Guilty pleasures!

pizza · Post by **pizza** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 6:41 am

I vaguely recall the general subject of listening to music outside the constraints of "serious" classics having been discussed before.

The other day I heard a most scintillating production of Emmerich Kalman's "Die Csárdásfürstin" a/k/a The Gypsy Princess, Richard Bonynge conducting the Slovak RSO with a superb cast of singers and chorus -- another Naxos winner. Kalman was an interesting character who wrote several operettas, including "Gräfin Maritza" (Countess Maritza) and "Der Zigeunerprimas" (The Gipsy Violinist) that in my opinion are the equal of anything written by the Strausses, Lehar and other composers of Central European light classical music. They remind me of a European counterpart to our Broadway musicals, and if listening for pure fun and light entertainment is the object, these wonderful productions can't be beat!

Anyone else here share a taste for these bon bons?

Jack Kelso · Post by **Jack Kelso** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 7:08 am

pizza wrote:I vaguely recall the general subject of listening to music outside the constraints of "serious" classics having been discussed before.

The other day I heard a most scintillating production of Emmerich Kalman's "Die Csárdásfürstin" a/k/a The Gypsy Princess, Richard Bonynge conducting the Slovak RSO with a superb cast of singers and chorus -- another Naxos winner. Kalman was an interesting character who wrote several operettas, including "Gräfin Maritza" (Countess Maritza) and "Der Zigeunerprimas" (The Gipsy Violinist) that in my opinion are the equal of anything written by the Strausses, Lehar and other composers of Central European light classical music. They remind me of a European counterpart to our Broadway musicals, and if listening for pure fun and light entertainment is the object, these wonderful productions can't be beat!

Anyone else here share a taste for these bon bons?

Literally everyone here knows Kalman's operettas---or, at least, some of the arias or choruses from them. Many folks here in Germany have strong family or cultural roots in Hungary, the Czech Republic or Slovenia and beyond.

Even non-classical listeners are familiar with such "light listening". But the under-40 crowd might not care for this fare. I enjoy it.

Last year, we went to a wonderful production in Mannheim (again!) of Karl Zeller's masterpiece "Der Vogelhändler" ("The Bird-Handler"), probably the most popular German-language operette (along with J. Strauss' Jr. "Die Fledermaus" ("The Bat")).

They still put on summer performances of the American musical "The Student Prince" (Romberg) each year in the court of the Heidelberg Castle.

Jack

Haydnseek · Post by **Haydnseek** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 8:05 am

I collect and enjoy operetta recordings and don't feel any guilt about it. Why should I or anyone? There appears to be a strong revival of interest in the genre. I would love to attend one of the operetta festivals in Austria or Germany.

Auntie Lynn · Post by **Auntie Lynn** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 8:31 am

Steely Dan and Creedence Clearwater...

Ralph · Post by **Ralph** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 9:34 am

The most romantic piece of music I enjoy is the waltz from "The Merry Widow."

GK · Post by GK » Thu Jun 08, 2006 10:14 am

I have two Pilz CDs of excerpts of operettas by Lehar, Kalman, and Benatzky performed by the Vienna Volksoper. Old but very enjoyable. Although Pilz is gone, these performances may be floating about on other budget labels.

Also if you go to a major record store pick up a CD on Naxos' super budget line of Famous Operetta Overtures.

Michael · Post by **Michael** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 10:31 am

I love the Merry Widow.. the famous soprano aria is one of the most gorgeous things ever written IMO

jbuck919 · Post by **jbuck919** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 11:12 am

Michael wrote:I love the Merry Widow.. the famous soprano aria is one of the most gorgeous things ever written IMO

I wouldn't worry about liking operetta, which is an offshoot of classical and the main root of American show music and its ilk, which I also like. In fact, I wouldn't worry about anything that is purely a matter of taste and would not try to restric anybody's interests or suggest that the limit to which I am willing to go is a norm. But operetta is not the guilty pleasure. It is more "serious" forms of pop that would be that, and even then, the distinguished classical DJs Robert Aubrey Davis and Martin Goldsmith for years had that series "Songs for Aging Children" in which they expounded on their own guilty pleasures. Don't think they ever did a show about rap, though.

Post by **Lance** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 11:14 am

I, too, love all these great European operettas. The great names of singers on record included Nicolai Gedda, Anneliese Rothenberger, Rita Streich, Lisa Della Casa, Wolfgang Annheiser, Fritz Wunderlich, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Erika Köth, Hermann Prey, Melita Muszely and countless others. That light music is magnificent when sung (and really introduced to me on discs by these folks). I have also have a strong penchant for Gilbert & Sullivan operettas in the same vein.

