Doris Times Two, Plus A Gaggle Of 50s Gals, Gloria's Exclusive Wood, Julie's Flame And An X-Girl Secret Song!

Doris! Singer, actress, activist and all-round beam of sunshine.

Super-Exclusive Anita, Doris Loves You And Leaves You, A Little French Alterna-Spice, Plus A Vegas Girl Secret Song!

Go, Anita, go! Never stop, never give in. The life of Anita, as you may know, was like a runaway freight train, so it still amazes me that her jazz performances were so fantastic - especially the live ones, given that she was struggling with heroin addiction for at least a third of her life. She never, however, shot up before a performance (only after), which may explain something. Or maybe she was just that good.

You'll get a good taste of Anita live in both CD's below - each of them a Go, Anita, Go, Cheerful Exclusive! - the first highlighting an array of terrific performances in Stockholm, Newport, Miami and Manhattan throughout the late 1950's.

The second marked her triumphant 1981 return to live performing in Tokyo (they worshipped her in Japan) (and still do). Oh, and this was just after she'd beaten her addiction. I know, right? She just couldn't be stopped. Her vocals were as sharp as ever, maybe more so, since her usual technical mastery was met with a newly rich, sometimes darker, emotional range. If you j'adore Anita like I do, they're both essential.

From one tough jazz babe to another. Yes, Doris Day (no, really). She wasn't all sunshine and rainbows, you know, though in her heyday, she certainly came off that way.

Still, she didn't pull any punches in 1955's "Love Me Or Leave Me," the (mostly) fictionalized account of jazz singer Ruth Etting. It's the one movie her fans repeatedly point to when they're told that Doris can't act, and for good reason. Her Etting is by turns coldly ambitious, lovelorn and anguished - and liberated only on stage. Plus Doris gets to sing, of course. The soundtrack is chock full of great numbers, like "Shaking The Blues Away," a definitive "Ten Cents A Dance," and, of course, "Love Me Or Leave Me."

Still, most people are surprised (I know I was) to learn that Doris was a serious jazz and Big Band singer before she was candied-up by La La Land. First discovering her love of song as a child while listening to Ella Fitzgerald on the radio, she later became the favored "girl singer" for Big Band leaders everywhere, most notably Les Brown. Together, they shot to the top of the radio charts.

"Doris Day, Complete Recordings With Les Brown" - which starts off with her buoyant take on "Dig It!" - is just about perfection. If you only know Doris from "Que Sera Sera," then you're about to learn how gifted she really was, and, yes, why Hollywood beat a path to her door and snatched her up. Oh, and you'll also realize why, at the height of her Hollywood fame, Oscar Levant once quipped "I knew Doris Day before she was a virgin."

From jazz to Big Band...to alternative-rock-mixed-with-electro-with-a-bit-of-punk-ska-and-flamenco-tossed-in. I know, you're confused (I know my head's spinning) (but then I'm still on my first cup of coffee). Have you heard of "Les NeGresses Vertes?" They're still France's most successful worldwide rock export. Why? Because their music was instantly, sometimes insanely, likable, but also, I think, because of their "we'll try anything" ethos, which gave a point-of-entry for all musical tastes.

I remember exactly where I was in 1993 when I sampled the first two tracks of the group's "10 Remixes." There I was, just a wee little sprite at the Virgin Store. I didn't have to listen to more than a few tracks before I flew to the cashier with the CD, then ran home to play it. All their biggest hits are here, masterfully remixed (but not overwhelmed) by the likes of William Orbit, Clive Martin and many more. Trust me, this is ear candy of a very high order.

By 1999, the group had regrouped and reconfigured after the heroin overdose death of one of its members, and decided to add the all-new element of electro to their already brimming bag of musical styles. The result was "Trabendo," a collection of seductive, still contemporary-sounding, grooves. It's one of their best.

Gunslinger Gilda - the Secret Song File's BFF - is always prepared. Yes, that's a submachine gun under her pillow, but c'mon, who would ever suspect? She looks so very innocent.

Speaking of tough, you've got to be a special kind of "girl singer" to chart your own path in today's Vegas. Sure, you can feel what you want to feel (*cough*) but as this former Miss America contestant with genuine vocal talent will tell you, if you give it one more try (*cough*cough*), everything will be okay. In fact, shaking and stirring it only makes it better (I'd cough again, but I'd much rather scratch my nubbins) (don't judge) (I can feel you judging) (stop it!).

I'll shake, I'll stir, but I refuse to twerk!

