Welcome to The Tuna Melt Music Sharity Blog!

It is here that I post old records that I've ripped
to Mp3 format (and grouped in .ZIP files) via File Sharing Sites,
album cover scans and, sometimes,
somewhat coherent ramblings related to said shares.

None of the shares here are "borrowed" from other blogs.
All of the items shared are rips of Out-of-Print
(or, at least, very difficult to get)
Vinyl Records from my own collection.

Come on in. Look around.
Scroll downward to find available links.
I hope you find something you like.

If you don't,
you can always come back later, as the variety
of what is made available should be pretty wide-ranging.


Thursday, December 21, 2017

Another Year… Another Crappy Christmas Compilation!


Hey, Y'all!!!

Hope you've had a great year and that everything is going beautifully. I've had a pretty good one myself and find that I'm still healthy, employed and very happily married, so I must be doing something right, eh?

Here's the 2017 Christmas Mix!

Sorry it's so late. I fussed and worried over it far too much and for far too long this year, but can say I'm pretty happy with what we've got here.

I can always try again next year!

Hope some of you find a few things to enjoy about it.

Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah! Happy Kwanzaa! Happy New Year!


01. Carol of the Guitars - The Spongetones
02. Everyday Is Christmas - Swag
03. Winter Wonderland - Becky Barksdale
04. Run Rudolph, Run - Cheap Trick
05. Christmas for Everyone - Halford
06. Saint Nick's Last Kick - The Hasselhoff Experiment
07. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town - The Butties
08. Santa's Moon Party - Crying Day Care Choir
09. An Awful Christmas and a Lousy New Year - Swamp Dogg
10. Nun Gimmel Heh Shin - The LeeVees
11. See You in December - The Minus 5
12. Rock 'n' Roll Christmas - The Connection
13. All I Want to Do Is Shag for Christmas - The BellRays
14. Holiday Heroes - Alan Merrill
15. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear - Eban Schletter
16. Do You Hear What I Hear? - The Anita Kerr Singers
17. Christmas Hell - Wild Billy Childish & The Musicians of the British Empire
18. Christmastime in Painsville - Deadbeat Poets
19. Takin' Care of Christmas - Randy Bachman
20. Papai Noël Voltou - Os Carburadores
21. Island of Misfit Toys / Little Drummer Boy - Neutrino
22. Mystic Snowman - Lez Zeppelin

Saturday, December 17, 2016

Holy Cow!!! Christmas of 2016 Already!?!


Boy Howdy! I'm feeling older every day! There's a good reason for that, too.

The best thing about time flying, though (other than the fact that we're having so much fun) is that Christmas comes back around so quickly!

And so… The 2016 Christmas Mix is Upon Us.

Hope you dig it!

Don't care if you don't!

Merry Christmas!

01. 'Twas the Night Before Christmas - Tim Gill & The Tim Gill All Stars
02. Joyful Noise - The Empty Hearts
03. Come On People (Have a Merry Christmas) - The '60s Invasion
04. Swell Noël / Good King Wenceslas - Wonderlux
05. Santa Claus Wants Some Lovin' - Bill Murray & George Clooney
06. Jingle Bell - Ehsaas
07. ¡Happy Birthday Guadalupe! - The Killers w/ Wild Light & Mariachi El Bronx
08. Ka Po La'ela'e Ka Hikina Mai - Amy Hānaialiʻi
09. Carol of the Bells - The Melvins
10. We Three Kings - Kurt Elling
11. Jingle Bells - Samuele Pagliarani
12. A Very Brent Amaker Christmas - Brent Amaker & The Rodeo
13. Bethlehem Bound - The Grandsons
14. (I Wish You Could Be More Like) Santa Claus - The Waistcoats
15. Christmas All the Time - Green Pajamas
16. Santa's Drunk - Fathead
17. Punch Bowl Full of Joy - Sonny Columbus & His Del Fuegos
18. Crazy AceMas - Crazy Aces
19. Double-O Santa - Seks Bomba
20. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing - Penny & Sparrow
21. Richard Hung His Sock - Angry Snowmans

Sunday, December 20, 2015

Wow! It's like Deja Vu All Over Again!


I posted this last year, but it expired so quickly on the Zippy one that I assumed no one cared at all. I was probably right.

Still… I thought I'd give it another shot.

Git it if you want it. Don't if you don't. It's a Free Country. It's a Free Download.


