i always associate this with the "new sounds of stereo!" stuff - persuasive percussion and some of the wierder wings of the 101 strings style stuff
― non-ironic safety helmet wearer (John Justen), Monday, 19 January 2009 19:40 (fifteen years ago) link
as far as i can tell at this point, "Holiday for Strings" is the granddaddy of them (although I'd imagine some film score from the 40s set the template).
It was used as the theme for the Red Skelton show beginning in 1951, the same year Walter Schumann had a hit with it.
also, Henri René's "Roller Coaster" came out the same year as Holiday.
Voices of Walter Schumann - Holiday for Strings
xxxp
― robot@ilxor.com (PappaWheelie V), Monday, 19 January 2009 19:40 (fifteen years ago) link
"Ultra-Lounge Volume 3: Space Capades" is full of this kind of thing (includes a version of "Powerhouse").http://www.amazon.com/Ultra-Lounge-Vol-3-Space-Capades/dp/B000002TZL
― everything, Monday, 19 January 2009 19:43 (fifteen years ago) link
http://www.punknews.org/images/covers/modern_machines-take_it_somebody.jpg
(does not actually sound like what you're looking for)
― Tracy Michael Jordan Catalano (Jordan), Monday, 19 January 2009 19:48 (fifteen years ago) link
Also, Roy Webb should get a major nod for this style of arrangement
He scored a huge chunk of the THIS IS CINERAMA presentation in 1952 (as did film scorer Max Steiner). Roy had a couple pieces based on "water ballet" in this presentation, which kinda says it all.
The Sherman Brothers did a couple pieces commisioned by Disney in this vein (Wonderful World of Color, and especially, the Monorail song)
xp (yeah, there are a couple pieces on ultra lounge 3 that fits the bill, but overall, a mixed bag)
― robot@ilxor.com (PappaWheelie V), Monday, 19 January 2009 19:49 (fifteen years ago) link
wonderful. this is definitely where its at. thanks for the direction.
― aaronk, Monday, 19 January 2009 19:50 (fifteen years ago) link
yes, it's also got a very synchronized swimming quality to it.
― aaronk, Monday, 19 January 2009 19:55 (fifteen years ago) link
didn't realize Roller Coaster was the theme to 'What's My Line", which debuted in 1950.
Maybe Roller Coaster predates Holiday for Strings?
― robot@ilxor.com (PappaWheelie V), Monday, 19 January 2009 19:56 (fifteen years ago) link
Les Baxter's "Shooting Star" and "The Commuter" from his 1957 Space Capades album are perfect for this.
This montage has Shooting Star @ 1:59:
― robot@ilxor.com (PappaWheelie V), Monday, 19 January 2009 20:01 (fifteen years ago) link
Oh, DUH, I should've just looked at my folder of this to identify my earliest piece I have....especially since it's Les Baxter (and does appear on Ultra Lounge 3/Space Capades)
Les Baxter - Moon Moods [from the Music Out of the Moon collection]
http://www.ele-mental.org/~ecc/exo/exotica/outerspace/Music%20Out%20of%20the%20Moon.jpg
― robot@ilxor.com (PappaWheelie V), Monday, 19 January 2009 20:06 (fifteen years ago) link
(1958) The Donna Reed Show theme
― robot@ilxor.com (PappaWheelie V), Monday, 19 January 2009 20:11 (fifteen years ago) link
I got Paul Tanner's Up to Jupiter from some space age pop comp that I don't remember, but learned it originally came from his 1959 album "Music for Heavenly Bodies"...yet, I failed to seek out the album yet.
Maybe now's the time.
http://lostandsound.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/cover-heavenly-bodies.jpg
― robot@ilxor.com (PappaWheelie V), Monday, 19 January 2009 20:23 (fifteen years ago) link
Youtube is failing me on this hunt...
