AC Reviews

[ACcountryFan]

 On this thread i'm gonna be reviewing CDs and DVDs and video's that interest me. Anyone can make commentary or place your own reviews on whatever you want here. But mostly, the reason i created the thread was because of my desire to talk about some things non-Clay related that interests me.  

UNREAL[/b]
Year: 1970
Artist: Ray Stevens
Label: Barnaby 30092

AC Review

There is an interesting story surrounding the release of this 1970 album. The 11 songs on this album were recorded in late 1969 and early 1970 and was set to be Ray's debut on the Barnaby label. However, as is the case with the music business, things aren't always set in stone. "Unreal" was put on hold because Ray wrote and released "Everything is Beautiful" and that single flew to #1 pop. Barnaby then rushed out an album to support the single. After the success of that single and album, Barnaby THEN released Ray's original debut album "Unreal".

This "Unreal" album contained 11 songs that were mostly protest-era and love/peace songs, which were what was being bought and played on Top-40 radio at the time. All of the songs are top-notch and there are a few that stray from the album's over-all theme. "Dream, Girl" is my favorite of the album. The song is about a teenager who gives in to temptation and is stuck with a baby after the boyfriend ran off. Ray sings "Dream, girl...living in your magazine world...you were only 17 girl, much too young to know the score...".

The other favorite is "Talking", which is about the Vietnam War but it can easily be applied to any war. ... "And while we're Talking they're fighting...in a jungle far away from home...they're fighting...in a war nobody call his own...".

The songs that stray from the protest/war theme of the album are also great. "Islands" is a song about a marriage that's breaking up. "Imitation of Life" tells about a couple who pretend to be he happy couple in public but they're really living an imitation of life. "Night People" is a strange song about the life of the lonely people who live at night. "Night People...stumbling after rainbows in the night...searching hard to find that happy ending...searching for escape with our might..."

The hit singles from this album were the #45 pop hit "America, Communicate With Me" and the Brian Wilson-soaked #81 pop hit "Sunset Strip". "Loving You On Paper" is a wonderful song about a guy in the war who loves his wife by way of writing love letters. "Can We Get To That" and "Come Around" are two more protest-style songs which border on gospel.

This album has been re-released on CD format, it's paired with "Everything Is Beautiful". It's a 22 song collection combining his two 1970 Barnaby albums together on one CD.

[Claymaniac2000]

Hi Jerry. I really enjoyed the review of Ray's CD. Thanks for putting several of the songs on the tape you sent me. Ray is a wonderful entertainer. I look forward to reading more of your reviews. You are such a wealth of information.

[ACcountryFan]

THE MOONLIGHT SPECIAL[/u]
Writer: Ray Stevens
Year of Release: 1974
Format: 45 RPM Single
Label/Number: Barnaby 604
Peak: #73-pop

Released in July 1974, "The Moonlight Special" was the follow-up to Ray's previous hit called "The Streak". The B-side to "Moonlight Special" was a song entitled "Just So Proud to Be Here", which one has to assume the title was inspired by Minnie Pearl's greeting: "Howdee!! I'm just so proud to be here!".

"The Moonlight Special" was a broad parody on the TV show The Midnight Special. On this novelty song, Ray's vocal talents are put to good use: Not only does Ray sing the song in his regular voice...he also along the way does impressions of Gladys Knight and the Pips; Jerry Lee Lewis; and a weird psychedelic act.

The acts on the song are known as 'Mildred Queen and the Dips'; 'Agnes Stoopa and his Chickens'; and 'Jerry Joe Henley Jimmy'. That's not all...throughout "The Moonlight Special", the host, SheepDog, keeps the pace rolling. SheepDog is an impersonation of Wolfman Jack by the way!!

The hippie lingo at the start of SheepDog's shouts are genius: "Crazy, too cool, out of sight, right on, and far out! Join my rock here for the next half hour of the most exciting happening around here on the Moonlight Special..."

Poor Mildred Queen and the Dips! She sings her verses and the Dips repeat everything she says. This causes Mildred to ad-lib a line and the Dips repeat it. It goes back and fourth until Mildred snaps and screams her lungs off to which the Dips do the same but only in a more mellow delivery

Agnes Stoopa was apparently Ray's send-up of acid rockers who wants to paint the living room carpet; flash an old lady; and chop down a cherry tree but say he didn't do it.

Jerry Joe Henley Jimmy was Ray's spoof of Jerry Lee Lewis. Ray's piano thumping is excellant and Jerry's leg kick on the piano keys is exaggerated by Ray because in the song Jerry Joe Henley Jimmy plays an entire piece of music supposedly with his feet.  

This single, and it's B-side "Just So Proud To Be Here", are from the 1974 album 'BOOGITY-BOOGITY'. "The Moonlight Special" is hilarious!!
========================

Hello Janet! Thanks for the comments about the thread.

[ACcountryFan]

BE YOUR OWN BEST FRIEND[/u]
Artist: Ray Stevens
Year: 1978
Label: Warner Brothers 3195

This album contained only 9 songs...the typical albums contained 10 or 11 songs at the most.

Only the title track was released as a single. "Be Your Own Best Friend" is more or less a philosophical number. It hit #36-country. This album also marked the on-going appearance of Ray with his trademark beard. Clean shaven for the most part, every album from 1978 onward would feature Ray with a beard. It's a little, obscure piece of trivia i thought i'd throw out there.

The highlights of the album for me are the songs "L'amour"; "Comeback"; "You're Magic"; and "The Feeling's Not Right Again".

This is quintessential easy-listening music...now called Adult-Contemporary or "AC" for short. I doubt this music would've found room on Top-40 radio or even country radio at the time...with the exception of the #36 title track. At the time, Manilow's style of pop music was being pushed from Top-40 and onto the easy-listening format that was popping up in greater abundance...

