Lena Horne - Swinging - Coronet Records CX-165

Preparing to attend The 10th Texas Pinball Convention in Grapevine & just wanted to give some love to all the female MC's. Why? Well, to be honest we'll be lucky to get 5% female turnout. Pinball seems to be one of those things (kind of like crate digging) that's wired into the male psyche just a tad harder than the female one. Corrections welcome. Anyway, look for some female lovin' posts for the next two weeks or so. As Alicia Keys said when she was here at last year - THANK YOU ALL STAR.

First up on the musical menu is Lena Horne - you've heard her live from 81 now reach back to the 50's ?? to hear some studio work from a top five MC of her era. For those that don't know, Lena set the standard & raised the flag in her day and beyond. RIP Liz Taylor.

1. More Than You Know
2. Squeeze Me
3. Beale street Blues
4. At Long Last Love
5. Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen
6. The Blues
7. Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child
8. Frankie & Johnny

Alphabet and Counting Songs - Happy Time Chorus 1963

It's been a season since I kicked it for the children. Now kids, I'm a counter; but make no mistake, alphabetizing is essential in taking reading and spelling abilities to the next level -mastering file creation and retrieval! Warning - Any griping about sound quality will trigger hours of film strip & VHS tape review. I would start with side one as Happy Time's side two starts to discuss what comes next - old age, traffic, clock watching and calendar page turning.

Added bonus to this lecture is the below transcription for Fork, Knife and Spoon. Little DJ's can chop up phrases like "got something to cut" or "my sharp edge cuts right through." Adults watch out for Mr. Fork, though. He seems to have a hidden agenda. Having said that, if anthropomorphic silverware can prevent one child from developing an eating disorder our children really will win the future.

1. The Alphabet Song
2. The Counting Song
3. Rockabye Baby
4. Alphabet Zoo
5. Hush Little Baby
6. Fork, Knife and Spoon
7. Time to Tell Time
8. How Many Days in a Year
9. Be Kind to Your Parents
10. Happy Do-Right
11. Do My Dolly

Now gather round children meet three friends of mine
Who will always be with you when you go to dine.
Just look on the table for a fork, knife and spoon.
Now they're gonna sing you ... The Table Manners Tune!

I'm Mr. Fork with points so sharp. I'm good for holding meat.
And if you handle me just right I'm sure to help you eat.
You first take me in your right hand just like you hold a pen.
And turn me til my points are up and stop try that again.
This is the way you should hold me for food like peas and rice
But please don't overload me cause it isn't very nice.
Now put me in your left hand. Turn my points down toward the plate.
And if you've anything to cut I'll keep it firm and straight.
Don't use me like a shovel. Never grab me like a ball.
And one thing more the back of me is never used at all.
If you'll remember what I've said you'll eat with ease and grace.
And Mom and Dad won't be ashamed to take you any place.

Now I am Mr. Knife and I'm might handy, but
I'm only used at mealtime when you've got something to cut.
Whenever you're not using me against the plate I'm laid.
My handle on the table thats for balancing my blade.
You hold me in your right hand with fingers wrapped around.
The finger that you point with along my back is crowned.
You never have to use me when you're eating corn or stew
But when it comes to meat you'll find my sharp edge cuts right through.
I'm only used for cutting food. I never pick it up.
You wouldn't want me in your mouth and then have to hiccup.
If you use me as I've told you my edge both sharp and keen
Will cut your food so neatly that your chin will stay quite clean.

I am Ms. Spoon and I come in two sizes

For soup, for dessert, and all sorts of surprises.
Like my brother the fork hold me in your right hand

Dip me gently in liquids. Now isn't that grand?
I'm built with a ball either oval or round

Which you place in your mouth never makin' a sound.
You can use me for stirring or eating ice cream
I'll pick up every drop and I'll leave your plate clean.

Now that is all that there is to it.
We all know that you can do it
We'll help you morning night and noon
I'm Mr. Fork... I'm Mr. Knife... and I..., I am Ms. Spoon.

