The Many Voices Of Paul Frees

 

 

Paul Frees (1920 –1986),  born Solomon Hersh Frees in Chicago , is better known for his work on Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Walter Lantz, Rankin/Bass and Walt Disney theatrical cartoons during the Golden Age of Animation, and for providing the voice of Boris Badenov in The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show.

Frees was sometimes known as "The Man of a Thousand Voices", an appellation more commonly bestowed on Mel Blanc. [Wikipedia]

A good Paul Frees biography is Ben Ohmart, , Welcome ... Foolish Mortals – The Life & Voices of Paul Frees published in 2004 by BearManor Media. Contains an extensive list of his works (movies, tv, records etc.).

The true aficionado could be delighted with a collection of 349 radio show recordings available in 179 audio CDs or, for the technologically advanced, in 7 mp3 CDs.  

The casual, budget-conscious fan might be satisfied with my little compilation, which gathers a few tracks originally released on singles or albums.between 1954 and 1971. 

 22 - Paul Frees (as Peter Lorre) - Hey Jude.mp3 (direct link)

sample 

 

 Frees At Last !

 

tracklist

01 - Big Jim Buchanan - Money (Century, 1954).mp3
02 - Big Jim Buchanan - The Convention Song (Century, 1954).mp3
03 - Big Jim Buchanan - Mother Love (Vita, 1955).mp3
04 - Big Jim Buchanan - Move Over Brother (Vita, 1955).mp3
05 - P. Harcourt Frees - I'm Ready (Cascade, 1959).mp3
06 - P. Harcourt Frees - Skin Diver (Cascade, 1959).mp3
07 - Ludwig Von Drake – I'm Ludwig Von Drake (Disneyland, 1961).mp3
08 - Ludwig Von Drake - The Spectrum Song (Disneyland, 1961).mp3
09 - Paul Frees - The Horse Won't Talk ( Gay Purr-Ee OST, LP Warner-Bros, 1962).mp3
10 - Von Drake Quake - Professor L. Von Drake (Buena Vista, 1962).mp3
11 - Big Billy Bascomb -  I Am The Lonely Bull & Same (Rendez Vous, 1963).mp3
12 - Paul Frees - The Mad Doctor & The Creature (Les Poupées de Paris OST, LP RCA, 1964).mp3
13 - Paul Frees - Pinocchio In Outer Space (Universal Pictures Radio Spots, 1965).mp3
14 - Paul Frees - Rutabega Rag (Tinpanorama LP Buena Vista, 1965).mp3
15 - Paul Frees - Portrait Of A Fool (HBR, 1966).mp3
16 - Paul Frees - A Girl (HBR, 1966).mp3
17 - Paul Frees (as Bela Lugosi) - Games People Play.mp3
18 - Paul Frees (as Boris Karloff) - The Look of Love.mp3
19 - Paul Frees (as Clark Gable) - By the Time I Get to Phoenix.mp3
20 - Paul Frees (as Ed Wynn) - Up, Up and Away.mp3
21 - Paul Frees (as Humphrey Bogart) - Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head .mp3
22 - Paul Frees (as Peter Lorre) - Hey Jude.mp3
23 - Paul Frees (as several artists) - Everything is Beautifur.mp3
24 - Paul Frees (as Sydney Greenstreet) - Sugar Sugar.mp3
25 - Paul Frees (as W. C. Fields) - Mama Told Me Not To Come.mp3
26 - Paul Frees (as Warner Oland as Charlie Chan).mp3
27 - Paul Frees - All I Do Is Dream Of You (Chico Marx).mp3
28 - Paul Frees - Charmaine (Dick Powell).mp3
29 - Paul Frees - Darktown Strutter's Ball (Al Jolson).mp3
30 - Paul Frees - Elmer's Tune (Ben Bernie).mp3
31 - Paul Frees - One For My Baby (Humphrey Bogart).mp3
32 - Paul Frees - Over The Rainbow (Ronald Colman).mp3
33 - Paul Frees - What Can I Say After I Say I'm Sorry (W. C.  Fields).mp3
34 - Paul Frees - You Stepped Out Of A Dream (Skinnay Ennis).mp3 

#17 to 26 : from the MGM album "Paul Frees & the Poster People"
#27 tp 34 : from the American International album "The Abominable Dr. Phibes" (OST, 1971)

 

*

 

The Two Sides of Carmen Taylor (re-up)

 

The daughter of a Philadelphian bandleader and a Cuban dancer, Carmen Taylor was born in Cuba ca. 1928. She came to the United States of America at age two, began singing at age three. She sang with musicians like Tito Puente and Duke Ellington.  As Elen Madera, she had an international hit with the song "Pepito,"  

She was also a prolific songwriter, and her repertoire included Clyde McPhatter's "Seven Days," as well as the Clovers' "Little Mama." 

There was never, as far as I know, any Carmen Taylor biography published, in print or on internet, a compilation of her songs neither.

Early in June 1974, bride of a day, Carmen Taylor (Carmen Griffith) was gunned down by her ex-convict husband at Fifth and Market Streets in San Francisco.