In fact, the song "The Feeling's Not Right Again", was pulled from this album and in 1979 it became the title track of an album built around a single about Manilow that Ray had a big hit with on AC radio.

On the love ballad "Two Wrong's Don't Make a Right", Ray informs us that "two wrong's don't cancel each other out; no second ones don't count; to make the first one see the light; and two wrong's could only hurt me more than i've already been hurt before; and nothing's gained by revenge and spite...Two Wrong's Don't Make a Right..."

I especially love Ray's delivery on "You're Magic". It's almost breathy...the vocal delivery is bouncy and light-weight... "oh, You're Magic! What can i call you but magic? You're Magic...that's all baby, You're Magic! You thrill me, thrill me, thrill me so much...don't ever lose your touch...".

As earlier stated, 'BE YOUR OWN BEST FRIEND' is easy-listening music and so, if AC isn't your favorite style of music, this isn't the album for you!

[ACcountryFan]

Title: Jack Benny, Volume 2
Year of Release: 1994
Principal Performers: Jack Benny; Don Wilson; Dennis Day; Eddie "Rochester" Anderson; Mel Blanc.
Format: VHS; black and white

MCA home video released a 6-volume set of VHS videos on Jack Benny, who had passed away 20 years earlier in 1974. Jack Benny fans, including myself, have always complained about the lack of his material in stores in abundance. That was then, 1994, and since then the DVD age has taken over and on-line stores are everywhere and there's now plenty of DVD's of Jack Benny floating around on Amazon and eBay...but in 1994, this 6-volume set was a gold-mine for Jack Benny fans.

On this particular video, it contains two episodes {actually, all 6 home videos contain 2 episodes so in reality we're getting 12 episodes for the price of 6.} Anyway, on this video, the first episode stars Peter Lorre. Lorre is introduced and he does some banter with Jack. He tells Jack that he's tired of people being afraid of him and that he's really a nice guy. Jack doesn't believe the nice guy routine and Lorre says: "It's true! I'm not a mean person..." and Jack continues to not believe him and then he says to Lorre: "Alright! I didn't know you were so sensitive..." and Lorre snaps back: "Yes! I'm a very touchy peron!" to which Jack starts laughing: "Touchy?? You??" Later, Lorre plays an ex-con who needs a new face in taht episode's skit. He goes to a plastic surgeon. Joanie Sommers, a singer, who had sung a ballad earlier, plays the receptionist at the doctor's office. Mel Blanc plays the plastic surgeon in a Yiddish accent.

Lorre and Jack have a funny exchange of words in the skit. Lorre, who let Jack go ahead of him at the doctor's office, is growing impatient because he needs to get a new face really quick! He goes into the plastic surgeons office with his gun and demands that Blanc give him a new face. Lorre throws Jack in a closet and fires three times through the door. Lorre demands a new face and Blanc gets an idea. He gives Lorre the face of Jack Benny After he's through, Lorre looks in the mirror and says: "You gave me that man's face??" Blanc says: "I'm sorry! I guess Jack Benny was the last person i saw and..." "That was Jack Benny!! The famous comedian! I have Jack Benny's face!!??". Fake Jack smiles and says: "I have access to Jack's money!!! And i've always wanted to be a comedian!!". He shoots Blanc who falls backward in his chair.

What was happening was Jack was walking around with Frankenstein shoulder pads and lip-synching to Peter Lorre's recording...the hilarious pay-off happened when the "fake" Jack  appeared at the TV studio to do his show....

He walked out stiff shouldered and proceeded to tell jokes with Lorre's voice Don Wilson, the announcer, ran out there and demanded to know what was going on: "Jack! What's happening??? Your voice!! What's happened to your voice??" to which Jack pulls out his gun and shoots Don where he stands "You die lousy!" snapped Jack. He then got in a fit because the camera man was giving him close-ups. "Back i say! Back! I want no close-ups! No close-ups!" He then shot the camera man You have to remember Jack is doing all of this with the voice of Peter Lorre. He looks up at another camera man and sneers: "I don't like your attitude either!" and he shoots THAT camera man as well.

Luckily, some stage-hands come out and drag Jack off the stage while he's pleading: "No! This is my show! What are you doing?? No!!!!" Naturally, this episode is the stand-out of the two This episode from 1962 was produced and directed by Fred DeCordova {who later went on to become Johnny Carson's executive producer on The Tonight Show}

==========================

On the second episode of this video, The Smother's Brothers are the guest-stars. They come out and attempt to sing Jack's theme song "Love in Bloom".

"Could it be the trees that fill the breeze with rare and magic perfume? Oh no it's not the trees, it's Love in Bloom"

Anyway, after several comical mistakes, Jack walks out and the show is under-way. This was 1965, a few years before they were to become smash comedians thanks, or no thanks depending on your view-point, to the darkest years of the Vietnam era and their Anti-Establishment humor.

The Smothers Brothers sing a tongue-twisting song called "My Old Man's Occupation" and they perform magic tricks which genuinely amazes Jack. Their nutty humor catches Jack off-guard and he bursts out laughing several times at Tom's "idiotic" persona.

This episode's skit had to do with Jack in London during the war and how two soldier's {Tom and Dick Smothers} are on hand trying to diffuse a bomb. They recognize Jack Benny and start auditioning for him with guns and grenades being flown at them from all directions.

Later, the bomb explodes. Jack and the Smothers Brothers are covered in dirt and ashes...Jack looks into the camera and shouts: "If i've told my writer's once, i've told them a hundred times...when they write a sketch, don't use a real bomb!"

All in all, i loved the video. It's commercial free and has a running time of 50 minutes. Norman Abbott produced and directed this episode.

[Claymaniac2000]

Jerry, I am loving these reviews. Everytime I read one I can't wait for the next one. Keep up the good work.

