Music Blog 6/26/2010

Bay-rischer Bierwalzer by Wolfgang Rhein and Die Retzbachtaler Musikanten (from Football Fever: A Musical Celebration of the World Cup, Nascente, 1998)

In my German travels, I once discovered a Bavarian radio station that played this kind of stuff 24/7. This may sound crazy but, yes, it is possible to hear too much Oom-pah music.

Fanfare for the Common Man by Aaron Copland (from Copland: Greatest Hits, Sony Classical, 1994)

It’s nice to hear this in a non-Olympic year. Ooops. Well, post-Olympics, anyway.

Tornado Song by King Kong (from Funny Farm, Drag City, 1993)

Oh, so thaaat’s where that singer in the Fred Schneider tribute band ended up. The name of the band was Dance This Mess Around, wasn’t it? “It’s a torNAAAAYdo!!!”

Bullpen Catcher by Bullpen Catcher (from self-released CD, 2004)

This obvious shoo-in for the Fever Pitch soundtrack was rudely and shortsightedly rejected by the Farrelly Brothers. How cruel. It makes its world debut here, though.
It’s about time someone tipped a cap and lifted a glass to this anonymous athlete.

Let Me Off Uptown by Mel Torme (from Songs of New York, Atlantic, 1983)

The Velvet Fog makes yet another OAG appearance. And, no, I’m not talking about Lou Reed or Moe Tucker. Mr. Mel was a renaissance man who appeared in movies and television, was a highly sought after night club performer and wrote several standards. Can you imagine what the annual royalties are for The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)? Mel didn’t have to imagine…he got them.