Dr. Hajime Murooka - Lullaby from the Womb

Dr. Hajime Murooka - Lullaby from the Womb

The first portion of this LP are recordings of heartbeats of a pregnant mother. The latter part of side one are the recordings of the inside of a mother synched with classical music. Side two has just classical music. These sounds have been reported to calm and soothe newborn babies. Due to the not-great (or "good") condition of my copy, additional sounds of crackling vinyl come included with the sounds of the womb and the music. The liner notes explain the concept of this release better than I can:

As Newsweek recently reported: "When a new baby comes home from the hospital his parents quickly discover that the predictable bouts of howling are not always due to hunger, fatigue, colic or a wet diaper. But now, an obstetrician (Dr. Hajime Murooka) has suggested that crying babies may sometimes just be homesick for the familiar prenatal environment of their mothers' wombs."

"I had spent a long time looking for a 'natural' method to put a newborn baby to sleep," Dr. Murooka himself says. "Hospitals have sought to reproduce the conditions of a mother's womb with the incubator. It occurred to me that a recording of the mother's body beat could serve a similarly useful function." And prove this he did. By playing a recording of the steady pulsating of blood rushing through the mother's aorta as it passes by the uterus, together with the smoother, more even sound of the pulsating umbilical cord, Dr. Murooka achieved outstanding success in his tests. Of the 403 sobbing babies who listened to the tape, every single one stopped crying, with 161 dozing off to sleep in an average of 41 seconds.

Dr. Murooka's discovery came after a two-year search for some way to keep premature infants quiet during various examinations. Corroborating other medical evidence, he states that medical experiments prove beyond doubt that a baby does indeed react to loud noises before and after birth. Within the first six months of pregnancy, the auditory organ and the auditory nerve system are fully developed and babies react to such loud noises as rattling dishes. In the hospital maternity wards he would constantly observe newborn babies responding to the sound of heavy footsteps in the corridor, or a loudly slammed door, by stretching their hands spontaneously, even while in a deep sleep. As a result he became very concerned with the effects of irritating noises on the baby's development both in the hospital and in the home.

Bearing in mind that the womb had created an ideal living environment for the unborn baby for nine months, Dr. Murooka sought to duplicate the pacifying sounds the baby heard inside the mother's body.

The recording which he obtained with a tiny 8-mm. microphone was taken near the head of the fetus in a woman eight months pregnant. When the tape was played in the presence of restless, howling infants the results became part of medical history. For the first portion of side one on this recording, Dr. Murooka has compiled material from several 8-mm. microphone tapes.

Additionally, Dr. Murooka was aware of the reactions of adults who are confined to small areas such as an airplane cabin. Light classical music and familiar concert favorites soothed the most irritated, restless passengers particularly during take-off and landing.

As the last two selections on side one indicate, Dr. Murooka developed his thesis one step further by combining the mother's bosy beat with favorite melodies as a means of further calming the newborn baby.

While acknowledging that the mother's body beat is most effective with infants of one month or less, Dr. Murooka's use of light classics is effective in assisting the baby in making the transition from the womb to the outside world. As the baby becomes aware of his new surroundings he also becomes responsive to his environment and his rhythm of life as a human being becomes of great importance. Such familiar music as the Panorama from Tchaikovsky's "Sleeping Beauty" and Bach's Air on the G String heard on side two offer a listening environment compatible with a sense of well-being and security. The latter, says Dr. Murooka, is the perfect cure for homesickness and is strongly recommended for babies of all ages.

Cool! Did you get all of that?


Tracklisting:

Side 1

MOTHER SOUNDS FOR THE NEWBORN BABY

1. Sound of the Main Artery of the Mother (A) {4:14}

2. Sound of the Main Artery of the Mother (B) {4:46}

3. Sounds of the Main Artery and Veins of the Mother {4:51}

4. Sounds to Relax the Newborn Baby (combination) {4:51}

FROM MOTHER SOUNDS TO RELAXING MUSIC

5. Sounds of the Womb & Intermezzo from "Jewels of the Madonna" (Wolf-Ferrari) {3:30}

6. Sounds of the Womb & Traumerei from "Scenes from Childhood" (Schumann) {4:15}

Side 2

FAMILIAR MUSIC FOR THE BABY'S ENVIRONMENT

1. Meditation from "Thais" (Massenet) {3:51}

2. Air on the G String (Bach) {2:57}

3. Intermezzo from "Cavalleria rusticana" (Mascagni) {3:15}

4. The Swan from "Carnival of the Animals" (Saint-Saens) {2:39}

5. Andante cantabile (Tchaikovsky) {4:18}

6. Panorama from "Sleeping Beauty" (Tchaikovsky) {2:24}

The Sanborn Singers - Sing Out for Free Enterprise

The Sanborn Singers - Sing Out for Free Enterprise

special thanks to KL from NYC for this LP; there's a few more coming from him

Most of the songs on this album are renditions of popular standards and folk tunes. A couple of the songs, "Recruit-Train-Motivate" and "What is Amway" are originals written by Jan Sanborn, one of the leaders of The Sanborn Singers. The songs are about Amway, whom Jan and her husband Fred work with as distributors or Independent Business Owners (IBOs) as they are referred to today. This LP was made primarily for Amway distributors in 1969 (the tenth anniversary of Amway) and thanks to the power of the Internet and the generous owner of this LP, a lot of you lucky visitors get to hear this album.

The liner notes give the background of Jan and Fred Sanborn and their work as professional musicians and Amway distributors:

Fred Sanborn and his all-Amway-Distributor Sanborn Singers are well-known to Amway Conventioneers. They sent the Convention sessions off to a brisk and enthusiastic start in '66 and '68 . . . and again for the Tenth Anniversary celebration.

Diamond Direct Distributors Fred and Jan Sanborn were active and successful professional musicians when they first heard about Amway. They were so intrigued that they invited "that Amway man" to their home and signed up that very evening.

KL has a recommendation on what to do with guests who just won't leave and some more info about this LP: "Recruit-Train-Motivate" is a march, which might be particularly good if you have guests that won't leave: just play it, jump into the living room with a carrot-stick microphone and start lip syncing (they'll either leave or want to buy soap from you). The fact that this is LP #993 means that there are more of these somehwere, which is frightening.

