Dartman's World Of Wonder

Sing Long and Prosper

2012-02-03T12:18:00.002-05:00

Continuing on our Trek through Star Trek, we find a great listen with the incredible vocal stylings of Leonard Nimoy. Probably the most famous Nimoy song is The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins. But there are others that are just as good if not better. My favorite happens to be the Spock infused, "Highly Illogical". That and many more appear on the classic album, "Mr. Spock's Music From Outer Space". Instead of heading to outer space to hear this, you can do it right here at The World of Wonder. Enjoy!

Leonard Nimoy - Mr. Spock's Music From Outer Space

To Seek Out Missing Cards and Needed Stickers

2012-01-30T16:48:00.002-05:00

Here's the next pack of the 1976 Topps Star Trek Trading Cards. And as promised, I have made up for the lack of stickers in the last pack by providing 4 stickers in this pack. Super cool! Hope you're keeping track of which cards you have and need! Enjoy!

Star Trek 1976 Trading Cards Pack 4

It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Trek

2012-01-28T05:23:00.001-05:00

Today we get to see Mad Magazine take on Star Trek. In 1976 Mad Magazine turned Star Trek into a musical. This was back when Mad Magazine was still funny so it actually produces a few chuckles. Here is that wonderful parody complete with the sensational cover art featuring Kirk, Spock and Alfred E Numan holding arms in a kick line! Enjoy!

Mad Magazine's Star Trek Musial

It's 48 Card Mission

2012-01-27T14:03:00.003-05:00

Here's the next pack of the 1976 Topps set of cards from Star Trek. Due to a slight technical glitch, this particular pack is missing the two stickers that I have been including in every pack. However, hang out until the next pack is posted and there will be four stickers coming your way. Enjoy!

Star Trek 1976 Trading Cards Pack 3

McTrek

2012-01-26T03:47:00.002-05:00

I remember the first Happy Meal. It came out in conjunction with Star Trek The Motion Picture and was called a Star Trek Meal. I remember being so excited to get one. Mine was the one that had the transporter on the box. I kept that box forever. I don't know whatever happened to it. I think my parents finally threw it away years later. It was the coolest thing ever. And then came the Happy Meal and the rest is history. Here's a commercial for that super cool meal from way back when. Enjoy!

These Are The Trading Cards of the U.S.S. Enterprise

2012-01-25T05:41:00.000-05:00

Here's the next pack of the super cool Topps trading cards from 1976. Over the years there have been several different sets of cards made by several different companies but I have always thought these cards were the best ones. They just look too cool. Decided for yourself when you pick up the next pack of cards and stickers. Enjoy!

Star Trek 1976 Trading Cards Pack 2

Jeff Wayne's Musical Trek

2012-01-24T05:00:00.003-05:00

Continuing on with my Star Trek related posts, I re-upped one of my favorite albums of all time. Way back in the early days of the World of Wonder, I posted this album with this description:

This was one of my favorite albums as a kid and it still holds a giant place in my heart today! It's Jeff Wayne's Space Shuttle playing The Theme From Star Trek and The Planet of The Apes. It features funky versions of these tunes as well as the themes from Batman and Superman and a few original tunes that have titles such as "The Ape Planet" and "Beyond The Outer Limits".

As a kid, this was constantly on my turntable and whenever I put it on to this day, it makes me smile. Here it is for your listening pleasure. Enjoy!

Jeff Wayne's Space Shuttle - The Theme From Star Trek and the Planet of the Apes

Trading Cards . . . The Final Frontier

2012-01-23T02:54:00.001-05:00

Just went through a recent Star Trek kick. Read William Shatner's "Star Trek Memories" and watched Season 1. Brought me back as I haven't actually watched an episode of the series in years. I used to love watching it every Sunday night with my dad when I was a youngster in the 70s. I have a lot of Star Trek items to share with you but I thought I would start off with a bit of Trading Card collecting. This time around its the Topps set from 1976. Here's the first pack for your collecting pleasure. Keep checking back for more cards and stickers from this great set! Enjoy!

Star Trek 1976 Trading Cards Pack 1

Gilda Is On The Air

2012-01-22T14:38:00.005-05:00

I love Gilda Radner. I sooo wish she was still around. She never ceases to make me smile no matter what I watch that features her. In 1979 Gilda fulfilled a life-long dream to be on Broadway when she performed "Gilda Live" at the Winter Garden Theater. It was filmed and recorded and a year later it was released as an album and a film. Around that same time, Warner Brothers released a radio special to local stations across the country to promote the film. Since the LP was the way things were done back then, the radio stations received the album in the mail and then basically played it on the air, giving their listeners a "special event" to listen to. That album lovingly sits in my collection and I share it with you now. Here is that great interview with the wonderful, Gilda. Enjoy!

Warner Brothers Gilda Radner Interview Album

Jerry Lewis Dishes It Out To Count Basie

2012-01-05T10:32:00.004-05:00

This is one of my all time favorite things in the world. My wife hates it. I think it's brilliant. I once saw a college band play it live to the film at a club in LA. The great, Emil Richards was sitting in with them. It was pretty cool.

Sammy & Buddy Kick It Into High Gear

2012-01-03T09:41:00.003-05:00

One of the coolest and most exciting albums in my collection is an album featuring Sammy Davis Jr. with the Buddy Rich Orchestra recorded lived in Vegas in 1966. It is amazing. Record over two nights (or mornings) at the Sands lounge, this album is one of the best you will ever hear. Sammy is on fire. Buddy (as usual) is on top of it and the crowd is eating it up. I wish there was a video of this somewhere as it must have been one of the greatest shows to have been at. The shows started at 2:30 AM and were done as a special performance for the people who worked on the Vegas strip and would have been getting off of work at that time. All I can say is thank God they recorded it! You must check this out. Here's Sammy Davis Jr. and Buddy Rich with "The Sounds of '66". Enjoy!

Sammy Davis JR & Buddy Rich - The Sounds of '66

Happy New Year and Welcome to Year 7!

2012-01-02T09:59:00.002-05:00

Wow! It's 2012 and the beginning of the 7th year that the World of Wonder has been on-line. Who would have thunk it?! However, I have some news for this year. As you may have noticed from last year, my personal and professional life has gotten so busy that I am not able to put the time into the World of Wonder that I used to. Which is actually a stark contrast to the fan base. Last year saw a shortage of posts but an increase of new fans and followers. I was debating on wether or not I should continue with the WOW and then I came up with an idea. The World of Wonder is GOING PUBLIC! What exactly does that mean? Here are the details: starting now I will accept posts and sharities from all of you. If you have something you would like to share on the World of Wonder, send me a little write-up and a download link and I will post it on the blog. If you have anything to share please send it to dartmansworldofwonder@yahoo.com and I'll make sure that it gets on the blog as long as it fits into the World of Wonder criteria. Obviously I won't post anything inappropriate such as porn or the like. And I will not, under any circumstances, post anything new and currently in print. I will continue to post various items from my personal collections and together we can keep the World of Wonder going for at least another year! Get those posts in and Happy New Year!!!!

Countdown to 2012

2011-12-28T16:09:00.002-05:00

Dartman's Advent Calendar 2011: Day 25

2011-12-25T10:19:00.000-05:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS! Here's your present! Just pull back the tab that reads "25". Enjoy! Stay tuned for an important announcement in the coming days. Until then, have a great holiday week!

Advent Calendar 2011 Day 25

Dartman's Advent Calendar 2011: Day 24

2011-12-24T04:41:00.001-05:00

It's Christmas Eve! Don't be a Hermit! Open the flap and find today's musical treat! Enjoy!

Advent Calendar 2011 Day 24

Dartman's Advent Calendar 2011: Day 23

2011-12-23T16:38:00.002-05:00

After the King of Rock and Roll serenaded us yesterday, we turn to an original Rock and Roll Queen for today's treat! Open the window marked 23 to hear who we mean. Enjoy!

