Everything You Always Wanted To Hear On The Moog (Columbia, 1967)

Everything?

Mmm, well now, I don't know about everything, but here are some things you may have, at one time,  in fact, wanted to hear on the Moog.

Or not.  This album does have some great cover art!

There was quite an upswelling of Moog LP's, once upon a time, as a trend, just like right before that, it had been sitars, everywhere sitars.  This is definitely one of them.

One thing to keep in mind about these types of albums, is that, by this time, even though the Moog had "a piano-like keyboard," as the liner notes tell us, it only had a two-note polyphony...therefore, it took a very, very long time to record this album (I believe it said 2 years in the liner notes).

It's an interesting album.  I bought a similar one on the same day, that was made up of entirely instrumental Moog versions of "Nashville country" songs, and I came away much preferring this one (although I will admit, I have never been a fan of "Bolero," and that endless song takes up the entire second side).

LINK:  Everything...............................................................................Moog (1967)

The House At Pooh Corner - Now We Are Six (Wonderland Records, 1974)

Here is an interesting rarity, especially in the D*sney-glutted world that we now find ourselves living in.  (I swear, if they ever buy Lego, I'm leaving the planet.)

The good news is, here are some Pooh stories--side one contains the famous Blustery Day, as well as the equally famous arrival of Tigger; side two contains poems and songs from NOW WE ARE SIX--that are completely devoid of any D*sney-fication.  In other words, probably closer to what was originally intended (which I have always pictured as a sort of Wind In the Willows-type of calm elegance).

The further good news is, somebody (probably not Wonderland, if history teaches us anything) spent some money on it, between a cast and an orchestra.

The bad news is, I didn't like it much.  Personally, I found most of the voices either grating, or just very wrong.  There was a moment in the first side, even,  that I suspected it was all the same person, who wasn't doing a very good job trying to come up with more voices (especially Piglet).  By the time I got to side two,where an attempt has been made to put most of the contents to music, everything became a cloying, sing-songy mess.

Now, your mileage may vary, and I certainly hope it does.  You may have grown up with this record, and I'm sure I would like it much better if I had done the same.  In the end, to me, it's really more of an oddity for my growing record collection.  (Oh, by the way, eagle-eyed viewers will notice the VHS sticker at the corner of the front cover! I can assure you there is no video component to our presentation.)

LINK:  House At Pooh Corner - Now We Are Six (Wonderland, 1974)

Return of the Jedi Lobby Card (20th-Century-Fox, 1983)

My immediate goal was to have one lobby card from each of the three original films, so I picked my favorite of the bunch from the ROTJ ones.  This is #8, the Max Rebo Band.

Batman Theme Collection: disc two (Leaping Fox)

NOTE: This project has been completely redone and replaced; SEE THIS BAT-LINK for the whole thing!

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Continuing from where we left off, here is the second disc of covers and versions of the Batman Theme.  A few years back, there were two "unofficial" vinyl records put out, and in very low numbers, under the title Batman Theme and Batman Theme Returns.  Those albums focused on 1966-67 releases, and apparently, they did a really thorough job.  These volumes will expand on that greatly!

That said, there are probably more released versions in existence, especially in the later years.  

Inlay (for clear jewel case)

Batman Theme Collection: disc one (Leaping Fox)

NOTE: This project has been completely redone and replaced; SEE THIS BAT-LINK for the whole thing!

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Here's a project I have been wanting to undertake for several years now.  This set collects fifty-one (51) versions of the 1966 Batman Theme. 

You may wonder: "Woah, there...why listen to the same song over and over?"  But the truth is, it's hardly the same song, because there are many styles and interpretations, including surf rock, big-band jazz, ska/reggae, soul, and many more, all the way to acid house, from all over the world.

I tried to stick to the rule of mostly "real, actual releases."  I'm sure that there are endless homemade varieties on the Internets, but I steered clear of children twanging rulers in tune (there is ACTUALLY a video on YouTube of a pug "singing" along with the song).  Sources are listed for each track.

Happy Melodies From Tupperware's 1975 Happyland Jubilee

Yes, that title is a mouthful, and it's nearly longer than this entire record.
What do we have here? Well, from the best that I can tell, this is an album from Tupperware.  If you don't know what that word means, here is the short answer, courtesy of Wikipedia:  

"Tupperware is the name of a home products line that includes preparation, storage, containment, and serving products for the kitchen and home. It also includes plastic containers used to store goods and/or food."

It's generally sold through "Tupperware Parties," social events where people get together, look at the newest products, sometimes demonstrate them, and place orders.  I remember it being a big deal when I was a kid, and apparently it continues to this good day.  Into the billions of dollars, so I wish I'd invented it.

So, back to our record...I wish I could show you the cover, but this album was inside of another Tupperware sleeve (a 1976--you guessed it--Bicentennial-Themed album), and all my searching has yielded no photos.  Discogs yields nothing...in fact, the listing in their database is my own doing.

Anyway, apparently, there were themes chosen for each year of Tupperware sales (we saw this in the Tupperware Flexi-Disc I posted recently).  I am guessing that each local agent (the person who would host their local party) was sent an album each year. What I am not sure of is how it was used.  Either it was meant to be played at a Tupperware party, or it was meant to be enjoyed privately at the home of the host, to "educate" them about the theme of the year.  

Either way, the results couldn't have been good. 

I really am at a loss to describe what you are (with fear and trembling) about to hear.  No amount of words, either kind or accurate, can really do it justice.  And, I say all that, and this record is less than fourteen minutes.  Shorter than one side of an average record.  You will come to think of this as a positive thing.

The greatest lyric in the whole thing is from "Lois Lane Lament":

Superman is super, super, super, yes indeed 

LINK:  Happyland (at your own risk)