01. Christmas Is Coming  - Payola$
02. Blue Suede Santa - Hillbilly Casino
03. Mama's Twistin' with Santa - 45 RPM
04. Little Drummer Boy (Funky Drummer) - The Strange Echo
05. Deck the Halls - Little Jimmy Thomas
06. Yes, Virginia - Scott Miller
07. Honky Tonk Christmas - 5 Chinese Brothers
08. Pabst Blue Christmas - Mikey Chuck Rivers
09. Xmas in the Jailhouse - Ox
10. Waffle House Hanukkah - Dan Bern
11. Chanukah's Da Bomb - Chutzpah
12. Christmakwanzakah - Dan Band
13. Feliz Navidad - Little V Mills
14. Skank 'til Christmas - The Selecter
15. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen - The Neon Ambience
16. Darlin' (Christmas Is Coming) - Over the Rhine
17. Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer - The Harry Bells
18. Christmas Tipsy - honeyhoney
19. All I Got for Christmas Was Drunk - Better Off Dead
20. Here Come the Christmas Zombies - Area 25
21. (You'll Never Be) Alone on Christmas Day - Mike Love
22. Santa Isn't Real - Bandrew
23. All I Got for Xmas Was a Bike - Quiet Marauder
24. Disco Christmas in Hamster Land - Parry Gripp
25. Secret Santa - The Barbary Coasters
26. Angels in the Snow - Mike Plume Band

Saturday, December 20, 2014

С Новым Годом (& С Рождеством Христовым, слишком)
Re-Uploaded


And Here It Is!!!

The 2014 WTF Xmas Mix!

Dig It! Or Don't.

I think it's a bit toned down in comparison to prior posts. I also think it holds up well, however, with repeated listenings.

Merry Christmas, Everybody!

    1. Gloria - AR Music
    2. What Child Is This? - Sleepy Sun
    3. Francincense - The Prog World Orchestra
    4. The Little Drummer Boy - Brave Combo
    5. Angels We Have Heard on High - Bad Religion
    6. Winter Wonderland - Abney Park
    7. Bleak Mid-Winter - Erasure
    8. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing - Kate Rusby
    9. Just Me and These Ponies (For Christmas This Year) - Corb Lund
    10. Everything Is Cool - John Prine
    11. Do You Hear What I Hear? - William Beckett
    12. Christmas Must Be Tonight - Hall & Oates
    13. We Wish You a Merry Christmas - The Wave Benders
    14. Linus and Lucy - The Brantley Family Band
    15. Flat Screens - Danielle Ate the Sandwich
    16. Santa Stole My Girlfriend - The Maine
    17. Because It’s Christmastime - Parry Gripp
    18. Peanut Brittle Brigade March - USAF Airmen of Note
    19. Merry Christmas - The Automatics
    20. Santa Claws Is Coming 2 Town - Bandrew
    21. Reggie the Christmas Hamster - Parry Gripp
    22. Wandele in de snie - Beppie Kraft
    23. We Wish You a Merry Christmas - The Kickin’ Kazoos
    24. 赤鼻のトナカイ - Yuki Uchida

A Hurried, but Happy Holiday Post
Re-Uploaded


I'm sorry to say that I don't have a lot of time to spend on this. 'Tis the Holiday Season and, as such, my life is rather frenzied lately.

Right now, our local PBS Station is playing a Lawrence Welk Christmas Special (which I'm allowing myself to miss parts of in order to post this) and I've a Christmas Party to attend later this evening, along with another tomorrow.

Didn't want to put this off any longer, though.

This is another of the records that I grew up with. It's really incredibly groovy and I hope it warms a few hearts out there.

  1. Pat-a-Pam
  2. Silver Bells
  3. It's Christmas Again
  4. White Christmas
  5. Twelve Days of Christmas
  6. Do You Hear What I Hear?
  7. Sleigh Ride
  8. Christmas Child
  9. Masters in This Hall
  10. Carol of the Star
  11. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
  12. March of the Angels
More detailed info on this record can be found on Discogs: Here

A couple of quick notes: I believe that I misspelled the name of Track 1 as "Pat-a-Pan", as opposed to the correct "Pat-a-Pam", in the process of ripping this album. Also, I've noticed that there is a skip in one of the tracks.

I'll correct these errors, replace the linked file, and post links to the repaired tracks later.

Saturday, December 06, 2014

Happy Holidays!!! Stick This in Your Ear!!!


Keep pokin' it in there until it hurts. It probably won't take too long.

