Bob Harrington - The Second Coming of Christ

Bob Harrington - The Second Coming of Christ

A lot of people say that Christ is coming back soon. Their claim tends to be dismissed by yours truly. It's not like they have much evidence or any evidence that he is coming back to our world. Maybe some people have insider connections with the other side who may know if and when Mr. Christ is coming and when the plan gets underway to liberate the good people from this world headed for mayhem and chaos. I haven't seen any rumors or revelations from those in the know being reported in the mainstream media including TMZ, Fox News, and the National Enquirer. I'm really not losing any sleep over the possibility of being left behind.

Then I come across this. If even the Chaplain of Bourbon Street says that the savior is returning to Earth and The Rapture is about to occur, then I urge you to better start taking things more seriously. Perhaps Christ will shut down all the strip clubs and porno theaters for Mr. Harrington. I hope that there is an apostle on staff who is an IT or computer expert to advise Christ on current technology so he can shut down the millions of Internet porno sites too. Technology has vastly expanded over the past 2000 years, ya know. He will need to be caught up quickly and have basic computer and Internet skills if he is going to take over the world. At least he should know that the Internet is not just a series of tubes. Hopefully, even with all the porno sites gone, Christ will be in favor of net neutrality.


Tracklisting:

Side 1

1. The Second Coming of Christ {21:11}

Side 2

1. The Second Coming of Christ {21:07}

10th Naval District Steel Band - Pandemonia

10th Naval District Steel Band - Pandemonia

Recorded at Headquarters of the Caribbean Sea Frontier, U. S. Naval Station, San Juan, Puerto Rico

I picked this one up from the recent library sale a couple of months ago. So far, I have been disappointed with the few steel band records I bought previously. However, this album is by far the best one of the bunch that I've picked up and heard. Whereas the other steel band records I bought tried too hard to cater to tourists resulting in the music being watered down, the 10th Naval District Steel Band (a band made up of members of the U.S. Navy) sounds more authentic. It is quite pleasurable to listen to. A few of the tracks are original compositions by the band's director, Charles Roeper. That tells you that these people really care about this music.

The liner notes provide some background: One of the newest and most exciting musical forms to appear on the Hi-Fi scene in some time, the Steel Band is a native product of the West Indies. The drums - fashioned by cutting down ordinary oil drums, tempering them, and marking out 'notes' on the drum head with a steel punch - are played in xylophonic style with rubber-ended sticks.
The smallest of the drums, decorated in Caribbean hues of pink, black, orange and green, are called ping pongs. There are also tune booms or cellos, guitar pans, bongos, and basses. To round out the ensemble, there are maracas (chit chats), scratch sticks, and a cutter (the brake drum from a Model T Ford). The assorted drums cover a range of four octaves, and, from this unusual conglomeration of odds and ends, the steel band elicits a haunting and delightfully melodic sound ... a sound that has already captivated the Caribbean area; its popularity promising to spread throughout the world.
The 10th Naval District Steel Band - under the direction of Chief Musician Charles A. Roeper - is made up of 14 sailors from San Juan, Puerto Rico. Rear Admiral D. V. (Dan) Gallery, who formed the band, got his first taste of steel band music at a carnival in Trinidad. "It just got inside of me and shook me up", he said. The Admiral was so impressed, in fact, that he ordered a set of the unusual instruments and carted them back to headquarters in San Juan. The sailors in the band, who learned to play the drums in their spare time, took to them with immediate enthusiasm.



Tracklisting:

Side One

1. Steampipe Rhumba {3:17}

2. Merengue Universal {2:01}

3. Arrivederci Roma {3:09}

4. Over the Waves {2:19}

5. The Happy Wanderer {2:37}

6. Marianne {2:45}

Side Two

1. Lisbon Antigua {2:48}

2. Swab Handle Blues {2:48}

3. Moonia {2:36}

4. Trinidad Blue Basin {1:52}

5. Cindy, Oh Cindy {3:11}

6. Hawse Pipe Limbo {1:55}

Institute of Research & Development - Stop Smoking Forever

Institute of Research & Development - Stop Smoking Forever

cassette released in 1989

This tape is supposed to be helpful in helping smokers kick the habit. Some guy at the beginning emphasizes that the decision is up to the smoker, but there are stories from about 8 former smokers about how they got into the habit and their attempts to quit. There are findings from medical research and psychological tips. There are also reports of the then growing non-smoker movement not wanting to no longer tolerate smokers.

