Once I Smiled 2:07
Spock Thoughts 3:00
By Myself 2:15
Follow Your Star 2:29
Amphibious Assault 2:40

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SIDE B:



The Ballad Of Bilbo Baggins 2:18
Cotton Candy 2:34
Gentle On My Mind 2:46
Miranda 2:55
If I Were A Carpenter 2:45
Love Of The Common People 2:45

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Editor's note: I'm sure that this record has been posted elsewhere umpteen times but seeing as I don't look around much at record blogs unless they feature rather obscure stuff I have never heard it myself. Not even a snippet. So, after finding two Spock records at an estate sale I snatched them up and intend to beam them across yer galaxy. Having thus far listened to the first side I am quite impressed! Spock rocks!

HOLLYWOOD EXPOSE AN EVENING IN COPENHAGEN

by Rae Bourbon


UTC RECORDS
UTC 9
1950s?

SIDE A:



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SIDE B:



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Editor's note: Rae Bourbon was a... ah- forget it, a cross-dressing dude from the 1950s needs no introduction! Song, smarmy poetry, faux forced infectious laughter and gossipy stories galore. That he-she put out multiple albums proves once more that vinyl was and is the king. If you'd like to read more about Bourbon check here and here.

PS...Bah- SHIT! I didn't even catch the fact that this isn't "Hollywood Expose" at all but rather "AN EVENING IN COPENHAGEN". That's what happens when you don't check the fucking label in your cross-dressing excitement! Oh well, it's a brilliant freak piece just the same.

ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST / SPIDER'S DELIGHT

by Jimmy "Spiderman" Allen with Dave Hill and Jimmy Hunter


CUE-2 RECORDS
11002
STEREO
1980


SIDE A:



Another One Bites The Dust

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SIDE B:



Spider's Delight

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Editor's note: with yesterday's come-from-behind victory over the Dallas Cowboys the Detroit Lions started the season 4-0 for the first time since 1980. It was during that frenzy of a winning streak that Jimmy "Spiderman" Allen recorded these songs and the town rocked with enthusiasm for a team mired in years of defeat. Shortly after this song was released they lost to the Atlanta Falcons 43-28. They won their next game against the Saints but only went 4-6 the rest of the way, missing the playoffs due to a tiebreaker with the Vikings. As a lifelong sufferer of NFL defeat at the hands of the Lions I figured that jinxing them is almost impossible at this point so here is the song. LIOOOOOOOOOONS!

SIX NONLECTURES: NONLECTURE 1

by E.E. Cummings


CAEDMON RECORDS
TC 1186
1965


SIDE A:



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SIDE B:



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Editor's note: say what you want about poetry but some of the classic poets of the 20th century were the best that the ages have seen. Cummings is one of them. He was a strange amalgamation of silly, sentimental and politically acerbic which is kind of the same framework for my own stupidity. It makes sense because he was one of my first influences and even though he was merely expressing his creative side, a downgrade from his true intellect, I truly am that stupid! Ah- well, such is life. I'd re-do just about everything but not the Cummings phase. You'll probably disagree with his merits as a literary force but that's your problem.

SPOOKY HALLOWEEN

by The Wonderland Singers


WONDERLAND RECORDS
LP-293
STEREO
1974





SIDE A:



There Is a Haunted House In Town
Around The Block And Up The Street
Ghoul Days, Ghoul Days
We Are The Witches Three
Bats In The Belfry
As The Witched Go Flying Along
A Halloween Song
The Pumpkin Man
Halloween Is All Around

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SIDE B:



I've Been Working On My Costume
It's A Good Old Halloween
Halloween Friends
The Pumpkin On The VIne
Have A Happy Halloween
Twinkle, Twinkle, Candlelight
Trick Or Treat

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Editor's note: other than a short snippet of Halloween effects at the beginning of the first side this hardly qualifies as a Halloween record. Most, if not all of the tracks, are classic songs given new lyrics to fit the Halloween theme. Which isn't the worst idea but it's surely geared for 6 year olds and not so 35 year old beatnik from Paris who downloads 300 LPs a day on the internet. Seeing as this is the only new Hallo-record I could find this year in the dollar bins at the thrift stores I'm pretty disappointed in this one.

IS HEALTH THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM? QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

by Dr. Ernie Panza, narrated by Jim Miller


T-TOWN RECORDS
31419/31420
33 1/3
1970s?


SIDE A:



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SIDE B:



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Editor's note: well now... I found this lucky surprise inside an LP entitled "The Golden Facts of Life --- And Health" by Reginald R. Gold, D. C., PH. C.. I don't know if I just put the 45 in there after buying them from a local Salvation Army or if it was in there and I somehow missed it when I perused the wax to verify its playability chances. Either way it's here and it's about chiropractic! I hope you enjoy this because the full length LP by Gold will be coming sooner than later. Of course I've said such things before and then disappeared for months on end. We'll see.

As for Panza himself: I think he is still with us but it could be his son or just another guy with the same name and profession. Not that it matters since nobody can take Panza away from us now!