The Tuna Melt

Exotic Sounds of Quiet Village, Vol. 9

2026-03-23T12:57:00.000-07:00

Aloha!!!

I am pleased, at this moment, to present the 9th Volume in the Continuing-to-Grow collection of Versions of Les Baxter's "Quiet Village".

Yep! It's more of the same! I hope that you'll find some of it interesting.

Exotic Sounds of Quiet Village, Vol. 9 - MediaFire

Exotic Sounds of Quiet Village, Vol. 9 - Mega

01. Quiet Village - Pancho Graham
02. Quiet Village - Phil Gomez & The Jazzbos
03. Here Comes the Bus ⧸ Quiet Village - Sorbet Choir
04. Quiet, Village! - The Waitiki 7 w/ The Galliard String Quartet & Zaccai Curtis
05. Quiet Village - Toucans Steel Drum Band
06. Quiet Village - Stephen Fierros
07. Quiet Village - Chill
08. Quiet Village - Italian Surf Academy
09. Quiet Village - John Newman / Flying Eye Music
10. Quiet Village - Kope Kahuna
11. Quiet Village - Retro Piano Guy
12. Quiet Village - The M-SQUAD Hollywood Soundtrack Quintet
13. Quiet Village - Orquesta Música Maravillosa
14. Quiet Village - Gordon Samuelson
15. Quiet Village - RickyShake
16. Quiet Village (2025 Mix) - Animal Magnetism
17. Villa Quieta - Sergio Pérez y su Organo
18. Quiet Village Fly - Smash Up Fun !!

Man Cannot Live on "Quiet Village" Alone…

2025-04-29T22:29:00.000-07:00

As it seems that it may take a bit of time to collect enough "new" tracks to complete the next volume of "Exotic Sounds of Quiet Village", I thought this would be an opportunity to share a couple of other collections that suggest that I might not be that weird after all. Or, at least, that there are others just as weird out there!

Klauhütte Bangzeit 200, also known as KB Zed or shortened as KBZ 200, was a team headed up by Canadian pianist, visual and sound artist Gordon 'El Gordo' Monahan. Beginning in 1991, Monahan began a series of 12- to 18-Hour Long Performance Art Presentations during which the three most popular and exemplary pieces of the Exotica Catalog were repeated, in the same order, either as live performances by different artists or groups, or by playing old vinyl records of each of them.

The songs in question were "Quiet Village" (Les Baxter),
"Tabu / Taboo" (Margarita Lecuona) and "Caravan" (Juan Tizol & Duke Ellington).

The performance events were referred to as "Irritainment in Sound".

A limited edition of 50 video tapes was released, in 1996, titled "Another Taboo Caravan Into Quiet Village - The KBZ 200 in Munich", of a performance in featuring Monahan, Alex Hacke, Bastiaan Maris, Eric Mingus, GenKen, Gordon W, Jim Sharpe, John Henry Nyenhuis, Larry Seven, Laura Kikauka, Maria Zastra, Mediamorph, Michael Evans, Roland Wolf, Sir Spinner Fine Vinyl, Stiletto Studios & tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE. I've never seen it. You've never seen it. We'll never see it.

Also in 1996, the first of two Compact Discs were released consisting of existing versions, from Various Artists, of the Three Exotica Masterpieces. This was followed by a second collection in 1998.

The Exotic Trilogy, Vol. 1 - MediaFire

The Exotic Trilogy, Vol. 1 - Mega

01. The Surfmen - Quiet Village
02. Robin Richmond - Taboo
03. Irv Cottler - Caravan
04. Len Stevens & His Orchestra - Quiet Village
05. The Aliis - Taboo
06. Sir Julian - Caravan
07. The Ensemble Of Seven - Quiet Village
08. The South Sea Serenaders - Taboo
09. Buddy Merrill - Caravan
10. Eddie Baxter - Quiet Village
11. The Flying Guitar - Taboo
12. Jack Anderson - Caravan
13. Vinnie Bell - Quiet Village
14. Tarragano & His Orchestra - Taboo
15. Billy Vaughn - Caravan
16. The Exotic Guitars - Quiet Village
17. Terry Snyder - Taboo
18. Dick Hyman - Caravan
19. The Clebanoff Strings - Quiet Village
20. Winifred Atwell - Taboo
21. Eddie Layton - Caravan

The Exotic Trilogy, Vol. 2 - MediaFire

The Exotic Trilogy, Vol. 2 - Mega

01. Ted Auletta - Quiet Village
02. Douglas Gamley - Tabu
03. The Three Suns - Caravan
04. The 50 Guitars of Tommy Garrett - Quiet Village
05. Billy May - Tabu
06. Living Guitars - Caravan
07. Bill Justis - Quiet Village
08. Hal Schutz - Tabu
09. Marty Gold - Caravan
10. The Aliis - Quiet Village
11. The Ensemble of Seven - Tabu
12. Enoch Light - Caravan
13. Ferrante & Teicher - Quiet Village
14. Geri Galian - Tabu
15. Lloyd Burry - Caravan
16. Hawaiian Brass - Quiet Village
17. Orizaba - Tabu
18. Hal Mooney - Caravan
19. Al Bollington - Quiet Village
20. Al Hirt - Tabu
21. George Wright - Caravan

Hope you're all having a wonderful Spring!

More soon!

Exotic Sounds of Quiet Village, Vol. 8: More!!! More!!! MORE!!!