Ode to the Texas Rangers - Mark Singletary Band 1975

Back to vinyl reality shortly. For now I must write that which could never be transcribed before today. The Texas Rangers are going to the World Series. Game on...

February 2010 Forays

Trying something different this month - look for some scheduled posts through the 16th but not much after that until March. I started slow last Record Store Day but recently picked up the pace on my crate-digging. There's just still too much vinyl out there that needs to be rescued from oblivion. I've ripped some of it, but no, I'm not cleaning the rips any further. DIY. If you want too see cleaner rips there's a whole host of links to your right. I also won't be scanning any LP covers - this blog is for your education not mine. While I'm away honing my skills for the 2010 Texas Pinball Festival I lined up some rare & cheap finds to bust out for all. If I don't make it back from the NBA All-Star Game just keep providin' music for the masses fellow blog-travelers. Peace.

People Under the Stairs - Trippin' at the Disco

Back on the grind soon enough. Real life has been intruding far too much for an October. Nothing PUTS LP #7 & some live music won't fix.

Tone Loc Cool Hand Loc 1991 (2)

Reups will be slow and rare but will occur before the Texas heat melts any files. Reminded that this went gold and only got one single. The game changed between '89 and '91. The label didn't ask for album #3. Since the game changed, Tone Loc changed his game and went into acting and voicework. Tone Loc is currently heard as Chestnut on the animated show Chowder.

1. Kenyatta/Tone-Loc - Funky Westside
2. Scott Mayo/Tone-Loc - Pimp Without a Caddy
3. Dave Forman/Jason White/John Rogers/Tone-Loc/Val Young - I Adore You
4. El DeBarge/Howie Robbins/Kevin O'Neil/Scott Mayo/Tone-Loc - All Through the Night
5. Jazmine Vega/Leslie McCracken/Ronald Jeffreys/Tone-Loc - Fatal Attraction
6. Tone-Loc - I Joke But I Don't Play
7. Kenyatta/Tone-Loc - Freaky Behavior
8. Donna Simon/Ron Jeffrey/Stuart Wylen/Tone-Loc - Mean Green
9. Herman Jackson/Kevin O'Neil/Phillip Gordy/Tone-Loc - Why
10. Kevin O'Neil/M. Walk/MC Wink dog/Tone-Loc - Hip-Hop It Is Kinda Different
11. Tone-Loc - Funky Westside Reprise

Multiplication Rock 1973

To lighten things up here's something to help the children of today. Don't think I forgot you kiddies but please stop asking if the long-promised kid's blog will ever see the light of day. Everything in time. For now, practice counting. There's still only eight of us http://www.blogger.com/profile-find.g?t=o&q=Counting left including one known clone. Back in the day you couldn't get this funkin lesson until Rhino released the lot on CD in 1997. Let me just add that if anyone ever thought Electric Company would be better as a disco/vocabulary/Heroes style show, well then, your time is now. Free Letterman & RIP Blossom Dearie ...

1. Lynn Ahrens - Schoolhouse Rocky
2. Bob Dorough - Elementary, My Dear
3. Bob Dorough - Three Is a Magic Number
4. Bob Dorough - The Four-Legged Zoo
5. Bob Dorough - Ready or Not, Here I Come
6. Bob Dorough - My Hero, Zero
7. Grady Tate - I Got Six
8. Bob Dorough - Lucky Seven Sampson
9. Blossom Dearie - Figure Eight
10. Grady Tate - Naughty Number Nine
11. Bob Dorough - The Good Eleven
12. Bob Dorough - Little Twelvetoes

Image jacked from Soul Strut - original LP cover. Two tracks, "My Hero, Zero" and "Three Is A Magic Number" had been edited for TV to keep each video within three minutes. The LP featured both songs in their full, unedited forms. The LP version of "The Four-Legged Zoo" has a slightly different ending than the television version.