Bob Thompson has a 1960 album called "The Sound of Speed" that has a number of related, especially the song "Star Fire":
http://ec2.images-amazon.com/images/I/41X3ADQN1AL._SL500_AA240_.jpg
― robot@ilxor.com (PappaWheelie V), Monday, 19 January 2009 20:26 (fifteen years ago) link
^^ omg love that cover
― moonship journey to baja, Monday, 19 January 2009 20:31 (fifteen years ago) link
Oddly, Nino Oliviero and Riz Ortolani's 1962 score for Mondo Cane have a few pieces that most definitely fit the bill (especially 'Ragazze e marinai')
Heard here in the trailer @ 1:24 (of course, during the 'bathing beauty' portion):
― robot@ilxor.com (PappaWheelie V), Monday, 19 January 2009 20:43 (fifteen years ago) link
FINALLY, a substantial youtube find...
This appeared on a collection titled...wait for it...Holiday for Strings.
David Rose & His Orchestra - Gay Spirits
― robot@ilxor.com (PappaWheelie V), Monday, 19 January 2009 20:49 (fifteen years ago) link
Oh, yeah, of course...Miracles from Molecules (from the extinct Disneyland attraction Adventure Thru Inner Space)
This version isn't the heavily scored/arranged piece, but you can get it from the melody, theme, and bouncing bassline:
― robot@ilxor.com (PappaWheelie V), Monday, 19 January 2009 20:52 (fifteen years ago) link
Vic Mizzy is one of my favorite scorers. All the quirky/kooky sounds from 60s TV themes/queues are his. Anytime you heard a harpsichord paired with a bass harmonica in 60s tv, chances are, it was his.
My very first fawning over this type stuff was his "sophisticated" queue form Beverly Hillbillies. Finding good examples online is a bitch though.
Frankly, the Star Trek theme isn't that far off...
― robot@ilxor.com (PappaWheelie V), Monday, 19 January 2009 20:59 (fifteen years ago) link
The HAZEL theme is absolutely this
― robot@ilxor.com (PappaWheelie V), Monday, 19 January 2009 21:06 (fifteen years ago) link
Duh, how could any of us forget Bewitched theme(obv, 50s/60s tv themes is a trove of this sound)
― robot@ilxor.com (PappaWheelie V), Monday, 19 January 2009 21:08 (fifteen years ago) link
As are movie theater refreshment bumpers
― robot@ilxor.com (PappaWheelie V), Monday, 19 January 2009 21:12 (fifteen years ago) link
freakin jetsons theme
tons of this stuff on TV, actually
― Calling All Creeps! (contenderizer), Monday, 19 January 2009 21:16 (fifteen years ago) link
Gotta bring up Lawrence Welk sooner or later...
― robot@ilxor.com (PappaWheelie V), Monday, 19 January 2009 22:14 (fifteen years ago) link
My Little Margie
― robot@ilxor.com (PappaWheelie V), Monday, 19 January 2009 22:16 (fifteen years ago) link
David Rose and his Orchestra - Manhattan Square Dance
Lawrence Welk 70s Holiday for Strings (pizzicato in action @ 0:34)
― robot@ilxor.com (PappaWheelie V), Monday, 19 January 2009 22:45 (fifteen years ago) link
I read Andre Previn's memoirs on a whim before knowing his work.
Later, I watched Sunday in New York and was in awe of his score. Recognized a sample used by Pizzicato Five. Tracked down the sdtk and got into his work more.
Andre Previn & Orchestra - "I Remember You"
― robot@ilxor.com (PappaWheelie V), Monday, 19 January 2009 23:01 (fifteen years ago) link
The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet
― robot@ilxor.com (PappaWheelie V), Monday, 19 January 2009 23:09 (fifteen years ago) link
so far that click from Lawrence Welk at 0.34 most closely matches what I have in mind. so is there a genre or specific stylistic term for this stuff?
thanks PWV for your extensive search.
― aaronk, Monday, 19 January 2009 23:29 (fifteen years ago) link
No problem. I'm doing this as much for me as I am for your request.
I don't think there's any 'yacht rock' type retronym for it. Basically, lumped in the 90s packaging of Space Age Pop occasionally, and most info about these songs can be found on those Bachelor Pad/Space Age sites.