Advent Calendar 2011 Day 23

Dartman's Advent Calendar 2011: Day 22

2011-12-22T08:55:00.004-05:00

Today marks the winter solstice, the darkest day of the year and the basis for all of the holidays celebrated at this time. To celebrate, we bring forth one, not three, king as we pull back the flap! Enjoy!

Advent Calendar 2011 Day 22

Dartman's Advent Calendar 2011: Day 21

2011-12-21T14:13:00.003-05:00

Christmas is a special time of the year. No other trio put it better than the one that's hiding behind flap 21. Recorded a decade before they would be all the rage for the second time in their career, this sentiment can be found by opening the window. Enjoy!

Advent Calendar 2011 Day 21

Dartman's Advent Calendar 2011: Day 20

2011-12-20T15:38:00.002-05:00

Closing in on the Winter's Solstice, we f-f-f-f-find s-s-s-s-ome re - ah- reading material. The k-k-k-kind that goes well with yesterday's Lester Lan-a-lan-a-lanolin song might fit nicely in the background. Pull the f-f-f-flap and find out! Enjoy!

Advent Calendar 2011 Day 20

Dartman's Advent Calendar 2011: Day 19

2011-12-19T14:34:00.002-05:00

Bobby Sherman sang so, um, politely yesterday it just makes me want to get away to a far off swingin' place. Find out where when you open the flap for today! Enjoy!

Advent Calendar 2011 Day 19

Dartman's Advent Calendar 2011: Day 18

2011-12-18T17:17:00.003-05:00

After viewing those home movies from the 70s yesterday, I think it's time for some bubble gum. You can find some behind today's flap. Enjoy!

Advent Calendar 2011 Day 18

Dartman's Advent Calendar 2011: Day 17

2011-12-17T08:46:00.002-05:00

Here comes some classic memories of a great family Christmas. To find out what they are, pop open the flap for day 17. Enjoy!

Advent Calendar 2011 Day 17

Dartman's Advent Calendar 2011: Day 16

2011-12-16T08:11:00.001-05:00

Hearing Glen Miller serenade us with that beautiful medley yesterday makes me anxious to find what's behind the door for day 16. Lift the flap and let's see what we find. Enjoy!

Advent Calendar 2011 Day 16

Dartman's Advent Calendar 2011: Day 15

2011-12-15T08:07:00.001-05:00

Yesterday we found a classic Fleisher cartoon and today . . . who knows? You'll have to open the flap and find out! Enjoy!

Advent Calendar 2011 Day 15

Dartman's Advent Calendar 2011: Day 14

2011-12-14T05:32:00.001-05:00

After hearing El Vez sing about Poncho Claus yesterday, we settle down for an older treat today. Open the flap and see what's behind door #14. Enjoy!

Advent Calendar 2011 Day 14

Dartman's Advent Calendar 2011: Day 13

2011-12-13T11:01:00.002-05:00

After that barrage of songs yesterday, it's time to get back to one at a time. Let's celebrate the 13th day of December internationally. Enjoy!

Advent Calendar 2011 Day 13

Dartman's Advent Calendar 2011: Days 10, 11 & 12

2011-12-12T16:13:00.004-05:00

So the weekend got away from me and my computer died and etc etc etc. Hopefully that last episode of All in The Family kept you busy enough to cover. Here are the next three windows opened all at once. Enjoy!

Advent Calendar 2011 Day 10

Advent Calendar 2011 Day 11

Advent Calendar 2011 Day 12

Dartman's Advent Calendar 2011: Day 9

2011-12-09T15:52:00.004-05:00

After hearing Lionel Hampton serve us some Gin For Christmas, it's time we relaxed with some family. Find out how when you pull open the flap for day nine. Enjoy!

Advent Calendar 2011 Day 7

Dartman's Advent Calendar 2011: Day 8

2011-12-08T07:33:00.002-05:00

After hearing Augie Rios find out all about Santa yesterday, it's time to sit back and relax with a nice beverage. You'll find it behind door #8. Enjoy!

Advent Calendar 2011 Day 8

Dartman's Advent Calendar 2011: Day 7

2011-12-07T07:28:00.000-05:00

After hearing the X-Mass Twist yesterday, let's hear the truth about ol' Santa Claus when we open up today's window. Here's our treat for day #7. Enjoy!

Advent Calendar 2011 Day 7

Dartman's Advent Calendar 2011: Day 6

2011-12-06T22:11:00.000-05:00

After yesterday's taste from Line Material, we need a new twist. Click on the link to find out what we found under door number 6! Enjoy!

Advent Calendar 2011 Day 6

Dartman's Advent Calendar 2011: Day 5

2011-12-05T15:18:00.002-05:00

As we rest our eyes from viewing Liberache tickle the ivories at Christmas from yesterday, we open door #5 and hear something fun. Enjoy!

Advent Calendar 2011 Day 5

Dartman's Advent Calendar 2011: Day 4

2011-12-04T23:20:00.002-05:00

Guy Lombardo sang us a great song yesterday, so let's go ahead and open up door #4. Enjoy!

Advent Calendar 2011 Day 4

Dartman's Advent Calendar 2011: Day 3

2011-12-03T23:17:00.000-05:00

After Sha Na Na gracing our ears with Christmas Bells on Day 2, let's find out what's behind door #3! Enjoy!

Advent Calendar 2011 Day 3

Dartman's Advent Calendar 2011: Day 2

2011-12-02T05:25:00.001-05:00

Here is today's surprise from our advent calendar! Each day brings a new surprise! Yesterday's was the great, Fats Waller singing "Winter Weather". What could be behind that door today? Click and find out. Enjoy!

Advent Calendar 2011 Day 2

Dartman's Advent Calendar 2011: Day 1

2011-12-01T08:16:00.004-05:00

Welcome to this year's edition of Dartman's Advent Calendar! This whole month I'll be posting some great holiday content with a new window being opened every day. To keep the element of surprise, I'm just going to post the link and have you be surprised by what you get! Here's our first download of the season! Enjoy!

Advent Calendar 2011 Day 1

Safety Lessons From Our Favorite HB Characters

2011-11-27T09:26:00.004-05:00

I feel like I am a little late in posting this after hearing about all of the horrors that went on on Black Friday. But back in 1973, Hanna Barbera released a record with tips from many of their characters on how to be safe. The original album came with a coloring book and a poster. While I have neither the coloring book or the poster, I do have the album and it's pretty cool. All together there are 36 lessons to be learned from the likes of Wilma Flintstone, Quick Draw McGraw, Yogi Bear, Top Cat, Snagglepuss, Peter Potamus, Barney Rubble, Touche Turtle, Magilla Gorilla, Wally Gator, Dixie, Fred Flintstone, Huckleberry Hound, Boo Boo Bear, Riccochet Rabbit, Augie Doggie, Elroy Jetson and more. So take their advice and stay safe. Here is "Hanna Barbera presents Hear See Do". Enjoy!

Hanna Barbera Presents HEAR SEE DO

Thanksgiving With Abbott And Costello

2011-11-23T22:31:00.003-05:00

Here's a classic episode from the Abbott and Costello program as heard on the air on November 23, 1944. It features a great guest appearance from the very sexy Jayne Wyman. Enjoy a little bit of Thanksgiving Turkey with Bud and Lou. Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving!