You're probably safe through the first half of this post. The first half consists of album entitled "A Christmas Festival" by The Philadelphia Orchestra, Conducted by Eugene Ormandy, along with the Temple University Concert Choir and the St. Francis de Sales Boychoir.

This is a Really Great Christmas Album!

Monophonic recording from 1964 -


  1. O Tannenbaum
  2. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
  3. Little Drummer Boy
  4. I Wonder as I Wander
  5. For Unto Us a Child Is Born
  6. Here We Go A-Caroling
  7. Good King Wenceslas
  8. Away in a Manger
  9. Jingle Bells
  10. We Three Kings of Orient Are
  11. Hallelujah Chorus
  12. We Wish You a Merry Christmas

The second half is much less interesting. It's called "Christmas at Ye Olde Fireplace with Charlie Spivak".

Charlie Spivak, a trumpeter and bandleader best known for his big band in the 1940s, sounds like he's barely awake throughout the entire recording.

Ye Olde Fireplace was a Steakhouse in Greenville, SC in the 60s and 70s. Spivak was the resident band leader for much of that time.

  1. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
  2.  The Christmas Song
  3. Silver Bells
  4. I'll Be Home for Christmas
  5. Greensleeves
  6. Silent Night
  7. Home for the Holidays
  8. Medley: Santa Claus is Coming to Town /
    Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer / Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
  9. Winter Wonderland
  10. Blue Christmas
  11. White Christmas
  12. Adeste Fideles
  13. We Wish You a Merry Christmas

Hope this helps you get your Holiday Season off to a good start!

Friday, December 20, 2013

The 2013 Christmas Mix
Re-Uploaded


Oh My God!!! He's Gone and Done It Again!!!


  1. Colder with Snow - Radio Spot
  2. Why Don't We Jingle in the Road? - The Kendal Mintcake
  3. I Want a Monkey for Christmas - The Barbary Coasters
  4. Get Your X-mas On! - Higgins
  5. Funky Christmas - Otis Zee & The Sambuka Band
  6. Ice Ice Snow - Cheekyboy (Vanilla Ice vs Martina McBride)
  7. Christmas Time - Far Too Jones
  8. O Come, All Ye Faithful - Jeffrey Foskett
  9. We Three Kings - We Shot the Moon
  10. Do You Hear What I Hear? - Steve Stevens
  11. Rock This Christmas Down - Lita Ford & Cherie Currie
  12. Snowball - Jimmy Fallon
  13. We Wish You a Merry Christmas - Jingle Punx
  14. Mrs. Claus' Kimono - Drive-By Truckers
  15. Merry Christmas Kiss My Ass - Chevy Chase
  16. Christmas All Summer Long - Deer Tick
  17. Snow Day - Bleu
  18. When the Elf Comes to Town - The Roundheads
  19. I Believe In the Virgin Megastore - Cassetteboy
  20. Christmas Time Is Here - Starflyer 59
  21. Christmas Waltz [Awayteam Remix] - Nancy Wilson
  22. Fruitcake - The Superions
  23. Facebook Friend for Christmas - Randy Franklin
  24. Give Me a Second Chance for Christmas - Mike Viola & Candy Butchers
  25. Christmas Time Is Here Again! - Helix
  26. Holidaze (S'Cuze Me, I've Got Gifts to Buy) - Bob Rivers
  27. Let's Hear It for the Fat Man - Quicksilver
  28. Richard Cheese's Birthday Song for Jesus - Richard Cheese
  29. Santa's Gonna Kick Your Ass - The Arrogant Worms
  30. Santa Claus, the Original Hippie - Homer & Jethro

Sunday, December 16, 2012

Not much of nuthin'


Okay! It's gettin' close to The Actual Day, but we still have time. Right?




So I picked this one out of Traitor Vic's Pile.That's all I'm sayin'.


Friday, November 30, 2012

Finally... Just Plain Christmas!!! Not Extra-Crispy.
Re-Uploaded


Not My Rip!

I've promised, several times I think, that if I ever found this record I'd post it. Well… Guess What!?!

I found this out on Usenet. I don't even remember which Newsgroup it was posted in. It's a very decent rip and I was happy to add it to my Christmas Collection.

 Have an Original Recipe Christmas! 
 
Allow me to apologize for not being any more active on the blog for the last couple of years. I assume that most of you are aware that there was a Great Upheaval a while back in which many of the blogs that posted Out-of-Print materials, including a good number which were operated by people who I consider friends, were taken down or destroyed by various means.