A talented woman whose life remains a mystery.

tracklist

1 - Can't Understand It (Mercury, 1951)
2 - Lovin Daddy (Atlantic, 1953)
3 - Ding Dong (Atlantic, 1953)
4 - Mama Me And Johnny Free (Atlantic, 1953)
5 - Big Mamou Daddy (Atlantic, 1953)
6 – Freddie (Atlantic, 1954)
7 - Ooh I (Atlantic, 1954)
8 - No More No Less (Guyden, 1954)
9 - The Bride Should Have Been Me (Okeh, 1955)
10 - Teenage Ball (Apollo, 1956)
11 - Oh Please (Apollo, 1956)
12 - So What (King, 1957)
13 - Love Me Baby (Teen Time, 1962)
14 - You're Puttin' Me On (Kama Sutra, 1965)
15 - Hey Son (aka My Son) (Kama Sutra, 1965)
16 - Willie B (EL Toro, 1959)

As Elen Madera : 

17 – Pepito (Decca, 1960)
18 - El-Chipi-Chipi (Decca, 1960)
19 - Otra Vez (Decca, 1960)
20 - Callate Corazón (Decca, 1960)
21 – Florecita (Decca, 1960)
22 - Quisiera Saber (Decca, 1960)
23 - Pu-Chung Ga (Decca, 1960)
24 – Tu Eres Todo  (Columbia, 1961)
25 - Canto Karabali (Columbia, 1961)
26 - Mi Cumbia Son (Decca, 1967)

If you have any information or missing songs not listed above and especially the sides cut for tin Pan Alley, feel free to leave a comment.

Carmen or Elena

Herman and Sharlet with the Tennessee Valley Boys

 

Herman and Sharlet with the Tennessee Valley Boys

LP Promotional PLP 190

Rimrock pressing from late sixties

 

tracklist

1 - Will The Circle Be Unbroken.mp3    
2 - Just A Closer Walk With Thee.mp3   
3 - The Amen Corner.mp3                
4 - How Beautiful Heaven Must Be.mp3   
5 - I'll Never Die.mp3                 
6 - Satisfied.mp3                      
7 - Give Mother My Crown.mp3           
8 - How Great Thou Art.mp3             
9 - The Third Man.mp3   

Last track (If  I Could Hear My Mother Pray Again) is missing.

From the back cover :

In the years I have worked with and around country musicians, I have encountered groups with names like *The Blue Ridge Mountain Gang*, *The Kentucky Ramblers*, etc. Almost invariably, the members turn out to be from New York, Los Angeles, or Minneapolis — everywhere but the Blue Ridge Mountains or Kentucky!  So when I met the Tennessee Valley Boys in Anderson, Indiana, I was surprised to find that, besides being five of the finest performers of country and gospel music I've ever heard, they are exactly what the name suggests.

Well — almost, that is.  If Sharlet Sexton is a Tennessee Valley "boy," she's the prettiest one I've ever seen!   Born only eighteen years ago in Union County, Tennessee, Sharlet has already recorded three singles and is a veteran performer on television and radio. This exuberant young lady has loved music her entire life and considers herself one of Waylon Jennings' biggest fans.  
As you'll realize when you hear this record, Sharlet’s strong vocal ability is matched only by the spirit and sincerity with which she sings.

John and Jimmy Flatford, heard respectively on mandolin and bass, are equally at home playing country, bluegrass, and gospel music.   The fine lead guitar player, Bud Wall, is the group's only native Hoosier — but he’s just one generation removed from Tennessee.

Herman Hatfield, from Knoxville, Tennessee, has appeared on shows such as the *Tennessee Barn Dance*, the *Midday Merry-Go-Round*, and the *Renfro Valley Barn Dance*.   This album marks Herman's fifth recording venture, and all who have heard the tapes are enthusiastic that it will certainly not be his last!

Each of these musicians has brought something special — individual excellence — to the group. The result is something even more special: a blending of parts into a unified whole.  
What you'll hear on this record is a group with its own personality — its own identity — something more than just five people making music together.

Working with this group has been a real pleasure, and I feel confident your pleasure in listening to them will be just as great.
 

 

               

 

 

The Purse

 

The Purse (direct link)

From the album “Live in the Alabama Women's Prison”  recorded
at The Julia Tutwiler Prison For Women, Wetumpka, Alabama, USA

Mega Records, 1970 

 The full album is available HERE

 

Note: Rest assured, sensitive souls, women behind the bars photographied by Bill Forshee were not actual inmates. They were models. 

* 

On January 13, 1968 Johnny Cash recorded his legendary concert album “At Folsom Prison” within the walls of that California penitentiary. It is considered by many to be the greatest live concert recording ever released.  Hoping to replicate Cash’s success, rockabilly performer Mack Vickery traveled to Wetumpka, Alabama in 1970 and recorded a live concert album at the Julia Tutwiler Prison for Women.

Mad Magazine, in Septembre 1971, published a two-page funny parody describing six imaginary "Prison" record albums of the future featuring Jim Nabors at the Lexington Narcotics Center), Wayne Newton at the Charles St. Police Station in Greenwich Village, Englebert Humperdick at the Berkeley Jail, Connie Francis at the Philadelphia Home for Wayward Girls, Kate Smith at a Georgia Chain Gang and The King Sisters at Matawan Prison For the Criminally Insane.

For tracklisting, see pictures below.

 

 

As predicted, several albums recorded in prison followed : B.B. King, John Lee Hooker, Freddy Fender, Big Mama Thornton, Leona Williams and Sonny James, to name but a few.   

But in 1971, Glen Sherley made history as the first person to record an album inside a prison as a prisoner. 

 

Women of Music volume 27

 

 Women of Music volume 27

 

Bernice Tubb  - Johnny Wait For Me_.mp3
Betty Rogers - Tears Tears Tears .mp3
Carol (Luke) Price - Weeping Room.mp3
Deborah Harry - Don't Be Cruel.mp3
Diana Lee - You Upset Me.mp3
Etta James - Good Lookin'.mp3
Janet Moore - I Need My Man To Love Tonight.mp3
Jeannie Carson - Stupid Cupid.mp3
Mabel King - Alabama Rock 'n' Roll.mp3
Miss Ann Fleming - You're Just One Man.mp3
Monica Törnell - I´m In Love With A Big Blue Frog.mp3
Pam Hanna - Rebel Child.mp3