I occasionally dwell on the evolution of arrangements. How the 40s were so woodwind heavy after Fletcher Henderson gave way to Duke Ellington, or how Nelson Riddle downplayed woodwinds for extreme brass in the 60s. This sound just seems to be an arrangement style of primarily David Rose (who wrote Holiday for Strings), and those who felt his style broadened the palette of arrangements overall.
Being David Rose was the musical director of the Red Skelton show from 1950 onward, his style was highly visible to insiders, and adopted.
Or maybe this is waaaay off. Les Baxter may have arrangements in this vein predating the Red Skelton show. I need to dig further. And I'm still trying to figure out Roy Webb's role in all of this.
I wish I could find a video of Roller Coaster. It's pretty much the twin to Holiday for Strings stylistically and timewise.
BTW, The Last Exit/Tucker que was first used on the Simpsons when Homer goes to the Land of Chocolate in season 3. I've been in love with it ever since then. Still don't know much about it.
― robot@ilxor.com (PappaWheelie V), Monday, 19 January 2009 23:56 (fifteen years ago) link
yes yes that's right, the chocolate dog and so on.
i think you're right about it being an arrangement style - i've heard some other versions of Holiday for Strings and it sounds absolutely nothing like that (eg. the Lawrence Welk version) unless it is exactly that. the composition itself sounds just plain 40s-50s lounge/pop/movie soundtracky. the arrangement of pizzicato violin, harp, chines, and that driving rhythm section are the key.
the show that recently reminded me of this was It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, but that doesn't help because I cant find any music credits - other than the main theme song, which isnt exactly this either.
― aaronk, Tuesday, 20 January 2009 00:55 (fifteen years ago) link
"Happy Go Lively" by Laurie Jonhson is the song in the Land of Chocolate.
― aaronk, Tuesday, 20 January 2009 01:34 (fifteen years ago) link
Whoa! Will obtain much hard copy one. Thanks!
― Lettuce C.U.P. (PappaWheelie V), Tuesday, 20 January 2009 04:53 (fifteen years ago) link
Nice thread! Glad that people-in-the-know can attach titles and composers to this sort of thing.
― Myonga Vön Bontee, Tuesday, 20 January 2009 07:36 (fifteen years ago) link
The Moody Blues (ok, The London Festival Orchestra, actually) recorded a track of this very sort ("Lunch Break") on Days Of Future Passed
― Myonga Vön Bontee, Tuesday, 20 January 2009 07:40 (fifteen years ago) link
an album called "music for tv dinners" on Scamp (?) records has several tracks in this vein. the writeup calls this genre "Production Music" - the original elevator music. apparently most of the composers are british, which is ironic since it seems like such an american mode.
― aaronk, Tuesday, 20 January 2009 13:12 (fifteen years ago) link
'Production Music' is synonymous with 'Library Music'. The term is not a description of any particular musical style but refers to its intended use - as 'off-the-peg' music for use in film/TV/advertising.
― dubmill, Tuesday, 20 January 2009 13:30 (fifteen years ago) link
I do have the "music for tv dinners" comp. Not exactly in this vein, but I do like it. There was a vh1 retrospective (one of the last before reality tv set it) that used it for its bumpers.
― that's just old gay ear (PappaWheelie V), Tuesday, 20 January 2009 18:30 (fifteen years ago) link
http://www.dovesong.com/MP3/MP3_Popular.aspThe "String" InstrumentalsHoliday for Strings composed by David Rose. Played by David Rose's Orchestra. Victor 27853. Reached Number 2 on the charts on February 19, 1944. This was the first of the great instrumentals that made use of the sounds of the string section of the orchestraPicnic for Strings composed by Malcomb Lockyer. Orchestra conducted by the composer. Mercury 70383No Strings Attached played by the Boston Pops, Arthur Fielder, conductor. RCA 49-3890. This tune was written by Richard Hayman, who had his own recording on Mercury. Like Leroy Anderson, Hayman was also an arranger for the Boston Pops when he first started out. Tic-Tac-Toe played by Hugo Winterhalter's Orchestra. RCA 47-4851Vanessa played by Hugo Winterhalter's Orchestra. RCA 47-4691. This beautiful record reached Number 12 on the charts on July 12, 1952.The Magic Touch played by Hugo Winterhalter's Orchestra. RCA 47-5209Flirtation Waltz played by Frank Chacksfield and his Orchestra. London 45-1406It's Only a Paper Moon played by the David Rose Orchestra. MGM K30850Curtain Time played by Acquaviva's Orchestra. MGM 30668. Acquaviva was singer Joni James' husband.
