Playlist: Songs of Spring (2013 Edition)

 A Promotional Postcard Touting Agricultural Advancements From
Monstanto's Sponsored Adventure Through Inner Space

Image Courtesy of Flickr User Neato Coolvile

After a particularly vicious five months of cold weather in the northeast, Spring has finally arrived. Since we're already three weeks into the season, I thought it might be appropriate to pay tribute to those whom the season holds the most promise. Warmer days and refreshing rain showers are of particular benefit to the Farmers of the U.S.—to recognize their hard work this time of year, here's a suggested playlist of songs.

 

Spring Represents Renewal, This is Especially True on the Farm

Image © & Courtesy of Tumblr User Shane Swift 

When an overall cultural dress is conjured up to represent a country, the garments reflect that region's trades, religions or traditions. A kimono-clad Geisha clearly represents Japan, a uniformed Royal Guard of the Queen suggests England, and so forth.

So what image best reflects the United States since it was established? It's a good bet the answer lies in our history, too: the American Cowboy represents the taming of the west, and the American Farmer represent those who tamed the land. 

The Iconic American Farmer

Image © & Courtesy of Old-Picture.com

Though the agricultural industry is aided today by the benefits of technology and mechanization, the actual planting and growing of food hasn't changed much at all. With tradition in mind, let us set the table with a taste of farm-grown musical bounty, old and new.

Album Art for Spring 2013 Playlist Suggestions

Whether you're planting a small garden or acres of corn, here's a suggested playlist of 9 songs to get you in the spirit—feel free to add some of your own favorite songs to get in the swing of spring. There's a great variety of themes and artists included here, from well-known entertainers like Danny Kaye and Louis Jordan, a rare country turn by The Beach Boys, some talented banjo picking of the multi-faceted Steve Martin, to music straight from the Heartland by Rex and Noelene Franklin and Jay Ungar.

Of Course, No Farm Tribute is Complete Without a Salute to Green Acres

Image © Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, Inc., Courtesy of A.V. Club

As I like to do whenever possible, one of these songs is a free MP3 download: this time it's a B-side recording from a 1960 Signature Records 45* written and performed by creative genius Jim Henson. Henson's familiar, easygoing voice takes you from farm to the city and back again in the absurd, fun way that only the Master of Muppets could.

 A Heap of Henson Hens Hatch Hilarity

Image courtesy of The Clueless Farmer

Each song listed below is available on Amazon.com and/or iTunes. Below the description of each song I've included links to the album for both stores, where you can listen to audio samples and purchase 'em if any suit your tastes. As usual, I don't get a piece of the profits if you make a purchase—the links are there to make things easy.

Family-Friendly Music... Bring the Kids!

 Image © & Courtesy of Wellington Family Farm

Farming 

Artist: Danny Kaye
Album: Danny Kaye on Song (Box Set)
Amazon  |  iTunes 

Barnyard Boogie
Artist: Louis Jordan & His Tympany Five
Album: Swingsation: Louis Jordan
Amazon  |  iTunes

Green Acres Theme
Artist: Vic Mizzy, Performed by Eva Gabor and Eddie Albert

Album: The Music of Television's Hits
Amazon  |  iTunes

Chicken Reel/Turkey in the Straw/Flopeared Mule (Medley)  
Artist: Craig Duncan
Album: Country Mountain Barn Dance 
Amazon  |  iTunes
 
Cotton Fields (The Cotton Song)
Artist: The Beach Boys
Album: The Beach Boys Greatest Hits Vol. II: More Good Vibrations
Amazon  |  iTunes

Out Behind the Barn
Artist: Rex and Noelene Franklin
Album: Out Behind the Barn
Amazon  |  iTunes

Hoedown at Alice's
Artist: Steve Martin 
Album: The Crow: New Songs for the Five String Banjo
Amazon  |  iTunes 

Prairie Spring

Artist: Jay Ungar & Molly Mason

Album: Harvest Home
Amazon  |  iTunes

The Countryside
Artist: Jim Henson
Album: (Single) Tick-Tock Sick/The Countryside

CLICK HERE FOR FREE MP3 DOWNLOAD

* Kids: ask your cranky, old Grampaw what this number means.