[ACcountryFan]

Title: The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons; Second Edition
Author: Jeff Lenberg
Year of Release: 1999; 576 pages

This book, the second edition of it's kind, is a must-have for cartoon lovers. Yes, cartoons are NOT just for kids. Yes, SOME cartoons are made especially for children but for the most part, everything prior to the 1970s, was designed with adults in mind.

This book by Jeff Lenberg studies and examines all kinds of cartoons from nearly every studio...the three major studio's are covered: Warner Brothers; Hanna-Barbera; and Disney. There's break-down in character history. Theatrical cartoons are impressive in this book and they're chronologically presented. Ever wanted to know when Bugs Bunny debuted in cartoons? It's in here...that's not all! There are also short "biographies" of a ton of cartoon characters, giving synopsis and background information.

One of the things that i appreciate is the credit given to the over-looked voice actors. Each cartoon series contains the voice cast {if available}. Plus, this book discusses the insane reasons why several made-for-TV episodes of "Popeye" had Bluto re-named Brutus.

At the start of the book we get a detailed history on the invention of the animated cartoon. All the cartoon series and the theatrical shorts are in alphabetical order. There is even a section that discusses cartoon movies like the many from the Disney studio over the years plus the ones from Warner Brothers and Hanna-Barbera.

I love the book's cover. I didn't post the picture here but down in the lower right we see some of my favorite characters: Blabber Mouse; Baba Louie; Quick-Draw McGraw; Doggie Daddy and Augie Doggie; and Super Snooper. With the exception of Doggie Daddy, all of the characters i mentioned were voiced by Daws Butler {i just HAD to sneek his name in here somewhere!!}

A cartoon lover will love this book!! Being a fan of a few voice actors plus my love of classic cartoons, i found the book informative and i am always reading it's many sections. It's a wonderful reference book!!

[ACcountryFan]

Title: The Complete Collection and Then Some...
Performer: Barry Manilow
Year of Release: 1992
Label/Number: Arista 07822-18714-2
===========================

This 4-CD boxed set contains an amazing collection of songs from Barry Manilow. Each CD contains nearly 20 songs...the highlight of which are many of the alternate ersions of his hit songs that never made it to the final albums. "Tryin' to Get The Feeling" is included in it's full length...i didn't know there was a verse that was edited out of the version we all know...but on this box set we hear the missing verse. On CD #2 we hear Barry composing "Copacabana" for a few seconds before the actual recording starts to play. Also on CD #2 many live recordings from 1977 and 1990 as well as a 1983 live performance of "Even Now" from Japan.

The first song on CD #1 is "Sweet Life" from 1972!! Manilow ended up calling his 1987 biography "Sweet Life" as well. This recording from 1972 was taken from Bette Midler's Carnegie Hall concert. The next song is "I Am Your Child", recorded live at the Continental Baths in New York {the place where Manilow and Midler performed the most during the early '70s}.

On CD #3 we hear "Ain't It a Shame", a song he recorded in 1981 but wasn't included on his 'IF I SHOULD LOVE AGAIN' album. Also on CD #3 we hear new songs like "I Can't Teach My Heart New Tricks", and a recording live from Los Angeles called "Just Remember".

Manilow's "Let Freedom Ring" is also on here...it was recorded in 1991 for his 'SHOWSTOPPERS' CD but it didn't make the final cut. Currently, Manilow performs this song in concert as a patriotic ode to the military. He sung it on his appearance on "American Idol" last season. That song is on CD #4...also we hear his duet with Melissa Manchester called "My Girl" which blends into another song called "No One in This World". That recording is from 1976. RCA, the label he recorded for in 1985, released a French-version of 'MANILOW' and a duet from that album, "Don't Talk to Me of Love", with Mirielle Mattieu, is contained on CD #4 too.

This is the Ultimate Barry Manilow Collection up to 1992!! The video that comes with this box set is wonderful...it highlights Barry at various stages of his career and we see him mature and grow into the performer he became...the last performance on the video, "Keep Each Other Warm" from 1989, is my favorite of the video...and the booklet...well...what can i say about that booklet??? It contains pictures and TONS of talk about the many songs contained on the box set. Manilow himself talks of his inner battles with fame and celebrity and most of his songwriter's are also on hand with personal quotes and reflections.

THIS IS A WONDERFUL BOX SET!!!

[ACcountryFan]

Title: Boogity-Boogity
Performer: Ray Stevens
Year of Release: 1974
Label/Catalog Number: Barnaby 6003
======================

1974 was the year for the streaking fad. This college-driven fad was soon adopted by the mainstream and before long streakers were heard about on the local and national news on a routine basis.

As Ray has told the story many times, he was on an airplane and while bored he picked up a magazine and read about a college student who took off all his clothes and the reporter called it "streaking". Ray wrote the song in half an hour but didn't think nothing of it UNTIL he got home and watched the news and sure enough, streakers were "everywhere". As Ray said: "i ran into my studio, got some musicians real quick and cut the song and rushed it out that day!".

The song, "The StreaK", became the biggest selling single of Ray's career. The single sold nearly 5,000,000 copies, according to reports from record stores {this was BEFORE the invention of SoundScan}.

The single flew up to #1 pop and #3 country. In fact, it flew up the Hot 100 in no time at all...it hit the Top-40 portion of the Hot 100 on April 27th 1974 and it was sitting at #1 on May 18th 1974...that means it was on the Top-40 just 3 weeks and in it's 4th week, it was #1...it stayed #1 for 3 weeks.

It knocked Grand Funk's "Loco-Motion" out of #1 on May 18th...3 weeks later, "The Streak" was knocked out of #1 on June 8th by Paul McCartney and Wings and their song "Band on the Run".

"The Streak" would go on and sell into the late '70s. In England it hit #1 and became the UK's #1 Novelty Single of the Decade. It made the line "Don't look, Ethel" a catch-phrase. The single also did well on the country chart, hitting #3, as earlier mentioned.