The "String" Instrumentals
Holiday for Strings composed by David Rose. Played by David Rose's Orchestra. Victor 27853. Reached Number 2 on the charts on February 19, 1944. This was the first of the great instrumentals that made use of the sounds of the string section of the orchestra
Picnic for Strings composed by Malcomb Lockyer. Orchestra conducted by the composer. Mercury 70383
No Strings Attached played by the Boston Pops, Arthur Fielder, conductor. RCA 49-3890. This tune was written by Richard Hayman, who had his own recording on Mercury. Like Leroy Anderson, Hayman was also an arranger for the Boston Pops when he first started out. Tic-Tac-Toe played by Hugo Winterhalter's Orchestra. RCA 47-4851
Vanessa played by Hugo Winterhalter's Orchestra. RCA 47-4691. This beautiful record reached Number 12 on the charts on July 12, 1952.
The Magic Touch played by Hugo Winterhalter's Orchestra. RCA 47-5209
Flirtation Waltz played by Frank Chacksfield and his Orchestra. London 45-1406
It's Only a Paper Moon played by the David Rose Orchestra. MGM K30850
Curtain Time played by Acquaviva's Orchestra. MGM 30668. Acquaviva was singer Joni James' husband.
― nabisock (PappaWheelie V), Wednesday, 4 February 2009 18:33 (fifteen years ago) link
I love shit like this. Les Baxter's "Moon Moods" is one of my favorite pieces of music.
― Bianca Jagger (jaymc), Wednesday, 4 February 2009 18:45 (fifteen years ago) link
pappawheelie - are you able to DL anything off that site? tried and cant...
― aaronk, Thursday, 5 February 2009 00:43 (fifteen years ago) link
i failed at the dl also :-(
― nabisock (PappaWheelie V), Thursday, 5 February 2009 00:52 (fifteen years ago) link
HUGO WINTERHALTER "VANESSA" "SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY"
― PappaWheelie V, Friday, 6 February 2009 18:44 (fifteen years ago) link
xp- "The DoveSong MP3 Library is no longer in ServiceStay Tuned for Further Developments"
― Bangelo, Friday, 6 February 2009 19:00 (fifteen years ago) link
― Snowballing, Friday, 6 February 2009 19:01 (fifteen years ago) link
The Simpsons has forever altered that as Jasper tries out for the B Sharps with made up lyrics (eg "theme...from summer place, from summer place, the theme, from summer place, the theme, from summer place...")http://www.snpp.com/episodes/9F21.html
― PappaWheelie V, Friday, 6 February 2009 19:11 (fifteen years ago) link
At some point, research in the lab gives way to products for consumption.
― PappaWheelie V, Friday, 6 February 2009 19:54 (fifteen years ago) link
Ha, after I created the above which includes all of the following titles, I found this site/blurb:
http://www.bobthompsonmusic.com/the_sound_of_speed.htm"Starfire and Early-Bird Whirly-Bird from The Sound of Speed are among the classic 'music-on-the-move' titles that would include Henri Rene's Rollercoaster and David Rose's Holiday For Strings."--Joseph Lanza, author, Elevator Music: A Surreal History of Muzak, Easy-Listening, and Other Moodsong
"Starfire and Early-Bird Whirly-Bird from The Sound of Speed are among the classic 'music-on-the-move' titles that would include Henri Rene's Rollercoaster and David Rose's Holiday For Strings."--Joseph Lanza, author, Elevator Music: A Surreal History of Muzak, Easy-Listening, and Other Moodsong
I didn't realize others put those two songs together before I began posting to this thread, but patting myself on the back here...