Shake it down in the comments, if you like.

Clamma's Complete Bess, Andre Times Two, Plus Minnie's Students And A Third Eye Secret Song!

Sing out, Clamma - and rejoice "Porgy And Bess" fans. Clamma Dale performed the role of "Bess" in the Houston Grand Opera's production of "Porgy And Bess" in 1976, and to say that this was a seismic turning point for the troubled Gershwin/Heyward show is a (huge) understatement. "Porgy and Bess," as you may know, was ignored for decades given its ill-fated Broadway debut in 1935, several lumpy revivals which hacked the score to pieces, and a stiff, unsatisfying movie version. No one, it seemed, could save it from obscurity.

Then the Houston Grand Opera changed everything. For the first time, the show was performed by an actual opera company, and the entire score was restored. Lucky for us, it was recorded in its entirety. If you've only heard the truncated 2012 Broadway version (which sounds a bit shrill) (to me) (you can't convince me otherwise), then get ready. This is the real thing.

Meanwhile, Mia Farrow better be super-careful (she should have listened to her psychic). After all, her baby could turn into a she-devil. Or worse, she might marry Mia's boyfriend. Look out, Mia, look out!

Luckily, Mia's previous marriage to composer, conductor and musician Andre Previn ended without much angst. Truthfully, I've never much liked Andre's work as a soundtrack composer (they all sound ham-handed) (to me) (you can't convince me otherwise). But his jazz work, ah, well, that's another matter. 

His 1957 take on Broadway's "Pal Joey" is wonderful light jazz, with Andre on the piano, Shelly Manne on drums and Red Mitchell on bass. You may not be familiar with all the songs from this show, but the ones you do know all but caper out with top hats. "Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered," for instance, has rarely sounded so glowing. 

And just when things couldn't possibly get any better, they do. In 1962's "Duet," Andre's trio was joined by Doris Day. The entire LP is heaven, but it's the opening track, "Close Your Eyes," that'll send you into orbit. Andre's arrangement, Doris' singing; sometimes song and performance really are perfectly matched. 

The other night, at the insistence of my Cuban Luvuh, I watched "Hunky Dory," a 1970's-era tale about a plucky high school theatre director and her conflicted students (the no-good punk, check; the closeted 'mo, check; etc, etc.). 

The movie's 70's-era musical soundtrack - a Tye-Dye Cheerful Exclusive! - is a lot of fun. And the movie itself? I was expecting a warmed-over version of "Glee," except set in Wales, and allegedly "gritty," and while that's basically what it is, the performances are (so much) better, and the kind-hearted tone is genuinely felt. 

There's another big difference, too. The musical numbers are sometimes fantastic. And unlike the platinum-hearted "Glee," they can even send a shiver or two up your spine. Case in point is The Byrds' number "Everyone's Been Burned" performed by Darren Evans, a Welsh-born actor who portrays a twitchy, bug-eyed teen who's scarily tuned in to every bitter word of the lyric. The actor is so self-effacing that, for this number, at least, you almost feel like you're watching a documentary. 

The Secret Song File is always performing - on occasion, just for herself - sometimes here, sometimes there, sometimes in Glasgow, which is home base for a certain indie rock group (which for some odd reason hasn't had the commercial success it deserves). 

If you walk like a peasant or write about love, you may have heard of them. But be careful, that waitress you just short-changed may bring catastrophe, though honestly, given your third eye, you really should have known. And if you did, then you might also know the name of their terrif new CD. The Secret Song File does. And today, she's not just keeping it for herself. 

Some things really are better shared, don't you think? 

Share and share alike in the comments if the mood moves you. 

Holiday Cheer With Babs And Friends, Giggles With Lily, Basil Does Poe, Brassy Bassey, Magnificent Monk, Plus A Mars Attack Secret Song!

Wow! I'll have what she's having - but make it a double. Babs sure knows how to get into the holiday spirit, and in the late 1960's, she contributed several songs to two promotional Christmas compilation LPs, the first put out by Maxwell House, the second by Good Year Tires. And they're here today, both of them super-exclusive to the Cheerful! Aren't you glad you stopped by?

If you really-really love your Barbra, then you must give a listen to "Seasons Greetings" above. The first part is an all-Babs "Christmas Concert" in which she sings "Ava Maria," "Silent Night," and more, in a slow, reverent tone that's more in keeping with her "Classical Barbra" than her pop albums of the day. Oh, and there's also Doris Day on the flip side, as well as Jim Nabors singing "Jingle Bells" in a low-low basso profondo voice which sounds...I'm not quite sure. Ridiculous? Delightful? You decide.