Reed · Post by **Reed** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 5:14 pm

I don't know how "guilty" it is, but right now I'm going through the 11-CD set, Stardust: The Complete Capitol Recordings of Nat King Cole, 1955-1959 (Bear Family Records). Many of the albums I knew, but some of the singles and soundtrack songs are amazing. And with those great Nelson Riddle arrangements, they sound like two to three minute tone poems.

And with Nat's great singing, even the most minor tunes sound great.

Very expensive, about $280, but worth it, and it includes a 200-page hardbound lp-sized book full of great info and fabulous photos.

BWV 1080 · Post by **BWV 1080** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 5:24 pm

I am vain enough to convince myself that anything I enjoy that might fit this category has some subtle level of sophistication that keeps it from becoming a guilty pleasure.

But other genres of music like Rock or Country or Rap do not in of themselves constitute something one should feel apologetic for relative to classical music. Black Sabbath is simply better music than Massenet

Brendan · Post by **Brendan** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 5:28 pm

Bocelli's Con Te Partiro with Sarah Brightman. The Carpenters. Sugar Sugar by the Archies. Pachelbel's Canon. . .

AntonioA · Post by **AntonioA** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 5:46 pm

I love operettas as well as Spanish Zarzuelas.
Victoria de los Angeles collection of Zarzuela arias is wonderful, but I also have a few comlete recordings, some of them with Ataulfo Argenta conducting. Elisabeth Schwarzkopf`s Operetta Aria collection with Ackerman is hairrising.

Reed, I love Nat King cole´s piano playing and his "After Midnight" album
is probably included in your CD box. Nelson Riddle did even greater things with Sinatra in the same period, but I like Nat´s singing too. A couple of his latin songs are used in the great film "In the Mood For Love".

miranda · Post by **miranda** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 6:27 pm

BWV 1080 wrote: But other genres of music like Rock or Country or Rap do not in of themselves constitute something one should feel apologetic for relative to classical music.

Agreed!

Ken · Post by **Ken** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 7:27 pm

I am an unashamed fan of Gilbert and Sullivan. I'll take H.M.S. Pinafore over Verdi any day!

Gary · Post by **Gary** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 8:11 pm

BWV 1080 wrote:Black Sabbath is simply better music than Massenet

I never thought I'd see those two names appear in the same sentence!

In my opinion, operetta is the ideal sub-genre to start with for anyone new to opera. It's generally short and full of memorable tunes.

As for Kalman's operettas, I believe Berkshire Record Outlet still has his wonderful Die Herzogin von Chicago (The Duchess of Chicago)--also conducted by Bonynge--in stock. The recording is part of Decca's Entartete Musik (music suppressed by the third reich) series.

From the back of the box:

Die Herzogin von Chicago, premiered in Vienna in 1928, is a parody operetta fearturing jazz bands, wealthy Americans and the Charleston, as well as impoverished European aristocracy and the csardas...sparkling entertainment as Imperial Vienna meets big-money Chicago.

Jack Kelso · Post by **Jack Kelso** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 12:16 am

BWV 1080 wrote:But other genres of music like Rock or Country or Rap do not in of themselves constitute something one should feel apologetic for relative to classical music. Black Sabbath is simply better music than Massenet

That reminds me of when I bought Handel's "Samson" and the guy in line behind me remarked "One song by Pete Seeger is worth more than all of Handel's music"(!)

Massenet's lyrical operas and delightful orchestral suites couldn't be guilty pleasures.....could they..?!

Jack

PJME · Post by **PJME** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 6:20 am

Filmscores : Almost anything by Miklos Rozsa, the odd score by Mario Nascimbene (Barabas... so bad that it becomes really funny), Michel Legrand , Basil Poledouris...
Edward Gregson: -un poco à la Respighi with british euphonium sauce
Respighi himself, of course & Richard Strauss at his most grandiooooso (Festliches Praeludium...)

Operetta: wonderful melodies - sure ,but only digestible when sung by the best. I've witnessed Lehar and Kalman sung in Flemish by very old music hall singeronies, scratchy ad hoc orchestrettes conducted by smiling yet mummyfied maestros....

