The Official Dartman's World of Wonder T-Shirt!!!

It's here! Just in time for 2011! The official Dartman's World of Wonder T-Shirt! You can purchase it here along with hats and stickers and even sizes for the little ones! Grab yours while they last! All proceeds will go towards the Richard S Dart Memorial Arts Scholarship! Thanks

Dartman's Advent Calendar 2010: Day 25

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM DARTMAN'S WORLD OF WONDER! For the last day. Christmas Day, we pull back the flap to reveal celebrity goodness from Jim Backus, Jack Webb, Liberache and Barbara "99" Feldon. Enjoy! We'll see you next year!

Jim Backus - Why Don't You Go Home For Christmas

Barbara Feldon - Christmas Seals Capaign

Jack Webb - United States Postal Service Ad

Christmas Wishes From Liberache

Dartman's Advent Calendar 2010: Day 24

Well, it's Christmas Eve and as we pull open the flap on our Advent Calendar, we are treated to the great, Rosemary Clooney. This is a promo recording for the Ford Motor Company. It's from 1956 and features great holiday musical moments with Rosemary changing the words to sell cars. Here it is for your enjoyment! Merry Christmas Eve!

Rosemary Clooney - 1956 Christmas Ford Promo

Dartman's Advent Calendar 2010: Day 23

We are getting closer to Christmas Day as we open up Door #23! Today we find a rock and roll Christmas ditty by the great Hank Snow. It tells the story of the great creatures that pull the sleigh. Don't worry it's not Run Rudolf Run. It's "Reindeer Boogie"! Let's have a rockin' good yule with Hank Snow! Enjoy!

Hank Snow - Reindeer Boogie

Dartman's Advent Calendar 2010: Day 22

Today we find the sweet sounds of another one of my musical compatriots. A few years back, a guy named Frank Proccacini and I played together in a band called The Caribbean Beach Bums. Frank is an amazing musician and an even better teacher. He has inspired the kids he teaches for many years and they all love him. It was Frank who teamed up with a harpist named Margaret Day and recorded an entire album of Christmas standards back in the late 90s. Here is a track from that album. It's Frank on the trumpet playing "O Holy Night". I am sure you will love this! Enjoy!

Frank Proccacini and Margaret Day - O Holy Night

Dartman's Advent Calendar 2010: Day 21

Today we get to hear one of the smoothest Christmas innuendos ever put on wax. It's a record that is featured prominently in my juke box at home. It's by a band called The Lancers. In 1954 they released this classic holiday track that was also covered by Lawrence Welk and his Orchestra. It's called "I Want To Do More Than Whistle (Under The Mistletoe)". It's amazing to think that this quaint little ditty hides a hidden meaning that is not so hidden. It's even more amazing to think that this not so hidden agenda made it's way onto the air waves at a time when the censors tried to stop everything! Here it is for your enjoyment! One last note - the artist is mis-labled on the file as the Leveleers. I have no idea why I did that. Perhaps an early morning or late night rip. Enjoy!

The Lancers - I Want To Do More Than Whistle

Dartman's Advent Calendar 2010: Days 19 & 20

Sorry about missing the past couple of days. Time got away from me! Anyway, we're back and ready to catch up by opening up all of the flaps that we missed at once. Here is the one marked 19. It's a classic Christmas album from my father's stack of Christmas records that he would bring upstairs year after year. It's the one and only Gomer Pyle himself, Jim Nabors! Here's Jim singing all of your yuletide favorites in his amazing operatic voice. Yes, you heard right. Jim neighbors had an operatic singing voice. A great contrast to his speaking voice. No trace of Gomer yukking it up at all! Here is The Jim Nabors Christmas Album. Enjoy!

The Jim Nabors Christmas Album

Now we get to open up door number 20! Following the grand spectacle of Jim Neighbors' Christmas album we reveal another full length Christmas LP. This time it's "A Waltons Christmas Album". My wife is a huge fan of The Waltons and I personally can't stand the show. When I spied this dandy in a little hole-in-the-wall record shop in Santa Monica, California (see last year's Christmas posts to get more from that great store!) I knew I had to get it for her to play when I wasn't around! Of course, that doesn't mean you don't get to enjoy it if you like that classic show. Here it is for you now. Enjoy!

A Walton's Christmas Album

Dartman's Advent Calendar 2010: Day 18

What's a Christmas without a polka? How would we create enough merriment without the classic Polish tradition of dancing around the tree? That's why today we find a nice little number by 'Lil Wally and the Harmony Boys! It's a festive little ditty entitled, "St Nick Is Coming". Grab your partner and dance! Here we go! One-step-step-one-step-step . . . Enjoy!

Lil Wally and the Harmony Boys - St Nick Is Coming

dartman's Advent Calendar 2010: Day 17

It's just not Christmas without the King. Today we bring you the unedited, complete jam of the King and his crew jamming out the Charles Brown classic, "Merry Christmas, Baby". Elvis talks about driving a truck amongst other things. Take a listen and enjoy!

Elvis Presley - Merry Christmas Baby (unedited jam)

(if you grabbed this before the 20th, you have the wrong file! It was mis-labled! It's all fixed now!)