2025-03-25T12:18:00.000-07:00

Alrighty, then! I am pleased, ladies and gentlemen,
to present the latest batch of the ever-growing collection of different versions of
The Greatest Example of Exotica Goodness of All-Time: Les Baxter's "Quiet Village"

This collection contains a couple of groovy "Remix" versions,
some Nice Reinterpretations and the Impressively Long Live Recording,
made in 1984 and released in 1990, by Blues Guitar Legends Danny Gatton and Tom Principato.

Exotic Sounds of Quiet Village, Vol. 8 - MediaFire

Exotic Sounds of Quiet Village, Vol. 8 - Mega

01. Quiet Village - Prime Time
02. Quiet Village (Les Baxter Rhythm Generator Lounge Club Re-Remix) - Rhythm Generator
03. Quiet Village (Justin Robertson Revtone Remix) - Martin Denny
04. Quiet Village - Transhumanity
05. Quiet Village - Les Allumeurs Variables
06. Quiet Village - Rick Merino
07. Quiet Village - Scott Gillham
08. Quiet Village - Danny Gatton & Tom Principato
09. Quiet Village - Ron Maass w/ Dave Gower
10. Quiet Village - The Patojos
11. Quiet Village - O'Lyn Callahan
12. Quiet Village - サザン・エキゾティックス
13. Quiet Village - Bobby Black
14. Quiet Village - Barry Hall
15. Quiet Village - Nick Viscuso
16. Quiet Village '92 Mix - Melon

I hope you all find it entertaining and enjoyable.

I'll get to work on Volume 9 soon!

Exotic Sounds of Quiet Village, Vol. 7: Even More of an On-Going, Hopefully "Not Too Tiresome" Series of Tropical Tremendousness

2024-09-16T17:42:00.001-07:00

Holy Creepers!!!

You mean… There's MORE!?!

Okay… I kinda realize that I said there was more (more like MORE!!!) in the last post.

Still…

Yep!

Here it is.

Exotic Sounds of Quiet Village, Vol. 7 - MediaFire

Exotic Sounds of Quiet Village, Vol. 7 - Mega

01. Quiet Village - Giorgio Cuscito

02. Quiet Village - Jungle Island Experience
03. Quiet Village - Dominic Cangelosi
04. Quiet Village on Fire Cracker - 畏れながら奏で奉ります (Goufzo Music Mobile Suit)
05. Quiet Village - Christopher-Joel Carter, IV
06. Quiet Village - Edward Alstrom
07. Quiet Village - Tempsion
08. Quiet Village - Salsa ‘78 Orchestra
09. Quiet Village - Nathan Aweau
10. Quiet Village - The Apogees
11. Quiet Village - Dick Contino
12. Quiet Village - Brian King
13. Quiet Village - Tim Laskey
14. Quiet Village - VibeXotica
15. Quiet Village - Music Music Music
16. Quiet Village - Fritz O'Hara

17. Quiet Village - Johnny Sharp

18. Quiet Village - Uncle Kiki

19. Quiet Village - Adele Urbiztondo

20. Quiet Village - Martin Denny w/ Jimmy Buffet

As always, there is, at some point, More to Come!
Please Enjoy! Stay Warm! Quit Yer Bitchin'!

Exotic Sounds of Quiet Village, Vol. 6: The Temporarily Last, and Yet Not Least, of a Coninuing Series of Exotic Excitementations

2024-02-02T18:42:00.000-08:00

And so… We suddenly come to the end of the list of what I, so far, have been able to gather in addition to the original collections by Xtabay.

It is, in no way, the end of what I've collected so far. I'm doing my best, however, to divide the volumes in this compilation series into sets that will fit onto a CD. That way, you can listen to them, one at a time, in your automobile without having to mess with any of that New-Fangled USB Thumb-Drive crap, or a Satellite Radio Station, or anything owned by Alphabet, or Meta, or any other of the corporations who wish only to replace their Human Customers with Artificially Intelligent Idiot Boxes who, when responding to Price Hikes, simply Print More Money!!!

It's true. I am attempting to SAVE THE WORLD FROM ITSELF!!!

Like that's gonna happen, right?

I'll add the next collection as soon as I'm able to fill it in.

Chicks and Dudes, Boys and Girls, Guys and Dames, Here It Is…
The Exotic Sounds of Quiet Village, Vol. 6!!!

Exotic Sounds of Quiet Village, Vol. 6 - MediaFire

Exotic Sounds of Quiet Village, Vol. 6 - Mega

01. Quiet Village - Robert Walter

02. Quiet Village - The Quiet Villagers
03. Quiet Village - Martini Kings
04. Quiet Village - Friendly Science Orchestra
05. Quiet Village - hackedepicciotto
06. Quiet Village - The Ukeladies
07. Quiet Village - Brett Barnes
08. Quiet Village (DubVersion) - Water Melon Group
09. My Quiet Village - Perizomata
10. Quiet Village - Bo Axelzon & His Exotic Orchestra
11. Martin Denny's Quiet Village - NickToda
12. Quiet Village - Capitão Fausto & Orquestra Filarmonia das Beiras
13. Quiet Village ALL STAR JAM! -
The Thurston Howlies w/ SHAG, Sven Kirsten & Matteo "Hukilau" Brown
14. Unquiet Village - Nukegara w/ Michio "Shambi" Ishida & The World Records All Stars
15. Warm Ups — Quiet Village - Bonnie Prudden
16. Watersongh - Virk Astroblab

There is, at some point, More to Come!
Please enjoy what we've got so far!