The Abbott & Costello Show - Thanksgiving Show

Super 8 Theater Presents: The Mickey Mouse Club

2011-11-18T15:44:00.000-05:00

Lucy And Desi Get Roasted

2011-11-14T20:35:00.007-05:00

A huge event for the stars of I Love Lucy took place at the Beverly Hilton Hotel November 23, 1958 in celebration of the Friars Club 10th Anniversary. These testimonial dinners eventually were called “roasts”. Making an appearance at this “roast” was Dean Martin who spoke at length and also sang a parody of “Volare” about Lucy & Desi accompanied by Ken Lane. There were also featured appearances by George Burns, Art Linkletter, George Murphy, Tony Martin, Milton Berle and several others. One of those several others was a comedian named Harry Einstein. His stage name was "Paryakarkas". The "roast" would be his last performance. Anywhere. Literally. During the night he collapsed onto Milton Berle's shoulder and died. A "private label" recording of this dinner was released sometime after and featured some hilarious performances but not the collapse of Mr. Einstein. It does open with an announcement telling of the death. Here is that bootleg, I mean, "private label" recording. Here is “The Friars Club Presents The Lucille Ball And Desi Arnaz Testimonial Dinner”. Enjoy!

The Friars Club Presents The Lucille Ball And Desi Arnaz Testimonial Dinner

BONUS:
Here's a newspaper article all about the roast and the sudden demise of Harry Einstein. (click on pics for larger images)

“Now Here’s Something We Hope You’ll Really Like…”

2011-11-13T17:59:00.004-05:00

There have been a number of children’s records based on cartoons. Today we share one that features Bill Scott, June Foray, Paul Frees and all the rest performing the voices of Rocky, Bullwinkle and the other characters we’ve come to know and love. This tells the story of how Rocky and his friends put this record together by way of original songs and audio from a few of the old cartoons themselves. This one popped up on the ol' playlist in the car the other day and my son thought it was great. In fact, he kept having me repeat the first track over and over because he loved it so much. As a result, I share it with you today. Here is "Rocky & His Friends". Enjoy!

Rocky & His Friends

The Ominous "Link Share" Comments

2011-11-10T17:19:00.002-05:00

Lately I have been getting a lot of comments and e-mails with people asking me to list their blog or website on my sidebar as a return of a favor that they have done for me by adding my blog to their links. While I am flattered that people think that much of the World of Wonder, I must politely say no thanks to these requests. As it is, I barely have time to post anything anymore let alone add links to blogs that I have never visited. The links that I have up are those of blogs that I enjoy and/or friends of mine who I have a vested interest in. I'm sorry to those that have requested. I don't mean to be rude. It's just that's not what the World of Wonder is about. No offense. Thanks - Dartman

Super 8 Theater Presents: W.C. Fields

2011-11-03T08:20:00.002-04:00

Here's a short Castle soundie from "The Bank Dick" entitled "The Great Chase". Enjoy!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN 2011!!!

2011-10-31T16:14:00.001-04:00

Halloween-A-Thon 2011: A Monster of a Good Time!

2011-10-30T09:33:00.006-04:00

It's not exactly the perfect Halloween weekend here in CT since we were hit with a freak snow storm yesterday. However, that doesn't mean the fun can't continue here at the World of Wonder. Today we have a triple dose of fun for you all. Monsters in print, monsters in song and monsters in breakfast cereal! First up is a great issue of the classic magazine, "Famous Monsters of Flmland". I have a few issues of this great magazine but the reason I chose this one to share is the super cool cover! Next up is a Dickie Goodman album entitled, "The Monster Album in Stereo". Goodman was most famous for a series of "break-in" records he created from 1956 to 1986. His two biggest hits were "The Flying Saucer" and "Mr. Jaws". In between, in 1964, he managed to deviate from his formula and put together this collection of ditties. And finally, fans of the 1970s cereal monsters can rejoice in the sounds of their favorites, Count Chocula, Franken Berry and Boo Berry as they listen to their adventures. These are from two cardboard records that came on the backs of the cereal back in the 70s. Enjoy!

Famous Monsters of Filmland Issue #3

Dickie Goodman - The Monster Album in Stereo

Cereal Monsters Cardboard Records

Halloween-A-Thon 2011: Betty Boop's Halloween Party.

2011-10-27T12:26:00.002-04:00

Halloween-A-Thon 2011: That's Fronkensteen!

2011-10-23T17:03:00.003-04:00

Mel Brooks has created some of the greatest comedies of all time but "Young Frankenstein" stands out as a work of art above all others (at least in my humble opinion). Gene Wilder wrote it but Mel gave it the direction it needed and together they created a masterpiece of cinema. The genius of Brooks is shown through the use of not only the same scenery as the original Frankenstein but the same camera angles as well. The film is quoted more and more through the years and I don't know anyone who has ever said "I don't like Young Frankenstein". As with other Brooks films, a soundtrack album was released that contained not just the great music from the film, but also contained dialogue from some of the best scenes as well. Here is that soundtrack album for you to listen to and add a pinch of humor to your Halloween festivities! Enjoy!

Young Frankenstein OST

Halloween-A-Thon 2011: Readings From The Count (Dracula/Dooku)

2011-10-17T15:50:00.004-04:00

Christopher Lee brought the Hammer Film's version of Dracula to life and in one of the few strokes of genius that George Lucas showed in his Star Wars Prequels, Lee appeared as Count Dooku, an evil Sith Lord. He also brought his fiendish talents to the role of the villian Saruman in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. His creepiness remains intact and he can still send a chill up my spine. Here are two collections of Lee reading from various Horror writings. The first is a collection of Edgar Allen Poe's works and the second a collection of various writers that is referred to as "Fireside Tales". The collection of Poe's tales were released as an audio book in the mid 80s while the "Fireside Tales" were originally broadcast on BBC Radio 2 on December 30th, 2004. Here they are for your listening pleasure. Enjoy!

Christopher Lee Reads Tales of Horror

Halloween-A-Thon 2011: A Double Shot of The Addams Family in Print

2011-10-13T16:37:00.004-04:00

You can't celebrate Halloween without the Addams Family. Whether you are a fan of the TV show, the original Charles Addams comics, the movies, the cartoon or the Broadway show, you have to include them somehow. I've been watching the first season of the tv show all month and am loving it. To me, that's the true Addams Family. I love the original comics but have no time for the films. I originally wanted to see the Broadway show but the more I hear about it, the less I want to go. (if you want to go, you should go soon. It's closing at the end of the year). Today I bring you the original television line-up in an article from Monster World Magazine. It's from 1966 and features a great cover story on the show. It also features an awesome photo-comic version of the Hammer "Horror of Dracula" (that's better than the story on the Addams Family in my opinion). In addition, you get the 80s sticker book from the cartoon of the Addams Family. Though I was never a big fan of the cartoon, this is a pretty cool sticker book. It comes complete with paper dolls of Wednesday and Pugsly. It has the original look of the family from the Charles Addams' comic. Here they are for you as part of Halloween-A-Thon 2011. Enjoy!

Monster World Issue #9

The Addams Family Sticker Book

Halloween-A-Thon 2011: A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing (re-post)

2011-10-12T05:03:00.000-04:00

1981 was the year of the werewolf. Along with this classic, The Howling and Wolfen also saw the light of day. The make-up effects for this film were groundbreaking and still hold up to this day and you can't beat any film that features Jenny Agutter! Elmer Bernstein wrote the music for the film but the studio never released an official soundtrack. Instead, they asked MECO to give the world his interpretation and thus we have this!

An American Werewolf in London OST

Halloween-A-Thon 2011: Scrappy's Ghost Story

2011-10-10T22:56:00.001-04:00

Halloween-A-Thon 2011: The Voices of Horror (re-up)

2011-10-08T01:10:00.001-04:00

As a kid, I was drawn to story albums and spoken word recordings. As you can tell by a lot of my posts, I still am. One of the ones that always caught my eye as a kid was a 1963 Wonderland Records release entitled, "Famous Monsters Speak". I would see it at the store and in ads in my comic books but alas, never obtained it in my youth. It would take me until the 21st Century (2003 to be exact) to obtain a copy for myself. It was well worth the wait! Voiced by former Dead End Kid, Gabriel Dell, the album consists of two tracks. The first (side 1) deals with the invention of a recording device that allows us to hear the thoughts of Frankenstein's Monster and the second (side 2) tells the tale of a reporter who has been entrapped in Dracula's Castle. The stories are real works of art in that they maintain an integrity not often found in children's records. They hold up well to this day and actually give great side stories to the original film versions of both characters. The Frankenstein story is very interesting in that it deals with the Monster's feelings towards his creator and his life, a side of the story that was included in the original Mary Shelley novel, but not portrayed in the Universal film version. I can't say enough great things about this album so I'll just say, here it is for your fright filled October enjoyment! Here's "Famous Monsters Speak". Enjoy!