Dartman's Advent Calendar 2010: Day 16

We open the flap to reveal a Metal Christmas track! Oni Logan was the vocalist for the 80s metal band, Lynch Mob. He has since gone on to do other various metal gigs but the best way I know him is from this track off of the "We Wish You A Metal Xmas and A Headbangin' New Year" LP. Worth a listen if you A) like Heavy Metal or B) laugh at Heavy Metal. It is an equal opportunity track! Here's Oni Logan with "Deck The Halls". Enjoy!

Oni Logan - Deck The Halls

Dartman's Advent Calendar 2010: Day 15

Today I get to introduce you to one of the greatest musicians I know. His name is Rob Phillips and he is a musical genius. I know that word gets used a lot but with Rob, I mean it. I went to college with Rob and have always been fascinated not just by his ability on the guitar but of his knowledge of music in general. Years ago, Rob started to do some extensive home recording and would send his friends the fruits of his labors in an annual CD he titled, "A Winter Sampler". This great works always featured some kind of holiday songs on them and today I bring you one of my all time favorites. In the tradition of the great, Duke Ellington, Rob took a stab at twisting Tchiakovsky's Nutcracker Suite. Here is his version of the Waltz of The Sugar Plum Fairies. In Rob's world, it is "The Cha Cha of the Sugar Plum Fairies". Enjoy!

Rob Phillips - Cha Cha of The Sugar Plum Fairies

BTW - to listen to more of Rob's great work, you can check him out here!

Dartman's Advent Calendar 2010: Day 14

Today we have a special treat in our Advent Calendar. It's an original post that I guarantee you will not find anywhere else! It's the Laverne and Shirley Christmas Album! What's that? You say you never heard of it? Because it never existed until now! In the second season of Laverne and Shirley, the team of Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams did their obligatory Christmas episode entitled, "Christmas Eve At The Booby Hatch". It revolved around Carmine asking everyone if they would help out and perform in a talent show at a hospital on Christmas Eve. They all agree only to find that the hospital in question was a psych ward. Hilarity ensues. The great part of this special is the talent show itself. I was originally going to just rip the Lenny and The Squigtones number from the show and post that. However, I realized two things: 1) the other performances in the show were just as worth having & 2) the show could actually work as an old time radio show. It follows the same story that a lot of the Old Time Radio shows used. I had to make a few snips here and there to take out some of the physical comedy that didn't read without the video but all in all, the show works as an audio play. Here for you now, on this special 14th day of our Advent Calendar is "The Laverne and Shirley Christmas Album". Enjoy!

The Laverne and Shirley Christmas Album

For more sit-com holiday goodies, head over to Check The Cool Wax! He's got some great audio clips from classic holiday episodes! Tell him the Dartman sent you!

Dartman's Advent Calendar 2010: Day 13

'Tis the season for football teams to sing Christmas carols. At least it was the season for The Dallas Cowboys to sing back in 1986. For whatever reason, the owner of the Cowboys at that time decided it would be a great thing if his team recorded an album of their Christmas favorites. Sports fans all over the world thought it was a bad idea but people like me thought it was perfect! Here from that ill-conceived album is the Dallas Cowboys singing, "We Wish You A Merry Christmas". Enjoy!

The Dallas Cowboys-We Wish You A Merry Christmas

Dartman's Advent Calendar 2010: Day 12

We open the flap to reveal Jack Benny and Yogi Yorgesson together in a clip from the Jack Benny television show. Yogi (or Harry Stewart as he was originally known) is most famous for his classic holiday hit, "I Yust Go Nuts At Christmas". Though he doesn't sing on this clip, it's still entertaining. Enjoy!

Dartman's Advent Calendar 2010: Day 11

Going back to the golden days of swing, we find a great Gene Krupa number when we open up day 11 on our calendar. Here is Gene with his trio made up of himself on drums, Charlie Ventura on tenor sax and Teddy Napoleon on piano, doing their rendition of the popular carol, Jingle Bells. This recording is from an AFRS broadcast of a show Gene was doing at the Clovis Army Air Field in New Mexico on Christmas Day, 1944 . This puppy swings and is one of my favorite versions of the tune. I hope you feel the same. Enjoy!

Gene Krupa Trio - Jingle Bells

Dartman's Advent Calendar 2010: Day 10

Today we pull back the flap to reveal this month's Classic Television Episode! This month we are featuring the classic series, Father Knows Best. Here is the Christmas episode for your viewing pleasure! Enjoy!

Dartman's Advent Calendar 2010: Day 9

Yesterday was the 30th anniversary of the tragic murder of John Lennon. We here at the World of Wonder wanted to acknowledge that terrible day in history but also want to share the joy that was John Lennon when he was alive. As a result, today's prize from our Advent Calendar is a home recording of John and Yoko wishing their family and friends a Merry Christmas. I hope you enjoy this as much as I do. Enjoy!