The 'BOOGITY-BOOGITY' phrase is from "The Streak".

"Here he comes...boogity-boogity...there he goes...boogity-boogity...and he ain't wearin' no clothes...oh yes they call him The Streak..."

Ironically, the album was a bigger hit on the Country chart than the Billboard Top-200 Pop chart. In Pop, the album peaked at #159 out of 200. While in Country, the album hit #10.

The album contained just nine songs. Three of them were previously recorded. So, as you can tell, this album was a "rush-release" to support "The Streak" single. The three previously recorded songs are: 1966's "Bagpipes-That's My Bag"; 1966's "Freddie Feelgood" with the laugh track edited into the song because it was later put on the 1969 'GITARZAN' album; the third previously released song is 1970's "Bridget the Midget". This album marked the debut of that song on an LP. Prior to this, it had only been available on a 45 RPM single. "Bridget..." hit #50 pop and #2 in England back in 1970. The song is about a midget go-go dancer.

The only other song to be released as a single from 'BOOGITY-BOOGITY', "The Moonlight Special", i have already discussed a few reviews ago...check that review to see my thoughts. A song on here in which i feel would've been a good follow-up to "The Streak" is "Smith and Jones", a hilarious ballad about two men...one from the FBI and the other from the CIA who are on the trail of a streaker and mayhem ensues soon afterward But Barnaby and Ray decided to go with the Midnight Special spoof instead of milking the streaking craze for all it's worth

Aside from all of those songs, i also love "Heart Transplant". it's just a silly song that has no meaning other than to satirize an elderly man who gets a heart transplant at age 82 but it makes him feel like he's in his 20's.

'BOOGITY-BOOGITY' has since been released on CD...it's paired with Ray's 1973 Barnaby album entitled 'NASHVILLE' on the Collectable's label.

[Prissy]

AC,
Congratulations on a great thread.  I have skimmed some of the reviews, but will go back later and read more in depth.

The worst CD I have ever had was an inexpensive  Christmas album that came out by NBC and available only at Target.  Clay's "Mary Did You Know" was the only decent thing on it,  and Kelly did have a rather nice song, but the rest of it was awful.  I had bought several for gifts and returned them to Target except for the one I had opened and listened to!  

When I have a chance, I will see if I can find the album cover and list who the other "singers"   were!

Prissy[/size]

[Claymaniac2000]

Prissy, I heard several other people make that same comment about that CD, so I am glad I didn't buy it.

[ACcountryFan]

Hello Prissy! I told Janet that i'd start this thread and even if it didn't get much posts, i'd still keep it going. I do notice that the number keeps rising so at least people are reading the thread even if they don't post...i didn't even bother buying that Christmas CD you were talking about because i knew i wouldn't like it.

Now to my latest review...later i'll be posting some reviews of some books i've read that i have enjoyed.

Title: Everything Is Beautiful
Artist: Ray Stevens
Year of Release: 1970
Label/Number: Barnaby 35005

This is the album as i was mentioning in my 'UNREAL' review that was released to the public as a result of the immediate success of the single, "Everything is Beautiful", and pushed back the release of 'UNREAL'.

During 1969-1971 Ray Stevens was a regular on the TV series "The Andy Williams Show". Andy's brother, Don, was Ray's manager. This isn't the country singer Don Williams for those who may know who he is. This is a different Don Williams.

Anyway, Ray was picked to host the summer replacement show for Andy Williams in 1970. At the time, variety shows didn't rerun...so they picked a different host while the headlining star took the summer months off. Ray, as legend has it, spent three days in his basement until he emerged with the song "Everything is Beautiful".

He felt the song needed something extra and so he gathered up his two daughters and put a tape recorder inside the school house choir room and asked the teacher if the choir would sing the opening paragraph: "Jesus loves the little children; all the little children of the world; red and yellow, black and white; they are precious in his sight; Jesus loves the little children of the world..." and then Ray launches into the song...throughout the song, the B.C. and M. Choir of Nashville can be heard singing in the back-ground.

The chorus of the song plus the melody was used all summer long on Ray's TV show...great exposure at a time when people actually watched TV shows in the double-digit millions. It was no doubt the TV show helped Ray's single shoot up to #1 in both the Pop and AC formats...PLUS, it crossed over to the Country Top-40, making this Ray's first "Top-40" country hit, peaking at #39.

The single was #1 pop 2 weeks; #1-AC 3 weeks; and was charted country for 6 weeks...it was also a hit in England and it sold 3,000,000 copies and it won a Grammy Award for Ray: Best Pop Male Vocal Performance. The Guess Who's "American Woman" was in it's third week at #1 when Ray took over on May 30th 1970 for 2 weeks...the Beatles "Long and Winding Road" then took over #1 afterward.

The flip-side of the single was this album's second track, "A Brighter Day", a gospel-flavored ballad. The rest of the album, because it was a rush-release to promote "Everything is Beautiful" on the radio, were all covers of previous pop hits and therefore only the title track and the flip-side were written by Ray.

"Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head" is contained on here...it was pitched to Ray in 1969 but he turned it down at the time...only to sit back and watch B.J. Thomas have a huge hit with it.

The Youngblood's "Get Together" is given the Stevens treatment...i can even picture how Ray would have performed this song on his TV show. He even records two Beatles-related songs for this album: George Harrison's "Something"; and the Lennon-McCartney song "She Came In Through the Bathroom Window".

I have never understood that song. I've listened to it many times and i've never understood what the song it trying to say. Perhaps it was a novelty song in the minds of the Beatles with such lyrics as: "She Came In Through the Bathroom Window...protected by a silver spoon...now she sucks her thumb and wanders by the banks of her own lagoon...". The song DOES have a plot...it's about a female dancer who works all day in clubs and in the song, Ray plays the part of a man she knows who once worked for the police...but it's a quirky song....the title alone tells you that.