I've got to admit that watching my friends' hard work being destroyed was disturbing. Several posts here at The Tuna Melt were also targeted. After going to the trouble of ripping an album to Mp3, cleaning the pops and scratches, organizing the files and tagging them correctly, compressing them into a single archive file, uploading that file to a file sharing site, and composing a blog post in which to share it with the world, to have that work struck down comes as a real slap in the face.

Very much of the joy of operating The Tuna Melt, and of sharing my interests with the world, has been compromised.

Most of the links in the posts on this blog are dead by now and I'm not certain that I want to spend the time and effort to bring them back to life. The suggestion has been made that it might be best if no mention of an Artist or Album Title be made in a post (in order to avoid being identified by automated "Search Bots", so I'm not going to mention this album in this post, or post it's tracklist. These precautions may be over the top, but I think most of you will be able to figure out what the album is and what's on it from looking at the picture, eh?

The Tuna Melt has survived other situations like this one in the past. If I can find a way to begin to enjoy doing it again I may be back someday.

To any of you who have enjoyed anything that you've found here in the past I offer my thanks for helping me to spread a little joy.

Thanks for visiting and Happy Holidays!

Friday, December 17, 2010

Jaymz Bee & The Royal Jelly Orchestra: A Christmas Cocktail


Voldar is BACK!!!



'Bout Damn Time, Too! I know, I know… Christmas is almost here and we're gettin' off to a late start.

The fact of the matter is that the current economic misfortunes effecting much of the planet Earth have begun to take their toll on Mars as well. As our few-in-number and highly secretive Earth-Based Trading Partners have experienced financial downturns, we've suffered right along with you. As a result, my schedule has become rather erratic to the point at which it is difficult to plan ahead and/or work around.

Now that I'm here, though, I'll try to spruce up the season with a few choice holiday offerings from Traitor Vic's expansive collection.

Speaking of whom, Vic apparently took my late arrival as a sign that I had decided not to show up this year and, so, was caught completely off guard by my appearance. I've taken it easy on him this year and locked him into the shed in the back yard instead of the closet that I usually put him in. He should be relatively comfortable there for the time being. I'll allow him to come out on Christmas Eve, of course, so that he can run to the store to get me some refreshments to enjoy as we await a visit from Santa Claus
. In the meantime… I plan to share some of the selections he has that are on Compact Disc, as opposed to the time consuming Vinyl Rips that he limits his own offerings to.

You are welcome to enjoy this holiday collection, from 1996, by Jaymz Bee & The Royal Jelly Orchestra. Jaymz is a musician, writer and radio personality from Canada
. Along with The Royal Jelly Orchestra, and another combo called The Deep Lounge Coalition, he has released several collections of modern day pop tunes performed in an Easy Jazz, Lounge Style. He's also recognized as a bit of a Cocktail/Lounge Authority, having written "Cocktail Parties for Dummies" in 1997.


  1. Jingle Bells
  2. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
  3. It's Christmas Time (Oh Yeah)
  4. Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!
  5. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
  6. White Christmas
  7. Winter Wonderland
  8. The Christmas Song
  9. Christmas Cocktail
  10. Sleigh Ride
  11. Space Age Santa
  12. Carol of the Bells
  13. The Little Drummer Boy

Saturday, October 30, 2010

The Rite of Exorcism


I've thought about posting this record at Halloween several times over the last few years, but my good sense has always won out and kept me from doing so.


It's not like it's HORRIBLE or anything. Okay. Maybe it is. But it has a Really Great Cover and at least one pretty cool song on it.

Other than that, it is a mostly "spoken word" or "audio drama" presentation that purports to be a "Simply and Faithfully Presented" reenactment of what might have gone on during the act of evicting demons or other spiritual entities from a person at some unspecified point in the past (as the current Rite, updated most recently in 1999 I believe, calls for the presence of two priests).

This record lists no Artist or Group as being responsible for it's creation. I decided to ascribe it to Rev. Patrick J. Berkery, Ph.D. because:
A - It is he who came up with the original concept and who followed up by doing the Theological and Liturgical Research that it required and…
B - He also recorded at least one other record, 1969's "Prayers for a Noonday Church" (which can be found over at Dr. Schluss' Garage of Psychedelic Obscurities).

It's not horribly scary (although it does contain some pretty weird squeals and shrieks), but it is an interesting artifact.