Charles · Post by **Charles** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 9:33 am

No guilt: Louiis Armstrong's Hot Five and Hot Seven records of the 1920s, when this artist was at the height of his creative improvisatory genius on the trumpet. His trumpet playing of his later, more well-known years holds not even a brief candle to these magnificent acheivements. IMHO, the greatest non-classical music ever recorded. Unfortunately only a few are able to get beyond the relatively primitive sound and level of the accompaniing musicians to enjoy them. A bottomless treasure for those who make the effort.

david johnson · Post by **david johnson** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 10:10 am

movie soundtracks.

dj

jserraglio · Post by **jserraglio** » Sat Jun 10, 2006 6:01 am

Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, ACDC, the Ramones, Nirvana, etc.
--------------------------------------------------------------------<div align="center"><img src="http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/B ... ZZZZZ_.jpg" width="175" height="175">
Rondellus
Sabbatum: Medieval Tribute to Black Sabbath

Twelve Black Sabbath songs that made heavy metal.
Verres Militares (War Pigs)
Oculi Filioli (Junior's Eyes)
Funambulus Domesticus (A National Acrobat)
Symptoma Mundi (Symptom Of The Universe)
Post Murum Somnii (Behind The Wall Of Sleep)
Post Aeternitatem (After Forever)
Magus (The Wizard)
Solitudo (Solitude)
Rotae Confusionis (Wheels Of Confusion)
Planetarum Vagatio (Planet Caravan)
Via Gravis (Hard Road)
Architectus Urbis Caelestis (Spiral Arcitect) </div>
Maria Staak (vocals, hurdy gurdy, organistrum), Robert Staak (frame drum, percussion, lute, organistrum), Veikko Christian Kiiver (vocals), Miriam Andersen (vocals, gothic harp) and Tonu Joesaar (fiddle). Guests on the album are Roland Lill (fiddle), Tuule Kann (organistrum, psaltery), Mihkel Raud (bells), Toivo Tulev (vocals), Taniel Kirikal (vocals), Marju Riisikamp (positive organ) and Catlin Jaago (bagpipe)

pizza · Post by **pizza** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 2:57 pm

Charles wrote:No guilt: Louiis Armstrong's Hot Five and Hot Seven records of the 1920s, when this artist was at the height of his creative improvisatory genius on the trumpet. His trumpet playing of his later, more well-known years holds not even a brief candle to these magnificent acheivements. IMHO, the greatest non-classical music ever recorded. Unfortunately only a few are able to get beyond the relatively primitive sound and level of the accompaniing musicians to enjoy them. A bottomless treasure for those who make the effort.

Just noticed that Terry Teachout is working on a major biography of Louis Armstrong and if it's up to his usual high standards, it should be a winner. He did a fine article on him recently in Commentary. I suspect he's also working on another of Fats Waller as he also did an excellent article on him in Commentary a short while ago.

Post by **Corlyss_D** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 4:22 pm

Auntie Lynn wrote:Steely Dan and Creedence Clearwater...

Amen! And in no particular order

The Great American Songbook and the singers thereof
Music from the 40s and early 50s
Linda Ronstadt's American Songbook albums
Carpenters
Donovan in his post-Mellow Yellow/Sunshine Superman/Wear Your Love Like Heaven album, Gift From a Flower to A Garden
Modern arrangers like Nelson Riddle and Henry Mancini
Dead Can Dance
Movie soundtracks, which John assures me is tripe
Early Beatles
Early Stones
Van Morrison
Sons of the Pioneers and their singing cowboy ilk
Simon and Garfunkel
Bread
New Age by certain musicians

Post by **Corlyss_D** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 4:23 pm

pizza wrote:Just noticed that Terry Teachout is working on a major biography of Louis Armstrong and if it's up to his usual high standards, it should be a winner. He did a fine article on him recently in Commentary. I suspect he's also working on another of Fats Waller as he also did an excellent article on him in Commentary a short while ago.

That will be wonderful. Have you got the date of the issue with the Fats Waller bio in it?

Post by **Corlyss_D** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 4:29 pm

BWV 1080 wrote:Black Sabbath is simply better music than Massenet

You definitely need to listen to more Massenet if you think that.

Post by **Corlyss_D** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 4:34 pm

Jack Kelso wrote:Massenet's lyrical operas and delightful orchestral suites couldn't be guilty pleasures.....could they..?!

Not Massenet. He was a clearly, cleanly, unequivocally classical musician. It's a pity that except for the exquisite Werther and the woefully unrepresentative Manon, opera houses today don't mount his works, unless the projected star is big enough, like Sutherland, to ask for it.