When I received a rip of this LP, I decided to do some research on the multi-level marketing company as I didn't know much about it or how its business operations work. I went to the company's website first. Then naturally like everyone else, I turned to that authoritative source of information, Wikipedia, as I was curious to see what had been written about the company. There is a lot of interesting stuff about the company. Rich DeVos along with the other founder of Amway and their network of IBOs sure are a scary bunch.

Here is another web page depicting the low down on the company.

These "rousing favorites" may inspire you to want to sell some soap or other beauty and home care products and make it to Diamond (or join a cult which is the same I suppose as I already said) so be cautious when listening.

Credits:
Arrangements and piano accompaniment - Jan Sanborn
Conducted by Fred Sanborn
Guitar accompaniment - Gordon Ross
The Sanborn Singers - Joan Birk, Kitty and Jerry Chappell, Jim and Marsha Agnor, Bob and Lois Stonelake, Ken Ross, Paul Wegeman, Bob and Ruth Wollter, Jan and Fred Sanborn, Edie Ross, Lois and Irv Edgerton, Roger and Ruth Krause


Tracklisting:

Side 1

1. The Sound of Music {0:46}

2. Medley: Everything's Coming Up Roses/Once in a Lifetime {2:37}

3. Recruit-Train-Motivate {2:50}

4. You're Gonna Hear From Me {2:26}

5. Blue Hawaii {2:49}

6. Folk Medley {6:06}

Side 2

1. What is Amway? {2:05}

2. Faraway Places {2:53}

3. Southern Medley {3:57}

4. Yankee Doodle {1:32}

5. People {2:45}

6. Patriotic Medley {2:58}

Pat Robertson - It's Time to Pray, America!

Pat Robertson - It's Time to Pray, America!

LP released in 1976

This LP is a recording of a Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) program broadcast simultaneously on television and radio on September 17, 1976. 1976 was the year of the bicentennial of America by the way. This program "urged Americans to seek God's forgiveness and ask His mercy and favor." It was hosted by Pat Robertson and boasted a guest lineup that could be considered impressive at the time of broadcast. There are some familiar names and some names that may not be familiar.

These folks include: President Gerald R. Ford, Ford's successor Jimmy Carter, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzak Rabin, Pat Boone, Johnny Cash, Billy Graham, Dallas Cowboys head coach Tom Landry, Cathedral of Tomorrow pastor Rex Humbard, former Nixon henchman now theocrat Charles Colson, Olympic medal winner Janet Lynn, Church on The Way pastor Jack Hayford, author/evangelist David Wilkerson, and more.

This show warned that the citizens of America at the time were not religious enough, prostitution, porno sex shops and massage parlors were rampant, housewives were running away from home which by the way the number of this group running away was larger than teenagers. Oh, the horror! Thank goodness America is now praying and praising the supreme being, not making a pact with the Devil. Otherwise, America would already be destroyed by an earthquake or other natural disaster at least according to the sage Pat Robertson. Thanks to Pat, this show may have saved America from natural disasters. America has also been blessed with daily airings of The 700 Club with Pat's exploitations of just about every tragedy, self-promotion, diversion of hurricanes, and other crazy proclamations.


Tracklisting:

Side One

1. It's Time to Pray, America! {29:03}

Side Two

1. It's Time to Pray, America! {30:18}

The Electronic Concept Orchestra - Electric Love

The Electronic Concept Orchestra - Electric Love

Happy friggin Valentine's Day!

About this LP according to the liner notes:

The incredible electronic instrument, the Moog Synthesizer has been combined with a "Greatest Hits" collection of romantic songs and the wonderous string arrangements of Bob Schiff to produce "Electric Love" by the Electronic Concept Orchestra. Far from being a sterile, austere mish-mosh of electronic circuitry, the Moog as performed by Eddie Higgins, now becomes an expressive and entirely musical voice in the world of romantic listening.

I wanted to post another sleazy LP for this special day, but I lost track of some of my stuff during the hard drive crash of 2010. Instead, I am stuck with this collection of sweet, sappy, sentimental tunes. No special somebody in my life, no special sleazy record in my life = the story of my life. Enjoy your special day with some special music while I wallow in self-pity with a bucketful of delicious chocolate candies to stuff my face with.



Tracklisting:  (link will be back soon)

Side 1

1. Goin out of My Head {4:04}

2. The Look of Love {2:28}

3. Je T'aime...Moi Non Plus {2:03}

4. Misty {3:23}

5. Romeo & Juliet Theme {2:48}

6. Like a Lover {3:13}

Side 2

1. Wichita Lineman {3:16}

2. I'm Gonna Make You Love Me {2:52}

3. Stella by Starlight {3:43}

4. Love is Blue {3:18}

5. This Guy's in Love with You {4:53}

Madame Indra Devi - The Best of Yoga

Madame Indra Devi - The Best of Yoga

Lately, I've been doing a little yoga on the Nintendo Wii via the Wii Fit program. Actually, the Wii is the only way I've been getting my exercise lately. I like doing the yoga postures, but it's the other exercises that can be a killer especially the squatting ones. I've always wanted to try yoga and I never would have thought that my first yoga experience would be through a video game system so there ya go. Anyway this has me thinking what would it be like if a yoga master like Indra Devi was still alive and was involved somehow with the Wii. Obviously, that will never happen, but I still have this LP to use. Hopefully, I won't conjure up the devil or become a promiscuous alcoholic while engaged in some yoga postures.

I secured a copy of this LP at one of the local Goodwill stores. It appears to be a recording of a yoga class conducted by Indra Devi, who was born in Riga, Russia [*Editor's note: correction - Riga is the capital of Latvia which is now an independent country] (with the birth name of Eugenie Peterson) and found her calling early in life as a Hindu spiritual and yoga master. I know I take it for granted that there are lots of yoga videos plus the aforementioned Wii Fit available at the present. Back when this LP was released in 1973, I don't think there were many yoga classes available. I'm sure that the only way for a lot of people to get yoga instruction was through LPs like this. The LP starts out with simple breathing exercises then proceeds to neck and eye exercises. You'll have to listen to find out more about how to eye exercises. My favorite part of the record is the "sound vibrations" track where Indra Devi instructs participants to make certain sounds. It is the most fun exercise of this record. The last half of the record is devoted to various postures such as the "Cobra Posture", "Locust Posture", "Arch Posture", etc.