This record has also been shared at least one other time (in two parts, as individual files for Side A and Side B) at WFMU's Beware of the Blog, where you can read a rather lengthy discussion of it's qualities (and/or lack thereof) if you'd like.

It is presented here in all six (6) individual tracks at 320kbps.

  1. Day of Wrath
  2. THE STORY (Part I)
  3. The Lord's Prayer
  4. THE STORY (Part I)
  5. THE STORY (Part II)
  6. Ron Aimee Fugue

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Billy Boyd: Twangy Guitars


There's no such person as Billy Boyd. Okay. There is, of course. But the guy that played a Hobbit in The Lord of the Rings movies didn't record this record in 1960.


This Billy Boyd was actually Jerry Cole.

Cole played with The Champs. He also worked with just about every important musician in America between 1959 and 1991. Find his story (along with a list of albums he released under different names) here: Jerry Cole @ The Rockabilly Hall of Fame.

Billy Boyd: Twangy Guitars
  1. Shuffle Boogie
  2. Night Rock
  3. When the Lights are Low
  4. Jivin' at The Savoy
  5. Stompin' at the Crossroads
  6. Diggin' the Blues
  7. Mambo Boogie
  8. South Hampton
  9. Bolero Boogie
  10. Duck Walk
  11. Oop Shank
  12. Drifting

Monday, May 24, 2010

The Gaylords: Let's Have a Pizza Party


Back in the 60s and 70s, when you went to an Italian Restaurant in the US, chances are good that you heard Italian Music being pumped through the sound system. Mandolin and Accordian would serenade you as you enjoyed your Spaghetti and sipped your Chianti.


Nowadays, most of the better Italian restaurants with which I'm familiar have no music playing (canned or otherwise) and the popular chains are usually brightly lit, loud, and feature Soft Rock or New Age-ish background music. Thank God for Unlimited Salad and Breadsticks!

This record reminds me of the stuff they played back in the old days. The Gaylords were Ronald L. Fredianelli, Bonaldo Bonaldi and Don Rea (with Bill Christ replacing Fredianelli when the latter did a stint in the US Army). Fredianelli later took the stage name Ronnie Gaylord and Bonaldi became Burt Holiday.

Most of their records were of Italian folk melodies translated to and sung in English, thereby introducing them to a wide American audience. This one, though, consists of Italian Songs sung in Italian and played in the old country Italian style.


Find more info on The Gaylords here:

http://www.thegaylords.com/index.php

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gaylords_%28American_vocal_group%29

http://home.earthlink.net/~v1tiger/gaylords.html

  1. Ah Marie
  2. Neapolitan Nights
  3. Quando Mi Bacio Teresa
  4. Ti Voglio Tanto Bene
  5. Sicilian Tarantella
  6. La Romanina
  7. Bionda Biondina
  8. Scrivimi
  9. Sbarazzina
  10. Panzy
  11. Carmela
  12. Non Ti Scordar Di Me (Say You Will Not Forget)

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Sammy Laului Orchestra: Hawaiian Wedding Song


Like a Budget Hawaiian Vacation


As we complete our tour around the mighty Pacific Ocean, we approach the shore of Waikiki only to discover a record on Diplomat Records! Diplomat, one of several labels of Synthetic Plastics (of Newark, NJ), was the Budget Record Label to End All Budget Record Labels. My record doesn't even list an artist name on the sleeve or the label. Luckily, the record was released with several different variations on the sleeve over the years and some of them identified the music as being performed by the Sammy Laului Orchestra: a group with such a wide range of different sounds that it's almost difficult to believe the entire record is by the same combo.

It's a nice record, though, and should help you to relax at the end of a long, hard day. If you find yourself thinking that the song "Island's Goodbye" sounds an awful lot like "Now Is the Hour", you're correct. You are also correct if you find yourself thinking that much of this album sounds remarkably (EXACTLY!) like the album "Hawaiian Enchantment", by Luke Leilani, on Spin-O-Rama Records or, perhaps "Hawaiian Enchantment", by The Hawaiian Islanders, on Wyncote.

  1. Hawaiian Wedding Song
  2. Dreams of Hawaii
  3. Waikiki Moods
  4. White Sands
  5. Girl of the Island
  6. Hawaiian Skies
  7. Island's Goodbye
  8. Chanting Waves
  9. Isle of Dreams
  10. Hula Moola

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Various Artists: Songs of Guam


This one is Oddly Charming…


Well, okay… Mostly it's just odd.