Famous Monsters Speak

Halloween-A-Thon 2011: Dracula Under Glass

2011-10-07T12:17:00.007-04:00

When the classic Bela Lugosi Dracula film was first released in 1930, talkies were still something new. As a result, the men behind the film made it so that it could be shown to audiences both as a silent movie and as a talkie, though conversation was limited to basic narrative elements. Unusually, it did not have a specific score and only two pieces of music on its soundtrack: Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake during the opening credits, and the overture of Wagner's Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg during a scene at an opera. That's the way the film remained until 1999 when Philip Glass was commissioned to write the score by Universal Studios Home Entertainment, which released the movie with the Glass-soundtrack on VHS and DVD. According to Glass, the choice of chamber music played by a string quartet rather than an orchestral score followed from the movie's setting, "libraries and drawing rooms and gardens." The string quartet that Glass hired to perform his score was the great, Kronos Quartet. Kronos (accompanied by Glass on piano) performed the score during viewings of the movie across the United States in 1999 and 2000 to promote the album. The soundtrack and the performances thereof have received mixed reviews. Entertainment Weekly was very positive, praising the "hypnotic new score," while The Essential Monster Movie Guide calls the score "unnecessary," and a Lugosi-biography calls it "ill-considered." Being a fan of all three components, I was excited to see the collaboration and enjoyed it thorougly. I hope you do as well when you listen to the soundtrack that Glass wrote those twelve years ago. Here is "Dracula" by Philip Glass. Enjoy!

Dracula Soundtrack - Philip Glass & Kronos Quartet

Halloween-A-Thon 2011: Drac Goes Dancing

2011-10-06T01:44:00.001-04:00

Aside from Christmas, no other holiday has inspired more strange disco novelties than Halloween. Needless to say, today's sharity is a disco album. The band behind the Halloween of disco is a rather anonymous German disco group, featuring a number of notable Munich session players under the name of Hot Blood. The record is so anonymous in fact, that the production credit is given as "Produced by Hot Blood". The major track on the record, "Soul Dracula" has every cliché one would expect from a novelty 'dracula' track: maniacal laughing drrrracu-la with exaggerated Bela Lugosi-esque accent, catchy/annoying background gimmicks that drill themselves into your head, cheesy sexual overtones, not to mention a bit of pointless appropriation in the song title. Still though, cliché's aside, this ain't that bad. Judge for yourself when you disco down to Hot Blood and "Disco Dracula". Enjoy!

Hot Blood - Disco Dracula

Halloween-A-Thon 2011: When Michael Comes Slashing Home Again, Hurrah, Hurrah

2011-10-05T02:30:00.001-04:00

In 1978, John Carpenter released what many, including myself, feel is the greatest horror film of them all. He took a self-penned screenplay, added virtually no budget and an up and coming actress who happened to be the daughter of two gigantic film stars (including the original slasher chick, Janet Leigh!) and turned it into the greatest horror franchise the world had seen up to that point. Of course I am talking about Halloween. It was great when it first came out and to this day. The sequels don't hold up to the original. There are really only two that matter. The second one as it is the continuation of the first film and the seventh which brought back the original character of Lori Strode played by the pre-Activia Jamie Lee Curtis. The great thing about Halloween H2O (the seventh film in the series) is that it acts as if Halloween 3 through 6 doesn't even exist. (In my mind, they don't).

I was hopeful that the series would end with H2O but unfortunately, the greed train pulled in and another sequel was made followed by a "re-imagination" (I hate that term) of the original by Rob Zombie. I've only seen a tad of that film and I really can't say anything too bad because my good friend and boss, Micky Dolenz was part of it. I can say that it is not the original. There will never be another "Halloween". For today's treat I bring you the soundtracks to Halloween and HalloweenH2O. The music for the original was written by John Carpenter on a little Casio keyboard and is legendary. It's minimalism at its finest! Here is the 20th anniversary edition of that soundtrack that was released in 1998, the same year H20 was released. Enjoy!

Halloween OST

Halloween H2O OST

Halloween-A-Thon 2011 Begins!

2011-10-04T11:09:00.000-04:00

It's October and that means blogs all over the internet are counting down the days until Halloween! We here at the World of Wonder are no exception. Seeing as how a lot of the back pages of the blog have been wiped away or a lot of my sharities have been removed by the facist rapidshare corporation, I've decided to mix some old with some new this year. Some of the Halloween goodies I will be sending your way have never appeared on the World of Wonder before, while others will make a very welcome return. The first post of "Halloween-A-Thon 2011" is an old friend that has been wiped off of the blog. We are pleased to welcome back Paul Lynde's Halloween Special!

I know that over the last few years this has been a hot commodity that almost every blog has posted it so I figured I would keep the tradition going by posting it here. If you have never seen the special, you need to run out to the store and get your copy right now. It is a classic and features a list of guest stars that would rival any episode of The Love Boat! It's also historic in that it features the first television appearance of the band, KISS. Here is the original television soundtrack to "The Paul Lynde Halloween Special". Enjoy!

Paul Lynde Halloween Special OST

The Last of the Hulk Cards

2011-10-03T00:21:00.003-04:00

Here are the last five packs of the Incredible Hulk series of trading cards from 1979. I was going to space them out over a few more posts but October is upon us and I want to get into the usual Halloween theme here at the World of Wonder. So, without further ado, the remaining packs of this great series of cards (plus a few bonus items) are presented for your pleasure. Enjoy!

The Incredible Hulk Trading Cards Packs 9 & 10

The Incredible Hulk Trading Cards Packs 11, 12 & 13

"HULK TRADE CARDS!"

2011-10-02T11:36:00.003-04:00

Here are the next two packs of Hulk trading cards. I hope you are enjoying the way I have it set up so that if feels like you are actually getting the old packs and finding the cards that you need to complete the set. Of course, it would be much easier for me to post the whole set as one big download but where's the fun in that?! The other upside is that you don't have to worry about getting any doubles. And if you want to trade with someone, you can just copy the file and send it rather than give away your prized possession. Here are packs 7 & 8.

The Incredible Hulk Trading Cards Packs 7 & 8

Within Each of Us, Ofttimes, There Dwells a Mighty and Raging Trading Card.

2011-09-28T07:45:00.004-04:00

Here are two more packs of the trading cards from the classic television show, "The Incredible Hulk". As you open them up and collect them, you might notice that most of the cards come from the first season of the show. There are a few from the second season but most of them are from the first season. Not only that, but they come mostly from certain episodes. There are scenes from the pilot, the 747 episodes and the Times Square episode. Plus there are the ones from where David Banner goes through hypno therapy and confronts the Hulk in his hypnosis. Interesting choice of episodes. Here's packs 5 & 6. Enjoy!

The Incredible Hulk Trading Cards Packs 5 & 6

ANGER! DANGER! TRADING CARDS!

2011-09-26T20:41:00.004-04:00

Here are the next two packs of cards from "The Incredible Hulk" set. These cards were originally released in 1979. They are still a much sought after set to this day. A collectible shop in a mall not too far from where I live sells the original wax packs. While most cards from that era are selling for a dollar or two a pack, these sell for $5 a pack. If I needed them, I probably would spend that much. Here are packs 3 and 4 and remember to keep a look out for those bonus cards and stickers!