I wish I can explain these yoga exercises better especially in the context of this release. Unfortunately, the booklet that came with this record is missing. We'll just have to listen to Madame Indra Devi. I really like her voice along with doing the "sound vibrations". Otherwise, I'm only getting my yoga from the Wii.

Tracklisting:  (link will be back soon)

Side A

1. Introduction and Deep Breathing {3:34}

2. Breathing Exercises {4:03}

3. Neck Exercises {2:20}

4. Eye Exercises {3:25}

5. Sound Vibrations {3:09}

6. Relaxation {4:29}

Side B

1. Arch Posture {1:26}

2. Reverse Posture {1:29}

3. Plow Posture {2:44}

4. Cobra Posture {2:38}

5. Locust Posture {1:46}

6. Lotus Posture {1:55}

7. Yoga Modra {2:34}

8. Stretching Exercise {1:30}

9. Twist Posture {3:05}

10. Head Stand {4:03}

11. Stomach Lift {1:43}

12. End of Class {0:43}

Dr. Milton I. Levine and Melba Rae - A Child's Introduction to Sex

Dr. Milton I. Levine and Melba Rae - A Child's Introduction to Sex

Note: I recently bought a new computer because my old computer simply bit the dust. I am still in the process of reorganizing my personal digital collections and I have yet to install the programs I need to rip LPs and cassettes and convert formats. I was fortunate to find something I've already put up before my old computer crashed. So, here it is.

I wish that I could have first learned about sex from an LP record. How cool would that be? Thus instead, I ended up learning about sex from another source, one that has pictures sans clothing if you know what I mean. I suppose I could pretend to forget all I know and listen to this record in an attempt to simulate the experience. Nah, who am I kidding? It will never work and it sounds wrong anyway.

At least, some people had an opportunity to learn about sex from a record since I imagine, here in America, a majority of parents were (and perhaps still are) uncomfortable explaining the subject. It may have been an act of bravery in the "good ol days" to even have a copy of this record in one's possession. Dr. Levine, Associate Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at the New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center at the time of this record's release, and soap opera actress Melba Rae adequately explain the process of how babies are made and the body parts used for making babies. This one is recommended for those who are not comfortable talking about it to children.

Tracklisting:  (link may be back soon)

Side 1

1. A Child's Introduction to Sex {9:44}

Side 2

1. A Child's Introduction to Sex continued {8:55}

Christian Citizen - Dynamics of Democracy

Christian Citizen - Dynamics of Democracy

Copies of this LP were distributed to members of the Christian Citizen organization whose purpose was to train believers how to be politicians and "foster Christian principles in the nation's [United States] government and to combat 'an increasing sense of futility and apathy in America'" according to an article in the magazine Commentary.*

This LP demonstrates the organization's principles of training "principled" wannabe politicians to work at the precinct and county levels and to run for political office at those levels. Working on these lower levels is supposed to be a work your way from the bottom to top strategy in getting people to the ranks of national office (e.g. Congress). The liner notes explain in more detail the purpose of this LP:

DYNAMICS OF DEMOCRACY, Volume One emphasizes clearly that Christians must involve themselves in the political life of the country if the full impact of their God-given principles and influences for good is to be felt. If politics has become a dirty business, it is because Christian people have side-stepped their responsibilities. Freedom is a religious, not a political principle, and to be protected and preserved in a political atmosphere, freedom must have religious men for champions. The record is an exciting attempt to stimulate interest and shock sleepy imaginations into action. It assumes, of course, that some knowledge of the Christian Citizen study course program is held by the listener. And if not, the record is designed to prod the listener into full participation in the educational activities of Christian Citizen. It is not meant to be heard in solitude. It has been planned for group use in private homes, clubs, and other organizations. It supplements the regular Christian Citizen program which reaches into the grassroots of American life bringing back to citizens an awareness of their American heritage in its Christian perspective and teaching them the ways and means by which they may involve themselves in political life and become effective leaders in the local precinct and national convention.

I'm guessing that Christian Citizen's activities served as a blueprint studied by the Moral Majority, the Christian Coalition and the modern extreme-right Republican party.

*The link only leads to an abstract of the article as one has to be either a subscriber or to buy the article to have access to the article. The abstract gives a little more information about Christian Citizen.

Tracklisting:

Side 1

1. Dynamics of Democracy {23:23}

Side 2

1. Dynamics of Democracy {23:16}

Dr. Joseph Murphy - Developing a Wonderful Personality/Communicating with the Subconscious

Dr. Joseph Murphy - Developing a Wonderful Personality/Communicating with the Subconscious

A while back, I found a couple of records by this guy named Dr. Joseph Murphy. There are not any liner notes on the packaging (i.e. no information). However, I was sold on the titles for these records. Upon listening to this record, this guy comes across as a combination of NLP (neuro-linguistic programming) self-help guru and preacher. Whether you like it or not, you will feel like you've developed a wonderful personality after listening. I'm sure the other side is self-explanatory. Yes, the divine one upstairs wants to help you know that you have positive attributes so therefore you should realize that you need a postive attitude to develop that wonderful personality that you were born with. Dr. Murphy sounds controversial as he is saying that He is not only the creator of mankind and this world, he is also the self-improvement guru of mankind rather than the usual view of judge, jury and executioner of mankind who are all a bunch of born sinners.

I went to do background research on Dr. Murphy (1898-1981) and I quickly found his bio. He made quite a lot of recordings and wrote a lot of books as I thought he would have done. However, I was surprised when I read his background as he has an academic background in studying Eastern religions. He was even a research fellow at the University of India. He has a Ph.D although there is no mention where he earned his Ph.D or the subject(s) he studied to earn his Ph.D. He was an expert on mysticism and "mind dynamics."

