Vintage Album Covers
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Volume Five |
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Bread, Love, and Cha Cha Cha -
Xavier Cugat's curvaceous wife, Abbe Lane, wonders, "Is that a loaf of bread, or
are you just glad to see me?" Among the most famous band leaders of the
50's Latin music boom, Cugat was less manic (less fun) than Ricky Ricardo, though both
liked red-heads.
Choice cuts: Coco seco, Frenesi, Mi musica es para ti (Aieee!)
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I'm In The Mood
- Well now, come ta think of it honey, so am I. A classic (maybe a little
blunt) come-hither album cover, featuring some real nice beauty marks.
Inside, it's all silky-smooth trumpet - moody make-out music. Excellent.
Choice cuts: Street Of Dreams, I Cover The Waterfront, and the rest!
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I Love Paris - Meet "Jacque"
Fountain, an alumnus of the Lawrence Welk Champagne Orchestra, here experimenting
with French rather than French Quarter music. I dig that beatnik Frenchy
outfit (and smirky smirk) the most, daddy-o! And ze music, hoh ho, mon
cherie! Eet eez, ow you say, "swinging"?
Choice cuts: I Love Paris (duh), Autumn Leaves, C'est Si Bon
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Powerhouse! - Here we have some
dynamite Hammond B3 organ. This is finger-poppin', hard swingin' music
with fat, churchy chords and a rockin' rhythm section. Combine all this with
a red-headed bombshell and bold lettering, and you've got a winner!
Choice cuts: I'm Beginning To See The Light, Will You Still Be Mine?
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Sea of Dreams - Acknowledged by
cheese aficionados the world over as one of the classiest cheese covers of all time,
here is 50's pinup model Dianne Webber in all her glory. An avowed "naturist",
Dianne was a perfect choice for this photo shoot, but the resulting cover was far more
interesting than the "entrancing" music inside.
Choice cuts: Tangi Tahiti
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Informally Yours - In 1959, The
Smart Set, a cool, beatnik-era vocal group, released this cool, unconventional album,
mostly featuring fresh, irreverent arrangements of some traditional show tunes.
Could you do a cover like this today?
Choice cuts: I Hear Music, It's a Lonesome Old Town
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What's Cookin'? - Isn't this a
great, colorful, happy cover?! Attributed to Joseph Weitz, it features huge
Polka dots on a field of blue, a modern red telphone, and, for that final touch, a
dressed-up lady in motion, either ready to dance or about to lose her balance.
Genuine Cleveland Ohio polkas starring Georgie Cook and his banjo.
Choice cuts: Five Points Polka, Cocktail Waltz, Turnpike Polka
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Organ Fantasy - Yes, she's put on
her party hat, leotard, and heels, and she's having another organ fantasy. One
wonders what part all those long balloons play in this fantasy. I guess I better
stop there. But then, sometimes a balloon is just a balloon.
Choice cuts: This record is totally beat! Did someone actually play it?
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Soundsville! - High energy,
50's-style: sounds like "Music to Fill Ketchup Bottles By". Or, according to
the liner notes, music "sure to raise the libido of any Hi-Fi set". The cover
design is based on the ever-popular theme, Hot Babes Surrounding A Dorky Guy.
That's Yvette Mimieux on the right.
Choice cuts: Walkin' Around, Baby It's Cold Outside, The Third Man Theme
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Time To Unwind - Ah, a record from
my father's old collection, with a cover I recall fondly from my
"formative" years. I picture a room full of Decca executives arguing about
which direction this picture should be printed. I think it was upside down to
begin with, but now it's really upside down. Gives her a sort of Bride
of Frankenstein look, doesn't it?
Choice cuts: Serenade, Swinging Sweethears, Shenandoah Serenade
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