Now if you'd said "Offenbach" . . . he's definitely a guilty pleasure. His tireless spoofing, a la Gilbert & Sullivan, is treasureable but will probably keep him from the serious consideration that his talent warrants.

Post by **Corlyss_D** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 4:42 pm

jserraglio wrote:Sabbatum: Medieval Tribute to Black Sabbath[/color]

J! Thank you! I just ordered it.

pizza · Post by **pizza** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 12:45 am

Corlyss_D wrote:
pizza wrote:Just noticed that Terry Teachout is working on a major biography of Louis Armstrong and if it's up to his usual high standards, it should be a winner. He did a fine article on him recently in Commentary. I suspect he's also working on another of Fats Waller as he also did an excellent article on him in Commentary a short while ago.
That will be wonderful. Have you got the date of the issue with the Fats Waller bio in it?

"Mr. Waller's Regrets" -- April, 2006 issue.

http://www.classicalmusicguide.com/view ... ats+waller

Wallingford · Post by **Wallingford** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 1:11 pm

Classics-wise, I'd go for Gottschalk's Le Banjo & Beethoven's Wellington's Victory......also, Mozart's little round, Bona nox, bist a rechta Ox.

POP MUSIC? Well, if I get enough people curious enough to request here, I can give you my 100 favorite singles of all time--or, as I call it, my "Personal All-Time Hot 100."

(Actually, I've been dying for an excuse to post that here.)

Post by **Corlyss_D** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 1:42 pm

Wallingford wrote:Classics-wise, I'd go for Gottschalk's Le Banjo & Beethoven's Wellington's Victory......also, Mozart's little round, Bona nox, bist a rechta Ox.

POP MUSIC? Well, if I get enough people curious enough to request here, I can give you my 100 favorite singles of all time--or, as I call it, my "Personal All-Time Hot 100."

(Actually, I've been dying for an excuse to post that here.)

How about giving it to us 10 at a time, you know, to avoid reader fatigue.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 1:34 pm

OK, here goes.....I thought we could COMPROMISE, and I'd give it to you 20 at a time:

WALLINGFORD'S "PERSONAL ALL-TIME 'HOT 100'"--Part One
WATERLOO/ABBA
DRAGGIN' THE LINE/Tommy James
SMOKE FROM A DISTANT FIRE/Sanford-Townsend Band
WHEN WILL I BE LOVED/Linda Ronstadt
MY LOVE/Petula Clark
CAN'T YOU SEE THAT SHE'S MINE/Dave Clark Five
SLEIGH RIDE/Leroy Anderson
IT'S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR/Andy Williams
WALKING ON SUNSHINE/Katrina & The Waves
DOES MY RING HURT YOUR FINGER?/Charley Pride
MAGNET AND STEEL/Walter Egan
TAKE THE MONEY AND RUN/Steve Miller
MAGIC CARPET RIDE/Steppenwolf
GOOD VIBRATIONS/The Beach Boys
TEARS OF A CLOWN/Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
BOOGIE FEVER/The Sylvers
PARADISE BY THE DASHBOARD LIGHT/Meat Loaf
DREAM WEAVER/Gary Wright
WHAT IS LIFE/George Harrison
MEXICAN SHUFFLE/Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass

I should add, these aren't really in the order of preference....though if I were to pick a #1 from these lists, it'd have to be Petula's MY LOVE.

Wallingford · Post by **Wallingford** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 1:37 pm

-----------

Wallingford · Post by **Wallingford** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 1:42 pm

Well, thank you very much for your help, "Guest," though how I got into your profile I'll never know.

Wallingford · Post by **Wallingford** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 2:15 pm

Oh, I should mention, too, that WALKING ON SUNSHINE, by Katrina & The Waves, is the cut-off point as far as recent vintage goes: 1985. I always kind of felt pop music was done with its final death throes, more or less, at that point.....so call me an old fogy, if you want.

Post by **Corlyss_D** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 11:22 pm

Wallingford wrote:Well, thank you very much for your help, "Guest," though how I got into your profile I'll never know.

You forget to sign in?

Never mind. I've fixed that problem. Sometimes we forget when we stand up new fora to restrict the access.

Brendan · Post by **Brendan** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 12:07 am

Liking Katrina & the Waves' one-hit wonder is nothing to be embarrassed about, IMHO. My fondness for The Starland Vocal Band, however . . .