Dr. Murphy was the director and minister of the Church of Divine Science in Los Angeles for 28 years. The Church of Divine Science is a religious group that is a part of the New Thought movement. New Thought basically consists of metaphysical beliefs that promote positive thinking, the law of attraction, healing, life force, creative visualization and personal power according to that top info resource Wikipedia. Also whoever contributed the entry for "New Thought Movement" in Wikipedia says that New Thought "promotes the ideas that 'Infinite Intelligence' or 'God' is ubiquitous, spirit is the totality of real things, true human selfhood is divine, divine thought is a force for good, all sickness originates in the mind, and 'right thinking' has a healing effect." Knowing the background and context of Dr. Murphy's affiliations, the material on this LP starts to make a lot of sense especially when you are in your subconscious. This LP is another one I'll be playing during my hypnopaedia sessions when I go to bed.


Tracklisting:

Side 1

1. Developing a Wonderful Personality {18:58}

Side 2

1. Communicating with the Subconscious {19:38}

grey calx on LibraryThing

For evaluation purposes, I set up an account on the social media/social networking book cataloging site LibraryThing to see if this site is useful for me in real life. So far, I've cataloged a few books. I cataloged only the kind of books that I found during my digging that let's say are "off the beaten path" or rather the stuff I would post on this blog. Maybe it's an attempt to rival that Abebooks virtual weird book room. By the way, a few of the books in my LibraryThing library may look familiar as they have already been posted here at the Basement. Yes, I actually own a copy of every single book cataloged as of this writing.

Come visit my library.

Fire and Ice, Ltd. - The Happening

Fire and Ice, Ltd. - The Happening

LP released sometime during the late 1960s

This is one of my favorite LPs from the 60s. To me this album is what the 60s are about. I may go as far to place this in my top 20 albums of the 60s. Yes, I would. You want to know why. Here's why:

It's happening now.
Spontaneously, in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, and many other parts of the nation young musicians are assembling to create for themselves and their friends a new kind of sound. As Lewis Carroll's Alice stepped through the drawing room mirror into a world of rich imagining, so these gifted young experimentalists are determinedly breaking through the limitations of the old familiar forms - rock, and jazz, and folk, and blues, et cetera - freeing themselves to create a sound that encompasses all the as-yet- unexplored possibilities of music.
These get-togethers are called musical happenings. The sounds they produce are called, by some, spontaneous music, and by others, free form music. Some also call it "mind-manifesting music." And as one of the performers in this album half-humorously stated, it might with equal aptness and equal imprecision be called "ethnic psychedelic Afro-Cuban folk rock." It is an exhilarating, exciting, galvanizing symphony of musical moods, an exploration into a kind of completely unchained sound that has never happened before.
But it's happening now!

Indeed it is (or was). The liner notes with equal aptness and equal precision describe what is in store for the listener of this album. Fire and Ice, Ltd., led by a couple of "brilliant young men of many talents" Tony Scott and Paris Sheppard, have created fun spontaneous (although dated) music. This is in my top 5 all-time favorite thrift store finds.

Credits:

Tony Scott - organ, piano
Paris Sheppard - vocals, flute
John Green - bass
Joseph Connoly - guitar
Roy Durkee - drums
Barbara Jackson - Arabian drums
Dorothy Erwin, Daniel Westen and Mildred Richard - vocals

Lawrence Schiller - producer


Tracklisting:  (link will be back soon)

Side 1

1. I Just Thought of the Moon {6:08}

2. The House of Saturn {7:05}

3. Star In Flight {2:57}

Side 2

1. Summertime {5:54}

2. The Happening {9:33}

A Basement of Curiosities is Two Years Old (Plus a Poll of Visitors' Favorite Posts)

Yes, you've read the post title correctly. We are celebrating the second birthday here at the Basement (actually it's just myself, I just like to use "we" to make it sound more important, that an organization is running this enterprise because apparently nowadays people like organizations over individuals; this blog contradicts mainstream social norms as it is mostly individually ran although I've had some help this past year from other individuals). Speaking of help this past year, I would like to thank those generous enough to contribute some materials to the Basement library and archive as well as fulfilling my requests. Next, I would like to thank the fans and visitors to this blog. I also would like to thank my fellow bloggers and webmasters for linking to the Basement.

I strive to not only bring you, my lovely visitors, some of the most interesting works of entertainment that has the power to help you forget your problems and tribulations in your life, I strive to bring you works that could change and improve your life. Occasionally, there is something that I intend to post that meets one of those criteria, but instead it ends up meeting both criteria.

I could go on and on, but instead of writing out a long self-indulgent and self-congratulatory anniversary or birthday post, I am going to have this post be an interactive one as I let you, my lovely visitors, be involved in this post. I would like to know what are your favorite posts here in the Basement. It can be one, five, ten, or whatever number you think is fit. This is an unscientific survey, but I am curious to know what are the most popular posts of A Basement of Curiosities. In the meantime, I am going to treat myself to a combination of chocolate cake and ice cream as I think I deserve it.

Boomer Sooner - University of Oklahoma

Boomer Sooner - University of Oklahoma

This is a 7" vinyl record released in 1982. It is an EP dedicated to worshipping and praising the University of Oklahoma [Sooners] tackle football team. Five of the six tracks are songs about the Sooners, and the first track being the Sooners' fight song performed by the school band. The last song is a "version" of a song for a commercial of a well-known brand of soda. The band is apparently called Boomer Sooner if the label on the vinyl is any indication. The music is all country except for the first track obviously. There is zero info about this release on the interwebs info superhighway. From what I can tell, a bunch of rednecks or good ol' boys (if that is the politically correct term) who happen to be die hard fans of extra curricular activities of one particular institution of higher learning got together, had a few beers and recorded these songs. After you are finished listening to this, you'll come to believe that the Sooners football team are wonderful, great, (add any other superlative), and most important of all are #1. When this was recorded in 1982, the Sooners were supposed to be #1. It didn't quite turn out that way, but I'm sure that the Sooners are still #1 in the hearts of those anonymous musicians behind this EP. As of this writing, the Sooners play tomorrow on national TV in the spectacle called the Sun Bowl. Go Sooners and um, boomer sooner!