Aside from that song, this is 1970's love and peace music and many pop fans who were opposed to this kind of music pretty much still look down on it 35 years later. I however love the album and i love how Ray interprets this material...his shouting delivery of Joe South's "Walk a Mile in My Shoes" carries conviction...but we also hear the tender side of his voice on John Denver's "Leaving on a Jet Plane"....AND Ray even tackles the love theme from Romeo and Juliet on this album, entitled "A Time for Us".

This album has been re-issued on CD as i mentioned in another review. It's paired with his other 1970 album, 'UNREAL'.

[ACcountryFan]

Album Title[/u]: FALLIN' FOR YOU FOR YEARS
Performer[/u]: Conway Twitty
Year of Release[/u]: 1986
Label/Number[/u]: Warner Brothers 4-25408

Conway Twitty was a huge country star and a legend in his own time. By the time this album was released in 1986, Conway had been in the business over 30 years thanks to a decade in rock/pop music in the '50s. In 1985 Conway achieved something no other artist in any format had ever done...he notched his 50th #1 single. This album was released at a time in country music when the sound was changing and the image was being marketed and re-tooled to fit people under 45.

Conway's previous album, 'CHASIN RAINBOWS', was not that big of a hit with country radio OR the country audience in general because both singles from that album peaked outside the Country Top-10...good songs but weren't 'commercial' apparently.

FALLIN' FOR YOU FOR YEARS was arranged in the 'new country' style and the songs were so energetic and "fresh sounding" that you couldn't tell a then-52 year old man was singing this stuff! The title track alone is breath-taking in it's vocal power...

The first single from this album was the bouncy radio-friendly sing-a-long "Desperado Love". I love this song's lyrics and how it uses the desperado image, always looked upon as rebellious and of the criminal element, and paints it in a love-song setting. Right from the opening lines: "Should i just ride in and steal you away? Don't know what else to do...I've got a Desperado Love for you..." to the catchy hook-line "So hold on i'm gonna shoot for the heart like desperado's do...i've got a Desperado Love for you...".

"Desperado Love" hit #1 in the fall of 1986, September 6th to be exact, and it was his fifty-first #1 hit and it arrived 5 days AFTER Conway had turned 53 on September 1st.

In late 1986 Warner Brothers released the title track, "Fallin' For You For Years", as a single. This song is TOP NOTCH...it's also a vocal shouter with an amazing vocal performance, of course!! The piano is main instrument on this song...it's up-tempo and fiery. I WISH i would've seen him sing this on TV and watch how he'd physically perform the song!! Seeing him sing songs like this was just as compelling as the songs themselves. The song hit #1 in early 1987, his fifty-second #1 hit single. It was also his last hit single for Warner Brothers {he had been with them since 1982}.

The rest of the album contains wonderful Conway Twitty songs that deal with all kinds of love: sad love; happy love; young love...even love from days gone by...

Aside from the two hits, my other favorite songs from this 1986 album are "A Thing of the Past" which tells of a man who lost a lover. It's nostalgic, too...i love the line "We're just like I Love Lucy; drive-in movies; cars that run on regular gas...; it's sad to find you and i are nothing but A Thing of the Past"; also, "Jennifer Johnson and Me" is a bouncy song about teenage love. The man in the song discovers an old picture of a girlfriend in his sportscoat pocket.

"Riverboat Gamblers" is an amazing song that uses clever card terminology in the lyrics. "...But when love's been dealing off the bottom you always want to cut the cards again..." and "Once you've lost your heart to cheaters your dreams of winning love begin to die; When you wake up with a stranger you know there's no diamonds in the sky...".

Oh, and a real beauty of a song is "Steady As She Goes". This song tells about a lost love and he reminds his heart to remain steady as the woman goes out of his life. The album closer, "Only the Shadows Know", has a title based upon the radio drama THE SHADOW {remember the line "Who knows what evil lurks in heart of men? The Shadow knows!! Heh heh heh"}.

Anyway, "Only the Shadows Know" is a song about two cheating lovers and only the shadow's know about it. "Then as the morning unfolds...two mystery lovers touch and go; knowing full well their secret goes un-told; Only The Shadow's Know..."  

This album can be bought on-line in most on-line flea markets. I have the cassette version. It's a wonderful album by The Best Friend a Song Ever Had.

[ACcountryFan]

Title: Daws Butler: Character's Actor
Author: Ben Ohmart and Joe Bevilacqua
Pages: 289
Publisher: Bear Manor Media

This brand spankin' new book...well, new THIS year...is all about the life and career of voice actor Charles Dawson "Daws" Butler. It was written by Ben Ohmart, who runs a web-page about his profession: OHMART

Joe Bevilacqua, a student of Butler's, ALSO runs a web-page. His is considered the greatest on Daws Butler in the cyber-world.

I found this book very entertaining and well-written. Joe, being a student of Butler's, we get to see some of the personal letters Daws wrote to Joe throughout the years. We also see some pics of Daws at various stages in life.  

Chapter 5 is where the book starts to dig deep into Butler's long association with Hanna-Barbera. It begins on page 97. Since this the era in Butler's career that has become his lasting legacy, this chapter contains MORE in-depth discussion.