The second LP offers more variety in terms of singers - and a bit of overlap with a few of Barbra's and Doris' songs reappearing from the first LP. But how can you resist Ella Fitzgerald doing "White Christmas?" Or more holiday songs from Bing Crosby, Sammy Davis Jr., Jo Stafford, Frank Sinatra and Julie Andrews? There's also a contribution from Pat Boone, though I'll say no more about that (except to say that it's almost painfully, soul-killingly bland) (but really, I have no fixed opinion on the matter).

Do you know the giggly ladies above? They're the Lennon Sisters, a sort of second-rung Andrew Sisters group who nevertheless distinguished themselves with their toothsome high spirits. They were discovered one day at their school by Lawrence Welk's son (no, really), then whisked onto "The Lawrence Welk Show" on Christmas Eve in 1955. From that point on, they were dubbed "America's Sweethearts."

Their Christmas LP finds them putting their own bubbly spin on "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer," "Jingle Bells" (of course), "Joy To The World," and scads more. Fair warning, the first two cuts are a bit scritchy-scratchy, but honest, it's the best LP copy out there I could find. So live with a few scratches, and enjoy! The Lennon Sisters certainly are.

Now let's kick it up a notch. Or two or five or twenty. You can't listen to holiday tunes all month, can you? And don't you want something to take you into the New Year? Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for the one, the only...

...Miss Shirley Bassey. There is no other. And you really must hear her song "Johnny One-Note." You know the drill. If Shirley is only going to get one note, then she's. Going. To. Kill. It. She's slays in all the other songs, too, on her 1966 LP "I've Got A Song For You," a Cheerful Exclusive! 

From one number to the next, Bassey nearly gives you whiplash on numbers like "All Or Nothing At All" (my favorite, because the insane arrangement seems to match her vocals) and "Let Me Sing And I'm Happy," which is as close to an autobiographical song as you're going to get from her, and wow, does she live. Every Single. Damn. Note.

I don't know about you, but with family, friends and all sorts of what-ev-uh over the holidays, I need some yucks. Happily, my Cuban Luvuh allowed me to digitize his prized Lily Tomlin LP. Her first one. And the only one that earned a Grammy.

Get ready. Everyone's favorite Tomlin character is here - in this supah Cheerful Exclusive! - none other than Miss Ernestine, the supremely pushy phone operator who delightedly squabbles with the likes of Joan Crawford and J. Edgar Hoover, while also contending with obscene callers, the mafia and the Pope. And that's just for starters.

Equally fun is the one-and-only Thelonius Monk. Yes, I said fun. Too often our music greats are lionized and praised and eulogized to the point that you forget what made them great to begin with, or in Monk's case, you lose sight of the sheer joy you feel when you hear him perform.

I love the picture of Monk above with British Baroness Panonicca "Nica" Rothschild de Koenigswarter, or "The Jazz Baroness," a devoted patron to Charlie Parker and Monk, both of whom she cared for during their last dying days in her apartment. Her gaze is pure adoration.

Want to know what Nica was all crazy about? Give a listen to his 1964 LP "Monk," yet another Cheerful Exclusive! (in lossless). The track "Panonnica" is a wonderful tribute to you-know-who in an LP evenly mixed between covers and originals. In other words, it's pure jazz pleasure. And fun! There, I said it.

Finally, after the New Year has passed, in the chill of night, you just might need to add an extra spine-tingling shudder with a certain Baltimore scribe:

Yes, you need Poe. In this mwah-haha Cheerful Exclusive!, listen with eyes wide open as the peerless Basil Rathbone reads all of your Poe favorites like "The Raven," "The Fall Of The House Of Usher," "The Black Cat," "The Tell-Tale Heart" and oodles and kaboodles more. I'm pretty sure Rathbone was created for this job.

This will be my last post until after the New Year, so Merry Jingle Thingies and Happy New Year's to you all. What a tumultuous year. The Cheerful Earfull went from having hundreds of posts, and then - poof! - they were all vanquished by dastardly foes (every link was gone in a flash). But now it's coming back as a respectable (ish) blog one post at a time. And all along you've been cheering me on, dear reader. Don't think I'm not grateful.

Less grateful is The Secret Song File, who was told by her pimp to go mass-market and clean up her act. In other words, no more dyed platinum hair. Sad emoticon. The same thing might have happened to a certain Honolulu-born recording artist, even though his mobsterish (*cough*) first CD sold well. In his latest CD here today, there seems to be an effort to really go commercial and really make it big. I'm not saying it's a money grab, it's not, but it's...hmm, I don't know. You tell me.

