Myron Floren Disco Polka

Polka and Disco, two great music genres that go great together.

And Myron Floren was able to make that happen!

The year was 1977, and disco hit the big time with movies like Saturday Night Fever and acts like the Bee Gees, Donna Summer and Chic provided the music at discotheques like Studio 54.

And it was only natural for Lawrence Welk's Musical Family to put on their boogie shoes, with the Happy Norwegian leading the way!

This album contains several of your favorites done with that disco sound, such as this treatment of the Beer Barrel Polka.

And also the Clarinet Polka....

Let's see John Travolta and his white polyester suit groove to that!

Myron Floren Disco Polka

Natalie Nevins with an inspirational album

Time to probe back into my record collection, and today I found this gem.

 

It's titled "Miss Natalie Nevins singing I Believe and other Great Inspirational Songs"

This Ranwood Records release from 1968 I guess highlights Natalie's pure singing voice accompanied by great backing vocals from her fellow Champagne Music Makers and fine band work by the orchestra such as Bob Ralston at the organ and Frank Scott at the harpischord.

It's an album filled with religious and inspirational songs...here are two cuts for your listening pleasure.
 

The first one is "It Is No Secret" 

And the next one is her version of "Climb Every Mountain"

Here's the complete listing of songs, found on ebay or an vinyl store near you! (If you search hard enough)

SIDE ONE

1. I BELIEVE (2:20)

2. YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE (2:35)

3. IT IS NO SECRET (2:40)

4. BLESS THIS HOUSE (2:40)

5. ANYONE CAN MOVE A MOUNTAIN (2:32)

6. I KNOW WHAT GOD IS (2:20)

SIDE TWO

1. CLIMB EVERY MOUNTAIN (2:32)

2. IF I CAN HELP SOMEBODY (2:38)

3. SUDDENLY THERE IS A VALLEY (2:16)

4. HE (2:25)

5. SOMEBODY BIGGER THAN YOU & I (2:35)

6. LOOK TO THE RAINBOW (2:42)

Natalie Nevins with an inspirational album

Galveston was never a pain in the brass

Galveston was one of the first Lawrence Welk albums I bought and to this day, it's still one of my favorites

 

It's got that big brassy sound provided by the Champagne Music Makers, especially from the horn section plus some great guitar and keyboard work as well.

Several of the songs covered are just a few of the many hit songs that Glen Campbell made famous.

 

Here are a few cuts from the album for your listening pleasure....

 

Galveston....the title track (Glen Campbell)

 

Honey....first made famous by Bobby Goldsboro

 

And finally....Gentle On My Mind (Rhinestone Cowboy Glen again)

Galveston was never a pain in the brass

The Lawrence Welk Singers and Orchestra

This one is another of my albums from my vinyl collection....

Released to the public by Ranwood Records in 1968, it's filled with very peppy, catchy and upbeat tunes that are sung by members of the Musical Family.

Songs like "Land Of Dreams", "Our Kind Of Music", "Better Use Your Head" and "Gonna Get Along Without You Mow" are examples of that wonderful sounds of 1960s pop music.

Here's three of such songs that are here for your listening pleasure...

 

First, here's "Chauson De' Amour"

 

Next, here's the gang singing "Together"

 

And for the grand finale, the always catchy "Secret Love"

 

The Lawrence Welk Singers and Orchestra

Lawrence Welk presents Guy & Ralna

Guy & Ralna have made several albums over the years, but this one from my collection is the one that started it all....

It's easy listening for any Welk fan....a mixture of country songs and popular standards such as "Let It Be Me", "If I Were a Carpenter", "Love of the Common People" and "Edelweiss"

Here's two of the tracks for your listening pleasure....

The first one is their cover of the Everly Brothers' "Bye Bye Love"

And this one is titled "My Happiness"

Lawrence Welk presents Guy & Ralna

My album collection: Lennons go country

Have you ever imagined the Lennon Sisters singing country songs on shows such as Hee Haw, The Wilburn Brothers or the Porter Wagoner show?