Butler became the voice of nearly every cartoon character cranked out by Hanna-Barbera during the years 1957-1965. He was usually co-starring on these cartoons with another talented voice actor named Don Messick...and at times Doug Young. At Hanna-Barbera, from 1957-1967, Butler gave voice to these characters. This is just a list of MAJOR characters...not walk-on, minor roles:

1. Reddy {half of the "Ruff and Reddy" cartoon series}
2. Huckleberry Hound
3. Yogi Bear
4. Snagglepuss
5. Quickdraw McGraw
6. Baba Louie
7. Super Snooper
8. Blabber Mouse
9. Dixie Mouse
10. Mr. Jinx
11. Fibber Fox
12. Augie Doggie
13. Hokey Wolf
14. Lippy the Lion
15. Wally Gator
16. Elroy Jetson {from THE JETSONS}
17. Cogswell Cog {from THE JETSONS}
18. Henry Orbit {from THE JETSONS}
19. Loopy DeLoop
20. Peter Potamus
21. Captain Skyhook {from SPACE KIDDETS}

Let's back up a few years. Butler's big splash in the children's programming genre came in the mid '40s with MGM, narrating and doing nameless characters on Tex Avery cartoons. In 1949 he and and a Warner Brothers voice actor, Stan Freberg, teamed up to co-create a TV series called 'TIME FOR BEANY'. It was a puppet show about a kid named Beany and his friend, Cecil, a sea-sick sea serpent.

Every aspect of Butler's career is touched upon in this book. The 'TIME FOR BEANY' years; the comedy album years with Stan Freberg; the Hanna-Barbera cartoon years; the Jay Ward affiliation...everything is covered in this book. I love the way the book is presented. It's presented in a way that allows the reader to experience every detail of Butler's life. You can read the sadness in Butler's own words in his letters to Joe about how much the industry had changed [cartoon industry] and how upset he was that Hanna-Barbera wasn't letting him try out for new characters...they kept asking him to reprise his older characters again and again.

Butler and Freberg's relationship ended in the early '60s. Freberg had by that time become a million selling satirist with a string of hit comedy songs and albums while at the same time balancing voice over work AND writing/producing comedy commercials for radio and TV. Butler, on the other hand, was STILL busy at Hanna-Barbera; Walter Lantz; and Jay Ward's company...and their distance and separation caused a rift between the two.

Daws Butler remained a busy voice-actor throughout the '60s, '70s, and '80s but his BIGGEST years were 1957-1967 for Hanna-Barbera.

This book also discusses Butler's UPA work...he did the voice of "Waldo" in many of the Mister Magoo cartoons...and for Jay Ward he did many voices on a segment of 'ROCKY AND BULLWINKLE' called "Fractured Fairy Tales".

You'll also learn in this book that Butler also gave voice to the Walter Lantz character, "Chilly Willy", a penguin which originally ran in theatres but was later broadcast to a whole new audience on TV in the '70s...

Ben Ohmart and Joe Bevilacqua really out-do themselves during the last pages of this book...a detailed listing of just about everything Daws Butler did in his 40 year career from radio to theatrical cartoons to children's albums to made-for-TV cartoons to commercials and awards, etc. This is a truly great book about Daws Butler. This book and the ultra-rare video, 'DAWS BUTLER: VOICE MAGICIAN', are just two things any fan of Butler's should NOT be without!!

Charles Dawson "Daws" Butler was born on November 16, 1916. He passed away on May 18, 1988 at the age of 71. 'DAWS BUTLER: VOICE MAGICIAN' was nominated for an Emmy Award.

It was produced and broadcast on public TV in 1987 for the first time and it re-ran for the next several years on public TV. William Conrad narrated the documentary. Aside from Daws, the people who also appeared in the special was: Myrtis Butler {his wife}; Bill Hanna; Joe Barbera; Don Messick; Stan Freberg; June Foray; Walter Lantz; the widow of Bob Clampett {i forget her name}; and Butler's agent. Daws talks about Paul Frees and Bill Scott in this video, who both passed away in 1986.

[ACcountryFan]

Title: Welcome Foolish Mortals- The Life and Voices of Paul Frees
Author: Ben Ohmart
Pages: 284
Publisher: Bear Manor Media

This book, which was released in 2004, tells the story of Paul Frees. A voice actor AND a face actor {that's business jargon for an actor who appears on camera}, Frees is perhaps the most versatile voice actors that cartoons, movies, and radio has known. His acting credits, which are detailed by the author in the back of the book {same set up as the Daws Butler book from this year} is amazing to analyze and look at.  

However, the behind the scenes Paul Frees was hardly ever seen. He was eccentric, based on some of the stories in this book...some use the term "recluse". He prefered to stay at home and watch TV...in his pajama's. He didn't beg for work or anything...ironically, the work came to HIM. He started his career on radio in the mid '40s. This book pinpoints 1945 as Paul's first radio job. Frees appeared in many radio programs...hundreds and hundreds of radio programs. The programs that he gave voice to the most were crime drama's and horror-suspense based shows such as "Escape!"; "Suspense!"; "Box 13"; "The Whistler"; and "The Player". He also did several "Sherlock Holmes" episodes.

Paul's face acting was typically for low-budget movies, coming from RKO. However, he appeared in many films and TV shows through the years playing nameless bad-guys and the like...but it was his VOICE that most people wanted.

His voice appeared on a classic Spike Jones single called "My Old Flame" in which Frees does Peter Lorre's voice reciting the demented poem. He'd later do that voice again many years later on a cartoon for Hanna-Barbera called 'SECRET SQUIRREL' in which Frees voiced "Morocco Mole" in that Lorre delivery.

However, his first role in a cartoon according to this book arrived in 1950, a Disney theatrical starring Pluto. He remained a fixture at ALL the cartoon companies through the years {except Warner Brothers}. Frees' voice work for Disney included several minor characters and walk-ons but it was "Ludwig Von Drake" that became his major role for Disney.

When Disneyland and other Disney theme parks started opening up, Paul's voice was heard in several of the attractions...specifically as the "Ghost Host" of the HAUNTED MANSION exhibit in which Frees uttered the name of this book... "Welcome foolish mortals..." as the people entered the mansion. HIs voice was also heard on the attraction "Pirates of the Carribean".

