“New Tricks…”   Bing Crosby with Buddy Cole and His Trio   Decca Records

(35 votes, average: 3.20 out of 5)

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“Go Ape with The Knockouts” on Tribute Records.   A Jersey group lead by singer Bob D’Adrea, who went on to form a comedy duo called Andre and Cirell which still performs around the Jersey Shore.     A fan remembers: “My friends and  I used to go to a place called Luciano’s on the East-bound side of Rte-46 in Lodi, NJ (commonly known back then as “sin strip.”). This was back in 1962-1964. The Knockouts were the featured group playing in what was a “Mafia” nightclub. It had its’ share of small and big-time mobsters with names like, Chokes, Jerry Chokes to be polite or I suppose, Mr. Chokes. Butcher, the Claw, Notch, John the Walk, Sali Burns and many others that I have long since forgotten. Their names were a representation of the specific service they performed. Many of these colorful characters had been deported from Manhattan to New Jersey for reasons  of their health.   Luciano’s (mysteriously) burned down in the 1970’s. “

“Clubs in those days were different from today’s. You couldn’t get in without a suit and tie. We use to sit at the bar and engage in our two favorite sports. Drinking 7&7’s or CC & water and trying to score with the babes. You had to be very careful on the last item. If you got too friendly with a “wise-guy’s” main squeeze it could prove painful.

Of course, the Knockout’s biggest hit was “Darling Lorraine”. However a favorite they performed at every gig was an Elvis Presley  tune called: “I don’t have a wooden heart”.

(39 votes, average: 3.51 out of 5)

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“Cool Prose For Kats”   Ric Records

(42 votes, average: 3.83 out of 5)

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“Wailin’ with Winnie”   Winnie Gould with Larry Fontine and his Orchestra Bel Canto Records

(81 votes, average: 4.56 out of 5)

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Ruth Crockett at the Dual Keyboards   His Records Label (In Stereo of course)

Aside:   My family lived in Cleveland throughout the 1970’s.   The song “Funky Poodle” was written and performed by Steve Jochum in 1980 as a member of The Wild Horses.   The band, which formed at Ohio State in the mid-seventies , started out covering Rolling Stones songs (duh) and was voted the Number 1 band   in the Cleveland Area for 5 years.   The song is on the soundtrack of the 2006 movie “You, Me and Dupree” starring Owen Wilson and Kate Hudson.

(65 votes, average: 4.34 out of 5)

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E Facil Ser Feliz   Moacyr Franco Copacabana Records

(25 votes, average: 3.44 out of 5)

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“Donkey Debka”   Young Israel Sings   Ron & Nama   Elektra Records

(27 votes, average: 3.19 out of 5)

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Andre Valtier “Les Amours Hors-Serie, Vol. 3   Pacific Records

(143 votes, average: 4.10 out of 5)

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The Adventures of Babar the Elephant   Philips France   As I imagine many of my generation do, I remember Babar well from those first oversized books I read and reread as a young boy.   Like Bambi, it begins with his mother getting shot and killed by hunters.   Pretty heavy.   I should go back and read it again.

(34 votes, average: 3.09 out of 5)

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Dave West “The Sheppard of the West and His Big Country Guitar”

(44 votes, average: 3.84 out of 5)

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