John And Yoko's Christmas Message From Ascot

Dartman's Advent Calendar 2010: Day 8

The 8th flap gets pulled back and we get a glimpse at a Christmas of days past with the great Lester Lanin and his Orchestra. Lanin came to fame quite by accident. It was a case of being in the right place at the right time. In 1930, he was hired to play at a private party for Barbara Hutton. The event garnered so much press in the New York newspapers that it made Lanin an instant star and a must have musician on the social circuit. Soon he was hired worldwide to play for kings and queens, in addition to a recurring invitation to play at White House inaugural balls from the Eisenhower administration to the Carter administration. Here is a medley of Christmas tunes from the aspiring socialite, himself. Enjoy!

Lester Lanin - Let It Snow/Auld Land Syne/ A Hot Time In The Old Town Tonight

We Interrupt This Advent Calendar To Bring You . . .

Just a reminder that Creamed Corn's classic Christmas album, "Santa Loves You" is up at I-Tunes. Originally released in 1998, this confection of rockabilly and comedy/novelty weirdness became an Internet cult hit. Dr. Demento featured two tracks on his 2000 Christmas show. But now, years later, "Santa Loves You" has been passed around so many times, it's hard to know what quality you'd be getting if you just downloaded this off a random blog. So, a few years back, we decided the time was right to re-master and re-release this time honored classic. If you have it, thanks. If not, head over to I-Tunes and grab it. You'll be thankful you did!

http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/creamed-corn/id294055948

PS -It's also up at Amazon, Napster and E-Music as well!

Dartman's Advent Calendar 2010: Day 7

On the seventh day of our Advent calendar we find a vintage recording by Henri Miro. Miro was born in Spain,attended the Conservatory of Music in Barcelona where, in addition to the violin, piano and organ, he studied harmony and composition. After a short engagement in New York, he settled in Montreal in 1898 and obtained a post as orchestral director of the El Dorado, one of the first music halls in Montreal. It was during this time that he began writing songs and stage music. Fully a part of Montreal’s entertainment scene, he wrote, alone or in collaboration, revues, successful operettas (Lolita, le Roman de Suzon, A Million Dollar Girl) and more serious operas (Symphonie canadienne, Luxor, Messe solennelle) which earned him praise from local critics. Miro also played in cinemas where he was music director. He also produced this classic Christmas release entitled "Christmas Morn'" in 1918. An interesting little recording, I find it most entertaining. Here it is for you now. Enjoy!

Henri Miro - Christmas Morn'

Dartman's Advent Calendar 2010: Day 6

Today we find a more modern artist behind the flap of our advent calendar. This song came up on my I-Pod the other day and I couldn't get over how great it was and how much I liked it. It's a singer-songwriter from Detroit named Rosie Thomas. Here is her take on the holiday season. Here is "Why Can't It Be Christmastime All Year". Enjoy!

Rosie Thomas - Why Can't It Be Christmastime All Year?

Dartman's Advent Calendar 2010: Day 5

Today we find our first video surprise hidden behind the flaps of our Advent calendar. It's the original 1953 animated short for "Frosty The Snowman". This was the first cartoon version of the famous song written as a follow up to "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer". It would be 16 years later that the infamous television special featuring Jimmy Durante would make it's debut. Here is "Frosty The Snowman". Enjoy!

Dartman's Advent Calendar 2010: Day 4

Today we get a glimpse of 70s celebrity as we open the panel for day 3. When the flap is pulled back we see none other than Huggy Bear himself, Antonio Fargas! Apparently, when the 5th season of "Starsky and Hutch" ended the series in 1979, Dutch producer Ton "Shell" Schellekens found Mr. Fargas and brought him to the recording studio to record this rare Christmas single. Even though it didn't come out until the following October, it still boasts that Antonio was, in fact, Huggy Bear from Starsky and Hutch. I'm not sure if that helped or hindered the track. But here it is in our Advent calendar so you can enjoy the sweet sounds of Starsky and Hutch's favorite informant. Enjoy!

Antonio "Huggy Bear" Fargas - It's Christmas

Dartman's Advent Calendar 2010: Day 3

Today we open door number three to find a really cool version of the classic, "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer". This song has been recorded soooo many times by sooo may artists. However, this, in my own humble opinion, is probably one of the grooviest versions ever done. It's by a a vocal trio from Brooklyn, New York, called The Melodeers. Here is their 1960 recording of the classic song. Enjoy!

The Melodeers - Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer

Dartman's Advent Calendar 2010: Day 2

Here's the second flap being pulled back on our Advent Calendar! Today we get to hear the great Eddie Cantor all the way from 1939. Here's Eddie's answer to the question. "What Do You Want For Christmas?". Enjoy!

Eddie Cantor - The Only Thing I Want for Christmas

Dartman's Advent Calendar 2010: Day 1

Here we are on December 1, 2010. This year, instead of the usual posting of random Christmas LPs or videos or mixes, I thought I would try something different. This is Dartman's Advent Calendar. Just like an advent calendar, each day another part of the picture gets opened to reveal another treat!! Today is Day 1 so we open the tab marked 1 and find a great morsel from none other than the late, great, Lionel Hampton. Here's Lionel and the band jamming out the instrumental tune, "Gin For Christmas". It's interesting to note that Lionel doesn't play the vibes on this track. He's playing drums! Enjoy!

Gin For Christmas - Lionel Hampton and His Orchestra