Anyone Else Into Pop Vocal Music (non-rock) of the '40s & '50s?

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Also had a TV show with ZaSu Pitts titled OH SUSANNA--THE GALE STORM SHOW where she was the cruise director on a luxury liner. The two of them were always neck deep in some shenanigans and escaped disaster only at the last minute. On one program, she thinks about leaving her job to stay home with her aging father. While at home, she stands by a large globe and sings in a very nice voice a song titled: Those Far Away Places with the Strange Sounding Names. As she twirls the globe, she decides she cannot leave her job on the ship.

ZaSu Pitts was well known in Hollywood circles for her candies which she shared with her co-workers. When she lived in Brentwood, her house had a round kitchen, the height of Art Deco styling. In her book Candy Hits by ZaSu Pitts, she tells the story of a party during the silent film era. She was asked to dance, but admitted that she did not know the simplest step. As that young man walked away, a voice said, "I'll teach you, ZaSu." Turning around, she discovered that the offer was made by Rudolph Valentino. I guess that would make just about anybody's day.
 
I have been collecting this music since I was given a bushel basket of records by my aunt in 1955 and still enjoy it today.

I have been fortunate to find most of it in original form in the times when no one else wanted a '78.

They perform really well on good quality vintage equipment which is properly maintained or restored.

As the restoration of vintage electronics as well as other items has been my lifelong business, I have always been able to take the cream of the crop for myself and sell off the rest, therefore upgrading as possible.

Happy New Year to all and happy listening,
Mike A.

http://www.monitortop.com
 
Crosley is still making an old-fashioned portable record changer with 78 rpm speed on it. I'm tempted to get it and start collecting 78s again. While I'm enjoying my hiss and scratch-free 40s music via iPod, there is something to be said about stacking up 78s on a record changer and watching them go.
 
No mention of....

Steve & Edie Gourmet??? I have an vinyl album of their's somewhere around here.

My parents bought a reproduction Victrola back in the late '50's. (They had bought an entire house of Colonial Type furniture in the late 50's)

My father, some how, attached a turquoise radio thing to the bottom of it...strange...anywho, evvvvery Sunday morning, Mom would be cleaning the house, heavily with Comet & Bleach, windows wide open, with the radio on classical music from the era she grew up in. I think back then, there was a radio station here call KYND...elevator music. Would always put me to sleep, I hated it at the time, and would always run outside to play the rest of the day. (Plus the fumes, oy!)

After Mom passed in the early 90's...and we divided up her things, my BIL's sister wanted the Victrola. Sure, go ahead and take it. I was into other things at the time, and really had loathe some of that furniture.

Well about 5 yrs. ago, I was wishing I had not been so hasty in giving away some of these things.

Earlier this year, Penny, said BIL's sister said she wasn't using it anymore and it was in her storage shed. Asked if I wanted it back. Oh heck yeah! It has a turntable on it, and was given to her with about a dozen or so 78's.

I do recall a song from early in my youth...Westward Wind? Wayward Wind? Can't quite remember.

I am looking forward to picking up that Victrola sometime this coming new year. It's been a llllllong 15 yrs. and I know Mom would like to have it back near her.

(She's on the Mantle...LOL)
 
The song you remember is "The Wayward Wind", by Gogi Grant. It was a huge hit in '56.

Tomturbomatic mentioned "Blue Tango"; that's another one of my favourite memories. It was written by Leroy Anderson, who was very popular in the 50s. He wrote "Sleigh Ride", "The Syncopated Clock", and a lot of others.
 
Thanks danemodsandy

I now see Tom posted this earlier.

It's funny how you don't appreciate this music until much later in life. I love the oldies now.

My early music CD Collection is limited to: Ray Charles, Gene Pitney, Righteous Bros. and a couple of others I can't recall right now. Most of my CD's.(100+) is mainly 60-90's rock.

Have some of the folks vinyls, but no turntable. My MUCH older sister *snickers* on the other hand has about 250 vinyls, and I told her she needed to get those transfered over to CD, cause little sister wants some of those! LOL

Was at Best Buy the other day, using up Gift Cards from LAST Christmas, and was eyeing the Best of 50's. Didn't get it, but it's on my collection list.

I wouldn't mind having some 40's big band swing music either.
 
Ken-- Thanks for the heads-up on the Crosley record changer. It's pretty stupid to put 78 rpm on the machine but no 78 needle. I'm serious about picking up a good record changer. Is e-bay the way to go or do you have another source to suggest. I'd love an old Magnavox or Zenith. Loved our 1959 (or was it '60) Magnavox console. Watched that thing change thousands of records in my toddler years.
 
Magnavox is the way to go with vintage stereo equipment. The Collaro changers are actually gentle and SO fun to watch. Not to mention they sound good. I haven't played a 78 on mine but I did buy styli with the 78 flip over so in case I find a box o' 78s I could play them.

You can also go to garage-a-records and buy a new but good quality turntable with a magnetic cartridge to play 78s.

http://www.garage-a-records.com/index.php
 
Thanks for that link, Jason! The Rondine turntable that comes with a mounted cartridge and an extra stylus for 78's looks like it would fit the bill.

I grew up with that wonderful Collaro ('59 or possibly '60 Magnavox) changer and always thought it was the Lexus of record changers.
 
More info about Julie London

Julie's First husband was Jack " Sargent Joe Friday" Webb and her second husband was bandleader Bobby Troup who co-starred with his wife on Emergency, he played Doctor Early. Patrick Coffey
 
Loius Prima and Keely Smith raise my spirits every time!!!

That Old Black Magic
When Your Smiling/The Sheik of Araby
Just A Gigolo/I Ain't Got Nobody
Embraceable You/I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good
Angelina/Zooma Zooma
Oh Marie
Buona Sera

And Keely by herself is just magnificent!
 

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