I Feel Like I'm In Heaven

And so will you when you download today's sharity: the sheet music to the theme song from Joanie Loves Chachi! This is the first time I am posting sheet music on The World of Wonder and I picked a great song to start! Here it is. Enjoy!

Joanie Loves Chachi Sheet Music

The Best of The World of Wonder: The Wizard of Oz Gets The Soap Treatment

I had the immense honor of meeting Liza Minelli back in January of 2007 and could not help but think that I had spent time with Hollywood Royalty! The ironic twist to the whole thing is that on the way home, I was listening to the 1950 Lux Radio Theater production of The Wizard of Oz and at the very end of it, Judy Garland talks about her four year old daughter, Liza! As a way of celebrating my irony and meeting of Miss Minelli, I posted that very same radio show that accompanied my ride home. Here is the Lux Radio Theatre production of "The Wizard of Oz" from Christmas Day, 1950. Judy Garland, then aged 28, was the only original cast member of the MGM film to be in this Lux program. Rounding out the cast were: Herb Vigran (Tin Man), Hans Conreid (Scarecrow), Ed Max (Lion), Herb Butterfield (Wizard), Betty Lou Gerson (Good Witch), Noreen Gammill (Wicked Witch) William Johnson (Uncle Henry), Ruth Perrott (Auntie Em), Gil Stratton (Mayor) and David Light was the voice of Toto. Enjoy!

Lux Radio Theater presents The Wizard of Oz

Classic TV Episode of The Month: S.W.A.T.

The Best of The World of Wonder: A Little Ditty About Jack and Shirley

After their 1956 marriage, movie musical star Shirley Jones and stage musical star Jack Cassidy recorded a duet album of operetta songs, Speaking of Love, and a studio-cast album of Brigadoon for Columbia Records in 1957. In 1959, they returned to Columbia for With Love From Hollywood, a companion piece to Speaking of Love in which they revived songs from Hollywood movies released between 1934 and 1948, songs written by Harold Arlen, Irving Berlin, George & Ira Gershwin, Jerome Kern, Ted Koehler, Johnny Mercer, Cole Porter, Rodgers & Hammerstein, and Rodgers & Hart. Jones, who had a history with Rodgers & Hammerstein, beautifully interpreted their "It Might as Well Be Spring" from State Fair as a solo, while Cassidy on his own had fun with Porter's "Nina" from the underrated score to The Pirate. Frank DeVol (TV's Happy Kine) treated the songs for what they were, movie songs, employing alternately playful and lushly sentimental string-filled arrangements. Here is that great album! Enjoy!

Shirley Jones & Jack Cassidy - With Love From Hollywood

Showtime At Disneyland!

Back in 1970, the weekly television show, The Wonderful World of Disney, premiered an episode starring the Osmonds and Kurt Russell that was set at California's Disneyland. It was titled "Disneyland Showtime!" It featured Kurt showing the Osmonds around the Magic Kingdom. Today, here at the World of Wonder, you not only get to watch the entire episode (thanks to YouTube) but you get the complete soundtrack as well! Here are all five parts of the show followed by the download link for the soundtrack. Enjoy!



Disneyland Showtime TV Soundtrack

The Best of The World of Wonder: Pitting a Mouse Against A Giant

Of course everyone knows the story of Jack & The Beanstalk. It's been told over and over again in all different forms. I even played a snare drum duet based on the story! One version that is extremely popular with people who are in my generation and older is the Walt Disney version, "Mickey & The Beanstalk". It was released in 1947 as part of the feature film, "Fun & Fancy Free" and has since taken on a life of its own. It has been featured on television, videos, DVDs and on record. Which brings us to today's post. This is the recorded version that accompanied the "Fun & Fancy Free" movie release. It was originally released as a 78 storybook album. Later on, with the advent of the LP, it was released on that medium as well. The most notable fact about the recorded version is that it was narrated by the popular singer and composer, Johnny Mercer. Here is Johnny Mercer telling the story of Mickey & The Beanstalk. Complete with dialogue, music and sound effects from the cartoon!

Mickey & The Beanstalk

The Best of The World of Wonder: Billy & The Boingers!

If you grew up in the 80s you were privy to two of the greatest comics of all time. One was Calvin and Hobbes and the other was Bloom County. In fact, I dare say that Bloom County might be the greatest comic ever. In 1986, smack dab in the middle of the hair band regime, the story line of Bloom County turned towards the characters forming a band called "Deathtöngue". The band was created by lawyer Steve Dallas and their first single, "Demon Drooler of the Sewer" (which sold with "Leper Lover") peaked at 1,012 on the Top 100 list. Their record deal with CBS Records fell through because of explicit lyrics on their song, "Let's Run Over Lionel Ritchie with a Tank." During congressional hearings on "porn rock," Dallas, under grilling by the wives of several congressmen, completely caved into congressional pressure and announced the band had changed their name and image. The rechristened "Billy and the Boingers" embarked on their first world tour, sponsored by Dr. Scholl's Odor Eaters, which consisted of a single gig: the Moose Lodge in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It was around this time that Berkley Breathed, the creator of Bloom County, announced a songwriting competition for what would be the real first single from Billy and The Boingers. Two entrants were picked for a flexi-disc that was released with a collection of the strips entitled,"Billy and The Boingers Bootleg". The songs were "I'm a Boinger", written and played by the Harry Pitts Band, and "U-Stink-But-I-♥-U", written and performed by the band Mucky Pup. Here now are those songs! Enjoy!

Billy and The Boingers

The Best of The World of Wonder: Cuchi-Cuchi!!!!

In 1977, Charo was it! She was everywhere. You could usually catch her on the Tonight Show and The Love Boat. She's considered a national treasure in her homeland but here in the States, she is considered a Queen of kitsch. When she released an album with The Salsoul Orchestra she earned herself a hit! Both with the single, "Dance A Little Bit Closer" and with the album cover. Add a little double entendre ("You're Just The Right Size), a sultry (?) cover of the Stones' "Let's Spend The Night Together" and a little non-PC Hispanic humor ("Speedy Gonzalez) and you have "Cuchi-Cuchi". Incidentally, Charo can play the hell out of a guitar. Her flamenco playing is unreal! I had the privilige of seeing her live a couple of years ago and she blew my mind. And for someone her age, she's still hot! CUCHI-CUCHI!!!!!!

Cuchi-Cuchi