The Incredible Hulk Trading Cards Packs 3 & 4

Don't Make Me A Trading Card . . . You Wouldn't Like Me As A Trading Card

2011-09-24T01:20:00.002-04:00

Since I received that great e-mail from Kenneth Johnson a few posts back, I thought it fitting to serve up the next set of trading cards to you. This time, as you may have already guessed, it's The Incredible Hulk set from 1979. The set features 88 cards and 22 stickers. In keeping with the original packs, I have included 7 cards in each pack but instead of just one sticker I am giving you two! Woo hoo! And to keep the math straight and not have any doubles, I've included bonus cards from other trading card series featuring the Hulk throughout the set. Keep an eye out for them! Here are the first two packs! Enjoy!

The Incredible Hulk Trading Cards Packs 1 & 2

Bake The Hall In The Candle of Her Brain

2011-09-21T22:26:00.003-04:00

Yesterday, my son and I were out driving around listening to "The Muppets Present: The Frog Prince." It captured my little two year old's ear and he eagerly awaited every new track. Just to be sure that I wasn't imagining him paying attention to the story, I asked him about it later on in the day and he recounted the whole plot and even a few items that I had forgotten. It brought a smile to my face to know that he was enjoying what was coming over the sound system. It also furthered my happiness in knowing that we have the old fashioned audio stories to listen to rather than having a DVD player in the car. Here is that same audio that we listened to yesterday (that he is still talking about today). It's a combination of the original soundtrack album and the soundtrack from the actual television special from 1971. Here is "The Muppets Present: The Frog Prince". Enjoy!

Jim Henson's Muppets Present: The Frog Prince

Kenneth Johnson Is A Fan of "Tattered Clothing"

2011-09-19T17:36:00.003-04:00

Received this e-mail a few days ago from Kenneth Johnson, the man behind such great television shows as the original V, the Bionic Woman and most importantly, The Incredible Hulk:

Dear Rich...
Recently I had the privlegde of hearing your song, Tattered Clothing. I thought it was both fun and poignant (not unlike our old show). It's wonderful to know that you were such a fan of The Hulk. We certainly labored to make each episode as meaningful and substantive as possible. Our largest audience was actually adults. Working with Bix and Lou was always a treat. We all cared a lot. I'm glad it impacted on you so favorably. And that it inspired you to write the cool song. It reminds me that in one of the episodes I wrote this line for Bix -- after he had awakened yet again in tattered clothing: "...I have got to get some shirts that stretch."
Thanks again for taking the time to write the song. It's great to hear that my work captured your imagination.

All the best...

Kenny

Needless to say, I am very flattered and pretty excited. If you have no idea what I am talking about then here's the scoop:

In January of last year I released the single, "Tattered Clothing". I wrote the song about 6 years ago and recorded it in various cities over the last year of the Avenue Q Tour. It features some great playing by some great players. It is an ode to the 70s television classic, "The Incredible Hulk". It is available on I-Tunes & Amazon All proceeds from the sale of this single will go to The Richard S Dart Memorial Arts Scholarship.

I Have Pooh On My Blog

2011-09-14T15:21:00.003-04:00

In the last half of the 90s I worked in a high school as a Resource Room Tutor. One day I happened to be walking down the hall wearing a shirt with Winnie The Pooh on the upper right hand corner. The teacher on hall duty saw me and said "You have Pooh on your shirt" to which I replied, "Oh jeez, I thought I had washed all of it off!" The joys of double entendre! Anyway, I told you that to tell you this; Winnie The Pooh was a favorite character of mine as a child and I couldn't go to bed without my stuffed Pooh Bear. I am happy to say that my son now shares this love of the character and it gave me a reason to digitize some of my Disney records so that I could put them on his i-pod and listen to them with him. One of those records I share with you today. It's the story of "Winnie The Pooh and Tigger, Too!" Like "The Story of Star Wars" and others, this is a story with the dialogue and music taken right from the soundtrack to the film. Before VHS, DVD and On-Demand, this was the only way to relive the films or tv shows at home over and over again. I share this with you in hopes that you not only enjoy it, but that you share it with your little ones. Here is "Winnie The Pooh and Tigger, Too". Enjoy!

Winnie The Pooh and Tigger, Too

2011-09-11T10:20:00.001-04:00

Podcasts Boxed Set #3

2011-09-07T08:53:00.004-04:00

By popular request, I decided to continue with the "boxed sets" of podcasts from the last few years of The World of Wonder. This time around we get a boxed set of Podcasts 11, 12, 13 & 14. This is where things got interesting for the podcast. I tried to do themes and the first all-music podcast came from this era. Also, the Soundtrack Edition of the Podcast was released which featured nothing but songs from film soundtracks.

These podcasts were much more spread out over time as I started getting busier and busier with other things so it made each one completely different from the one that came before it. Hopefully, it was all for the best. You can decide as you delve into the archives and listen again (or for some of you, the first time) to these podcasts from the past. Enjoy!

Dartman's Wacky Podcast #11-14

Battening Down The Hatches

2011-08-27T08:57:00.002-04:00

Sorry there haven't been too many posts this month. I've been extremely busy with a lot of things and this weekend finds us in waiting for Hurricane Irene. If we get hit the way people are expecting us to, I may be out of power for a while. So what better day to post than the day before we get hit. Today I share with you an album that has been in my collection for as long as I can remember. It's sort of a concept album. It's Jeannie C. Riley's "Harper Valley PTA". The song was a huge hit for Riley and spawned a ton of sound a likes and copy cat records but it was this album that took the idea to a whole new level. Not all of the tracks deal with the characters from the original song but most of them do. The underlying theme being that people in glass houses should not throw stones. And as with all concept albums and soundtracks and shows, the main theme shows up a lot. And to date, this complete album has not seen the light of the digital age. A compilation of hits with the same title and cover art has been released but not this particular album. Here is that album that I have had the pleasure of listening to for the past 40 years. Here is "Harper Valley PTA". Enjoy!

Jeannie C Riley-Harper Valley P.T.A.

Classic Television Episode of The Month: Bewitched

2011-08-17T06:20:00.001-04:00

Here's a great episode from season three of the great comedy, Bewitched. Enjoy!

More From Ella

2011-08-13T14:17:00.003-04:00

Last month I posted a great album of radio broadcasts from Ella Fitzgerald in the 40s. Today I bring you the same singer a couple of decades later. If you are like me, then you believe that Ella got better and better as time went on. She came to prominence in the 40s, went on to solo success in the 50s and became a legend during the 60s. The 70s and 80s just add to her already amazing presence and solidify her as one of the great all time singers ever. As I just stated, the 60s was where she became part of the elite who get to be called a legend and today's sharity is proof that it was earned. It's a concert from Amsterdam in 1961 and she sounds amazing! Don't believe me, listen for yourself. Here is Ella Live In Amsterdam, 1961. Enjoy!

Ella Fitzgerald - Amsterdam, 1961

Judy Brings Out The Stars For The Men In Uniform

2011-08-03T13:17:00.004-04:00

It's no secret that I love Judy Garland. I love her the same way that I love Elvis. I think her voice is amazing and her behavior even more so. There is no denying that classic voice and even though "Under The Rainbow" is a great song no matter who does it, Judy always did it best. During 1944 and 1945, Judy appeared on many Armed Forces Radio Services broadcasts entitled "Mail "Call" and "Command Performance". These were usually transcribed onto "V-Discs" and sent overseas to be played on the radio for servicemen everywhere. In the 90s, Laserlight put out a CD compilation of these entitled "Mail Call". The first half of the album features a show from May 17, 1944 and features Bing Crosby, Jimmy Durante and Arthur Treacher. The second half of the album is from a June 3, 1944 broadcast of "Command Performance" that features Bing, Bob Hope and Frank Sinatra. Together they make a great compilation that I share with you today! Here is that great album. Enjoy!