I'm all for quitting smoking, but the production of this tape seems a bit shady. It sounds like there are the same three or four people giving the testimonies of several people. I'm convinced that the people on this tape are actors. They seem to sound like the "testimonials" given by actors in infomercials for various useless crappy products. But hey, whatever helps. It's notable that there is not any info about this Institute of Research & Development operating from Nashville, Tennessee (United States). I wonder if it's still around despite the organization trying to save costs by not paying too many people (assuming that the actors and others involved in production were paid). Overall, the impression is given that this Institute was attempting to cash in on folks desperately trying to kick the habit. However, there is still some interesting material on this tape. And the cover is kinda cool.

Tracklisting:

Side A

1. Stop Smoking Forever {40:10}

Side B

1. Stop Smoking Forever {39:38}

Narciso Busquets and Antonio Gonzalez - La Santa Misa

Narciso Busquets and Antonio Gonzalez - La Santa Misa

*special thanks for KL from NYC for sharing this one

Narciso Busquets and Antonio Gonzalez are credited as the voices.

This LP may or may not be fitting with this weekend's Easter holiday. The title of this LP is The Holy Mass. It is entirely in Spanish and since I goofed off too much during Spanish class in high school, I can hardly tell what is being said. If I had known I would be listening to this record years after high school, I definitely would have paid more attention and made a greater effort in class rather than doing stupid stuff that teenagers (at least in America) usually do. I did find a free translation website to translate the liner notes. Having it done for free means that the translation will be rough. I have included the rough translation in the file.

It is supposed to be an LP explaining a religious ritual, I think. KL told me that he thinks it varies from unsettling to downright creepy and it's perfect for someone's Halloween mix tape. This LP is mixed with loads of reverb and includes chanting, hushed narration, bells, and a parlor organ. I think this LP sounds suitable at either Easter or Halloween. By the way, happy Easter to all.

Tracklisting:  (link will be back soon)

Side One

1. Introduction {0:48}

2. Part I {14:32}

Side Two

1. Part II {15:49}

Changes Coming to Blog

I am going in a new direction in my life. This blog will reflect the change in my life that I need. It just occurred to me that my life is sad. All I do really is shop in thrift stores and other places that sell used junk. No I don't just wonder in these places. What I do is look for old records and tapes. Not just any old records and tapes. They are records and tapes that no one has probably heard of and no one probably wants, from records consisting entirely of car noises to off-the-wall atonal 20th century chamber music. Usually I just grab whatever junk is there even if they're beat to hell since they're dirt cheap and I'll have money left over to buy food and car insurance. What's even sadder is that I post these things on a blog such as this one. I cannot believe where my life has gone. I don't think I even have a life. Good lord, did you see my post yesterday? It's a tape of some woman repeating phrases over and over and they're really intended for people to play to their pet parrots. I buy stuff like that, digitize this stuff then post this stuff. I can't believe it.

I should make an attempt to be a part of the mainstream. From now on, I will quit looking for moldy old recordings. Besides, if they were any good, they would be out on CD and fully stocked at Wal Mart or Target and remastered so I don't have to hear those ugly clicks and pops that vinyl records make. Apparently most of them aren't any good which is why they just sit in junk shops and collect dust. Anyway there is so much good new music out there that I don't need to bother with old stuff especially weird old stuff that no one even listened to back in the day. From now on, I'm watching American Idol. It's amazing that there is so much talent in the world. I'm liking listening to the young people on the show sing and perform. I even like the way some of them look. It's great that there is no one over 30 performing as pop stars tend to be washed up at 30 anyway, right. I like the Logan's Run rule. Sure there is some British guy on the show that can be overly critical at times, but I know his heart is in the right place. He believes in good music. Millions of people believe in good music as they're tuned in every week. After the show is over, everyone is talking about it even the mainstream news media. So I am now joining the masses. Hopefully I can find some new friends since it shouldn't be too hard to find other people who enjoy American Idol. I'm watching with anticipation to see who will be the next American Idol.

I am resetting my stations on my radio to the top-40 stations along with some classic rock and country stations. Have to have a little variety and those genres are also good. I'm especially enjoying country music. I mean the new kind not that sad whiny genuinely moving cry-in-your-beer stuff. I like me some Toby Keith, Kenny Chesney and Taylor Swift. Toby Keith is now one of my favorite artists. I'm trying to sell my crap (i.e. weird records and tapes) in order to have money to buy all of Toby Keith's CDs as well as all of Kenny Chesney's and Taylor Swift's CDs and all of the CDs by everyone who won American Idol such as David Cook and Ruben Studdard. Then I'll look next to buying CDs from whoever is popular. I am also watching popular TV shows such as Gray's Anatomy, Desparate Housewives, and Survivor. I'm watching every reality show on the air because they're great and all about real life. That's why they get high ratings. I am also planning on reading popular books. Wait, hardly anyone reads. Never mind. I guess I don't need books now.