Exotic Sounds of Quiet Village, Vol. 5: Continuing Additions to an Incredibly Silent, Somewhat Metropolitan Assumption

2024-01-26T23:51:00.000-08:00

Okay Already… If you've made it this far I figure you must be in it for the long haul.

That being said… The collection of preexisting materials and data so arranged to form a new original work under the law of copyright continues!

Ladies and Gentlemen, I Present… The Exotic Sounds of Quiet Village, Vol. 5!!!

Exotic Sounds of Quiet Village, Vol. 5 - MediaFire

Exotic Sounds of Quiet Village, Vol. 5 - Mega

01. Quiet Village - The Exotic Guitars
02. Quiet Village - Donny Diaz
03. Quiet Village - L'Ensemble Instrumental Des Iles
04. Quiet Village - Don Telling's Island Mysteries
05. Quiet Village - The Beachcomber Trio
06. Quiet Village - Jungle Partners
07. Quiet Village - George Wright
08. Quiet Village - Jon Hall
09. My Quiet Village - Mavis Rivers
10. Quiet Village - The Tampicos
11. Quiet Village - Blue Pau
12. Quiet Village - Martinas & His Music
13. Quiet Village - Francis Bay & His Orchestra
14. Quiet Village - George Cates & His Orchestra
15. Quiet Village - Tiki Paradise
16. Quiet Village - The MidCenturions
17. Quiet Village - The Tiki Torches
18. Quiet Village - Thomas Zunk

19. Quiet Village (Piano Lounge Mix) - Uptown Piano Man

Please Enjoy! And…
Once Enjoyed, Enjoy Again and Again!!!

Exotic Sounds of Quiet Village, Vol. 4:Ongoing Iterations of an Original Upload Conglomeration

2024-01-25T21:41:00.000-08:00

WHAT!?! Still Here?!?

Alrighty, then! Nice to see so many in search of even more quiet villages. Be aware, I'm not promising directions to QUIETER Villages. I can only direct you to Quiet Villages to which you, perhaps, have not been previously directed.

More Quiet Villages, as Opposed to Villages that are More Quiet.

If you like Villages that are Quiet, continue to follow the path down which I lead.

If you HATE (or ARE OTHERWISE INTOLERANT of) VILLAGE SOUNDS, get yerself some Friggin' Earplugs! And Download This Marvelous Collection!

Exotic Sounds of Quiet Village, Vol. 4 - MediaFire

Exotic Sounds of Quiet Village, Vol. 4 -Mega

01. Quiet Village - The Waitiki 7
02. Quiet Village - Jerry Sun
03. Quiet Village - The Five Glow Tones
04. Quiet Village - The Longines Symphonette
05. Quiet Village - Project: Pimento
06. Quiet Village - Odell Brown & The Organ-Izers
07. Quiet Village - Five-Eaux
08. Quiet Village - George LaSalle Orchestra
09. Quiet Village - Electrospinner
10. Quiet Village - Water Melon Group
11. Quiet Village - Jimmy Virani
12. Quiet Village - Len Stevens & His Orchestra
13. Quiet Village - The Manakooras
14. Quiet Village '67 - Theophile & Bernard
15. Quiet Village - Fisherman
16. Quiet Village - Martini Kings
17. Quiet Village - Living Percussion
18. Quiet Village - Frank Barclay & His Paradise Orchestra & Chorus

Might There Be More!?! I Mean… How Could There Be?!?

Oh, Well… I Guess We'll Find Out!

Exotic Sounds of Quiet Village, Vol. 3:Beginnings of a New Post Bonanza

2024-01-24T16:09:00.000-08:00

Okay… As interesting as all of the items that Xtabay collected were, like 18 years ago, he was limited by the technology with which he was dealing at the time. Of course, the technology he was dealing with was so advanced that he thought he was in a sort-of Digital Technology Wonderland! My, how time flies…

After listening to the Xtabay Compilations for nearly two decades, and being made aware of other existing as well as a few NEW versions of Quiet Village, I decided to see if I could put another collection of different renditions, by different artists, of The Tiki Theme Song together.

Boy Howdy, was I in for a SHOCK!?! This is the first batch of those covers that I was able to gather together. I warn you… THERE ARE OTHERS!!!

Exotic Sounds of Quiet Village, Vol. 3 - MediaFire

Exotic Sounds of Quiet Village, Vol. 3 - Mega

01. Quiet Village - Deryn Trainer
02. Quiet Village - 101 Strings
03. Quiet Village - Willie Restum
04. Quiet Village - El Chicano
05. Quiet Village - Billy Joe Winghead
06. Quiet Village - Don Cunningham Quartet
07. Quiet Village - The Tikigraphs
08. Quiet Village Cha Cha - Modesto Durán y su Charanga Kings
09. Quiet Village - Hiroshi Okazaki & His Star Gazers feat. Kayoko Ishu
10. Quiet Village - Lee Hazlewood's Woodchucks
11. Quiet Village - Danny Gatton
12. Quiet Village - Wynton Kelly
13. My Quiet Village - Darla Hood
14. Quiet Village - Cocktail Inn
15. Quiet Village - The Tiki Collective
16. Quiet Village - Dulzaides Quinteto y Orquesta
17. Quiet Village - The Ritchie Family
18. Quiet Village - The Ukadelics
19. Quiet Village - Pucho & His Latin Soul Brothers

Hopin' Ya Diggit! Like I sed… More to Come!

Exotic Sounds of Quiet Village, Vol. 2:A Continuing Repost Extravaganza

2024-01-23T21:42:00.000-08:00

This, Volume 2 of the Exotic Sounds of Quiet Village compilation set collected by Xtabay, is the continuation of what was begun with the original batch.