From my knowledge, that never actually happened....nor there's any proof that Dee Dee, Peggy, Kathy and Janet sang at the Grand Ol' Opry, but on this album "The Lennon Sisters Pop Country"....it's the closest they got.

And it's a very good album...The sisters sound great as always!

It's a mix of their trademark harmonies, along with impeccable solo vocals by Kathy as they cover country pop songs such as Dottie West's "Here Comes My Baby Back Again", Lynn Anderson's "Promises, Promises" and Bill Anderson's "Still."
And it's produced by the talents of one Snuff Garrett and released by Mercury Records in 1968....it's worth listening.
SIDE ONE
1. MY SPECIAL ANGEL (2:12)
2. HERE COMES MY BABY BACK AGAIN (2:28)
3. FUNNY HOW TIME SLIPS AWAY (2:27)
4. MISTY BLUE (2:45)
5. I HATE TO SEE ME GO (2:05)
6. TEAR TIME (2:37)
SIDE TWO
1. WHEN TWO WORLD'S COLLIDE (2:00)
2. DON'T FORGET I STILL LOVE YOU (2:29)
3. A THING CALLED SADNESS (2:30)
4. TIPS OF MY FINGERS (2:35)
5. PROMISES, PROMISES (2:05)
6. STILL (2:28)

My album collection: Lennons go country

Candida

And now, let's go back into my record collection and take a look at another one of my vintage vinyl albums....

Today, we look at another one of my favorites....the Lawrence Welk Candida album which was released by Ranwood Records in 1971. It has a great collection of the day's popular songs done champange style by the music makers.

Two of my favorites include "Something" and "We've Only Just Begun" with Tanya Falan providing the vocals.

I also liked their arrangement of "We Can Make Music" sung by the musical family, that song just says it all.

Here's a rundown of all the songs on the album....

SIDE ONE

1. CANDIDA - featuring Guy Hovis & chorus (2:15)

2. LOOK WHAT THEY'VE DONE TO MY SONG MA - The Welk Singers with Peanuts Hucko on clarinet (2:25)

3. SNOWBIRD - Sandi Griffths & Sally Flynn (2:07)

4. STAND BY YOUR MAN - Ralna English (2:00)

5. CLOSE TO YOU - The Welk Singers (2:30)

SIDE TWO

1. CRACKLIN' ROSIE - Instrumental (2:40)

2. SOMETHING - Tanya Falan and girls chorus (2:32)

3. WE CAN MAKE MUSIC - The Welk Singers (2:25)

4. WE'VE ONLY JUST BEGUN - Tanya Falan (2:20)

5. ENDLESSLY - Instrumental with the Welk Singers (2:14)

Candida

Let It Be Me

Looking into my record vault, here's a rare vinyl that is pleasant music guaranteed.....it's the Ranwood Records release of Tanya Falan's solo album titled "Let It Be Me".

It took me a long while to track this one done (it's very rare and hard to find!) but once I got a hold of a copy, it's become one of my most prized Welk collectibles.

And the whole album sounds great too!

One of my personal favorite tracks listed is her rendition of "Can't Buy Me Love" which was also featured on the "Musical Tour of the USA" episode, I hate to break it to all the Beatles fans but her version is much better!

There's also her version of "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin" as well as "Lydia Purple" and "Just A Little Lovin".

Here's a complete rundown of tracks.....

SIDE ONE

1. Just A Little Lovin' (2:15)

2. Grow Up Love (2:05)

3. It's A Sometimes World (2:09)

4. Can't Buy Me Love (1:55)

5. Hey Jude (4:25)

SIDE TWO

1. You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' (3:40)

2. Lydia Purple (2:54)

3. Let It Be Me (3:14)

4. Baby What I Mean (2:05)

5. For As Long As I Live (2:58)

Let It Be Me

No No Nanette

It's Friday once again, we look into my record collection and find another wunnerful Lawrence Welk album, "No No Nanette."

This one has always been one of my personal favorites, the selections are from the popular Broadway play of the same name and it's very pleasant listening done champagne style!

And I also like the episode where the Welk stars perform the songs, their excitement and enthusiasm shows in their performances.