Now that I am listening to mainstream pop music and watching the TV shows that everyone else watches, I am able to be a part of mainstream life. I want to shop at stores that sell new stuff and consume. I want the newest car and all that stuff that's on the commercials. I want to fit in. I want to make money, have a big house, live in the newest gated subdivision, and make friends with other people like me preferablly the ones that are successful in life of course.



Speaking of successful people, I am now a devoted reader of The Pioneer Woman. It may sound odd at first that I am a man who reads a blog everyday aimed at women especially mothers. It's not really that aspect that draws me to The Pioneer Woman although her tales with her children (or "punks" as she refers to them) are delightful. I just like reading about her wonderful life and checking out her delicious recipes and viewing her lovely produced photographs. The Pioneer Woman has a blog that is widely read by millions all over the world. Her posts receive an average of approximately 500 comments while I am lucky to get a comment at all on my small insignificant obscure blog. Yes, I am a fan of The Pioneer Woman because she is a hugely successful blogger plus she is so amazingly talented in so many areas (such as cooking, photography, and home schooling). Meanwhile all I do is post recordings of old crap created by other people. She has also published a cookbook. She is definitely not posting parrot training or elk hunting cassettes.

Her blog has won many real awards. Her blog won Weblog of the Year at the Weblog Awards. Not only that, her blog also won in two other categories: Best Photography and Best-Designed Weblog. Wait there's more. The Pioneer Woman was also named one of the best 25 blogs by Time magazine. It's on the same list as other popular blogs such as The Huffington Post, BoingBoing, Lifehacker, and others although The Pioneer Woman is superior to all of them.

Not only does The Pioneer Woman has the greatest blog of all time, she has a great life story. She was raised in the slums of some country club golf course in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, which the town is inhabited by wealthy oil barons and home of the annual Mozart Festival by the way. Then she moved to Los Angeles, California and got a degree at the University of Southern California, a private school. Then she lived a life of being a fashionable spoiled city girl just like on that show Sex and the City. Then she met some cowboy from you guessed it, Oklahoma. She fell in love with this cowboy whom she named Marlboro Man. She married him and moved to his ranch back in Oklahoma. Now she is roughing it on the ranch with Marlboro Man who happens to be in one of the richest families in the area and is probably amazingly handsome and rugged in a suave way. The Pioneer Woman's depictions of her life on the luxurious estate on the ranch are riveting. Now the news has come that Reece Witherspoon is going to play her in a movie based on her life. Wow! I do not dare to think who would play me in a movie.

I am just a smalltime blogger who is now another devoted follower of The Pioneer Woman. Did I mention that she is the greatest blogger ever? Anyway, I plan on writing blog posts on things people care about such as anecdotes from my life, American Idol, recipes, tips on success, tips on how to use Photoshop to make pictures look professionally done, celebrity and pop culture news along with posting pictures of celebrities and cats. That's what's coming on this blog from now on. I strive to be a successful blogger like The Pioneer Woman and go on national TV, publish real books, win awards for blogging, and make lots of money. Yes, I strive for success. That should be my focus and ambition. That is all for today. If memory serves, there is a holiday today although I can't quite recall which one it is.

The Complete Parakeet Trainer

The Complete Parakeet Trainer

cassette released in 1985

This is another post with something that you can teach your bird to talk only this one is specifically for parakeets or parrots. Basically, your pet bird should be comfortable first then all background (i.e. distracting noise) should not be present in order for your pet bird to concentrate on you and the lessons you're teaching it such as the ones on this tape. Also, no other birds should be present, just you. According to the liner notes, parrots are sociable animals where they are more interested in each other's company than in anything else.

I've always wanted to have my own pet bird particularly my own pet parrot. Cats and dogs are okay, but parrots are really cool. However, I have no pets because no pets are allowed in the apartment building where I live. Anyway, parrots can talk. I guess that it takes time to train them to talk. You can't do that with cats and dogs. So whenever I get the opportunity to get a mortgage so I can own a house or find another apartment that allows pets, I'm getting a parrot. And I have the materials I need to engage in a some sort of conversation with my parrot. If that doesn't work out, at least I can pretend to be a pirate.