Tracklisting:

Side One

1. Boomer Sooner! {0:31}
performed by the University of Oklahoma band

2. The Brutal War {2:30}

3. See the Sooner! {2:08}

Side Two

1. I'm a Sooner {2:31}

2. When You Play the Sooners {2:05}

3. Coke Is It (Oklahoma Football Version) {0:58}

Happy Christmas, Merry Holidays plus two X-mas tunes by Mr. Sinatra

I would like to wish all my visitors and fellow bloggers a merry Christmas and/or happy holidays. I'll be offline for the next few days to visit family and maybe a lost relative or two.

Before I go, I'll produce one last X-mas post for the year (this post). This post has a couple of tunes by Basement fan favorite Mr. Sinatra, Rank Sinatra that is. By the way, Mr. Sinatra's album was posted last year. If I ever decide to put on A Basement of Curiosities festival, I want Rank Sinatra to headline. The incredibly gifted and talented entertainer brings holiday cheer by blessing us with two Christmas songs. The first song is a "duet" between him and mega-celebrity Britney Spears as they both sing Britney's Christmas hit, "My Only Wish (This Year)". This song came out before Britney was in two short marriages with Kevin "K-Fed" Federline and that other guy what's his name and shaved her head and then went in rehab. The other song is a cover of "Last Christmas" by Wham a.k.a. George Michael and that other guy what's his name. "Last Christmas" is from the Chairman of the Bored album which as I already mentioned was posted last year.

two Christmas songs by Rank Sinatra

Tracklisting:

1. Duet with Britany (For the Kids) {1:49}

2. The Last Christmas {3:33}

The Moog Machine - Christmas Becomes Electric

The Moog Machine - Christmas Becomes Electric

Here's some more Christmas cheer. Not only that, it's more Christmas synthesizer musik courtesy of The Moog Machine. By the way, their rocking Switched-On Rock LP was posted earlier this year here in The Basement. On this LP, The Moog Machine bring warm sentimental heartfelt renditions of everyone's favorite traditional Christmas tunes.

Info about The Moog Machine: The Moog Machine is a three-man organization. All the performances are by Kenny Ascher. Alan Foust wrote the arrangements. Norman Dolph produced the album and tuned the synthesizer.

Tracklisting:

Side 1

1. Jingle Bells {2:00}

2. Little Town of Bethlehem {1:51}

3. We Three Kings {1:30}

4. Deck the Halls {0:55}

5. Silent Night {2:07}

6. Joy to the World {1:03}

7. It Came Upon the Midnight Clear {0:59}

8. O Come, All Ye Faithful {0:55}

9. Carol of the Bells {2:15}

Side 2

1. The Little Drummer Boy {2:55}

2. O Holy Night {2:40}

3. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen {1:50}

4. Patapan {0:56}

5. The First Noel {1:24}

6. We Wish You a Merry Christmas {1:17}

7. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing {1:30}

8. Twelve Days of Christmas {3:49}

Sy Mann - Switched On Santa

Sy Mann - Switched On Santa

It's that time of the year again. I guess no one liked the disco Christmas album I posted last year. I can't imagine why. Here's another Christmas album this time with the music being played with a Moog synthesizer. You may not like disco (understandably so), but it's hard to resist Moog synthesizer Christmas music. Even the legendary Jean-Jacques Perrey is involved with this album. You can't go wrong here (or am I wrong?).

I know most of the sharity sites are posting Christmas music of some sort and some of you are probably tired of all this Christmas music that's being blared from your favorite sites, the radio stations who decide to inundate the airwaves with only Christmas music instead of the usual overplayed popular soft rock pap and just about all of the retail stores whose employees for some reason say "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas". If you're not into all this Christmas music posted everywhere, too bad. I'm posting it here too because we at the Basement appreciate Christmas especially the one who blesses us with his blessings. That's right I'm talking about the one and only St. Nick (also known as Santa Claus in some parts of the world). If the opening bars during the first few seconds of Sy Mann's verson of "Jingle Bells" or his rendition of "My Favorite Things" doesn't send chills up your spine then either you're a socialist commie waging war against Christmas or you just don't like electronic music. I think the former is much more likely.

We love this time of year where we get to shop and consume without a care in the world. Not only are we engaging in the All-American activities of shopping and consuming, but we are doing it while somehow bringing hope and joy to others who lack hope and joy. Black Friday sales rule. So do those baskets with the artifical processed cheese, the berry jellies, and the summer sausage made up of several mystery meats (I think). Those things especially rule as they do not even have to be refrigerated. Neighborhoods with lots and lots of lights and kitschy lighted fixtures and nativity scenes also rule. I love me some Christmas lights especially if other people do it so I don't have to. Putting up lights myself takes up too much time. The extra time I have leaves me with more time to devote to this blog and my other blog. I think it works well with me blogging and other people decorating.

I am willing to admit that I do not enjoy the process of wrapping gifts that I bought for other people. It seems tedious and perhaps I just lack the ability, patience, and desire to beautifully wrap things with wrapping paper (with Christmas decor of course). I know I can get gifts wrapped at the various retail establishments, but since I'm a cheapskate, I end up doing the wrapping myself. I think I've already spent enough money on the damned things even with everything 10% off the regular price. I do really enjoy the unwrapping process as it is the greatest moment of the holiday season as I am shimmering with ecstatic anticipation in the hopes that what I asked for is underneath the wrapping paper. Either the thing I desire is unwrapped or it's something I absolutely do not want such as socks or underwear or worse cologne. Depending on what is unwrapped I am either overcome with joy or overcome with disappointment and asking St. Nick "What did I do to deserve this? I already have too much cologne from the past several years that I do not have a need for especially that Tommy Hilfiger stuff. Why do people think I need or want cologne? I've been good for most of the year so what gives? I think I would rather have a gift card to Wal Mart or Arby's instead. Seriously."