A whole bunch of good Quiet Village recordings, by a whole bunch of good bands including a United States Military Steel Drum Ensemble, a legendary Blues Guitarist, and a Couple of Tards.

Exotic Sounds of Quiet Village, Vol. 2 - MediaFire

Exotic Sounds of Quiet Village, Vol. 2 - Mega

01. Quiet Village - 10th Naval District Steelband
02. Quiet Village - Al Bollington
03. Quiet Village - The Astronauts
04. Quiet Village - Bill Justis
05. Quiet Village - Danny Gatton
06. Quiet Village - Earl Grant
07. Quiet Village - The Ensemble of Seven
08. Quiet Village - Ferrante & Teicher
09. Quiet Village - Longines Symphonette Society
10. Quiet Village - Johnny Gibbs & His Orchestra
11. Quiet Village - Jonathan Knight
12. Quiet Village - Leo Addeo & His Orchestra
13. Quiet Village - My Skinny Wonderland
14. Quiet Village - Don Hicks & Friends
15. Quiet Village - Ray Lindsay
16. Quiet Village - The Aliis
17. Quiet Village - Vinnie Bell
18. Quiet Village - Whitey Theador
19. Quiet Village - H.B. Barmun & His Orchestra
20. Quiet Village - The Tards
21. Quiet Village -The Ventures

Please to Enjoy! More Even After!

Quiet Village: A Repost Extravaganza

2024-01-23T21:02:00.000-08:00

Way back in the first decade of the 21st Century there was this Blog, operated by a fella from Australia who refered to himself as Xtabay, called "Xtabay's World". It started out on blognow.com.au (a site that ceased to exist at some point during Xtabay's operation) and end up on blogger.com (There are still a few Dead Links to it over there in the SideBar on the right side of this page). It was ASTOUNDING!!!

Xtabay specialized in posting Vintage Exotica (which is the vast majority of Exotica that existed at the time), Lounge and Space Age Pop, but he would occasionally sneak in some Jazz, Rock, Punk or whatever else he felt appropriate.

He put together several Compilations of Single Songs as recorded in different styles, in different genres and/or by different artists over the years he was in operation.

The best of these, imho, was "Exotic Sounds of Quiet Village". He put together two collections of "The Exotica/Tiki National Anthem" (at a size which was common at the time, each able to be burned onto a Compact Disk).

This collection was posted at Xtabay's World in, I'm pretty sure, 2006. It contains 21 different recordings of "Quiet Village" including the original, by Les Baxter, and others by Martin Denny, Henry Mancini, Lalo Schifrin, Pete Rugolo, Don Tiare The Surfmen, and Others.

Exotic Sounds of Quiet Village - MediaFire

Exotic Sounds of Quiet Village - Mega

01. Quiet Village - Arthur Lyman
02. Quiet Village - The Clebanoff Strings
03. Quiet Village - Don Tiare & His Orchestra Exotique
04. Quiet Village - Eddie Baxter
05. Quiet Village - El Coco
06. Quiet Village - Frankie Carle
07. Quiet Village - Henry Mancini
08. Quiet Village - John Evans / Chaino & His African Drums
09. Quiet Village - Lalo Schifrin
10. Quiet Village (Duophonic [Artificial Stereo] Version) - Les Baxter
11. Quiet Village (Mono Version) - Les Baxter
12. Quiet Village Bossa Nova - Martin Denny
13. Quiet Village (Mono Version) - Martin Denny
14. Quiet Village (Moog Version) - Martin Denny
15. Quiet Village - Martin Denny
16. Quiet Village (Cha Cha Cha) - Pete Rugolo
17. Quiet Village - The Royal Tees
18. Quiet Village - The Surfmen
19. Quiet Village - Ted Auletta
20. Quiet Village - Tommy Garrett
21. Quiet Village -Webley Edwards

Please to Enjoy! More to Come!

Another Year… Another Crappy Christmas Compilation!

2017-12-21T20:49:00.000-08:00

Hey, Y'all!!!

Hope you've had a great year and that everything is going beautifully. I've had a pretty good one myself and find that I'm still healthy, employed and very happily married, so I must be doing something right, eh?

Here's the 2017 Christmas Mix!

Sorry it's so late. I fussed and worried over it far too much and for far too long this year, but can say I'm pretty happy with what we've got here.

I can always try again next year!

Hope some of you find a few things to enjoy about it.

Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah! Happy Kwanzaa! Happy New Year!

The 2017 Box of Joy

01. Carol of the Guitars - The Spongetones
02. Everyday Is Christmas - Swag
03. Winter Wonderland - Becky Barksdale
04. Run Rudolph, Run - Cheap Trick
05. Christmas for Everyone - Halford
06. Saint Nick's Last Kick - The Hasselhoff Experiment
07. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town - The Butties
08. Santa's Moon Party - Crying Day Care Choir
09. An Awful Christmas and a Lousy New Year - Swamp Dogg
10. Nun Gimmel Heh Shin - The LeeVees
11. See You in December - The Minus 5
12. Rock 'n' Roll Christmas - The Connection
13. All I Want to Do Is Shag for Christmas - The BellRays
14. Holiday Heroes - Alan Merrill
15. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear - Eban Schletter
16. Do You Hear What I Hear? - The Anita Kerr Singers
17. Christmas Hell - Wild Billy Childish & The Musicians of the British Empire
18. Christmastime in Painsville - Deadbeat Poets
19. Takin' Care of Christmas - Randy Bachman
20. Papai Noël Voltou - Os Carburadores
21. Island of Misfit Toys / Little Drummer Boy - Neutrino
22. Mystic Snowman - Lez Zeppelin

Holy Cow!!! Christmas of 2016 Already!?!