as far as i can tell at this point, "Holiday for Strings" is the granddaddy of them (although I'd imagine some film score from the 40s set the template).It was used as the theme for the Red Skelton show beginning in 1951, the same year Walter Schumann had a hit with it.also, Henri René's "Roller Coaster" came out the same year as Holiday.Voices of Walter Schumann - Holiday for Stringsxxxp― ro✧✧✧@il✧✧✧.c✧✧ (PappaWheelie V), Monday, January 19, 2009 2:40 PM (2 weeks ago) Bookmark
― ro✧✧✧@il✧✧✧.c✧✧ (PappaWheelie V), Monday, January 19, 2009 2:40 PM (2 weeks ago) Bookmark
― PappaWheelie V, Friday, 6 February 2009 22:57 (fifteen years ago) link
ahhh i love it! thanks! "Star Fire" is like, surreal.
― aaronk, Friday, 6 February 2009 23:08 (fifteen years ago) link
A few in this montage:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqrVgxf9P3k
― PappaWheelie V, Sunday, 21 June 2009 04:45 (fifteen years ago) link
http://www.classicthemes.com/50sTVThemes/themePages/redSkelton.html
Main Theme: "Holiday For Strings" [This was an instrumental hit in 1943 which made David Rose and His Orchestra a household name; many LP albums followed on the MGM label;
In the ASCAP Repertoire database, there is also a listing for "Holiday For Strings Sig[nature] Closing" credited to David Rose and Jack Lloyd (who also has Red Skelton Show cues in his ASCAP listings.) Presumably it was Lloyd who made the most well-known arrangement used on the air in later years...]
Composers: music by David D. Rose (ASCAP), with lyric added by Sam ("Sammy") Gallup (ASCAP)
1978 Publisher: Bregman, Vocco & Conn, Inc. (ASCAP)
1999 Publisher: Bregman, Vocco & Conn, Inc. (B V C Inc.) c/o WB Music Corp. (ASCAP)
Unpublished Copyright Date: 1942, in piano folio book Published Instr. Copyright Date: May 5, 1943; EP 113 645. Published Vocal Copyright Date: Mar. 14, 1944; EP 121 201.
Recordings: numerous, including LP - "David Rose plays David Rose" MGM E3748 by David Rose and His Orchestra
Re-released on: CD - "The Very Best of David Rose" (1997) Taragon TARCD-1015 by David Rose and His Orchestra
CD - "Space Cadets (Ultra-Lounge Volume 3)" (1996) Capitol 2438-35176-2 by The Voices of Walter Schumann (chorus vocal w/orch.)
Newly recorded on: CD - "Television's Greatest Hits (Vol. 4): Black and White Classics" (1996) TVT Records TVT 1600-2 by an uncredited studio orchestra (not a very good performance, amateur recording and mix, and an arrangement that seems to stop in the middle.)
― I Love Musing (PappaWheelie V), Sunday, 6 December 2009 20:22 (fourteen years ago) link
you can hear "rollercoaster" here btw
http://www.televisiontunes.com/Whats_My_Line_-_Rollercoaster.html
thoroughly enjoyed those drive in movie ads
― lukevalentine, Monday, 7 December 2009 17:42 (fourteen years ago) link
Thanks a lot for this thread.
I was hoping someone might know the music of this recent Post-It Labels commercial
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvYR2RyhFVI
― borbetomagus, Monday, 8 February 2010 06:03 (fourteen years ago) link
This thread makes me think of the category: unexpected ways that 90s may be revived.
― _Rudipherous_, Monday, 8 February 2010 06:11 (fourteen years ago) link
(Which probably sounds snarkier than I mean it.)
― _Rudipherous_, Monday, 8 February 2010 06:12 (fourteen years ago) link
xxpost: Asked and answered here. And if you're involved with the Borbetomagus, thanks for the show at Terrastock 1, my ears rang for a long long time.