Tracklisting:

Side 1

1. Hello Budgie {3:27}

2. Come On Over Here {3:32}

3. Give Me Some Love {3:39}

4. How About a Kiss {3:40}

5. Such a Pretty Bird {3:43}

Side 2

1. Hey Baby, What's Up {3:38}

2. How About a Cracker {3:31}

3. You're Pretty Cute {3:32}

4. Here Kitty, Kitty - Meow! {3:35}

5. Ha, Ha That's Funny {3:35}

Warren Mintz - Plateau Phase of the Male Sexual Cycle

Warren Mintz - Plateau Phase of the Male Sexual Cycle

This particular recording is from a blank cassette which has been dubbed from another recording. I was unable to find a photograph of Mr. Mintz so I used the illustration above as it best gives the idea of what the listener is in for.

There does not seem to be much info about Warren Mintz or this recording. One of my good friends who goes by the name of Google turned up some info about a Warren Mintz who was a professor at Hofstra University. There is not any conclusive evidence that this is the same Warren Mintz who speaks on this recording although it appears likely that it is him.

As the recording's title says, Mintz explains this stage of the male sexual cycle. During the lecture, Mintz reads an excerpt from the literary classic, Lady Chatterley's Lover by D. H. Lawrence and tells his stories of his time spent picking apples at an apple orchard in Washington (United States). They do illustrate what he is talking about. You'll have to listen to find out how. Not only will you learn something from this tape, there is definitely plenty of material for sampling here.

If anyone knows more about Warren Mintz, especially if the Hofstra professor is the same Warren Mintz who is on this tape, please write in the comments.

Tracklisting:

Side 1

1. Plateau Phase of the Male Sexual Cycle {22:26}

Side 2

1. Plateau Phase of the Male Sexual Cycle cont. {21:00}

Charley Drew - An Evening with Charley Drew, His Piano, and His Party Songs

Charley Drew - An Evening with Charley Drew, His Piano and His Party Songs

*special thanks to KL from NYC for this treat

Charley Drew - vocals, piano, lyrics

Apparently, there's not much info about Charley Drew out there. KL mentioned that there are no liner notes on this album or any other information. The back cover is blank. We do know that he was the resident piano player/entertainer at the Taft Hotel in New York City in the 1940s.

This 10" record is a collection of racy double-entendre songs meant to be played at parties. These are the type of entertaining and humorous songs that are hardly being performed anymore. I wish I had more information about Charley. Meanwhile, enjoy these tunes and hopefully we may start a revival of cleverly-worded double-entendre songs being played at parties. If swing music could be revived which took place a decade ago, why not this music.

Tracklisting:

Side A

1. Blushing Bride {3:11}

2. Bell Bottom Trousers {2:21}

3. The Girls I've Lost & Lost {2:27}

4. Robert the Roue from Reading, PA {2:23}

Side B

1. Gracie is Socially Secure {3:14}

2. Lousy Louisa {3:09}

3. They Didn't Give the Bride Away {3:09}

4. Fleet's in Today {2:16}

Willard Cantelon - The New World Money System

Willard Cantelon - The New World Money System

A couple of years ago, I posted an LP by Willard Cantelon where he spoke about the evils of LSD. On this LP, Mr. Cantelon warns us about the supposedly impending "new world money system." According to Cantelon, there is a plot by groups of powerful wealthy individuals to introduce not only a one-world government, but a single currency to be used everywhere in the world. No doubt life would be easier for a one-world government to have only one currency. No pesky exchange rates to worry about.

So how does Cantelon know about the one-world conspiracy? It's in the Bible. More specifically, it's in the Book of Revelations. The Bible predicted sinister groups such as the IMF, the World Bank, and the UN will take over the world and the Anti-Christ may or may not be running the show. Thank goodness Cantelon knows how to derive what the Bible is saying as lots of people including myself never would have figured out the meaning in the text. Not only did Cantelon consult the Bible, he also attended important monetary conventions and talked to some financial experts and leaders.

Cantelon answers the following questions that are posed on the back cover:

1) Why will a New World Money System definitely be introduced?

2) When will this New System be established?

3) What will be the fate of our present currencies?

4) What will be the nature of the New System?

5) How can one prepare NOW to avoid the great losses and dangers ahead?

6) How can one read future developments?