2016-12-17T22:01:00.001-08:00

Boy Howdy! I'm feeling older every day! There's a good reason for that, too.

The best thing about time flying, though (other than the fact that we're having so much fun) is that Christmas comes back around so quickly!

And so… The 2016 Christmas Mix is Upon Us.

Hope you dig it!

Don't care if you don't!

Merry Christmas!

The 2016 Traitor Vic Holiday Mix

01. 'Twas the Night Before Christmas - Tim Gill & The Tim Gill All Stars
02. Joyful Noise - The Empty Hearts
03. Come On People (Have a Merry Christmas) - The '60s Invasion
04. Swell Noël / Good King Wenceslas - Wonderlux
05. Santa Claus Wants Some Lovin' - Bill Murray & George Clooney
06. Jingle Bell - Ehsaas
07. ¡Happy Birthday Guadalupe! - The Killers w/ Wild Light & Mariachi El Bronx
08. Ka Po La'ela'e Ka Hikina Mai - Amy Hānaialiʻi
09. Carol of the Bells - The Melvins
10. We Three Kings - Kurt Elling
11. Jingle Bells - Samuele Pagliarani
12. A Very Brent Amaker Christmas - Brent Amaker & The Rodeo
13. Bethlehem Bound - The Grandsons
14. (I Wish You Could Be More Like) Santa Claus - The Waistcoats
15. Christmas All the Time - Green Pajamas
16. Santa's Drunk - Fathead
17. Punch Bowl Full of Joy - Sonny Columbus & His Del Fuegos
18. Crazy AceMas - Crazy Aces
19. Double-O Santa - Seks Bomba
20. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing - Penny & Sparrow
21. Richard Hung His Sock - Angry Snowmans

Wow! It's like Deja Vu All Over Again!

2015-12-20T23:28:00.004-08:00

I posted this last year, but it expired so quickly on the Zippy one that I assumed no one cared at all. I was probably right.

Still… I thought I'd give it another shot.

Git it if you want it. Don't if you don't. It's a Free Country. It's a Free Download.

The 2015 Traitor Vic Holiday Mix

01. Christmas Is Coming - Payola$

02. Blue Suede Santa - Hillbilly Casino
03. Mama's Twistin' with Santa - 45 RPM
04. Little Drummer Boy (Funky Drummer) - The Strange Echo

05. Deck the Halls - Little Jimmy Thomas

06. Yes, Virginia - Scott Miller

07. Honky Tonk Christmas - 5 Chinese Brothers

08. Pabst Blue Christmas - Mikey Chuck Rivers

09. Xmas in the Jailhouse - Ox

10. Waffle House Hanukkah - Dan Bern

11. Chanukah's Da Bomb - Chutzpah

12. Christmakwanzakah - Dan Band

13. Feliz Navidad - Little V Mills

14. Skank 'til Christmas - The Selecter

15. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen - The Neon Ambience
16. Darlin' (Christmas Is Coming) - Over the Rhine

17. Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer - The Harry Bells

18. Christmas Tipsy - honeyhoney

19. All I Got for Christmas Was Drunk - Better Off Dead

20. Here Come the Christmas Zombies - Area 25

21. (You'll Never Be) Alone on Christmas Day - Mike Love
22. Santa Isn't Real - Bandrew

23. All I Got for Xmas Was a Bike - Quiet Marauder

24. Disco Christmas in Hamster Land - Parry Gripp

25. Secret Santa - The Barbary Coasters

26. Angels in the Snow - Mike Plume Band

С Новым Годом (& С Рождеством Христовым, слишком)Re-Uploaded

2014-12-20T23:12:00.000-08:00

And Here It Is!!!

The 2014 WTF Xmas Mix!

Dig It! Or Don't.

I think it's a bit toned down in comparison to prior posts. I also think it holds up well, however, with repeated listenings.

Merry Christmas, Everybody!

С Новым Годом (& С Рождеством Христовым, слишком)

Gloria - AR Music
What Child Is This? - Sleepy Sun
Francincense - The Prog World Orchestra
The Little Drummer Boy - Brave Combo
Angels We Have Heard on High - Bad Religion
Winter Wonderland - Abney Park
Bleak Mid-Winter - Erasure
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing - Kate Rusby
Just Me and These Ponies (For Christmas This Year) - Corb Lund
Everything Is Cool - John Prine
Do You Hear What I Hear? - William Beckett
Christmas Must Be Tonight - Hall & Oates
We Wish You a Merry Christmas - The Wave Benders
Linus and Lucy - The Brantley Family Band
Flat Screens - Danielle Ate the Sandwich
Santa Stole My Girlfriend - The Maine
Because It’s Christmastime - Parry Gripp
Peanut Brittle Brigade March - USAF Airmen of Note
Merry Christmas - The Automatics
Santa Claws Is Coming 2 Town - Bandrew
Reggie the Christmas Hamster - Parry Gripp
Wandele in de snie - Beppie Kraft
We Wish You a Merry Christmas - The Kickin’ Kazoos
赤鼻のトナカイ - Yuki Uchida

A Hurried, but Happy Holiday PostRe-Uploaded

2014-12-20T16:39:00.002-08:00

I'm sorry to say that I don't have a lot of time to spend on this. 'Tis the Holiday Season and, as such, my life is rather frenzied lately.