Getting back to this LP, I posted it last year in another online project that is on hiatus at the moment. Out of the usual spirit of generosity I thought I would post it again this year. There may be several other sites that are posting this too. I am not totally sure and I do not really care. It's Christmas. If I can give this to one person whose only Christmas music is, let's say the atrocious "Grandma Got Ran Over by a Reindeer" and save this person by providing this wonderful Christmas music then I will have done my part in providing hope and joy.


Tracklisting:

Side 1

1. Rudolph, The Red Nosed Reindeer {2:11}

2. Jingle Bells {1:43}

3. Santa Claus is Coming to Town {2:02}

4. Tijuana Christmas {1:58}

5. My Favorite Things {2:24}

6. The Little Drummer Boy {2:37}

Side 2

1. Christmas Bells {1:52}

2. White Christmas {2:51}

3. Joy to the World {1:04}

4. When Christmas Comes {2:30}

5. Angels We Have Heard on High {1:42}

6. Silent Night {2:04}

7. What Child is This {2:04}

Ed Summerlin and Roger Ortmayer - Liturgical Jazz

Ed Summerlin and Roger Ortmayer - Liturgical Jazz

This LP is a recording of a church service of morning prayer set to jazz music. This most likely was recorded and released sometime during the early 1960s.

Personnel:

Ed Summerlin - conductor and tenor sax
Bob Thomas - alto sax
Earle Dhus - tenor sax
Morgan Powell - trombone
Bob Foutz - lead trumpet
Tom Wirtel - trumpet and flugel horn
Gene Gandy - piano
Rich O'Donnell - drums
Don Ratterree - bass

On the two hymns Marvin Stamm replaces Bob Foutz and Dee Barton replaces Morgan Powell. Tom Wirtel plays the trumpet solos and Ed Summerlin plays the tenor solos.

Reading by Roger Ortmeyer

Some comments from the liner notes by Roger Ortmeyer:

There seems to be consternation in some ecclesiastical circles when a jazz liturgy is proposed. Among jazz enthusiasts the reaction is nearly parallel; perhaps more of bewilderment and unease than of consternation.
Both need to be dealt with, and both need to be enlightened.
The liturgist is convinced that into his hands has been given a sacred treasure and he must struggle against those who would weaken its vigor. He tends to have a somewhat dogmatic sense of what is "proper." Jazz seems too frivolous, too immature and too much identified with unsavory aspects of the world for it to accompany the ancient liturgical patterns of the Church. The traditional, stately and the acceptable has been the liturgical accompaniment he recalls and he is usually determined to keep it that way.
...
The liturgy, supporting which this composition has been written, is an order designed for regular Sunday morning services of a local parish. It was contained in a book sent by John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, to the organizing Conference of American Methodists in 1784. It's title was The Sunday Service of the Methodists in North America. His advice was that all the preachers should use it each Lord's day, feeling that it was the most "rational and scriptural way of feeding and guiding those poor sheep in the wilderness."
It will be noted by many that the service is essentially the order contained in The Book of Common Prayer. This is natural inasmuch as Wesley was a priest of the Church of England and was convinced to the day of his death that the liturgy of the Church was the best possible for the prayers of the people.
For most Christians, this basic pattern is the proper form of worship. It is a rehearsal of what they believe God has done for them, and their participation in the drama.
The rational of the liturgy is quite simple: 1) A representation of what the Christian believes God has done and continues to do through Jesus Christ, and 2) an enactment by each participant of this drama of salvation.
...
The music for the liturgy is a fine example of the coming of age of the jazz idiom. It explores in exciting fashion many of the features of contemporary "classical" composition while maintaining the necessary improvisation of jazz.
...
The conjunction of jazz with the spoken word forces the members of the congregation and the clerical leader to come to terms with the words of the liturgy. There is no lagging and day dreaming in this service. The worshipper is forced to shout his praises and, struck with trembling at his condemnation, rejoices in his absolution and in confidence makes offering of himself. Could anything more be asked of the music of the Church?
 
Tracklisting:

Side One

1. Prelude {5:10}

2. Collect for Purity of Heart {0:25}

3. Hymn of Praise: Love Devine {2:33}

4. Service of Confession {3:00}

5. Service of the Word {4:37}

Side Two

1. Te Deum {1:49}

2. New Testament Lesson (II Peter 1 3-11) {1:33}

3. Benedictus {1:21}

4. The Apostles' Creed {0:43}

5. Witness to the Word: Sermon {0:44}

6. Service of Offering {6:45}

7. After-Service {3:01}

8. Postlude {2:39}

Apes of Wrath - Apes of Wrath

Apes of Wrath - Apes of Wrath

released on LP in 1982

recorded at Unique Productions - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

I bought a used copy of the Apes of Wrath LP among many other items at a recent library sale (the recently posted Former Fetus CD and Tom Wopat LP were among the same batch of records, tapes, CDs and books). Apes of Wrath was an Oklahoma City band led by a fellow named Ted Dodson who wrote all of the songs and music on this LP. There are 21 musicians including Dodson credited on the back cover. I cannot tell who were the other principal members since there is very little information available. According to Ted Dodson's bio on his website, 1000 copies of this LP were pressed with half of the copies being sold in local record stores (by the way be sure to read his very interesting bio although he mentioned that he was proud of this album for some reason there is not much info about the band). This obscure gem is a collection of psychedelic rock tunes with quirky lyrics especially on side two which is the better side in my opinion. Mr. Dodson did set up another website to store some videos of a few songs off this album and of live performances for viewing.

As I mentioned earlier, there is very little info about this band. I did enter "Apes of Wrath" in Google and most of the results retrieved are links to another band with the same name. Apparently more info exists for that band than the one featured here. As far as I can tell from his website that may not have been updated in a few years, Dodson lives in Dallas, Texas and the whereabouts of the other musicians are unknown.