Judy Garland - Mail Call

Classic Television Episode of The Month: George Burns & Gracie Allen

2011-07-31T18:07:00.001-04:00

I know it's the last day of the month, but I just realized that I never posted a Classic TV Episode this month. So, here it is: A classic episode of The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show, complete with the original commercials! Enjoy!

"The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show"1952 - watch more funny videos

Cheap Trick Changes Positions

2011-07-31T09:18:00.000-04:00

I know The Rolling Stones have been called "The Greatest Rock and Roll Band in the World" but for my money, I think that title should go to Cheap Trick. Don't get me wrong, I love the Stones and I think they are great. But Cheap Trick just oozes Rock And Roll from their pores. No matter what they do, it rocks! I discovered Cheap Trick in the early days of MTV. The first song I ever heard by them was their hit, "She's Tight". It's still one of my all time favorites. In 1983, my Godfather sent me a Walkman as a birthday present. It was one of the originals and it was awesome. I ran out and purchased a slew of cassettes, one of which was Cheap Trick's latest (at the time), Next Position Please. This tape was constantly running in that Walkman and it served as a soundtrack to my life for the next year. To this day, I know every word to every song in their exact order. Since that time, I have purchased the album on vinyl and CD. In fact, it was the second CD I ever purchased (the first being Monkees Live 1967). As with most CD releases in the early days of the format, there wasn't a lot of remastering done. It was basically a thin sounding version of the album. Fans have waited patiently for years to see a better version. In 2006, an awesome sounding CD was released in Japan. Still, nothing here in the states. NPP was recently rereleased on a CD alongside another Cheap Trick release, "One On One". (another great album that also features, "She's Tight") However, the sound is the same as the original CD release and the bonus tracks that were once "cassette only" are missing. Luckily, I was able to snag a copy of the Japanese remaster from 2006. I recently listened to it again and just fell in love with it one more time. I present it for you today. Here is Cheap Trick with "Next Position Please". Enjoy!

Cheap Trick-Next Position Please (2006 Japanese Remaster)

Podcast 19 is Here!!!!

2011-07-29T02:22:00.001-04:00

Here is the newest and, in my humble opinion, one of the better podcasts I have made! I really got into this one and tried to cover a lot of bases by including a lot of variety and fun mix-ups! There's some hilarious comedy, great music and a whole lot of fun stuff. The one thing that I really like about this podcast is the introduction. When I was a DJ in college, I hosted a show called "The Rich Dart Wacky Show" and used the same intro for the radio show. Also, I didn't speak in this one. As with the last time, I just couldn't find the time to put any commentary into the mix. It does flow rather well. Hope you think so. Enjoy!

Dartman's Wacky Podcast #19

Come on now and meet everybody!

2011-07-28T10:40:00.003-04:00

Here is an issue of the comic book adaptation of "The Partridge Family". Like several episodes of the series and a bunch of the novelizations of the show, this one features the family band driving into a creepy ghost town. Apparently this was a plot line that never got old. It also features a couple of other stories as well as some cool ads for books "written by" David Cassidy and Susan Dey. Enjoy!

The Partridge Family Comic Book Issue #11

The Original Formula With Added Monkees

2011-07-21T13:36:00.003-04:00

Tomorrow night I start off a series of several shows playing for the one and only, Micky Dolenz. I am super excited to get back to playing with Micky. We start off with a free concert in Copiague, NY at a place called Tanner Park. If you are in the area come on down to the show and come say Hi afterwards. To celebrate the start of the "Season", I am posting another Monkees item. This time around it's a complete concert from 1989. What was special about this concert was it was on July 9, the day the Monkees received their star on the Walk of Fame. The "three-kees" played through half of the show and then were joined by the fourth Monkee, himself, Mike Nesmith. The Mike portions of this show have been circulating for years under the title, "Original Formula". The sound quality of the boot was ok but it was great to have for historical reasons (kind of like Elvis' last concert). However, I recently obtained the complete show from that date and the sound, though not amazingly perfect, is still really good. I present it for you now. Here is "The Monkees - July 9, 1989." Enjoy!

The Monkees - July 9, 1989
The Monkees - July 9, 1989: Part 2

Podcasts Boxed Set #2

2011-07-13T14:02:00.009-04:00

Here is the second boxed set of podcasts from the past. This time around it features Podcasts #6 - 10. This is where I really got into doing the podcasts and really found my groove. There are some great moments in these podcasts! I hope you enjoy them.
And as I said yesterday, I am about 95% finished with my next podcast which I think is one of the best ones I have done in a while. Entertain yourselves with these past ones and I'll work on getting the new one finished and posted. Enjoy!

Dartman's Wacky Podcast #6-10

The Podcast Boxed Sets

2011-07-12T11:30:00.009-04:00

Since Rapidshare has gone and deleted all but my most recent podcasts, I decided to make all the past podcasts available through mediafire. Rather than post each one separately, I thought I would post them in "boxed sets". That way, it's easier to get the full collection. If there are some you are missing, but don't need all of them, simply download the box sets and then delete the ones you have. It's as easy as that. Here is the first box set. It features Podcasts 1 - 5. You can actually hear them getting better as I was getting a good handle on how to make them. And, as I post this, I am just putting the finishing touches on the next podcast that should be up soon. Until then, here are the first five. Enjoy!

Dartman's Wacky Podcasts #1-5

Ella On the Radio

2011-07-07T12:32:00.004-04:00

I love Ella Fitzgerald. In my opinion, there was no one better. She was amazing. Over the years I have amassed quite a collection of Ella records. There are the standard ones that you can get anywhere but then I have a bunch or really cool ones that are much harder to find. I'm not just talking about bootlegs. I'm talking about recordings that were made way back when she was just starting out with the Chick Webb Orchestra. I have some really great albums from that era and beyond that I've rarely seen even on-line. It's one of those great albums that I am sharing with you today. It's a release from the great "Sandy Hook" label back in the 80s. I have a vary strong affinity for Sandy Hook records for several reasons. One; they were based in my home state of Connecticut and Two; they put out some of the coolest records featuring some amazing radio broadcasts from the golden age of radio. This album is no exception. It's a bunch of radio transcriptions from 1940 of Ella leading the Chick Webb orchestra. When Chick died in 1939, Ella took over the orchestra and continued to front it for many years. She had taken over as the leader when Chick started to become ill so the orchestra knew that it was the right choice. This album is extremely cool and shows Ella doing what she does best. Here is "Ella Swingin': NBC Radio 1940 Big Band Remotes". Enjoy!

Ella Swingin': NBC Radio 1940 Big Band Remotes

Podcast 18!!!!

2011-06-30T13:07:00.004-04:00

Here is the latest podcast. It's entitled, "The Wolfman Jack Special". This is due to the fact that I have had the musical moments of the podcast finished and in the computer for about two or three months. I just haven't found the time to put together my little "DJ" parts into the mix. I solved the problem by not having those moments at all. Instead, I threw in some clips of the late, great Wolfman Jack to give it that great radio feel. You can hear the Wolfman in between some great songs by David Brookings, Freddy & The Dreamers, Mojo Nixon, Elvis, The Maggies, Hank III, Mrs. Miller, Chuck Berry, , Naked City, Billy Squier, Micky Dolenz and so much more. There's a special "LIVE IN CONCERT" section as well. I hope you enjoy it!

Dartman's Wacky Podcast #18

PS - Special thanks to Tom who supplied me with all of my past podcasts that were taken down from Rapidshare. I'll be reposting those soon for those of you who haven't heard them. Thanks!