Right now, our local PBS Station is playing a Lawrence Welk Christmas Special (which I'm allowing myself to miss parts of in order to post this) and I've a Christmas Party to attend later this evening, along with another tomorrow.

Didn't want to put this off any longer, though.

This is another of the records that I grew up with. It's really incredibly groovy and I hope it warms a few hearts out there.

The Wonderful Songs of Christmas
with
The Harry Simeone Chorale

1. Pat-a-Pam
2. Silver Bells
3. It's Christmas Again
4. White Christmas
5. Twelve Days of Christmas
6. Do You Hear What I Hear?
7. Sleigh Ride
8. Christmas Child
9. Masters in This Hall
10. Carol of the Star
11. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
12. March of the Angels

More detailed info on this record can be found on Discogs: Here

A couple of quick notes: I believe that I misspelled the name of Track 1 as "Pat-a-Pan", as opposed to the correct "Pat-a-Pam", in the process of ripping this album. Also, I've noticed that there is a skip in one of the tracks.

I'll correct these errors, replace the linked file, and post links to the repaired tracks later.

Happy Holidays!!! Stick This in Your Ear!!!

2014-12-06T23:38:00.002-08:00

Keep pokin' it in there until it hurts. It probably won't take too long.

You're probably safe through the first half of this post. The first half consists of album entitled "A Christmas Festival" by The Philadelphia Orchestra, Conducted by Eugene Ormandy, along with the Temple University Concert Choir and the St. Francis de Sales Boychoir.

This is a Really Great Christmas Album!

Monophonic recording from 1964 -

A Christmas Festival

O Tannenbaum
It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
Little Drummer Boy
I Wonder as I Wander
For Unto Us a Child Is Born
Here We Go A-Caroling
Good King Wenceslas
Away in a Manger
Jingle Bells
We Three Kings of Orient Are
Hallelujah Chorus
We Wish You a Merry Christmas

The second half is much less interesting. It's called "Christmas at Ye Olde Fireplace with Charlie Spivak".

Charlie Spivak, a trumpeter and bandleader best known for his big band in the 1940s, sounds like he's barely awake throughout the entire recording.

Ye Olde Fireplace was a Steakhouse in Greenville, SC in the 60s and 70s. Spivak was the resident band leader for much of that time.

Christmas at
Ye Olde Fireplace with Charlie Spivak

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
The Christmas Song
Silver Bells
I'll Be Home for Christmas
Greensleeves
Silent Night
Home for the Holidays
Medley: Santa Claus is Coming to Town /
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer / Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
Winter Wonderland
Blue Christmas
White Christmas
Adeste Fideles
We Wish You a Merry Christmas

Hope this helps you get your Holiday Season off to a good start!

The 2013 Christmas MixRe-Uploaded

2013-12-20T23:13:00.000-08:00

Oh My God!!! He's Gone and Done It Again!!!

Oh My God!!! It's Christmas!!!

1. Colder with Snow - Radio Spot
2. Why Don't We Jingle in the Road? - The Kendal Mintcake
3. I Want a Monkey for Christmas - The Barbary Coasters
4. Get Your X-mas On! - Higgins
5. Funky Christmas - Otis Zee & The Sambuka Band
6. Ice Ice Snow - Cheekyboy (Vanilla Ice vs Martina McBride)
7. Christmas Time - Far Too Jones
8. O Come, All Ye Faithful - Jeffrey Foskett
9. We Three Kings - We Shot the Moon
10. Do You Hear What I Hear? - Steve Stevens
11. Rock This Christmas Down - Lita Ford & Cherie Currie
12. Snowball - Jimmy Fallon
13. We Wish You a Merry Christmas - Jingle Punx
14. Mrs. Claus' Kimono - Drive-By Truckers
15. Merry Christmas Kiss My Ass - Chevy Chase
16. Christmas All Summer Long - Deer Tick
17. Snow Day - Bleu
18. When the Elf Comes to Town - The Roundheads
19. I Believe In the Virgin Megastore - Cassetteboy
20. Christmas Time Is Here - Starflyer 59
21. Christmas Waltz [Awayteam Remix] - Nancy Wilson
22. Fruitcake - The Superions
23. Facebook Friend for Christmas - Randy Franklin
24. Give Me a Second Chance for Christmas - Mike Viola & Candy Butchers
25. Christmas Time Is Here Again! - Helix
26. Holidaze (S'Cuze Me, I've Got Gifts to Buy) - Bob Rivers
27. Let's Hear It for the Fat Man - Quicksilver
28. Richard Cheese's Birthday Song for Jesus - Richard Cheese
29. Santa's Gonna Kick Your Ass - The Arrogant Worms
30. Santa Claus, the Original Hippie - Homer & Jethro

Not much of nuthin'

2012-12-16T22:15:00.001-08:00

Okay! It's gettin' close to The Actual Day, but we still have time. Right?

So I picked this one out of Traitor Vic's Pile.That's all I'm sayin'.

Something or Other Doobie Doobie Doo

Finally... Just Plain Christmas!!! Not Extra-Crispy.Re-Uploaded

2012-11-30T22:07:00.001-08:00

Not My Rip!

I've promised, several times I think, that if I ever found this record I'd post it. Well… Guess What!?!

I found this out on Usenet. I don't even remember which Newsgroup it was posted in. It's a very decent rip and I was happy to add it to my Christmas Collection.

Have an Original Recipe Christmas!