Wallingford · Post by **Wallingford** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 12:36 pm

Hey, pal, we're KINDRED SPIRITS!! Starland was an IMMENSELY talented quartet of singers with an out-of-this-world close harmony singing style.....myself, however, I've burned for myself a CD "best-of" from their 4 albums which DOESN'T include "Afternoon Delight." As many a critic wrote, that song was the worst thing to happen to them.

Anyway, without further ado.....

WALLINGFORD'S "PERSONAL ALL-TIME 'HOT 100'"--Part Two
STAR BABY/The Guess Who
DIZZY/Tommy Roe
DAY AFTER DAY/Badfinger
BITS AND PIECES/Dave Clark Five
REMINISCING/Little River Band
BAKER STREET/Gerry Rafferty
MISTER AND MISSISSIPPI/Patti Page
HUSH/Deep Purple
EASY/The Commodores
SKIP A ROPE/Henson Cargill
LIGHTNIN' STRIKES/Lou Christie
DANCE, DANCE, DANCE/The Beach Boys
WANT ADS/The Honey Cone
FOOLING YOURSELF/Styx
CENTERFOLD/The J. Geils Band
I FEEL FINE/The Beatles (with its B-side, SHE'S A WOMAN)
BAD, BAD, LEROY BROWN/Jim Croce
LOVES ME LIKE A ROCK/Paul Simon
SHAKEDOWN CRUISE/Jay Ferguson
BAND OF GOLD/Freda Payne

Richard Mullany · Post by **Richard Mullany** » Thu Jun 15, 2006 1:26 pm

I agree with you Pizza, these less famous composers are the equal, in enjoyment, of anything by the Strauss family. I would mention another, equally fine composer Carl Michael Ziehrer. It is amazing that he is not better known here. We are so hung up on the Strauss product as if it alone was the essence of Viennese music. Marco Polo has a complete listing of recordings of his music played by an unknown orchestra led by an equally unknown conductor, Michael Dietrich. Unknown they may be but they run circles around most other ensembles I have heard on recordings. My guilty pleasure is vol two of the series; it is the very soul of the Viennese waltz.

jserraglio · Post by **jserraglio** » Thu Jun 15, 2006 6:44 pm

Viva il Zappa!

Post by **Corlyss_D** » Thu Jun 15, 2006 7:32 pm

jserraglio wrote:Viva il Zappa!

Saw him the other night on an old Miami Vice segment.

Jack Kelso · Post by **Jack Kelso** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 12:08 am

AND...why not Albert Ketelby or Leroy Anderson...?!

I enjoy listening occasionally to these two masters of the mini-symphonic-poem. There is some darned good melodic invention and beautiful harmonies in them!

Jack

miranda · Post by **miranda** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 7:48 am

Oh man. Frank Zappa's We're Only in it for the Money, and Lumpy Gravy are two of my favorite albums of all time. And the J. Geils Band's Centerfold is a great song, that I remember hearing on the radio all the time while I was a kid.

Wallingford · Post by **Wallingford** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 1:37 pm

WALLINGFORD'S "PERSONAL ALL-TIME 'HOT 100'"--Part Three
CATHY'S CLOWN/Everly Brothers
MOTHER & CHILD REUNION/Paul Simon
THE GLOW WORM/Mills Brothers
MAMA'S PEARL/Jackson Five
LET ME SERENADE YOU/Three Dog Night
PAPA WAS A ROLLIN' STONE/The Temptations
TALL DARK STRANGER/Buck Owens
AFRIKAAN BEAT/Bert Kaempfert
WINDY/The Association
LADY MADONNA/The Beatles
BABY ELEPHANT WALK/Henry Mancini
MAKE THE WORLD GO AWAY/Eddy Arnold
I'M NOT IN LOVE/10cc
ROMEO'S TUNE/Steve Forbert
SUGAR, SUGAR/The Archies
SITTING/Cat Stevens
THE LETTER/The Box Tops
DOWNTOWN/Petula Clark
CONQUEST/Patti Page
SHE'S GONE/Hall & Oates

lmpower · Post by **lmpower** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 1:47 pm

I confess to liking Viennese operetta and preferring Lehar to Strauss. I also confess to liking Jerome Kern. I also confess to liking Edith Piaf. I furthermore confess to not feeling too guilty about all this.

PJME · Post by **PJME** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 3:44 pm

I also confess to liking Edith Piaf

But ...Edith Piaf is a Great artist! (and so are Lehar, Strauss and Kern!)

