A great exotic piece from the 1960s with some very impressive piano playing. I'm not sure what the origins of this work are, but it was recorded by quite a few people under the title "En lloro" and/or "Voodoo Moon".

Michael - Carmen Cavallero, was a fabulous piano player, and a popular entertainer in the Los Angeles area in 1950's and 60's.  He was called, "The Poet of the Piano", and rightly so!  I have an old 78 album of his records from that era, that I have saved all these years.  They were all pop music classics, like "Dancing in the Dark", "All the Things You Are" and "Manhattan Serenade".  I'll look at what the selection is on YouTube, and may post another one by him.

Another good one from Carmen Cavallaro, from 1945.

Same song, a bit older.

Exotica, a genre popular in the US in the 1950s and early 60s, is so much fun (check Wikipedia and/or YouTube for more if you're not familiar with it - especially anything Les Baxter did from about 1952 onward)

Here's another great version, by Scottish artist Dougie MacLean.

Quote from: RAMMEL on January 01, 2023, 12:03:33 AM

I miss this more than anything.  It's just not New Years till Mr. Lombardo conducts his orchestra in Auld Lang Syne. 

The music magazine, Rolling Stone,  started the New Year by publishing a list of the 200 greatest singers of all time!  Their opinion of course. 
Now, thousands of complaints pouring in from around the world about who is listed, and who was left out.  The biggest controversy (so far) is that Celine Dion, was left out completely, and Beyonce, Michael Jackson and Madonna are amongst the Top Ten!    Celine fans are enraged!  I haven't seen the list, but I agree that out of 200 names, hers should have been there!?    I've never bought an issue of Rolling Stone, but I plan to buy one today, just to see who is included on this controversial list?    Wondering if it includes singers from the 1930's, 40's, 50's?   It does say, "Of all Time"?   We shall see? 🤔

Fortunately, I didn't go out looking for "Rolling Stone" magazine . . . anyone who wants to see the list, can find it online.  Celene Dion, was definitely not the only big star who was not named on the Top 200.  Barbra Streisand was there, but was way down near the bottom. I was wrong in saying that Madonna, was one of the Top Ten.  Not on the list anywhere, that I can remember?
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-singers-all-time-1234642307/rosalia-4-1234642320/

I never thought Poly Styrene was that great. I'm a bit disappointed.
HAHAHAHAHA

Rick - Thanks for the much needed laugh!    : 

Sinatra just made it on the list.  Now I realize why I was never interested in that Publication. They missed a bunch of great yesteryear people. But it was good for a laugh.

Certainly an interesting list. I will say I've never heard of quite a few of the ones on that list, and I'm particularly surprised that Barbara Streisand was so low on the list.

Speaking of that magazine, here's a song from 1973 that no doubt helped the magazine gain popularity. It also got unofficially banned by the BBC in the UK because the mention of the magazine could be considered advertising - so they created their own version featuring people shouting the name of the BBC's Radio Times over the chorus. That version wasn't a hit at all.

"The Cover of the Rolling Stone".   I remember when that song was popular. My older daughter was about 14, and she had the 45 record.  Brings back good memories.

A neat tune from a very creative Swedish band. I discovered them years ago when a video of their "marble machine" went viral (look it up on YouTube - it's really quite impressive. Also check out the videos of the band's music box).

What an odd list, Marilyne. I am guessing that I have never heard of half of them. Of those, I did recognize some of the bands they sang with. I didn't see Andy Williams, Johnny Mathias, Bing Crosby, Chuck Berry, and a few other greats on the list. Country and western singers seem very sparse if not nonexistent. Where are Hank Williams and Tennessee Earnie Ford. Older blues greats like Willie Dixon, Ledbelly and Muddy Waters are also not on the list. Well, different generations have their own ideas about who is great and who isn't. I've never heard of many of the popular artists of the last 25 years or so, but then the newer gens are not familiar with the ones we grew up with. I wonder what music will sound like in 100 years.

Willie Dixon:

Chuck Berry was #94, Hank Williams #30.  Didn't pursue the others

Good, I missed them when I scrolled down.

Another great tune from the world of exotica, from 1958.

I was a big Arthur Lyman fan eons ago.

Oldiesman, I just noticed that you are in Cincinnati. I've lost track of my youngest cousin, but he lived and worked there for years. He managed an electronics store. Now I am going to have to see if my sister knows where he is now. Except for my cousin in Florida, the other three have moved around some after retiring. After my Mom's death we lost track of our Welsh family, too, what with moves, marriages and divorces. The last connection just stopped answering emails (way before COVID). We hope it was a computer thing and not something more serious.

Sticking with the "exotica" genre, here's a great tune that shows off just what a versatile singer Marty Robbins was. He was particularly well known for his western themed songs (especially "El Paso" from 1959), but in 1963 he recorded an album of Hawaiian music. This song was written by Ken Darby for the 1951 film Bird of Paradise, starring the lovely Debra Paget. In the movie the song is only sung in Hawaiian, but apparently English words were written as well - some versions feature only the English while others mix both English and Hawaiian. This was also recorded by Arthur Lyman, Tennessee Ernie Ford and Martin Denny among others.

How do you make a popular Hawaiian-themed novelty tune from 1938 more exotic? Turn it into a cha cha complete with bird calls. From 1959.

Somewhere I have a copy of "Quiet Village" that I acquired when I was a senior teen. It was somewhat more "busy" than the one posted.

My favorite of the Hawaiian entertainers, was the fabulous Don Ho!  I feel fortunate that I had the chance to see many of his night club style shows in Hawaii.  He had a few pop hits, like "Tiny Bubbles", but the lesser known songs are better.  Favorites of mine are, "I'll Remember You", "Night Life" and many Island favorites.  I'll look and see what I can find on You Tube.   
 

Quote from: Marilyne on January 06, 2023, 05:03:43 PMMy favorite of the Hawaiian entertainers, was the fabulous Don Ho!  I feel fortunate that I had the chance to see many of his night club style shows in Hawaii.  He had a few pop hits, like "Tiny Bubbles", but the lesser known songs are better.  Favorites of mine are, "I'll Remember You", "Night Life" and many Island favorites.  I'll look and see what I can find on You Tube.   
 

I posted a song from the album Quiet Village. The title track, which was a big hit for Martin Denny, is readily available on YouTube as well. Pretty noisy for a village that's supposed to be quiet

A great exotic one-hit-wonder from 1959. This has been recorded by quite a few artists, but I have yet to find a version I like as much as the original. In addition, following the popularity of this tune, someone added lyrics and that version was recorded by The Browns among others.

Keeping with the Hawaiian theme (sort of), I found this tonight. I've heard Glenn Campbell's version numerous times but didn't know he wasn't the first one to do it.