Get Them While You Can

2011-06-25T00:00:00.000-04:00

I know a lot of people out there have been waiting for me to say this so here it is, "Rapidshare Sucks!" If you have noticed, I have gradually switched over to Mediafire for my files. However, the thought of re-upping everything I have posted in the last 5 1/2 years is just way too overwhelming. That, combined with the fact that I seem to have lost a lot of the stuff myself, adds up to, quite simply, download everything you can while you can. Rapidshare has slowly but surely been deleting a lot of my files now that they have changed their "membership" rules. I started cleaning up all of the posts that have dead links and I've already deleted about 100 posts from the first three years! I will continue to clean up the past posts that no longer have working links as time permits. Until then, grab as much as you can. Actually, the more the shares get downloaded, the longer they will stay active. And while we are on the subject, I seem to have lost all of my past podcast files. Anyone have all of the podcasts saved and want to send them to me? I will make it worth your wild. Let me know in a comment. Thanks.

Pirates, Captain Flint! Pirates!

2011-06-24T12:51:00.004-04:00

As a kid, I loved going to the library. I loved reading but I also loved checking out records. The library in the town I grew up in had an amazing record selection and my favorite section was the spoken word section. Not so much for the records where someone famous was reading some famous author's works but because this section housed all the old time radio records and story records. One record that I checked out repeatedly was the story record to the Disney classic, "Treasure Island". I had seen the film on "The Wonderful World of Disney" and fell in love with it. Since this was long before the DVD or even the VHS tape, the only way I could enjoy the film over and over again at my leisure was to check out this record whenever I wanted to relive the classic story of Treasure Island. For years I looked for the record and could not find hide or hair of it until I was in a really cool record store in Seattle a few years back. As with all things of this nature, I now see it everywhere. Of course, it doesn't matter now that I own it. I present it for you now. Here is "Treasure Island." Enjoy!

The Story of Disney's Treasure Island

Here In The West We're Singin' The Best

2011-06-22T09:57:00.005-04:00

When my wife and I put up our Christmas tree, it has become a tradition to listen to "Christmas On The Ponderosa". It's a classic album that features the cast of Bonanza celebrating Christmas in a mix of spoken word and song. It's entertaining as can be and provides many laughs that we look forward to all year. The holiday record is great but it is the second album of its kind from that great western series. The first one came out a year earlier and was the same concept without the holiday theme. It was titled "Bonanza: Ponderosa Party Time". As with the Christmas album, it features a mix of songs, stories and spoken word moments that make you feel like you are at a party on the Ponderosa! Here it is for you now. Enjoy!

BONANZA: Ponderosa Party Time

Classic Television Episode of The Month: Danger Mouse

2011-06-20T01:32:00.000-04:00

Enjoy!

Happy Fathers Day From The Love Daddy!

2011-06-17T15:35:00.003-04:00

I was in a record store a while back and happened upon a children's record by Red Buttons. The first thing to hit me when I saw the cover was that it was titled, "Love Daddy". What made it even creepier was the fact that it had a picture of Red looking into a little girl's eyes. Upon further inspection, I realized that it was meant to say "Love, Daddy" as it was a collection of poems Red had written for his little girl. Why they left out the comma is beyond me. I know in 1974, when this was released, the term "Love Daddy" had no other connotations but over the years that has changed. Even the back cover reads "Red Buttons: Love Daddy". The next thing I noticed about the cover was the sub-text, which reads "Poems for my daughter and other little people." Again, in 1974, "little people" referred to children. However, 37 years later . . . you know what I'm getting at. Anyway, the album is actually a nice collection of silly rhymes set to corny music that tends to be quite entertaining. I'm waiting to play it for my "little person" but I strongly encourage you to play it for yours. Because of the way the album is set up, there really are no tracks so I ripped it as side one and side two. Here, for your listening pleasure, is "Red Buttons: Love Daddy".

Red Buttons - Love Daddy

A Head Full of Monkees

2011-06-12T21:36:00.005-04:00

Friday night I was able to take in The Monkees 45th Anniversary Tour (or the 25th anniversary of the 20th anniversary tour) and loved seeing my buddy, Micky, having a ball with his old cohorts. I had thought that maybe it was going to be the same old same old that they have always done when they reunite but this show was truly great. It was a lot different watching a Monkees concert being a member of the "inner circle" and it was a great feeling to know I was watching friends up on stage. Anyway, I thought I would throw you a generous helping of Monkees stuff so here goes:
RHINO Handmade put out an amazing box set for HEAD last year that featured not only the original soundtrack in both MONO and STEREO but also had a bunch of great alternate mixes and unreleased items. It was great to get the "official" version of a lot of these items but there were still a lot that they left off. Two bootlegs that were released long before RHINO's box set contained not only the items released in the set but also a lot of others that didn't make the cut. Here are those tracks that didn't make the RHINO version from those two bootlegs. Here are "Head Shots" and "HEAD Deluxe". Enjoy!

The Monkees-HEAD Shots

The Monkees-HEAD Deluxe (part 1)
The Monkees-HEAD Deluxe (part 2)

Rock Around Le Clock

2011-06-08T22:47:00.005-04:00

If you grew up in the 70s then you knew the song "Rock Around The Clock" and could probably sing it verbatim and even sing the guitar solo and the drum hits at the end. Of course, not everyone could sing "See You Later Alligator" or "Happy Baby". But I can. I love Bill Haley and the Comets. Unlike everyone else in my generation, I knew about them long before I ever saw Happy Days. They are credited with starting riots with Rock Around The Clock when it first was featured in the film, "Blackboard Jungle". It's hard to imagine that. It's also hard to imagine that they were a country and western band before jumping on the early rock and roll bandwagon. In 1966, the Comets made a trip to Paris. They would make the same trip again in 1974. Both trips yielded amateur recordings of the concerts. They are compiled into a nice bootleg called "Live In Paris". As an added bonus, you also get three tunes recorded off of Alan Freed's radio show as they were performed in Brooklyn in 1956. Here is "Bill Haley and The Comets: Live In Paris". Enjoy!

Bill Haley and The Comets-Live In Paris

Bobby Wheeler RIP

2011-06-06T17:51:00.006-04:00

In case you haven't heard, Jeff Conaway passed away last week. The last half of his life was pretty sad with his descent into drug addiction and depression. I always loved him in TAXI and I loved the fact that he played the part of a struggling actor trying to get on Broadway. Of course, in real life he had success on the great white way before he even graduated from college. He landed a gig as the understudy for several roles in the 50s rock musical, Grease (including Danny Zuko, the lead). He eventually replaced Barry Bostwick as the lead and starred in the show as Danny for 2 1/2 years while his friend John Travolta played Doody. By the time the film version came about, there was no denying Travolta the lead since he was one of the biggest stars in the world at the time but (as we all know) Conaway was given the role of Kenickie. Of course, then came TAXI and the rest is history.
In 1979, at the height of his popularity, Jeff Conaway released a self titled album. What amazes me about this album is the fact that the person singing is a well respected singer from the Broadway stage but you would never know it by listening to this. In every song, he uses a brash, throaty sound that makes him sound like he can't sing at all. It's quite sad really. But in any event, I present it for you as my special tribute to his memory. Here is "Jeff Conaway". Enjoy!

