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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The King Takes Over Stax

In July of 1973, Elvis and his entourage entered the famed Stax Studios in his hometown of Memphis and proceeded to record. However, it would take a while to get the recording done. It all started on a Monday night. The first thing Elvis requested was that nothing happen until the end of Monday Night Football, a Monday night tradition he shared with the Memphis Mafia. When it was discovered that there were no televisions big enough for everyone to view it on, someone was sent out to buy the biggest tv they could find to watch the game on. When the "viewing party" was over, that's when the guys entered the studio only to be paused again when Elvis declared that the lights were too bright and needed to be changed to softer, colored bulbs. When that was done, the band and Elvis realized that the colored bulbs made it too dark to read the charts so the original bulbs were replaced. Then, and only then, did the recording session convene. An interesting fact about the recordings done at Stax: while the songs were recorded at the Stax studio, the actual recording equipment was the RCA Mobile Recording unit which was in a truck parked in the parking lot of the studio. Among the great tracks recorded at Stax are "Talking About The Good Times" and the classic version of Chuck Berry's "Promised Land". Here are a bunch of out takes from those sessions. Here is "Good Times In The Promised Land". Enjoy!

Elvis Presley- Good Times In The Promised Land

April Fool Stooges!

Sorry about missing yesterday. The family is just getting over the dreaded stomach bug that has been going around and I just did not have the time to devote to a post. So instead, I give you the final two packs of Stooge cards in one lump sum! Here are the final two "double packs" to complete your collection of all of the 1959 Fleer Three Stooges Cards! Enjoy!

3 Stooges 1959 Trading Cards Packs 7 & 8