It also features Mary Lou Metzger's singing the title track, which I do believe has been released by Decca as a 45 single in 1971.

Here's the whole breakdown of the album, find it either on ebay or your record swap shop and you "want to be happy" too!

LAWRENCE WELK: PLAYS SELECTIONS FROM THE BROADWAY MUSICAL SMASH!

NO, NO, NANETTE

SIDE ONE

TEA FOR TWO - featuring Norma Zimmer, Jimmy Roberts & Chorus

TOO MANY RINGS AROUND ROSIE - Girls Chorus

I'VE CONFESSED TO THE BREEZE - Guy & Ralna

I WANT TO BE HAPPY - Tanya Falan Welk & Chorus

SIDE TWO

NO, NO, NANETTE - Mary Lou Metzger, Bob Lido with The Hotsy Totsy Boys

YOU CAN DANCE WITH ANY GIRL AT ALL - Sandi & Sally with clarinet solo by Peanuts Hucko

"WHERE HAS MY HUBBY GONE'' BLUES - Guy & Ralna

CALL OF THE SEA - Ken Delo

TAKE A LITTLE ONE STEP - The Lawrence Welk Singers

GIRLS CHORUS: Norma Zimmer, Ralna English, Sandi Griffiths, Sally Flynn, Tanya Falan Welk & Gail Farrell

BOYS CHORUS: Guy Hovis, Ken Delo, Dick Dale, Bob Lido, Charlie Parlato & Curt Ramsey

Released by Ranwood Records (1971), produced by George Cates, Lawrence Welk and Randy Wood

No No Nanette

On The Groovy Side with the Lennon Sisters

It all began with a brief clip from "Lawrence Welk's TV Treasures,"

The clip I was referring to was the Lennon Sisters with their rendition of The Fifth Dimension's super hit "Up Up And Away", after hearing just a few bars of that song, I liked it and found it catchy....but what album did that song come from?

Enter my friend, the Shirl who runs the popular Lennon Sisters Blog...

She told me that the track came from the Lennon Sisters' On The Groovy Side album, and with that....I found a print of the album on sale for ebay, bid on it and won it.

In addition to "Up Up And Away" the album has plenty of great songs on there, such as "Ode To Billy Joe", "Prisoner Of Love" and "Sunny."

Thanks Shirl....and here's the fun track listings and stuff for "On The Groovy Side"

SIDE ONE

1. GOIN' OUT OF MY HEAD

2. TILL

3. SUNNY

4. NEVER MY LOVE

5. I LOVE

6. UP, UP AND AWAY

SIDE TWO

1. I WILL WAIT FOR YOU

2. PRISONER OF LOVE

3. GYPSY, WHAT CAN I DO

4. ODE TO BILLY JOE

5. COUNT ME IN

Released by Dot Records in 1967, produced by Snuffy Garrett

On The Groovy Side with the Lennon Sisters

My Album Collection: Live At Lake Tahoe

Straight from my record collection, here's another vintage Lawrence Welk album that's worth listening to,

And best of all, it's Live! From the fabulous resort town of Lake Tahoe!

This was first recorded during the summer of 1978, when Lawrence Welk and his musical family were doing their annual summer engagement of concerts from the Harrah's casino and hotel in Tahoe, maybe some of you guys had the chance to see them perform there....but this album contains live performances of the music makers doing what they do best.

It all makes for very pleasant listening on this fine two-record set, here's a complete rundown of all the songs.

