Wyatt Earp - plus - Chilly Billy the Real Cool Kid??

Here's a tune worthy of The Dr. Demento Show. The reason for this 1957 Golden Record's existence is the popular theme from The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp. But they had to do something with the flip side - and what they did was this amazing thing called "The Saga of Billy the Kid". So sit back, crank up the Almanack's mp3 player, and let (Sing Along with) Mitch Miller and the Sandpipers entertain you. It's interesting that Mitch and the gang did "Wyatt Earp" acappella, as it was done by the Ken Darby Singers for the TV show.

"Wyatt Earp" by Mitch Miller & the Sandpipers

"The Saga of Billy the Kid" by Mitch Miller & the Sandpipers

A Garage Rock Christmas

When it comes to Christmas music, I'm a Scrooge. But there is one song I haul out every year - sometimes even in July - to give a listen: "Santa Claus" by The Sonics.

Maybe it's due to brain damage, but The Sonics have been my favorite band since I was 14 years old. So here's my Christmas present to you...

You'll recognize "Santa Claus" as owing a debt to the garage-rock classic "Farmer John" by the Premiers. But it's better. "Louie, Louie" is a prime example of The Sonics' BOOM. "Psycho" was one of the band's big Northwest hits back in 1965, and a fitting anthem for my teenage state of mind. And "Keep A Knockin'", one of the most ferocious of all Sonics songs, is a tribute to the true King of Rock and Roll, Little Richard. 'Nuff said. Just listen.

"Santa Claus" by The Sonics

"Louie, Louie" by The Sonics

"Psycho" by The Sonics

"Keep A Knockin'" by The Sonics

Sam Spade: The Rushlight Diamond Caper

The makers of Wildroot Cream-Oil are back to make your hair stand on end with the adventures of the greatest detective of them all (or so they say). This one sounds a bit strange at the start, because Sandra Gould sits in for Lurene Tuttle as Effie. From July 4, 1948.

The Rushlight Diamond Caper Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

More shows in the Almanack archives:
The Flopsy, Mopsy and Cottontail Caper
The Stopped Watch Caper
The Apple of Eve Caper
The Prodigal Daughter Caper
The Battles of Belvedere Caper
The Vaphio Cup Caper
The Betrayal in Bumpass Hell Caper
The Bow Window Caper
The Adam Figg Caper
The Calcutta Trunk Caper 

(click to enlarge)

Peter Gunn meets Thunderball; Thunderball meets Johnny Cash

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What would James Bond think of this?

First up is a rendition of the Thunderball theme by the Jazz All-Stars, with an opening riff inspired by the theme from Peter Gunn.

Then it gets even stranger, as we present a tune The Man in Black recorded for the film, but was never used.

"Thunderball" by The Jazz All-Stars

"Thunderball" by Johnny Cash

Movie Themes: Chisum, Hallelujah Trail, Dirty Dingus Magee

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Here's a movie theme Triple Feature. What are your favorite Western themes? I'll feature any I can in future posts.

Chisum

The Hallelujah Trail

Dirty Dingus Magee

Sam Spade: The Stopped Watch Caper

Some extra-nice bits in this episode from April 10, 1949. Effie's sister Buffy fills in because Effie is visiting her sick friend, actress Lurene Tuttle (who, of course, plays Effie). And later we meet a character doing a perfect impression of Peter Lorre. "Thank you, Jimmy Stewart," says Spade. All this and a detective story too.

The Stopped Watch Caper Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Previous episodes in the Almanack archives:
The Apple of Eve Caper
The Prodigal Daughter Caper
The Battles of Belvedere Caper
The Vaphio Cup Caper
The Betrayal in Bumpass Hell Caper
The Bow Window Caper
The Adam Figg Caper
The Calcutta Trunk Caper 

(click to enlarge)

Start the day with "The Saint"

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This is one of the coolest TV themes ever, and never fails to get my juices flowing - especially when performed by Roland Shaw. But I can't hear it anymore without recalling Gary Dobbs' hilarious piece, How to Emulate the Saint on a Limited Budget. If you missed it the first time, it ain't too late.

"The Saint" by The Roland Shaw Orchestra

SAM SPADE: The Prodigal Daughter Caper

This week's caper comes to you direct from August 28, 1949.  Be sure to shop eBay, your local antique store, or your grandfather's medicine cabinet for Wildroot Cream-Oil.

The Prodigal Daughter Caper Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Still Playing:
The Betrayal in Bumpass Hell Caper
The Battles of Belvedere Caper
The Vaphio Cup Caper

(click to enlarge)

Johnny Cash sings "Bonanza"

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Lorne Greene stopped by to sing this for us some weeks back, and I mentioned the vocal version had also been recorded by Johnny Cash. Well, David Cranmer was (sort of) singing a Cash tune the other day, right here, and it reminded me this was still on the to-be-played list. So here he is, ladies and gents, The Man in Black crooning the ballad of the Ponderosa boys.

"Bonanza" by Johnny Cash

SAM SPADE: The Battles of Belvedere Caper

Last week's episode, you may recall, had echoes of The Maltese Falcon. Well, this one does too, with a character clearly inspired by Casper Gutman. "The Battles of Belvedere Caper" was originally broadcast May 1, 1949. Enjoy.

The Battles of Belvedere Caper Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

These episodes are still playing:
The Betrayal in Bumpuss Hell Caper
The Vaphio Cup Caper

And when you're done listening, please pay a visit to The Rap Sheet, the blog that helps you get ahead socially and on the job (and also cures dandruff). Sam swears it's the next best thing to Wildroot Cream-Oil.