Tracklisting:

Side One

1. Back to Playing Again {1:53}

2. Where Did Your Daddy Go {3:29}

3. Old Doe {3:04}

4. I Need Somebody New {4:00}

5. Hey Gyp {5:58}

6. Broken Blue Heart {2:24}

Side Two

1. The Apes of Wrath {3:07}

2. Mutant Ape {1:37}

3. 3 Billion Blind Mice {4:03}

4. Mankind's Lies {3:51}

5. Oh! Dear {1:38}

6. Hypnotize the Masses {3:09}

7. Going Ape Over You {3:37}

Will Harvey - How to Find and Fascinate a Mistress [book]

Will Harvey - How to Find and Fascinate a Mistress [book]

book published in 1971

I found a copy of this book in some swap meet several years ago. When I first laid eyes on this book, I was somewhat amazed that a book like this was published. Then I looked at the cover again and I noticed the words "San Francisco Best Seller" on the top. I would not be surprised if this book was actually a bestseller in San Francisco at the time. If books like this were on top of bestseller lists, I would be interested in checking out what else sells (or sold) well in San Francisco. Forget the New York Times list. Anyway, I suppose I should feel lucky that a used copy of this book made its way to my locale which is a very conservative area (i.e. opposite of San Francisco). Come to think of it, this book would likely be read by folks in this area since they have a tendency to cheat and fool around while preaching morality. I do not think it is a coincidence that my locale has one of the highest rates of divorce in America.

This book is a guide to finding a mistress where the author has devised a test called the SYNAM test to determine if a woman is mistress material. Will Harvey has come up with four categories of the type of mistresses: honeybee, ladybug, hornet, and grasshopper. I suppose that his analogy of insect characteristics to mistress behaviors makes sense. There are tips on how to find mistresses and get them to be your companions. Harvey then writes about how to deal with the inevitable situation when the wife confronts the mistress. There are other tips such as how to deal with breakups with mistresses and what to do to use protection for both the philanderer and the mistress.

This book is aimed at men especially middle-aged to older men who are interested in having younger women on the side. This book seems to be a product of its time, but I'm sure the tips and ideas from this book are put to use today. Some people still want or need mistresses today after all. So, if you're looking for an interesting read (even if you're faithful which is good of course) check this book out.

From the blurb on the flap of the dust jacket:

This is not just a silly sex book or a manual for the sneaky. The author has found a realistic answer to the challenge of the sexually liberated woman who wants a capable man with no strings attached. He emphasizes HOW TO FIND THE WOMAN WHO IS LOOKING FOR YOU - and live to tell about it! But once you're on the man-mistress merry-go-round, how do you wave to the rest of the world without appearing silly? Or get off without stumbling? What respect does a mistress deserve? What happens when wife meets mistress?

Throughout his scientific and business career, the author has been asked these questions hundreds of times by bewildered friends and colleagues. They could never understand how he found and survived so many interesting women while maintaining a reasonable work schedule (from all outward appearances). Now, in the twilight of his career, he tells it like it is (or was for him). He's honest, arrogant - at times humble - but not apologetic. And for good reason. Some of the women in his life helped him write this book. All this country needs is a decent rationalization to relieve the suffering of untold millions who are doing it anyway - or wish they could. Never again will they feel alone.

Will Harvey began his career as an assistant professor in the sciences at a large university. An empty pocketbook and total frustration with academic life soon forced him into the business world. He would have preferred a steady job with an established firm, but the pressures of his personal life forced him to start his own company in the booming electronics field. Fortune smiled on him and he soon found himself in the on-again, off-again world of high finance (and low resistance). He attributes his modest success in business to the fact that he was most often preoccupied with the finer things in life when he otherwise would have been making serious mistakes at the office.

He has long felt that woman is the stronger sex, and that man's feeble claims to superiority are belied by the fact that most of his daily efforts are directly or indirectly devoted to the pursuit of, support of, or escape from a woman. So why fight it?

He looks back now on a lifetime which could have been conventionally wicked, had it not been for his constant struggles to turn personal necessity into social virtue.

part 1 part 2  (links will be back soon)

CONTENTS

1 PROFILES OF THE MISTRESS
Is She A Mistress? page 8
The Synam Test page 9
The Honeybee page 12
The Ladybug page 13
The Hornet page 15
The Grasshopper page 16
The Working Girl page 17
The Stewardess page 21
Your Own Secretary page 26
Where Do You Meet Her? page 29

2 I'M THE ONE
Mental Foreplay page 34
Don't Touch Me! page 35
The Panic Points page 37
Contact! page 41

3 MARKSMANSHIP
On The Firing Line page 48
The Bullseye page 49
Phase One page 50
Phase Two page 51
Phase Three page 52
The All-Day Sucker page 55
Bless the Squeek page 55
The First Shot page 57
The Warm-Up page 59
The Dud page 60
The Double Play page 61

4 OBSERVATIONS ON ORGASM
Are They All The Same? page 64
Automatics, Repeaters, And Not At All page 65
How Long Does It Take? page 68
The Over-Thirty Syndrome page 69
The Fatal Question page 71
Her Own Sex Manual page 73

5 LITTLE PROBLEMS
Don't Be Bashful page 75
The Afterglow page 76
The Dribble Problem page 77
The Gentle Hint page 78
The Missing Pill page 80
The Peeing Syndrome page 82
Oral Operations page 83

6 TABLE MANNERS
Time And Place page 87
Let Her Sniff The Buds page 94
How To Support A Mistress page 95
Holidays page 98
How To Protect And Present Your Mistress page 99
Wife Meets Mistress page 102
The Double Reverse page 103
Quickies page 110

7 THE END ZONE
I'm A Mistress page 115
You're A Bastard page 116
The Other Man page 117
The No-Breakfast Routine page 120
The Last Gasp page 121
The Silent Message page 122

8 FAMOUS LAST WORDS
Be Prepared page 125
The Condom page 126
Skins page 127
Hornet Protection page 129
VD page 132
A Blessing In Disguise page 133
The Pause page 134
Vaginal Suppositories page 136
The Diaphragm page 139
Foam And Applicator page 140
We're Stupid page 140
Testing The Condom page 141

9 HELPFUL HINTS FOR THE HUNTER
The First Blush page 145
The Team Approach page 146
Live Bait page 149
The Compassionate, Capable Man page 150
The Pompous Peacock page 152
The Badgered Businessman page 153
On The Job Contacts page 154
Too Good To Be True page 157
The Savior page 159

Michael Blate - Acugenics

Michael Blate - Acugenics

Acugenics is a program where an individual applies self-accupuncture without needles. Fingertips are used at 20 points throughout the body. The user of acugenics is supposed to be relaxed and Blate recommends that acugenics be used at night before the user goes to sleep. By the way, the user should either be naked or at least be wearing light clothing. Acugenics is supposed to be a self-healing method. The user is instructed to apply a few seconds at these sensitive spots. It sounds painful to do. I suppose that the user has to go through more pain before healing takes place.