SIDE ONE

Fanfares and Opening Announcements

I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles

When Day Is Done - orchestra and chorus conducted by George Cates

Granada - Anacani

Who Can I Turn To - Joe Feeney and chorus

Deep River - Henry Cuesta

SIDE TWO

You Light Up My Life - Guy & Ralna

I Won't Last A Day Without You - Tom Netherton

Chattanooga Choo Choo - orchestra with Gail, Sandi & Mary Lou

The Way We Were - Kathie Sullivan with Joe Livoti

Wait 'Til The Sun Shines, Nellie - tap dancing by Arthur Duncan

SIDE THREE

The Hawaiian Wedding Song - Ken Delo & Girls

Dance Of The Comedians - Myron Floren

Beer Barrell Polka - Myron Floren

You're Getting To Be A Habit With Me - Dick Dale

You Made Me Love You - Johnny Zell

Mississippi Mud - Larry Hooper & Quartet

Catch A Falling Star - Girls' Chorus

SIDE FOUR

Star Wars - orchestra

Cotton Fields - The Aldridge Sisters and Otwell Twins

La Vie En Rose - Lawrence Welk, Myron Floren and Jimmy Roberts

Bucket To The South - Ava Barber

Panama - orchestra (solos by Johnny Zell, Russ Klein, Bob Smale, Bob Havens & Paul Humphrey)

Panama Reprise - orchestra

Adios, Au Revior, Auf Wiedershen - entire cast

My Album Collection: Live At Lake Tahoe

Complete track listing: Go Away Little Girl

Oh, I forgot to add to my previous post the complete track listing for the "Go Away Little Girl" album....so here it is,

SIDE ONE

Go Away Little Girl - Guy Hovis
Never Ending Song Of Love - Sandi & Sally
Theme From "Summer Of '42" - Bob Ralston
I Hear Those Church Bells Ringing - Ralna English
The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down - Clay Hart
Sweet City Woman - Guy Hovis

SIDE TWO

He's So Fine - Sandi & Sally
Take Me Home, Country Roads - Guy & Ralna
Never My Love - Instrumental
Rainy Days and Mondays - Tanya Falan
What Are You Doing Sunday - Guy Hovis
Adios, Au Revior, Auf Wiedersehn - Vocal Chorus & Instrumental

Complete track listing: Go Away Little Girl

My album collection: Go Away Little Girl

Since many you know that this blogmaster likes to collect vintage vinyl albums, it's a nice Friday so far so I'll tell you about one of them!

This week is Lawrence Welk's "Go Away Little Girl"

First released in late 1971 by Ranwood Records, it's one of many of the Maestro's albums that feature his musical family in a wide variety of musical tastes for the time....and it's very pleasant listening as well!

Two of the songs listed in the album, were heard on last week's "Salute to Los Angeles" episode they are,

"Go Away Little Girl" by Guy Hovis, and "Rainy Days and Mondays" by Tanya Falan

There's also even more great songs on the album, some of them include....

"The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" featuring Clay Hart, "Never Ending Song Of Love" by Sandi & Sally

plus terrfic instrumentals by the Welk orchestra such as....

Theme from "Summer Of '42" with Bob Ralston on piano and "Never My Love" by the Champagne Music Makers

And the last track on the album, fittingly is the closing song we all know and love, "Adios, Au Revoir, Auf Wiedershen."

In all, there are a dozen fine songs in all....check out ebay, or your local record trading place to get this album, that is if you don't have it.

My album collection: Go Away Little Girl

Paczki and Records

Happy Paczki Day everyone.....or Happy Fat Tuesday to be exact.

Earlier today, I went up to Detroit for some vinyl record shopping at Car City Records in St. Clair Shores...they got a really nice collection of 45s and 78s of all genres. Here's me in my car, making the trip north up I-75 and as you can tell, the weather is starting to improve from last week....

And inside Car City Records....a sampling of what they have in stock.

I purchased four neat albums; Simon & Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water", The Watergate Comedy Hour, Jim Nabors' "Everything Is Beautiful" and of course.....Lawrence Welk's 34 Sparkling Melodies, another classic Ranwood Records release.

After an hour and a half of vinyl huntin'....it's off to nearby Hamtramck to get some tasty paczkis, I found this nice Polish bakery, The New Polka Bakery on Conant Avenue where I got a half dozen of tasty Bavarian Chocolates.

And boy are they delicious! Notice I had one already....and like me, you don't have to be Polish to celebrate Paczki Day.

Admit it....looking at these treats are making you hungry, I wonder what kind of paczkis the Music Makers like the best?

Also, today is Mardi Gras....hope the folks down in New Orleans are having fun!

Paczki and Records