Jeff Conaway

A Singing Couple's Work is Never Done

2011-06-03T21:53:00.007-04:00

When I was a kid, my sister was the big Sonny and Cher fan. As I grew older I learned to love Sonny and Cher but most of that was on my own. I remember that my sister owned two Sonny and Cher recordings. She had the Live in Las Vegas album and a cassette that was, to me, the coolest looking tape ever made. It had a sort of a rainbow design on the tape itself. As I got older and got into their music more, I always remembered that tape. In the late 90s I found it in a box of old stuff at my parent's house and gave it a listen. It was pretty beat up and wore out but all of a sudden the memories came flowing back and songs that once permeated my childhood home were back in my head. The tape didn't make it to another play and it wasn't until about three or four years ago that I replaced it with an original vinyl copy of the album. It went up on the shelf and stayed there until about a week or so ago when I placed it on the turntable. The condition of the vinyl was about 1000 times better than that old tape that I found and it was like I was listening to it for the first time. I fell in love with it all over again. And the cover art is pretty darn cool as well. It depicts the couple in their greenhouse surrounded by empty road cases and a few flower pots. Basically, it's a picture of a pop duo who are married and letting us in on the fact that they are so busy entertaining you that they don't even have time to plant anything in their greenhouse. It was a brand new decade (the album was released in 1972) and the addition of a new producer (the legendary Tommy "Snuff" Garrett) and a new label seemed to give the couple a new license to remake their image into a harder edge. I like it. Judge for yourself when you take a listen to "All I Ever Need Is You". Enjoy!

Sonny & Cher - All I Ever Need Is You

Red, Dinah & Blues

2011-06-02T08:36:00.006-04:00

I remember watching Dinah Shore when I was really young and it never occurred to me that she was a famous singer at one point. Even now, at age 40, I still have a hard time imagining that the same Dinah Shore I used to watch on television is the same Dinah Shore that I love to listen to on my record player. One of my favorite Dinah Shore albums has her teaming up with another of my favorites, Red Norvo. Red was an amazing mallet percussionist and to hear him play anything is amazing. (I have a great recording of him and Frank Sinatra that I posted last February that is out of this world) When he teams up with Dinah, it's a masterpiece. Here's Red Norvo and Dinah Shore singing the Blues! Enjoy!

Dinah Sings Some Blues With Red Norvo

Sorry About the Lack of Posts

2011-05-30T22:15:00.002-04:00

Haven't had a lot of spare time to devote to the blog. But trust me, some really great things are coming soon! Many of the promises I have made will be fulfilled! Stay tuned!

Yes, It's His Real Name

2011-05-10T10:52:00.006-04:00

Sorry about the lack of posts, lately. I've been swamped with everything else in my life and I haven't had a chance to devote that much time to The World of Wonder. Anyway, in following up with the last post, I am sharing with you an album that brings me a very mixed reaction when I hear it. On one hand, it's a great look inside the mind of a great comedic actor/writer that brings some hilarious bits to the table. On the other hand, it's a look inside that mind when it's strung out on pain killers and various other meds which brings some skits that don't make the mark at all. I am talking about the self titled 1980 album by Chevy Chase. Remember, in 1980, Chevy was huge. There was no stopping him. He had broken through as the big name from SNL and followed that with the classic film, "Foul Play". Then came "Caddyshack" and the world was convinced that Chevy would be one of the biggest stars of the decade. Then came this. Followed by a string of films that would bury his name so far in the ground that it wouldn't be until three years later that he would make another hit with the start of the classic "Vacation" films. Anyway, here is that record for your listening pleasure. Or stress. You decide. Here's "Chevy Chase". Enjoy!

Chevy Chase

Today Is My Birthday!

2011-05-07T14:43:00.002-04:00

I join the official "Jack Benny Forever 39 Club" today! I was born 40 years ago. It seems like just yesterday.

Live From The World of Wonder . . . It's Saturday Night!

2011-04-29T10:17:00.006-04:00

I've been watching the second season of Saturday Night Live all month and am thoroughly enjoying it. In my opinion, the show was never as cutting edge or as daring as in the first five years. It did go through a Renaissance in the 90s that brought the funny back to SNL but it still was not as good as the original Not Ready For Prime Time Players. During the second season, the money machine kicked into gear and the powers that be released a comedy album featuring bits from the first year the show was on the air. I originally had planned to put together more volumes of this idea but just have not had the time. I will do my best to try and do that in the future. For now you can enjoy this great comedy album. Here's "Saturday Night Live: The Album". Enjoy!

Saturday Night Live

The Best of Easter Parade

2011-04-23T00:38:00.001-04:00

In your easter bonnet, with all the frills upon it,
You'll be the grandest lady in the easter parade.
I'll be all in clover and when they look you over,
I'll be the proudest fellow in the easter parade.
On the avenue, fifth avenue, the photographers will snap us,
And you'll find that you're in the rotogravure.
Oh, I could write a sonnet about your easter bonnet,
And of the girl I'm taking to the easter parade.

Easter Parade

The Best of Eggbert The Easter Egg

2011-04-21T12:31:00.002-04:00

Eggbert the Easter Egg

Eggbert the Easter Egg Was a teeny little Easter Egg. Cutest thing you ever saw In the window of a big department store.

All day the children came. Noses pressed against the window paid. Spoke to Eggbert but Alas! Eggbert cried because he couldn't answer back.

But all at once the clouds rolled by to let the sun shine through. Believe it or not! It got so hot that Eggbert split it two!

Out popped a baby chick. A teeny weeny little baby chick. And the children heard him say: "Eggbert wishes you a Happy Easter Day!"

Eggbert The Easter Egg

Eater Greetings From The King

2011-04-20T09:24:00.002-04:00

The Best of the World of Wonder: Hippety Hoppity Easter's On Its Way!

2011-04-19T10:47:00.000-04:00

And what better way to celebrate than with the only Easter album I've ever owned, "Here Comes Peter Cottontail". This ditty came out in 1975 on the Mr. Pickwick label. It features the Mr. Pickwick players and singers. In addition to the title track, there are plenty of fun time tunes about Easter and all of the great things that are associated with it and even features a little "acting" in the form of the story of Peter Rabbit, the Ugly Duckling and The Little White Duck. The back cover tells of how Easter is celebrated all over the world! A true gem! This is the original release straight from my childhood! Happy Easter!

Here Comes Peter Cottontail

Benefit Show

2011-04-11T11:27:00.003-04:00

If anyone out there lives or will be in the Connecticut area this Friday night, I'm hosting a huge benefit concert at the Andrews Memorial Town Hall in Clinton, CT. All proceeds from the event will go to the Richard S Dart Memorial Arts Scholarship Fund. This is a scholarship fund that my family and I started in my late father's name back in 2003. In addition to a few solo percussion pieces performed by yours truly, the concert will also feature Creamed Corn, The Great Giorgio, DW Ditty, The Shiny Lapel Trio and the mighty, Greg Piccolo. Plus the magic of Bob Hale! This is going to be a fun event! The festivities start at 7:30 PM. If you can't make it but would still like to donate to the scholarship fund, feel free to do so with the DONATE button on the right. Thanks!

Fast Food Tie-In From The 25th Century

2011-04-07T05:45:00.001-04:00

Back in January I had a series of posts featuring the trading card and sticker set of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century. When I was working on those posts, or any time I think about that great series, I always think of the poster that adorned my wall back when the series first debuted. It was given out at Burger King restaurants. I think it was free with a Coke or something like that. Anyway, I was on-line the other day and found the poster I loved so long ago. Here it is:

Interesting enough, the same artwork would reappear with a little bit more added to it in a TV Guide ad for the second episode of the series. Take a look:

I wish I still had that poster. I recently saw it on E-bay for $9.99. As cool as it was, I'm not willing to part with $10.00 for it. However, if anyone is interested in getting me a present . . .

Singles Collection Episode 62: Ralph Marteire Rocks Out The Barrel

2011-04-06T13:11:00.003-04:00

Ralph Marterie achieved his highest success in the U.S. charts with a cover of "Skokiaan" in 1954. He attempted to blur the lines between big band music and rock and roll by covering versions of Bill Haley's "Crazy, Man, Crazy" amongst other early rock and roll hits. It was an interesting single in my dad's collection that brought him to my attention. A song called "Rock and Roll The Barrel". It's a rather up-tempo pop number that tickles the ear. See if you think so when you take a listen. Enjoy!

Ralph Marteire-Rock and Roll Out The Barrel