11/26/12

Bugs Bunny & His Friends (Capitol, 1961)

Things aren't rosy here at The Sphinx.  Apparently one of the last LP's I discussed is available as an official CD, so it was pulled....which is totally my fault, and I will be researching the official availability of items from now on.  That said, it's hard for me to imagine anyone getting bent out of shape over a crackly old LP rip.  It's like me walking up to you on the street, and handing you a blotchy photocopy of the Declaration of Independence...it's not the real thing; it's an image of the real thing.  If you wanted the real thing, you would go and buy it...and, maybe the photocopy I gave you would encourage you to actually DO that, after all!
That said, I am always willing to INSTANTLY remove anything that doesn't need to be here.  Of course, I have to be asked, which is the least the offended party can do.
That's strike two.  Next time something like that happens, and I bind up somebody's panties, it will be the end of any vinyl rarities on this blog, and we can just talk about collecting Godzilla stuff all day.

Okay, rant over. Here we have a neat old LP that is pretty rare (and unavailable on CD, I will hasten to add).  This is a Capitol album issued in 1961, with some neat Chuck Jones-era-styled artwork, that is actually a compilation of 78's that were issued much earlier, in the 40's and 50's.  All of this wouldn't have mattered to any kid in 1961, because by then, television had made the Warner Bros. cartoons even more accessible, and part of any child's mindset.
While many records of this ilk can be pretty sparse and occasionally dull, these stories actually come close to being audio cartoons, because some of the same writers, artists, etc., worked on them; because of the presence of Mel Blanc and June Foray, and because their running length is equivalent to an animated short.  

Enjoy these, in the spirit in which it is intended!

4 comments:

Chris Sobieniak said...

Let alone inspiring the recent CGI-animated adaptations of several of those 78's as well, though they should wouldn't do "Porky Pig in Africa" these days.

I noticed they continued selling this LP into the late 70's through comic book ads I've noticed, sometimes getting re-issued under other labels like ZIV International.

Sampoerna Quatrain said...

You know, though, I was really surprised, but "Porky Pig In Africa" didn't go in "that" direction. It more reminded me of the early WB animal-joke-pastiches like "A Day at the Zoo" or "Who's Who At the Zoo," rather than "Coal Black!" I guess that was too easy even for them.
Another thing is, it may be improper speed controls, but hearing Porky without seeing him is a weird feeling. It just sounds like Bugs Bunny to me, and I've never gotten that feeling while actually watching a cartoon. It took me a minute to realize what was going on, even!

Chris Sobieniak said...

True. You begin to realize how often Mel's voice was sped up for some of those voices to work. Porky's voice is basically Bugs sped up, same for Daffy as it's a sped-up Sylvester.

Sampoerna Quatrain said...

And if anyone wants proof that Daffy and Sylvester are the same voice, check out the recent post of "Capitol Presents Bugs Bunny" at Kiddie Records Weekly: http://www.kiddierecords.com/mgac/index_3.htm
The "Daffy Flies South" story has no speed adjustments whatsoever, and all I can picture in my mind is Sylvester the Cat, flying through the air!