― dad a, Monday, 8 February 2010 06:41 (fourteen years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SUeE7dpMWg
― fat ass idiot butt munch (PappaWheelie V), Friday, 19 February 2010 21:35 (fourteen years ago) link
Anyone know what this tune is from?<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2N0lfprZ5iU&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2N0lfprZ5iU&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>
― ynot, Thursday, 10 June 2010 08:53 (fourteen years ago) link
Oops, that didn't work. Let me try againhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2N0lfprZ5iU
― ynot, Thursday, 10 June 2010 08:56 (fourteen years ago) link
Glad this thread showed up as I've been wondering about something along these lines for a while.
The futuristic 50s kitchen vibe has been sort of revisited by people like Money Mark, Harmonic 33 and other kitsch/library music fetishists.
But it seems that one of the few retro aesthetics that hasn't been plundered by new music is that '50s American tropical holiday King Creole/Sultana/Hawaii!/Santo & Johnny vibe. The secondhand sound of good looking girls and boys dancing the Technicolor hula on a beach-bound cruiseliner backed by Tijuana brass, swinging cymbals and pedal steel guitar.
Is anyone working with this now? Maybe the last time it was referenced might have been the Cramps, B52s and Pere Ubu, but these were reimagined by punks, where the seaweed rots and the dancers have become toxic mutants.
― village idiot (dog latin), Thursday, 10 June 2010 09:28 (fourteen years ago) link
its been really bugging me because it's such a well-known theme, but who is this by and where is it from? (Forgive crappy laptop mic and crappier piano playing please )http://vocaroo.com/?media=vvM8OCaq9bjbPWsUb
― tomofthenest, Thursday, 10 June 2010 11:25 (fourteen years ago) link
XP Dog Latin, Yoshinori Sunahara is the closest thing I can think of, there's lots of his stuff on YouTube but the track I had in mind isn't on YT, here is a soptify link tho'.
spotify:track:2ididn84VeUewdEN6OBygD
― disastrous sixth series (MaresNest), Thursday, 10 June 2010 12:14 (fourteen years ago) link
thanks maresnest! will check it out.
tom - arrrgh! i know this so well but it escapes me.
― village idiot (dog latin), Thursday, 10 June 2010 12:16 (fourteen years ago) link
http://www.andmas.co.uk/radio/children/favs/puffin_billy.ram
It's called Puffin' Billy
― village idiot (dog latin), Thursday, 10 June 2010 12:19 (fourteen years ago) link
brilliant, thankyou
― tomofthenest, Thursday, 10 June 2010 15:18 (fourteen years ago) link
More songs in this style:
Werner Tautz - Off BroadwayHeinz Kiessling - Blue BloodHeinz Kiessling - Hotsy-TotsyWerner Tautz - Derby DayWerner Tautz - Glitterati Party
These can be found in "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Theme and Filler Music"
― ynot, Friday, 11 June 2010 05:35 (fourteen years ago) link
Answered my own question about the song in that deadly spiders video.It's Ivor Slaney - Window Gazingfound in "Retro Shopping Vol. 1"
― ynot, Friday, 11 June 2010 07:59 (fourteen years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdMOfApad7k
Merry Xmas!!
― Mangrove Earthshoe (herb albert), Saturday, 25 December 2010 04:22 (thirteen years ago) link
Does anyone know what the first song in this commercial is?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKokoCTp1WM
Uh, not the second one...
Thanks.
― Borbetomagus, Friday, 4 March 2011 00:54 (thirteen years ago) link
The moment I read this thread title the exact kind of music popped right into my head.
I like to call it Sims Buy Mode music.
― gnarly gnarlingtons in my life (Trayce), Friday, 4 March 2011 02:01 (thirteen years ago) link
You mean this?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObCgwGR__wE
― Borbetomagus, Friday, 4 March 2011 04:36 (thirteen years ago) link
Yes, exactly!
― gnarly gnarlingtons in my life (Trayce), Friday, 4 March 2011 04:41 (thirteen years ago) link