Yma Sumac, the Andrews Sisters, Vera Lynn, Freddy Quinn , Cony Froboes singing 'Zwei kleine Italiener' , 'I was born under a wandrin'star ,Catharina Valente, Bobby Solo, Gigliola Cinquetti and most of the singers at the Eurovision Songcontest can easily become guilty pleasures. But Piaf : c'est une artiste!!!!
so don't wory : you have good taste!

Solitary Wanderer · Post by **Solitary Wanderer** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 3:49 pm

Well, outside of classical I collect several other genres; none of them do I feel 'guilty' about

Pre-rock crooners Frank, Dino, Nat, Ella & Andy. The 'Chairman of the Board' is my fave.

Lounge music '50s & 60s. Mainly comps like Ultra Lounge, Music for a Bachelors Den, Cocktail Capers etc.

Garage & Psych '66 - '69. Nuggets boxsets etc.

'70s library and production music. Easy Tempo, Mood Mosaic series etc.

AM Gold '75-'79. I have many set of these including Billboard, Where Were You, Rock On, Casy Kasem, Entertainment Weekly, Have a Nice Decade etc.

Instrumental Symphonic Progressive from the '70s.

Space Music from the '70s and some '90s titles as well.

Contemporary jazz like Bob James.

Wallingford · Post by **Wallingford** » Fri Jun 23, 2006 3:16 pm

For this segment of my ongoing list, I present here my favorite one-fifth of the whole list......these are the "good-time" songs, songs that are a guaranteed picker-upper, songs that are a sure cure for the blues.......

WALLINGFORD'S "PERSONAL ALL-TIME 'HOT 100'"--Part Four
CRACKLIN' ROSIE/Neil Diamond
DON'T PULL YOUR LOVE/Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds
DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY/Van Halen
WE JUST DISAGREE/Dave Mason
YOU AIN'T SEEN NOTHING YET/Bachman-Turner Overdrive
DANCIN' FOOL/The Guess Who
ABC/Jackson Five
THE MIGHTY QUINN (QUINN THE ESKIMO)/Manfred Mann
MAMMA MIA/ABBA
CASINO ROYALE/Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass
A HARD DAY'S NIGHT (w/its B-side, I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER)/The Beatles
MY MARIA/B.W. Stevenson
A SWINGIN' SAFARI/Bert Kaempfert
CHINA GROVE/The Doobie Brothers
RING OF FIRE/Johnny Cash
WHO'S GONNA MOW YOUR GRASS?/Buck Owens
SUITE: JUDY BLUE EYES/Crosby, Stills & Nash
REFLECTIONS/Diana Ross & the Supremes
CELEBRATE/Three Dog Night
SNOOPY VS. THE RED BARON/The Royal Guardsmen

RebLem · Post by **RebLem** » Fri Jun 23, 2006 4:56 pm

Liking good music that is not classical is a pleasure, not a guilty pleasure. I usually don't go for movie soundtracks, but one of my favorite albums is the music from "Ragtime" by Randy Newman, which strikes me as the greatest movie score ever written by someone whose name was neither Gershwin nor Prokofiev.

Other artists I like are Billie Holliday, Dianne Reeves, Patti Loveless, Tampa Red, Keb Mo, & Tom Lehrer (Otto Klemperer is said to have loved Lehrer's song "Alma" because Alma Mahler had once propositioned him).

OTOH, there are some truly guilty pleasures that you know are tasteless but that you love anyway. Henry Lewis did this London Phase 4 LP of Strauss's "Also sprach Zarathustra" where they must have put a microphone down every horn and two inches above each string instrument. It was gross and gauche, and I loved it. I wish they would reissue it on CD, and I don't want them to clean it up, either.

I also love the old TV series "Lost in Space." This is totally unjustified on any aesthetic principle, but I love it anyway.

gmaster · Post by **gmaster** » Sat Jun 24, 2006 5:33 am

Solitary Wanderer wrote: '70s library and production music. Easy Tempo, Mood Mosaic series etc.

Agreed, I enjoy music published by Dewolfe and Boosey & Hawkes mostly. Reg Tilsley is probably my favourite library composer.

jserraglio · Post by **jserraglio** » Sat Jun 24, 2006 5:57 am

<tr>Dug this gem out of a stack of take-em-theyre-free discs at work . . .

The Classical Music Guide Forums

Guilty pleasures!

Guilty pleasures!

Re: Guilty pleasures!

No bon bons but bleeding chunks !

Mais qu'est ce que tu dis! oh lala , c'est grave!

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