When Wally Boag Met Stan Freberg

Stan Freberg With The Original Cast Album Cover

Image courtesy of musicstack.com

Stan Freberg turned 86 this week and he's still working! An advertising iconoclast, ground-breaking writer/satirist, producer, star of radio and screen, voice-over legend, and that's just the tip of the Freberg. The breadth of Stan's career cannot be covered in a single blog post (nor an entire blog) but a good way to get better acquainted with the man is to visit prolific writer Mark Evanier's excellent POV Online series: The Stan Freberg Discography.

Mark also runs one of the best daily blogs on the internet News From ME which often brings news of things Freberg, such as Stan's appearances and updates on his continuing voice-over career on The Garfield Show, for which Mark is Supervising Producer.

The comedy recording EVERYONE should own.

Image courtesy of flickr.com user "Epiclectic"

Should you choose to know nothing else of Mr. Freberg's oeuvre, pictured directly above is the album art for essential listening: the comedy album masterpiece Stan Freberg Presents the United States of America, Vol. 1. The recording remains as funny and fresh as the day of its original pressing in 1961: a sharply comedic, musical theater of the mind performed by a cast of some of the finest actors to ever step in front of a microphone. Here, Stan's precision sense of comic timing is front and center by way of impeccably placed music cues, pauses, and characters stepping on the dialogue of others in just the right places.

To celebrate Mr. Freberg's Birthday, I've embedding an audio clip of an interview that has not been widely heard in over 50 years. It originates from a 1957 series of radio programs broadcast from Disneyland, hosted by the multi-talented Wally Boag, comic star of The Golden Horseshoe Revue (you can expect to see more here on Wally very soon).

Wally Boag on Stage at The Golden Horseshoe Revue

Images courtesy of The Associated Press

Here Stan recounts some of his own hit parodies with Wally, gives Disneyland a run for its money, and recites a comedy bit evangelizing "Three-Dimensional Radio" – a timely topic to satirize in1957, as the 3-D craze was winding down in movie theaters, just as it has begun to lose potency with viewers in 2012.

Hit the play button below to enjoy an exchange between two very funny gentlemen:



Or download the MP3 HERE

This rare audio clip comes courtesy of the lovely and very generous Carlene Thie, proprietor of Ape Pen Publishing. She graciously granted me permission to share it here on the blog. Carlene is responsible for the album from which this was made available, The Golden Horseshoe: Live in the Park is one of three CDs created from Wally Boag's personal collection of recordings. In addition to Stan Freberg, Live in the Park features Wally interviewing stars of 1957 such as Bud Abbott, The Andrews Sisters, Pat O'Brien and several more. I highly recommend picking up the other two CDs of live recordings of the actual Golden Horseshoe Revue - they're great fun! You can order them here:

Ape Pen Publishing - Golden Horseshoe CD Collection

 

Ape Pen Publishing's Golden Horseshoe Revue CDs:
Live in the Park, Rehearsal Days & The Stage Show

Images courtesy of and © 2012 Ape Pen Publishing

Carlene's grandfather was Mell Kilpatrick, the best-known cameraman in Orange County, CA and chief photographer for the Santa Ana Register from 1948 until his untimely death in 1962. Mell's photography recorded the growth of Orange County. As country roads and orange groves gave way to major highways and the sprawl triggered by the debut of "The Happiest Place on Earth."

A Mell Kilpatrick photo of Disneyland under construction in 1955,
likely taken from one of the site observation towers

© 2012 Ape Pen Publishing

Image courtesy of Amazon.com

Mell’s widow gave Carlene the entire set of negatives and photographs. Soon after, Carlene opened Ape Pen Publishing Company to produce five stunning books showcasing her grandfather's vintage Disneyland photography. The books are a labor of love, and provide a never-before-seen look at Disneyland during construction and in its earliest years of operation. Ape Pen had also organized events, and produced a selection of exclusive media to the delight of Disneyland enthusiasts and historians everywhere. You can browse their selection of books, photos, CDs, DVDs and much more right here:

 

Upcoming articles focused on the Golden State are planned for this blog. Perhaps we'll see if Carlene would consider an interview about her Grandfather's invaluable contribution to the legacy of Orange County for a future post.