TV Themes

                              
                                 Star Trek Theme                

 

Laverne and Shirley Theme

                            
Today's TV Themes
Kings Road
Pickwick SPC-3551
1976

This is another offering from the resident studio musicians over at Pickwick, Kings Road, and this time around they tackle memorable TV themes from the good old days of prime time glory. Like with so many of these collections, some of the renditions are almost note for note copies of the originals, while others are brilliantly re-imagined pieces of discount gold! 

Take for example this tripped out lounge version of the Star Trek theme, followed by the oh so faithful remake of the theme from Laverne and Shirley. 

TV themes from a parallel universe perhaps?

                                            

A Record For All Seasons

                                                                                                                    PeterCottonClaus              


 


                          You Broke My Little Wooden Heart




Here Comes PeterCottonClaus
Alex Houston & Elmer
Willex WLPS 100
1972


Following in the old Dr. John theme of being "In the right place at the wrong time" this cat can't seem to get his act together. Poor old PeterCottonClaus always seems to be too early or late for everything. He's truly a being out of time.

From the back cover :

"I think that Elmer is one of the funniest guys I've ever met. Yes, I know he's a dummy...but I just can't get up the nerve to tell him so." - Charley Pride

Sadly, this is one of those strange musical acts that's from a bygone era. Enjoy! and Happy Holidays!

You've Got a Friend in Pennsylvania

                                                                                                                    Theme From Superman

You've Got a Friend in Pennsylvania
The Cheshire County Youth Orchestra
Sonorama 105 (cassette tape)

I found this tape at a Goodwill in Thorndale, Pa. for fifty cents. 

It's a live recording of the UK's Cheshire County Youth Orchestra with conductor, Peter Room, presumably playing somewhere here in Pennsylvania. 

At first glance I thought that it was a recording of local musicians, but then it dawned on me that there is no Cheshire County in Pennsylvania. But there is a Chester County, and sure enough Cheshire is the English archaic name for Chester. So, most likely this concert was recorded at a location in Chester County Pa.

For the cover of the tape they used the image of the old license plate that we all used to have here back in the day, emblazoned with the slogan "You've Got a Friend in Pennsylvania".

For the most part the musical selections on this recording are reserved and what you would expect from a youth orchestra from pretty much anywhere, God Bless America, Pomp & Circumstance, God Save The Queen, A Christmas Song......

But what caught my eye in the Goodwill store was the prospect of hearing a rendition of the Theme From Superman complete with the 20th Century Fox Fanfare!

The Nichols Brothers

                                                                                                                     Givin' Up Love

Are Making A Hit
The Nichols Brothers
RLC 43083 (cassette tape)
recorded at Rome Recording Co.
Columbus Ohio



This was an interesting cassette find. At last check, I couldn't find anything about these guys online. It appears to be a private press recording that they made for themselves to sell at shows etc. 

On the cover the guys are dressed like gangsters, brandishing guns, underscoring the title of the record "The Nichols Brothers Are Making A Hit".

Although the cover is aggressive, the music within is anything but. The songs are a mix of 70s AM radio light pop and country with one 1950s Doo-Wop style song thrown in for good measure.

I was very pleased to find this tape because I rarely find a recording of original pop music within the realm of private press recordings. For the most part, private press releases are either gospel groups or lounge acts doing cover versions of popular hits. Not that there's anything wrong with that, it's just nice to find long lost original songwriting on tape and vinyl.

Unfortunately some of this cassette has been garbled over the years with age, but I was able to half decently salvage some of it.

As a sample I chose Givin' Up Love, and as you will hear the audio kind of goes in and out in some places. I really like this song. There's something about it that sounds delightfully peculiar to me, like the lyrics were written in some kind of stream of consciousness way.

Honky Tonk In Japanese

                                                                                                                     Right Or Wrong

Fiddlin' Around
Shoji Tabuchi
SEI 001 (cassette tape)
 


Hmmmm...lets' see...a Japanese fiddler wearing a tux playing country music?.......Perfect!

Disney In Italian

                                                                                                    Impara A Fischiettar (or Whistle While You Work)
 

IL Canzoniere DeI Bambini
Signal SM 3410
1972


And now, an Italian children's record with a super cover illustration by Sergio Balloni!

Long John Nebel

                                       My Way



Long John Nebel
and the Phil Moore Four and Friends
Fog Hill M101


Long John Nebel (1911-1978) was a  popular all night radio personality from the 1950s to the 70s who centered his broadcasts around the topics of UFOs and paranormal activity.