Tracklisting:

Side 1

1. The New World Money System {20:10}

Side 2

1. The New World Money System continued {23:17}

Sir Christopher Scott - More Switched on Bacharach

Sir Christopher Scott - More Switched on Bacharach

LP released in 1973

Words and music by Burt Bacharach and Hal David

Arranged and conducted by Dave Mullaney
Production co-ordinator: Harry Meyerson

I stumbled onto a copy of this at one of my favorite local antique stores. When I saw the title, I wasn't even aware there was a "Switched on Bacharach" album much less a "More Switched on Bacharach" album until the time I laid both my eyes and hands on a copy. Unfortunately, the original Switched on Bacharach was nowhere to be found onsite. But that is okay for now, I can make due with this one. This is an album of Burt Bacharach and Hal David tunes played with a Moog. (question: If Hal David was Bacharach's partner and seemed to have done much of the work writing the songs, how come isn't this called More Switched on Bacharach and David?) The music is mainly Moog with human wordless vocals, drums, and guitars making brief appearances. The music is performed capably by someone named Sir Christopher Scott who I suppose fancies himself as knighted or maybe he did get knighted for playing cheesy Moog music. How cool would that be if that really happened?

The liner notes say this about the first Bacharach album: Last time out, Sir Chris switched on his equipment and Bacharach's melodies, and the result was one of the brightest albums of popular music to land on the scene in many a moon. A full program of Bacharach sparkled and crackled with wit and musical surprises in that album.

As for this album: Sir Christopher digs into his plugged-in bag for some electro-brilliance on some of the great Mr. B's finest hits. ... What he does is magic, but it's always music. And you just want to let the listening to it go on and on and on.

I'll be darned if this guy is not already knighted in real life.


Tracklisting:

Side One

1. Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head {2:42}

2. Wishin' and Hopin' {3:05}

3. (There's) Always Something There to Remind Me {3:30}

4. (They Long to Be) Close to You {3:24}

5. Everybody's Out of Town {2:50}

Side Two

1. Paper Mache {3:09}

2. A Message to Michael {2:38}

3. I'll Never Fall in Love Again {2:59}

4. Reach Out for Me {2:44}

5. Promises, Promises {1:56}

6. Trains and Boats and Planes {2:55}

Rutgers Glee Club - 100 Years of Football

Rutgers Glee Club - 100 Years of Football

*special thanks once again to KL from NYC for this gem

KL said that his cover was too ugly or worn out to include so I have chosen the group photo of Rutgers Glee Club to use as the "cover".

This LP was released in 1969 to celebrate the centennial of college football. Rutgers and Princeton are reported to have played the first official tackle football game among institutions of higher education on November 8, 1869 which apparently is why Rutgers is celebrating 100 years of football.

The Rutgers Glee Club is renowned worldwide and yes even better, it has its own page on Wikipedia so you know Rutgers Glee Club is big time if it's on Wikipedia. Rutgers Glee Club was founded in 1872, 3 years after it played the first college football game. It is the 8th oldest glee club in America.
Rutgers Glee Club's repertoire mostly consisted of songs that celebrated school spirit. All of side 2 of this LP has those songs. The first side has renditions of other schools' songs for some reason along with some drinking songs. At the time when this LP was recorded and released, F. Austin "Soup" Walter was the director of Rutgers Glee Club. "Soup" made Rutgers Glee Club a glee club powerhouse and he directed it for 52 years. I have not found out how he got his nickname. I did find a website about Soup that is informative except for the story of his nickname. The drinking songs are a blast and I enjoy those the most. Steven M. Wolf says in the liner notes that "the music embodies the competitive energy and spirit of a sport that, perhaps stronger than ever, celebrates its one hundredth birthday." Who am I to argue?

Rutgers Glee Club is still active in the present. Like this blog, Rutgers Glee Club displays excellence except that it has displayed excellence a lot longer than this blog. Please enjoy this piece of lighthearted entertainment celebrating the school spirit and the top activity of collegiate life.

