These days, Kaye is best known for his appearances in two classic musicals - as Nicely-Nicely Johnson in Guys and Dolls and as Marryin' Sam in L'il Abner. In both cases, Kaye originated the role on Broadway and carried over his remarkable performances to the films.
Kaye was a comic who started in vaudeville and USO shows, but his strong, pleasing voice and rhythmic sense made him ideal for certain musical comedy parts, and he made the most of "Fugue for Tinhorns" and especially "Sit Down, You're Rocking the Boat" in Guys and Dolls, his big break on Broadway, which came in 1950. "Jubilation T. Cornpone" from L'il Abner is hardly less memorable. All can be found on YouTube.
This present LP is from 1959, and gives Kaye the opportunity to be heard in a different repertoire. Truth be told, he sounds a little under rehearsed, and is much more at home in rhythm songs than in the slower numbers. His pitching is not always true, and Seeco did him no favors by apparently speeding up the whole LP a full step, accentuating any insecurity. (I have adjusted this, and the result is much more pleasing.)
Quite a few recordings to this day have done this. A perusal of Google Images yielded the following:
Songs For Swinging Larvae (Renaldo and the Loaf)
Songs for Swinging Mothers (one of those parody album covers with no record)
Songs for Swinging Housemothers (a book)
Songs for Swinging Sellers (Peter)
Songs for Swinging Losers (Buddy Greco)
Songs for Swinging Losers (The Losers)
Songs for Swinging Voters
Songs for Swinging Survivors (Mick Softley)
For Swingin' Livers Only (Allan Sherman)
Songs for Swinging Landlords
Songs for Brunette Lovers
Songs for Distingue Lovers (Billie Holiday)
Songs for Rainy Day Lovers (Clare Fischer)
Songs for Latin Lovers (Ray Charles Singers)
Secret Songs for Young Lovers (Andre Previn - Like Young)
Songs for Pizza Lovers (Lou Monte)
Songs for Sinatra Lovers
Songs for Fart Lovers (I don't expect to be transferring this one)
The good arrangements on the Kaye LP are by Bob Mersey. Some of you may recognize him as a Columbia staff arranger (Aretha Franklin) and producer (Barbra Streisand). The sound is good. This record was issued in a stereo version, but I am afraid my copy is mono.
Songs For Swinging Larvae (Renaldo and the Loaf)
Songs for Swinging Mothers (one of those parody album covers with no record)
Songs for Swinging Housemothers (a book)
Songs for Swinging Sellers (Peter)
Songs for Swinging Losers (Buddy Greco)
Songs for Swinging Losers (The Losers)
Songs for Swinging Voters
Songs for Swinging Survivors (Mick Softley)
For Swingin' Livers Only (Allan Sherman)
Songs for Swinging Landlords
Songs for Brunette Lovers
Songs for Distingue Lovers (Billie Holiday)
Songs for Rainy Day Lovers (Clare Fischer)
Songs for Latin Lovers (Ray Charles Singers)
Secret Songs for Young Lovers (Andre Previn - Like Young)
Songs for Pizza Lovers (Lou Monte)
Songs for Sinatra Lovers
Songs for Fart Lovers (I don't expect to be transferring this one)
The good arrangements on the Kaye LP are by Bob Mersey. Some of you may recognize him as a Columbia staff arranger (Aretha Franklin) and producer (Barbra Streisand). The sound is good. This record was issued in a stereo version, but I am afraid my copy is mono.
LINK to 2026 remastered version
15 comments:
What a great and unexpected retrieval! He really was all over TV in variety shows and specials through the 1950s and 60s. Thank you.
JAC - You are welcome, and he sure was!
Hi Buster,
Songs for Fart Lovers (I don't expect to be transferring this one).
Why not? Sounds intriguing.
Cheers.
Douglas (UK)
Hi Buster,
just for the record: there exists another LP by the name of "Songs for Swinging Lovers" by the Britsh band RADIO STARS. Musically it doesn't fit the criteria of your blog, but the cover is rather ghoulish and hits clearly the album title.
Cheers
Paul
I love to Cry at Weddings and to laugh at finding wonderful fun music --as always on your blog-- much thanks for bringing some fun to this hot summer.
I think my favourite movie memory of Stubby is with Nat King Cole as the minstrels in "Cat Ballou"
Regards
"Songs for Swinging Housemothers" is a great little book of folk songs (mostly), with an emphasis on slightly off-kilter material ("Rex, the PIddling Pup," "The Rattan Family," "S-A-V-E-D," "The Frozen Logger"). After years without, I finally bought one online, then promptly found one used at the library. Anyway, fun stuff to sing.
Thanks, Kip - I would have liked to have heard Stubby try "Rex, the Piddling Pup" instead of some of the tunes on this LP.
Any chance of updating this, in addition to your previous updates for Barbara Cook and Rose Marie? I just discovered your site, which is the reason for this quick small group of requests.
I actual live in his last home in Rancho Mirage still get mail addressed to Angela Kaye. Thanks so much for this have been looking for it for a could of years.
OLD4OLDER - Wonderful! Sounds like a great place to live.
Could you please re-up this?
Remastered and repitched version (Apple lossless):
https://mega.nz/#!2V9UlRCT!oE0x0ExqY-xLEJEcdIvokjYIKD39B_UH0sKY5uMvi1M
Lossless! Thank you!!!
New version is available via a link at the end of the post itself.
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