For MGM his biggest role was "Barney Bear" but he was often heard on many other MGM cartoons as a narrator or walk-on...in many of the MGM TOM AND JERRY cartoons, Paul was often heard as the "radio announcer" everytime Tom flipped on the radio and there was typically 'breaking news' about something. Around the same time he started voicing cartoons at UPA under the 'HAM AND HATTIE' series.

The book gives the reader a glimpse into Paul's professional and personal lives. There's plenty of pictures...in one section of the book, Paul is quoted with his thoughts on voice actor, Mel Blanc...surprisingly, Paul thought very highly of Mel calling him "the Dean of character voices" on page 131.

He hooked up with Walter Lantz at Universal in 1959...the same year he joined the voice cast of 'ROCKY AND BULLWINKLE', a cartoon series from Jay Ward. For Lantz, Paul was "Wally Walrus" and "Charlie Beary" {the latter was the focal point in a long-running series entitled 'THE BEARY FAMILY'}. On Bullwinkle, Paul was heard as "Boris Badenov"; "Captain Peachfuzz"; and "Inspector Fenwick" among other characters...Paul had next landed roles on the cartoons by Famous Studio's who had released a cartoon version of 'SNUFFY SMITH'. Paul was Barney Google and Snuffy Smith.

Just when you thought Paul couldn't get any MORE busy, he lands a role as "The Commissioner" on the 'INSPECTOR' cartoon series from David DePatie-Friz Freleng a spin-off of their animated 'PINK PANTHER' series.  

I love the way the author chronicles his information about Paul's career. This book is a must-have, much like the other books on voice-actors from Ben Ohmart.

What many people will learn about Paul is that for DECADES he worked for the Federal government...in other words, he was a government secret agent. As i stated earlier, Frees preferred to stay at home watching TV or doing things with his family instead of attending Hollywood or New York parties. Ohmart incorporates several quotes from Paul's children into this book...along with previous interviews of Paul from various magazine and radio shows to give the book an intimate feel.

Paul's work in commercials is also discussed. Paul was heard in many of the Jay Ward CAP'n CRUNCH commercials, playing the villain. Daws Butler was CAP'n {mistakenly called "Captain Crunch" by everyone}. However, two characters stand-out when it comes to Paul's commercial voice work. TUCAN SAM from the Fruit Loops commercials and THE DOUGHBOY from the Pillsbury commercials. TUCAN was based loosely on Ronald Colman while DOUGHBOY was based on whatever was on Paul's mind at the time. He voiced these characters for years.

On TV Paul's voice was heard on the weekly TV series "The Millionaire" from 1955-1960 and was the narrator of the 1958-1963 series "Naked City". From 1961-1969 his voice appeared on "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color" giving voice to "Ludwig von Drake" in a series of cartoons.

Paul Frees was born on June 22, 1920. His birth name according to this book was Soloman Hersh Frees.

Throughout all of his success in radio; movies; TV; and cartoons he tried balancing a personal life. As is the case, it's not easy if your job demands are too high and he had a few marriages that didn't last.  

In addition to all of the things i've posted here about Paul, i still hadn't mentioned that he was also a painter...some of the portraits are shown throughout the book.

Paul's private life was simply that: private. He had very few close friends outside of family. In his later years he slown down, which is natural, but nobody in the animation world was prepared for the news on November 2, 1986 that Paul had died. According to reports he had a heart attack...later studies indicated that Paul took an over-dose of pain pills at the age of 66. It's been speculated that the over-dose was intentional. If so, Paul's death was as a result of suicide because of the lonely, confused life he lived at the time of his death.  

Boris Badenov will forever be Paul's biggest character because it had the biggest impact on pop-culture, but so didn't Tucan Sam and the Pillsbury Doughboy.

Paul Frees: 1920-1986

[ACcountryFan]

Title: The Jetsons meet The Flintstones
Format: Animated movie
Running time: 90 minutes
Voices Main-Cast: George O'Hanlon as George Jetson; Penny Singleton as Jane Jetson; Daws Butler as Elroy Jetson, Cogswell Cog, and Henry Orbit; Janet Waldo as Judy Jetson; Don Messick as Astro, RUDI, and Mac; Henry Corden as Fred Flintstone; Jean VanderPyl as Wilma Flinstone and Rosie; Mel Blanc as Barney Rubble, Dino, and Mr. Spacely; Julie Dees as Betty Rubble; and John Stephenson as Mr. Slate.
Year of Release: 1987

This historic animated movie combined the stone-age Flintstones with the space-age Jetsons via a time-machine that Elroy Jetson invented.

The movie, in my opinion, was a result of shrewd marketing and capitalizing on the revival of "The Jetsons" {new episodes had started airing in syndication in 1984 and 1985 and were mixed in with the classic episodes from the early '60s}.

Both sets of families were shown dealing with everyday problems and they wished they could escape reality for a few days. Elroy invents a time machine...the Jetsons ponder what it would be like to go back the past...later, the family is sent back to the past by mistake.

Exploring Bedrock, George and the family crash in a forrest where Fred and Barney are treating Wilma and Betty to a cheap vacation {earlier, Mr. Slate had fired Fred for the millionth time and therefore had no money to pay for a real vacation}.

Astro and Dino meet face to face as they peak over a line of bushes. Next, Fred and George meet face to face...each person is scared of the other. Jane and Wilma unknowingly talk their respective husbands into talking...Fred says "Yabba-Dabba friend" and George says "Ooba-Dooba Friend". With that the two hidden families emerge from the bushes and start getting to know each other.

All throughout the movie, Elroy is always attempting to fix the time machine...later, in a crazy mix-up, once the time machine is fixed, the wrong family is sent to the future. The Flintstones find themselves in outer space and Mr. Spacely decides to cash-in on The Flintstones prehistoric car.