I do know one thing. If you think The Secret Song File is giving up platinum hair or going mass-market or even cavorting within sniffing distance of respectability in the New Year, relax, kemosabe. Nevah. Gonna. Happen.

Joy to the world, be happy, drink like a fish, give big sloppy kisses to lots of people!

And leave a comment if you like. Or whisper. I'll hear. 

Bring It Down With Betty, Groove With Bonaduce, Be Dazzled By Doris, Plus The Blues In Paris And An End-Of-Week Secret Song!

I love Queens. And the one above? She's Miami's Queen of Soul, and like many a Queen, she's best experienced live. Yes, it's Miss Betty Wright, and her electrifying "Live" LP may have been recorded over thirty years ago, but make no mistake, it sounds as urgent and fresh as anything recorded today.

It almost seems like her entire career - which began when she sang in her family's gospel group at age thirteen and continued on with hit records and a Grammy Award - was just a preamble for this one knock-'em-dead performance.

You can hear how heavily she's influenced the likes of Joss Stone and Beyonce, for example, but Betty outshines them all. Why? Just give a listen to the epic track "Clean Up Woman Medley," which rockets from blues to soul to jazz to R&B. The execution is stunning, and more important, the soul is real.

Are you familiar with Danny Bonaduce? You know, before the transsexual hookers, spectacular drug abuse and radio disc jockey gigs. Way back when he was a smirky, "naughty boy" child actor on "The Partridge Family."

It's a typical story. Child actor makes good - records giggly LP that has him straining to hit the high notes, yet somehow making songs like "Feelin' Groovy" sound credible - then flames out big-time once his show ends and he hits puberty.

But wouldn't you know, there was a nice surprise in Bonaduce's case. He eventually kicked drugs, cleaned up, and in addition to his work on radio, he pops up frequently as an amusing, foul-mouthed guest on countless TV talk shows. It almost makes you hold out hope for Lindsay Lohan. Okay, so maybe that's a stretch...but it could happen. Right?

And now let's move on to our present-day Greta Garbo. Like Garbo, when Doris Day called it quits, she really meant it. It's rare to see her photographed today, and when you do, it feels invasive, as if she's some J.D. Salinger-type who really and truly wants everyone to fuck off leave her alone. That wasn't the case decades ago:

"The Love Album" was her last original LP, and it's an excellent swan song since she's in terrific voice. Obviously, she wanted to go out on top, and she succeeds.

She's been written off many times as a sugary novelty, but listen closely to the LP - my favorite track is "Sleepy Lagoon" - to the effortless vocal control, the lyrical phrasing, the clear-eyed belief in every single solitary word coming out of her corker. When she sings, "While the music plays, I'm in ecstasy," she really and truly means it.

Remember the 90's? All those trippy "Buddha Lounge" CDs that made you go "Woooooooow. Huh? Wha?" after your seventh bong hit? Oh, and remember how every Euro-DJ within spitting distance was working on the "Saint Germaine Des Pres Cafe" series? Every now and again I'll give a listen to an old "Saint Germaine" CD; some of them hold up well, some of them - ouch - not so much.

But guess what? They've been sneaking back into production. I know, right? In 2010, they released the 2-CD "Blue Edition," and it's actually a terrif mix of artists and tones, with everyone from "The Cinematic Orchestra," jazz performer Chris Bowden and soul singer Dee Edwards lending their tracks to the "Saint Germain" DJ's (and, yes, they're still equipped with a limitless array of electro tweaks and twurks). Will I be rolling my eyes when I listen to this in ten or fifteen years? Maybe, but for now, it's a kick.

Oh, no! She's at it again! The Secret Song File can't seem to keep her clothes on in front of her therapist. She says it's "curative" - gurl, who you kidding? - but we know what she's really after. Those cool retro phones on her therapist's desk!

Speaking of being at it again, this young, bluesy soul artist is, um, what you need (*cough*). No, really. Especially now that he's put together all of his hypnotic tapes into one spanking new CD, and - poof! - just like that, a modern classic (when my Cuban Luvuh first heard it, he said, "Is this fucking music?"). If you like sexy, moody, soulful slow grooves, then this wunderkind artist - he's only 22! - should keep you nice and warm over the holidays.

I've never liked eggnog and I'm not afraid to admit it.

Don't be shy. Say something strange and freaky in the comments!