Tracklisting:  (link will be back soon)

Side 1

ALMA MATERS

1. Old Nassau [Princeton] {0:42}

2. San Souci [Columbia] {1:19}

3. High Above Cayugas Waters [Cornell] {1:43}

4. Navy Blue and Gold [Navy] {1:23}

5. Army Blue [Army] {1:40}

DRINKING SONGS

6. Gaudeamus Igitur {1:24}
Old German Melody

7. Landlord, Fill the Flowing Bowl {1:44}
Traditional Drinking Song

8. Eastern Drinking Song {2:06}
F. Mendelssohn

9. Drinking Song from "The Student Prince" {1:30}
S. Romberg

10. Down Among the Dead Men {1:34}
English Student Song

11. I Know a Tavern from the "Peasant Cantata" {1:56}
J. S. Bach

Side 2

SONGS OF RUTGERS

1. A Rutgers Toast {1:45}

2. Hail Mother {1:52}

3. Loyal Sons {2:33}

4. Down Where the Raritan Flows {2:31}

5. The Old Queens Bell {1:59}

6. The Rutgers History Lesson {2:24}

7. We Sing Thy Praise, Old Rutgers {2:47}

8. A Hymn to Queens {2:30}

9. On the Banks of the Old Raritan {1:38}

10. Vive Les Rutgers' Sons {0:34}

Hunter Lott - Front-Line Interviewing and the Firing Session

Hunter Lott - Front-Line Interviewing and the Firing Session

cassette released in 1988

I found my copy of this cassette at one of my favorite local thrift stores. I guess it's good to know that managers, executives, company bigwigs, and "$100k talent" donate their castoffs to thrift stores too. No offense intended, but I wonder if any thrift store shoppers would actually be able to use this tape much less want to buy it except for weirdos like me who scour for this kind of stuff to post on blogs like this.

Hunter Lott is a human resources consultant who is "one of America's foremost experts on hiring and firing". Hunter Lott is a champion of "the rights of management" helping out the big guy. He is presently still helping companies hire the right people for the job and not getting sued firing the people who the companies thought were right for the job.

This tape is for bosses and "human resource professionals" who are taught on side 1 on how to conduct interviews so "potential superstars" can be identified. Hunter Lott explains on side 2 how to fire people without getting an appearance in a courtroom. Anyone who is a wage slave, an underling, someone on one of the lowest rungs of the ladder, anyone who is a member of the lower classes, or any worker on the bottom of the employee hierarchy/food chain can listen to this tape to learn how management thinks on hiring and firing or how management should think on hiring and firing. Also if your name is Don, you should start to worry about your job. Just sayin'.

This tape does come with a disclaimer:

NOTE: This cassette is intended to offer general information about laws, regulations and procedures which you can use to your benefit when dealing with these important labor matters. If you have any questions about any specific hiring and firing situation, contact a qualified labor attorney for assistance.

Ya got that. There's lots of useful info on this tape. Get that sampler ready (you know who you are). ;)

Tracklisting:

Side 1

1. Front-Line Interviewing {18:01}

Side 2

1. The Firing Session {14:32}

Al Gilbert - Stepping Tones Tap Dancing Aid #344

Al Gilbert - Stepping Tones Tap Dancing Aid #344

*special thanks to KL from NYC for sharing this

KL says:

The guy sounds like one of those 1940s sportscasters who broadcast from the race track/boxing ring, and the music could have been created for Sally the Stripper's Tap Dance Strip-O-Rama (the tempo seems a bit fast for tap dancing while twirling the tassels, but a lot of those strippers were pretty agile), however Al Gilbert's obituary in Dance Magazine (September 2003) is pretty impressive.

Some highlights:

- his codified syllabi for tap and jazz made a major impact on the way these forms were taught internationally.

- wrote Al Gilbert's Tap Dictionary: Encyclopedia of Tap Terminology and Related Information

- Oklahoma City University presented him with the Living Treasure in American Dance Award. He was a member of their Executive Advisory Board and taught annually at their campus.

- He was honored by many dance organizations for his tireless efforts to improve the teaching of American dance. He tried to make dancing "fun".

- His many videos and dance notes are available at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center.

Personally, I enjoy the music more than the tap dancing instructions. Maybe it has something to do with the music being associated with strippers. Come to think of it, the music would be really good for tap dancing strippers. Tap dancing strippers. That sounds interesting ... Umm, to get back on track, Al Gilbert is an important figure in the world of dance and the fine arts as the man's obituary makes clear. This 7" record is actually for advanced tap dancers which may explain why the tempos are really fast. I don't think that most of you are tap dancers which you're asking why would I be interested in listening to this. This record is fun for a listen to Gilbert's rapid fire instructions and I think I've already given you a reason to listen to the music.

Tracklisting:

Side A

1. Music, Taps, & Vocal Instruction (Slower Tempo) {3:30}

2. Music & Taps (Faster Tempo) {2:51}

Side B

1. Music Only [+ bass] {2:51}

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.