Back in Bedrock, George's space-age gadgets make him a fortune at Slate's gravel company. However, they long for their former life as do the Flintstones. As a sub-plot, Mr. Spacely is trying to figure out who the leak is that's telling his rival, Cogswell, all of Spacely's latest business schemes. It turns out to be RUDI, the quivering computer in George's office {RUDI is a large computer screen with a face drawn on it} ...Cogswell had tapped into Spacely's computer system and had his own computer girl flirt with RUDI and "talk" him into giving her information that she'd pass on to Cogswell.

Along the way, Fred and Barney's friendship is torn apart when Barney accepts a job with Cogswell, Spacely's rival. The two compete against each other. Judy, back in Bedrock, falls in love with a rock singer named Iggy. Mr Slate's rival throughout the movie is Turk Tarpit.

Soon afterward, Rosie the Robot finds herself in Bedrock looking for the Jetsons...earlier she had went back to England and was running from a knight!

The Jetsons make it back home after the Rosie tracks them down. The stone-age life isn't what it's cracked up to be...and then the Flintstones take a trip back in time to Bedrock after the Jetsons arrive home.

The movie ends with The Jetsons and Mr. Spacely waving goodbye and the last thing you hear is Fred shouting "Yabba-Dabba Doo!!!" as they're zapped back in time. The credits are then next and that's the end of the movie.

"THE JETSONS MEET THE FLINTSTONES" was the last joint-effort by all of those voice legends: Daws Butler passed away in 1988; Mel Blanc passed away in 1989; Don Messick lived longer than those two, passing away in 1997...but that movie marked the last time all three of them worked on the same project. Henry Corden recently passed away.

I have this movie on video. This is a great family movie but if you love to just LISTEN to cartoons, too, like i do, then this is a perfect way to hear those particular voice legends in the same project.

Theme Songs from the two shows:

Meet George Jetson...
His boy Elroy...
Daughter Judy...
Jane, his wife
=================

Flintstones! Meet the Flintstones!
They're the modern stone age family
From the town of Bedrock
They're a page right out of history
Let's ride with the family down the street
Through the courtesy of Fred's two feet
When you're with the Flintstones
You'll have a yabba-dabba doo time
Just for you time
You'll have a gay old time
=================

'THE JETSONS' movie was released in 1990 and grossed $20,000,000 average. Mel Blanc had passed away in 1989...but his dialogue was recorded prior to his death...THAT'S how long the movie had been in the works.

The Flintstones, on the other hand, continue to get exposure because their series is STILL being ran somewhere all over the world. The Fruity and Coca Pebbles cereal for the most part keep those characters on the public psyche long after the TV shows have ended. But, the Flintstones have had live-action movies based on them...awfully tough to have a live-action movie based on the Jetsons...well, in today's computer-graphic era perhaps not...time will tell!

'THE JETSONS MEET THE FLINTSTONES' was a made-for-TV cartoon. It aired as part of Hanna-Barbera's 'SuperStars Ten' series in 1987.

[Claymaniac2000]

Jerry, I am enjoying these reviews so much. You are a fantastic writer. I sure would love to see you do it professionally but I know how you feel just wanting to do it for your own enjoyment.

[ACcountryFan]

Title: The Pit and the Pendulum
Principal Performer: Vincent Price
Year of Release: 1961
Company/Distribution: AIP
Running time: 80 minutes
Director: Roger Corman

This horror movie was the second in a series directed by Roger Corman that were based on or inspired by Edgar Allan Poe.

Vincent Price starred in this film as the son of Spain's most brutal torturer during the Inquisition era. John Kerr, Barbara Steele, Luana Anders, and Anthony Carbone co-star.

The film is basically about Price's character haunted by the memories of his evil father and that swinging pendulum down in the basement. The atmosphere of the house and memories of his father slowly turn him insane and by movie's end he has become his father...and plans on torturing the people in his life.

A brilliant performance from Price. One of the catch-phrases that was on the movie trailer in theatre's was the line from Price: "I'm gonna torture you Isabella!" as he's forcing a kiss on her.

The pendulum scene at the end, plus Price's insane character, is the highlight of the film! One actually feels sorry for the son, who slips into this madness as the film progresses. The compelling scene as the the pendulum continues to drop down inch by inch as it's swinging and the sweat on the victim's face is a wonderful camera shot. The "swooshing" sound effects and the floor shot of the pendulum is eerie!!

This is the second in a series of horror films based on Poe and directed by Roger Corman. The first was "House of Usher" in 1960. The Corman-directed Poe films to follow this one were: "Tales of Terror"; "The Raven"; "Masque of the Red Death"; and "Tomb of Ligeia".

The pendulum story had been inserted in a previous film starring Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff. Lugosi played a lover of Poe stories. The movie was entitled "The Raven"...which as you saw in the previous paragraph, Price starred in a different movie of the same name.

'PIT AND THE PENDULUM' was remade in 1991, filmed in Spain.

The 1961 movie has since been released on DVD. I have it on video.
=======================

Hello Janet! Thanks for stopping by! I know you lurk here all the time! Yeah, you know me by now! I write as a hobby.

[KSChristian4Clay]

Jerry - You have some wonderful reviews here! I love the ones on Ray Stevens. I first saw him in Branson with my parents and sister in the late 80's. I got an autograph and met him. He's really a great and hilarious guy. Jim Stafford is very funny too. Great to see live as well in Branson.

[LadyC]

Jerry, I am enjoying these reviews so much. You are a fantastic writer. I sure would love to see you do it professionally but I know how you feel just wanting to do it for your own enjoyment.

Ditto!  You're talented, Jerry.

I'm curious.  Have you ever seen the movie made in the 80's, a little spoof of Pirates of Penzance, called The Pirate Movie?  It's an absolutely ridiculous, totally pointless, wonderfully enjoyable movie.  I'd love to hear your thoughts if you've seen it.