(click to enlarge)

Alfred Hitchcock Presents... A Swingin' Tune

...for swingin' by your neck, that is. Ralph Marterie and his Marlboro Men, who did Perry Mason for us a while back, return with their hip rendition of The Alfred Hitchcock Theme, also known as "Funeral March of a Marionette". Hit it, Ralph...

"Alfred Hitchcock Presents" 
by Ralph Marterie and his Marlboro Men

Listen to Sam Spade: The Vaphio Cup Caper

This week's story has deliberate echoes of The Maltese Falcon. Sometime in the near future (maybe in December when the NaNoWriMo madness has passed) I'll dig out my box of old OTR tapes and present the one true sequel to the Falcon, a full hour Suspense broadcast called "The Khandi Tooth Caper". Gutman, Cairo and the gang are back, this time hunting the tooth, and one-time Philip Marlowe Robert Montgomery is on hand to introduce the show. Great stuff.

Today's episode has an added treat. For the first time in our series, you'll hear The Wildroot Singers belt out that immortal ditty, "Get Wildroot Cream-Oil, Charlie". It's at the end of Part 4.

"The Vaphio Cup Caper" Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

NOTE: Due to file server problems, our earlier episodes of this series are currently offline. They shall return. But you can still listen to last week's Mystery-Western drama...
The Betrayal in Bumpuss Hell Caper

(click to enlarge)

Duane Eddy Twangs "Paladin"

Back in 1962, Duane Eddy hit #33 on the charts with this rockin' rendition of "The Ballad of Paladin." Among the tunes beating him out were "The Loco-Motion" by Little Eva, "Breaking Up is Hard to Do" by Neil Sedaka, and "Ahab, the Arab" by Ray Stevens.

"The Ballad of Paladin" 
by Duane Eddy

The Adventures of Sam Spade: The Betrayal in Bumpass Hell Caper

I've already hyped this one (see previous post), but I'll say it again. This is one hell of a good episode. Sam has a Western pulp mag in his pocket and reads the story "Betrayal in Bumpass Hell" as he fights crime.

Red Gillis was a rawboned 'poke from the border country, the tale begins. He was a stranger to Bumpass Hell, but he was no stranger to trouble. 

Yes, "The Betrayal in Bumpass Hell Caper" is two stories for the price of one, and they're both free. Give a listen as you fight unsightly dandruff with Wildroot Cream-Oil, the non-alcoholic hair tonic that contains lanolin. 

The Betrayal in Bumpass Hell Caper, Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4


The Adventures of Sam Spade Archive:
The Calcutta Trunk Caper
The Adam Figg Caper
The Bow Window Caper

(click to enlarge)

Coming Attraction: BETRAYAL IN BUMPASS HELL!

ATTENTION WESTERN FANS! Coming tomorrow is a very special episode of our weekly broadcast, The Adventures of Sam Spade. Sam (portrayed by Howard Duff) is reading a Western pulp story aloud as he goes about solving his case. If you've never heard this program, this is the episode to start with. I predict you'll be hooked. Tune in tomorrow at 7am Pacific, 10am Eastern, 3pm London, and 4pm Nik Morton time (I think) for the wacky and wonderful BETRAYAL IN BUMPASS HELL CAPER!

Swingin' with "Perry Mason"

You've heard this theme a thousand
times. Maybe a million. But Ralph Marterie and his Marlboro Men (I kid you not) give it a new kind of cool on this track from the 1959 LP "Music for a Private Eye." It'll make you want to rush out for a pack of Marlboros. Also on the album: themes from Alfred Hitchcock, Peter Gunn, The Thin Man, Richard Diamond, 77 Sunset Strip...  Stay tuned.

"Perry Mason" by Ralph Marterie & his Marlboro Men

Lorne Greene sings "Bonanza"

Who knew there were lyrics to the Bonanza theme? Lorne Greene sang them on a 1962 cast LP called Bonanza Party Time. Other vocal versions were recorded by Johnny Cash, Bruce Low (in German) and the Lawrence Welk singers. Tune into the Almanack long enough and you'll likely hear them all.

"Bonanza" by Lorne Greene

Lawrence Welk with a "Restless Gun"?

Yep, when old Lawrence had put away enough champagne he sometimes donned a Stetson and led his Music Makers in TV Western themes. In this one Larry and the gang wander the West with retired gunfighter Vint Bonner (portrayed by John Payne). Restless Gun was sort of a warm-up for producer David Dortort, whose next show was Bonanza.

"Restless Gun" by Lawrence Welk

You're invited! Take the pledge to join Zorro's Fighting Legion.

Ever had the urge to don a black hat and mask and ride the streets by night - righting wrongs, slashing Zs into everything in sight and whipping hell out of the oppressors of the peons? Of course you have.

Well, it's the perfect time to start, because your local purveyor of Halloween costumes can supply you with the uniform. And Zorro himself is here to guide you in the pledge to become an official member of his Fighting Legion. Feel free to substitute the name of your state or nation when the rest of the gang swears to defend Mexico. Viva Zorro! We ride!

"We Ride! (and the pledge)" by Zorro's Fighting Legion

Ken Maynard Sings (sort of).

Laurie Powers ran a nice piece on movie star Ken Maynard on Laurie's Wild West the other day, and it turned up again today on THE TAINTED ARCHIVE. Maynard has become known as the first singing cowboy, though few folks today have heard him sing. So here's a sample - his strange but interesting take on "Home On the Range." One source says he recorded this tune in 1930. Just this year, a German outfit released a CD featuring 8 songs, which they believe to be his total output.

"Home On the Range" by Ken Maynard