Allow me to apologize for not being any more active on the blog for the last couple of years. I assume that most of you are aware that there was a Great Upheaval a while back in which many of the blogs that posted Out-of-Print materials, including a good number which were operated by people who I consider friends, were taken down or destroyed by various means.

I've got to admit that watching my friends' hard work being destroyed was disturbing.
Several posts here at The Tuna Melt were also targeted.
After going to the trouble of ripping an album to Mp3, cleaning the pops and scratches,
organizing the files and tagging them correctly, compressing them into a single archive file,
uploading that file to a file sharing site, and composing a blog post in which to
share it with the world, to have that work struck down comes as a real slap in the face.

Very much of the joy of operating The Tuna Melt,
and of sharing my interests with the world, has been compromised.

Most of the links in the posts on this blog are dead by now and I'm not certain that I want to spend the time and effort to bring them back to life. The suggestion has been made that it might be best if no mention of an Artist or Album Title be made in a post (in order to avoid being identified by automated "Search Bots", so I'm not going to mention this album in this post, or post its tracklist. These precautions may be over the top, but I think most of you will be able to figure out what the album is and what's on it from looking at the picture, eh?

The Tuna Melt has survived other situations like this one in the past.
If I can find a way to begin to enjoy doing it again I may be back someday.

To any of you who have enjoyed anything that you've
found here in the past I offer my thanks for helping me to spread a little joy.

Thanks for visiting and Happy Holidays!

Jaymz Bee & The Royal Jelly Orchestra: A Christmas Cocktail

2010-12-17T18:04:00.000-08:00

Voldar is BACK!!!

'Bout Damn Time, Too! I know, I know… Christmas is almost here and we're gettin' off to a late start.

The fact of the matter is that the current economic misfortunes effecting much of the planet Earth have begun to take their toll on Mars as well. As our few-in-number and highly secretive Earth-Based Trading Partners have experienced financial downturns, we've suffered right along with you. As a result, my schedule has become rather erratic to the point at which it is difficult to plan ahead and/or work around.

Now that I'm here, though, I'll try to spruce up the season with a few choice holiday offerings from Traitor Vic's expansive collection.

Speaking of whom, Vic apparently took my late arrival as a sign that I had decided not to show up this year and, so, was caught completely off guard by my appearance. I've taken it easy on him this year and locked him into the shed in the back yard instead of the closet that I usually put him in. He should be relatively comfortable there for the time being. I'll allow him to come out on Christmas Eve, of course, so that he can run to the store to get me some refreshments to enjoy as we await a visit from Santa Claus. In the meantime… I plan to share some of the selections he has that are on Compact Disc, as opposed to the time consuming Vinyl Rips that he limits his own offerings to.

You are welcome to enjoy this holiday collection, from 1996, by Jaymz Bee & The Royal Jelly Orchestra. Jaymz is a musician, writer and radio personality from Canada. Along with The Royal Jelly Orchestra, and another combo called The Deep Lounge Coalition, he has released several collections of modern day pop tunes performed in an Easy Jazz, Lounge Style. He's also recognized as a bit of a Cocktail/Lounge Authority, having written "Cocktail Parties for Dummies" in 1997.

Jaymz Bee & The Royal Jelly Orchestra: A Christmas Cocktail

Jingle Bells
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
It's Christmas Time (Oh Yeah)
Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
White Christmas
Winter Wonderland
The Christmas Song
Christmas Cocktail
Sleigh Ride
Space Age Santa
Carol of the Bells
The Little Drummer Boy

The Rite of Exorcism

2010-10-30T21:18:00.000-07:00

I've thought about posting this record at Halloween several times over the last few years, but my good sense has always won out and kept me from doing so.

It's not like it's HORRIBLE or anything. Okay. Maybe it is. But it has a Really Great Cover and at least one pretty cool song on it.

Other than that, it is a mostly "spoken word" or "audio drama" presentation that purports to be a "Simply and Faithfully Presented" reenactment of what might have gone on during the act of evicting demons or other spiritual entities from a person at some unspecified point in the past (as the current Rite, updated most recently in 1999 I believe, calls for the presence of two priests).

This record lists no Artist or Group as being responsible for it's creation. I decided to ascribe it to Rev. Patrick J. Berkery, Ph.D. because:
A - It is he who came up with the original concept and who followed up by doing the Theological and Liturgical Research that it required and…
B - He also recorded at least one other record, 1969's "Prayers for a Noonday Church" (which can be found over at Dr. Schluss' Garage of Psychedelic Obscurities).

It's not horribly scary (although it does contain some pretty weird squeals and shrieks), but it is an interesting artifact.

This record has also been shared at least one other time (in two parts, as individual files for Side A and Side B) at WFMU's Beware of the Blog, where you can read a rather lengthy discussion of it's qualities (and/or lack thereof) if you'd like.

It is presented here in all six (6) individual tracks at 320kbps.

The Rite of Exorcism

Day of Wrath
THE STORY (Part I)
The Lord's Prayer
THE STORY (Part I)
THE STORY (Part II)
Ron Aimee Fugue

Billy Boyd: Twangy Guitars

2010-10-19T20:07:00.000-07:00

There's no such person as Billy Boyd. Okay. There is, of course. But the guy that played a Hobbit in The Lord of the Rings movies didn't record this record in 1960.

This Billy Boyd was actually Jerry Cole.

Cole played with The Champs. He also worked with just about every important musician in America between 1959 and 1991. Find his story (along with a list of albums he released under different names) here: Jerry Cole @ The Rockabilly Hall of Fame.