Upon happening upon this record I thought I had found a collection of, perhaps, Traditional Guamanian Folk Songs or Historical Recordings of The Chamorro People. What I had actually found is a bunch of songs by an American woman who had lived in Guam for a couple of years that were recorded
in Hawaii, apparently by Hawaiian recording artists.

From the liner notes:
"With the exception of four Guamanian folk songs… this KONA RECORDS Album reflects the musical impressions of Mrs. D.S. (Jean) Lennox. She has completed a labor of love for the Island she called home for a little while.

"Her affection for Guam and it's people is rewardingly evident in each of her ten original compositions. For a "Statesider", who lived just two years on the Island of Guam, our composer has created a truly remarkable musical montage."

The native language of the Island of Guam (and all of The Marinara Islands) is a Malayo-Polynesian language called Chamorro. The Chamorro language was heavily modified during Guam's occupation and colonization by Spain from 1668 to 1898 and now contains many words and phrases of Spanish origin. Guam was captured by the US in a bloodless landing during the Spanish-American War. Since then, Guam's official languages have been Chamorro and English and, again, the Chamorro language has incorporated many English words. It makes for a bit of a strange mix.

Something tells me that Mrs. D.S. (Jean) Lennox had no idea, while writing these songs, that they would ever end up being recorded for commercial release. They're nice enough, and charming in their own way, but they sound more like songs intended to be sung by school children than professionally created pop pieces. The quality of the recording is poor and the singers involved, while competent, sound uninspired and disinterested. That being said, since our recent visit to Tahiti I figured I'd continue the Pacific Cruise and steer the Good Ship Tuna Melt on over to Guam for a visit.

  1. Guam is Good
  2. The Old Spanish Bridge
  3. Song of Guam
  4. The Wizard Lizard
  5. The Island of Cocos
  6. Statesider's Song
  7. Guamanian Medley -
    Panguengue / Toma Na Plangpang Tres / Gumupo Si Paluma / Nobia Cahula
  8. The Ladrones Latte Stones
  9. It's Always Manana on Guam
  10. Honeymoon Island
  11. Hafa Adai

Tuesday, February 02, 2010

Piiraa É: Autrefois


There's a lot more that I don't know about this than there is that I do.


It comes from French Polynesia and, so, all of the information provided on it's packaging is done so in a mish-mash of different languages that I don't understand.
Even the name of the group is spelled in two different ways on the cover.

Once the music starts, though, I understand all that I need to.


The warmth of the sun… The coolness of the Sea Breeze… The gentle rhythm of the waves lapping at the shore… The tinkle of ice as it swirls in the exotic concoction that I hold in my hand… It all takes me to long ago and far away Tahiti.

  1. Aue Te Mauiui
  2. Pae Minuti
  3. Fautaua
  4. Tapau Féi
  5. Maraamu
  6. Te Ua´a Rii Pitate
  7. Po Iti Ava´e
  8. Enere
  9. Faariri
  10. Piiraa É
  11. Hoi Hoi Rii Mai Na Ra

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Özel Türkbas: How to Make Your Husband a Sultan


Shake It, Baby! Shake It!


Özel Türkbas was a huge talent and a huge star! After starting out as a child star (at the age of seven), in her native Turkey, she went on to play starring roles in fourteen Turkish movies. She was brought to the US by Italian director Franco Zeffirelli, in 1959, in order to appear in the role of La Oriental in his production of Opera Thais.

This is the first of five Belly Dance records she released. She also wrote and published two Belly Dancing books and a Turkish Cookbook.

As Belly Dancing became a huge fad in the United States through the 60s and 70s,
Özel was extremely influential in it's promotion. As a Turk, she wore the traditional Turkish Belly Dancer costume (generally regarded to be considerably "sexier" than some other outfits, but probably the best known type in the rest of the world), but she was always careful to emphasize the beauty and discipline of the dance as opposed to it's more sensual aspects.

Well… Except for the title of this record, I suppose.

Özel Türkbas: How to Make Your Husband a Sultan
  1. Özel's Dance Music
  2. Hoplada
  3. Tín Tín
  4. Tokat
  5. Kandirali Çíftetellí
  6. Taksímler
  7. Anadolu
  8. Fasulya
Note: Each of Özel's albums included at least one selection that was nearly the length of an entire side. If you are going to use this record as a Belly Dancing beginner, let me advise that you might want to skip to the second track as the first is about 14 minutes long and may result in Gut Bustage.