Sunday morning gospel--Stars of Radio and Television with Famous Orchestras

No, Stars of Radio and Television with Famous Orchestras is not the name of the band--these are uncredited singers singing with uncredited orchestras. Whether they were 1) famous, 2) stars of radio and TV, or 3) accompanied by famous orchestras is something cheap-label historians will have to eventually figure out. Hopefully, they'll let us know when and if they discover the answer.

I ripped the first side of this fine and fun LP--the second side being filler material, I didn't bother with it. I suspect (but can't prove) that these eight tracks would have first come out in the form of a 10" LP and/or 45 EP set. As for the label, Robin Hood, I'm pretty sure it was in the Hollywood/Value Hit Parade Tunes family, given the "Featuring Stars of, blah, blah, blah" on the front cover, and the following back-cover features: the Saturday Evening Post "Recognized Value" seal, and the lines "Watch for new releases" and "A Blue Ribbon Product."

It's a cute and cool cover--admit it.

The selections are cheap (but well-done) cover versions of sacred pop hits, all from the Fifties. Among them: Angels in the Sky (originally Crew Cuts, 1955), God Bless Us All (hit for both Brucie Weil and Jimmy Boyd, 1953), He (hit for both Al Hibbler and McGuire Sisters, 1955) and Open Up Your Heart (Cowboy Church Sunday School, 1955). Good songs, all. Especially the last number, which is probably Stuart Hamblen's finest sacred number. (Am I allowed to say that in the music blogosphere??)

Though marketed to kids, this collection's tunes aren't specifically of the kiddie variety, save for two Sunday School mega-classics of the latter 20th century, Open Up Your Heart and The Bible Tells Me So. God Bless Us All, which depicts a child in prayer, is a toss-up in that regard--it could have functioned as a tune for kids or adults, or both. The jury is still out on this question. (In fact, where are they? Lunch ended forty minutes ago.)

Click here to reach zip file: ZIP FILE NO LONGER AVAILABLE

TRACKLIST

I BELIEVE
GOD BLESS US ALL
OPEN UP YOUR HEART
HE
DEAR LORD
THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO
COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS
ANGELS IN THE SKY

Stars of Radio and Television with Famous Orchestras (Robin Hood 4000).


Lee