Billy Boyd: Twangy Guitars

Shuffle Boogie
Night Rock
When the Lights are Low
Jivin' at The Savoy
Stompin' at the Crossroads
Diggin' the Blues
Mambo Boogie
South Hampton
Bolero Boogie
Duck Walk
Oop Shank
Drifting

The Gaylords: Let's Have a Pizza Party

2010-05-24T20:26:00.000-07:00

Back in the 60s and 70s, when you went to an Italian Restaurant in the US, chances are good that you heard Italian Music being pumped through the sound system. Mandolin and Accordian would serenade you as you enjoyed your Spaghetti and sipped your Chianti.

Nowadays, most of the better Italian restaurants with which I'm familiar have no music playing (canned or otherwise) and the popular chains are usually brightly lit, loud, and feature Soft Rock or New Age-ish background music. Thank God for Unlimited Salad and Breadsticks!

This record reminds me of the stuff they played back in the old days. The Gaylords were Ronald L. Fredianelli, Bonaldo Bonaldi and Don Rea (with Bill Christ replacing Fredianelli when the latter did a stint in the US Army). Fredianelli later took the stage name Ronnie Gaylord and Bonaldi became Burt Holiday.

Most of their records were of Italian folk melodies translated to and sung in English, thereby introducing them to a wide American audience. This one, though, consists of Italian Songs sung in Italian and played in the old country Italian style.

Find more info on The Gaylords here:

http://www.thegaylords.com/index.php

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gaylords_%28American_vocal_group%29

http://home.earthlink.net/~v1tiger/gaylords.html

The Gaylords: Let's Have a Pizza Party

1. Ah Marie
2. Neapolitan Nights
3. Quando Mi Bacio Teresa
4. Ti Voglio Tanto Bene
5. Sicilian Tarantella
6. La Romanina
7. Bionda Biondina
8. Scrivimi
9. Sbarazzina
10. Panzy
11. Carmela
12. Non Ti Scordar Di Me (Say You Will Not Forget)

Sammy Laului Orchestra: Hawaiian Wedding Song

2010-03-30T07:01:00.000-07:00

Like a Budget Hawaiian Vacation

As we complete our tour around the mighty Pacific Ocean, we approach the shore of Waikiki only to discover a record on Diplomat Records! Diplomat, one of several labels of Synthetic Plastics (of Newark, NJ), was the Budget Record Label to End All Budget Record Labels. My record doesn't even list an artist name on the sleeve or the label. Luckily, the record was released with several different variations on the sleeve over the years and some of them identified the music as being performed by the Sammy Laului Orchestra: a group with such a wide range of different sounds that it's almost difficult to believe the entire record is by the same combo.

It's a nice record, though, and should help you to relax at the end of a long, hard day. If you find yourself thinking that the song "Island's Goodbye" sounds an awful lot like "Now Is the Hour", you're correct. You are also correct if you find yourself thinking that much of this album sounds remarkably (EXACTLY!) like the album "Hawaiian Enchantment", by Luke Leilani, on Spin-O-Rama Records or, perhaps "Hawaiian Enchantment", by The Hawaiian Islanders, on Wyncote.

Sammy Laului Orchestra: Hawaiian Wedding Song

Hawaiian Wedding Song
Dreams of Hawaii
Waikiki Moods
White Sands
Girl of the Island
Hawaiian Skies
Island's Goodbye
Chanting Waves
Isle of Dreams
Hula Moola

Various Artists: Songs of Guam

2010-03-20T22:25:00.000-07:00

This one is Oddly Charming…

Well, okay… Mostly it's just odd.

Upon happening upon this record I thought I had found a collection of, perhaps, Traditional Guamanian Folk Songs or Historical Recordings of The Chamorro People. What I had actually found is a bunch of songs by an American woman who had lived in Guam for a couple of years that were recorded in Hawaii, apparently by Hawaiian recording artists.

From the liner notes:

"With the exception of four Guamanian folk songs… this KONA RECORDS Album reflects the musical impressions of Mrs. D.S. (Jean) Lennox. She has completed a labor of love for the Island she called home for a little while.

"Her affection for Guam and it's people is rewardingly evident in each of her ten original compositions. For a "Statesider", who lived just two years on the Island of Guam, our composer has created a truly remarkable musical montage."

The native language of the Island of Guam (and all of The Marinara Islands) is a Malayo-Polynesian language called Chamorro. The Chamorro language was heavily modified during Guam's occupation and colonization by Spain from 1668 to 1898 and now contains many words and phrases of Spanish origin. Guam was captured by the US in a bloodless landing during the Spanish-American War. Since then, Guam's official languages have been Chamorro and English and, again, the Chamorro language has incorporated many English words. It makes for a bit of a strange mix.

Something tells me that Mrs. D.S. (Jean) Lennox had no idea, while writing these songs, that they would ever end up being recorded for commercial release. They're nice enough, and charming in their own way, but they sound more like songs intended to be sung by school children than professionally created pop pieces. The quality of the recording is poor and the singers involved, while competent, sound uninspired and disinterested. That being said, since our recent visit to Tahiti I figured I'd continue the Pacific Cruise and steer the Good Ship Tuna Melt on over to Guam for a visit.

Various Artists: Songs of Guam

Guam is Good
The Old Spanish Bridge
Song of Guam
The Wizard Lizard
The Island of Cocos
Statesider's Song
Guamanian Medley -
Panguengue / Toma Na Plangpang Tres / Gumupo Si Paluma / Nobia Cahula
The Ladrones Latte Stones
It's Always Manana on Guam
Honeymoon Island
Hafa Adai