This recording is dubbed onto what was originally a blank cassette. I found it at (you probably guessed it) a Salvation Army thrift store. I cannot tell what tape or record this recording was ripped from. I believe it is called acugenics as Michael Blate guides one through his Acugenics program while soft music of flute and occasional flourishes of harp play in the background.

On Side 2, Blate guides listeners through a healing program called applied imagination which uses a technique called guided imagery "which releases all the healing benefits stored in your imagination". This is supposed to realize your full potential for well being by balancing the energy throughout your organs. Soft music with harp plays in the background. The applied imagination program sounds less painful than acugenics which sounds more like my thing. I already feel more energetic from hearing this program's description. (He said "groin", "rectum", and "sex organs" heh heh heh heh heh).

According to his bio on his website: Author, lecturer and natural health educator, Michael Blate has spent most of his life exploring and sharing "self-health" methods and traditional spiritual teachings from around the world. He has written dozens of books and teaching guides to help people become more healthy, self-reliant and spiritually attuned. Michael has a special gift for presenting complex teachings in a straightforward, practical and easy-to-use format.

In the early 1970's, at a time when acupressure was all but unknown in the West, Michael’s first book — The Natural Healer's Acupressure Handbook — introduced this easy, effective technique to the US. Since then, G-Jo Acupressure had been taught in classes, workshops, schools, hospitals and universities around the world.

In addition to his contributions to health and healing, Michael’s explanations of the timeless wisdom known as Vedanta — sometimes called "spiritual yoga" (the basis of today's popular yoga programs) — have helped many spiritual seekers to more fully grasp this pinnacle of Eastern thought.

A frequent contributor to various magazines, Michael has also appeared on nearly 2,000 radio and TV talk shows to introduce audiences to the amazing healing powers and spiritual potential lying within each of us.

Tracklisting:

Side 1

1. track 1 {21:12}

Side 2

1. track 1 {14:23}

2. track 2 {7:41}

3. track 3 {1:39}

Marty Gold - Wired for Sound

Marty Gold - Wired for Sound

released on LP in 1956

recorded at Webster Hall, New York City, July 9, 11, and 12, 1956

conducted by Marty Gold; assistant conductor: Sid Ramin

I received this LP from a friend who was purging stuff before she moved. She must have kept this for many years as she did not even remember having this LP or how she acquired it. She is not familiar with it and she is not really interested in it. Lucky for her, I was interested and willing to take the LP as at the time (early 2000s) I just started exploring this kind of music from often visiting first-generation audio sharity sites such as Basic Hip Digital Oddio, Bellybongo, Your Pal Doug, Raymondo's Dance-O-Rama, and a few others whose names I can't recall at the moment.

Marty Gold was prolific in the realm of mid-20th century "space age pop". Gold recorded and released a lot of albums, some being hi-fi or stereo action type albums where then-new stereo recording technology was used incorporating all of an orchestra in some way. Not only were regular instruments used (saxophone, guitar, drums, trombones) used, unusual instruments were also used (on this album these include the tibia, kinura, and the English post horn). Wired for Sound is one of those hi-fi stereo or "new orthophonic" albums where reverberation is really the main instrument for these unique arrangements of musical standards.

Tracklisting:

Side 1

1. Reflections in the Water {2:20}

2. Ti-Pi-Tin {1:48}

3. Blues in the Night {3:32}

4. In the Still of the Night {2:22}

5. Makin' Whoopee {3:44}

6. Lonely Guitar {2:47}

Side 2

1. Stella by Starlight {3:15}

2. You're the Top {1:50}

3. Whistle While You Work {1:27}

4. A Foggy Day {2:54}

5. Mood Indigo {3:01}

6. A Blues Serenade {2:14}

Tom Wopat - Tom Wopat

Tom Wopat - Tom Wopat

LP released in 1982 or 1983

It's almost time for Thanksgiving which means it's almost time to visit with relatives whom you wonder how in heck are you related to them and to pig out on turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry, rolls, and probably some strange casserole that one of your relatives concocted. Last year, I posted a tape to help you in hunting down turkeys because I thought it would be a good idea to catch your own turkey (I still do think that's a good idea). Unfortunately, I do not have anything else on hand to aid you in hunting a turkey. Instead I'll post something that qualifies as a turkey (a different kind, of course, not the delicious and edible bird).

This item is Tom Wopat's (a.k.a. Luke Duke) debut album which is a slick slab of country-pop. This LP interested me only because Tom Wopat was one of the leading co-stars on The Dukes of Hazard, a show I watched as a child. I have to admit I am still fond of this television show. Before I wrote this post, I learned with a little astonishment that Tom Wopat is still releasing albums now with uptown jazz and showtunes and he is acting in Broadway plays. It's hard for me to picture him as a urbane sophisticated Broadway crooner as I've always seen him as a roughneck (yet sensitive) always either being chased by law enforcement on dusty back roads or just crusing along in the Dodge Charger jumping over something as this LP may show. For some reason, I've always thought he was like that in real life.

Anyway, enjoy this turkey (if you can) and hope that you have a good Thanksgiving and a delicious real turkey (even if you bought it at the grocery store ;) ). I'll be back sometime next week with more posts.


Tracklisting:  (link may be back soon)

Side 1

1. Up on a Hill {3:51}

2. Sha-Marie {3:10}

3. Dreams {2:37}

4. Nobody's Fool {3:57}

5. I'm Not Worth the Hurt {3:43}

Side 2

1. Full Moon, Empty Pockets {2:53}

2. (Til) I Kissed You {3:40}

3. Savannah {3:08}

4. We Had It All {2:28}

5. The Luckiest Man in the World {3:32}