Discuss Detroit » Archives - January 2008 » Generic Shopping Music from the 50's « Previous Next »
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Goldensunshine
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Username: Goldensunshine

Post Number: 69
Registered: 11-2005
Posted on Monday, February 11, 2008 - 10:10 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I am a big fan of Googie / Space Race architecture from the early 60's.
Browsing online, I found the perfect music to compliment this era. IT is the music provided my S.S. Kresge's stores - to provide a pleasant shopping experience :-)

http://www.oddiooverplay.com/e ars/kresge.html

I am sort of a nerd, and I am fascinated with this era in American History. Even though it is way before my time (b. 1980)
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56packman
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Username: 56packman

Post Number: 2041
Registered: 12-2005
Posted on Monday, February 11, 2008 - 10:33 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

If you like this sort of thing you should look up the work of David Rose (his "Holiday for Strings" is used often when trying to depict this era) and Robert Farnon--a Canadian who went to England in WWII and never came back. This is commonly refered to as "utility music"
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Eric_c
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Username: Eric_c

Post Number: 1165
Registered: 11-2003
Posted on Monday, February 11, 2008 - 1:37 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Then you can flip that David Rose record over and hear "Our Waltz" - not as snappy, but just as pretty!

Too, a nice introduction to Robert Farnon would be through an album he did fifteen years ago with George Shearing called "How Beautiful is Night". It's on the Telarc label.

"Heather on the Hill" is gorgeous, as is the title track.
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Polaar
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Username: Polaar

Post Number: 31
Registered: 10-2006
Posted on Monday, February 11, 2008 - 1:53 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Thanks Goldensunshine for this amazing time-machine soundtrack! If you are fascinated with this era, see Thomas Hine's book "Populuxe" for a comprehensive look at American culture between 1954 and 1964.
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56packman
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Username: 56packman

Post Number: 2042
Registered: 12-2005
Posted on Monday, February 11, 2008 - 2:25 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Eric_c--you show good taste in music!

go here to listen to/buy MP3's of Farnon's work. He was amazingly versatile--he wrote the "utility music" as discussed before, what a friend of mine calls "shopping for xylophones on fifth avenue", he wrote some of the best pop vocal orchestrations this side of the peerless Nelson Riddle and Farnon wrote serious works that were kin to the works of Vaughn-Williams.

(Message edited by 56packman on February 11, 2008)

(Message edited by 56packman on February 11, 2008)
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Eric_c
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Username: Eric_c

Post Number: 1166
Registered: 11-2003
Posted on Monday, February 11, 2008 - 2:31 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Back atcha. We'll have to have a party, I guess!

Compare Vaughn-Williams and Farnon on an album called "Twilight Memories". "Sea Songs" and "Goodwood Galop" respectively. This is an English release from a few years ago, but it may still be available online somewhere.

I'm sure our friend here would appreciate Nelson.

(Message edited by Eric C. on February 11, 2008)
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Mikem
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Username: Mikem

Post Number: 3585
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Monday, February 11, 2008 - 3:38 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

What was the name of the tune playing in the ward in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest?" That should playing on a continuous loop while browsing the forum.
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56packman
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Username: 56packman

Post Number: 2043
Registered: 12-2005
Posted on Monday, February 11, 2008 - 4:03 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

"Charmaine" by Erno Rapee and Lew Pollack


Nurse Rachett!


as performed by Montavani and his

beautiful

cascading

strings

you can't speak of Montavani in the same breath as Rose, Farnon or Riddle
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Mikem
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Username: Mikem

Post Number: 3586
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Monday, February 11, 2008 - 4:21 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Charmaine, of course! And what goes better with a cup of Thorazine than a dose of Montovani?
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56packman
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Username: 56packman

Post Number: 2044
Registered: 12-2005
Posted on Monday, February 11, 2008 - 4:54 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I just listened to the Kresge's record, track 12 is "portrait of a flirt" by Farnon, and I'm fairly sure some of the others are by him as well.
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Eric_c
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Username: Eric_c

Post Number: 1167
Registered: 11-2003
Posted on Monday, February 11, 2008 - 5:06 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

"I wonder why you keep me waiting? Charmaine...myyy Charmaine..."

Sinatra recorded this piece with Riddle for "Only the Lonely" and my GOD...the phrasing: "Shharrrr-mayyyne...MY Sharr-MAINE!"

Just a beautiful piece of work all around.
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56packman
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Username: 56packman

Post Number: 2045
Registered: 12-2005
Posted on Monday, February 11, 2008 - 5:24 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

..........Uhhh, that's not on "Only the lonely", I don't have record (no pun intended) of Sinatra-Riddle doing that tune. Sounds like a Sinatra-Gordon Jenkins (who was a close cousin to Montavani in the string department) take.

Incidently, since the Grammys were just on, The Grammys came out the year that Frank and Nelson released "Only the lonely", one of their finest albums. The academy chose to award Henry Mancini for "Peter Gunn" as album of the year and "Volare" as song of the year. The only thing "lonely" got was best cover art.
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Eric_c
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Username: Eric_c

Post Number: 1169
Registered: 11-2003
Posted on Monday, February 11, 2008 - 5:34 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

"All Alone" with Jenkins! That's right! Brain stopped working!

You can see why I got confused - similarish titles. But you're right...I can hear Gordon's high strings now...:-)

(Message edited by Eric C. on February 11, 2008)
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Goldensunshine
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Username: Goldensunshine

Post Number: 71
Registered: 11-2005
Posted on Monday, February 11, 2008 - 5:48 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Thank you guys for your suggestions on further information!

OMG - thank's to for the David Rose reference, I always wonder who made that music! That is like the stock soundtrack for all things 50's LOL

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