All Guys-A-Go-Go With George All For You, Ben Off Stage, Lenny's West Side, Plus Sammy's Whammy And A Deluxe Vision Secret Song!

All-men, all the time! Or Revenge Of The Men, you might say, since this is the first Cheerful Earfull post with only YX chromosomes. Ever. I do this, of course, since there's so many manly men in the U.S. these days. And who better to kick off such a post than the dreamy-smooth George Chakiris?

The Elusive Lucy, Swingin' George, Anita in 'Cisco, Plus Cece's Finally Movin' And A British Grammar Secret Song!

Who was Lucy Reed? Good question, and I'm afraid I don't have much of an answer, though over the years, she's developed a loyal cult following due to her sharply dramatic vocals. Happily, her personal life wasn't marred by any on-going troubles, like drug-addiction, for example. She enjoyed a decade-long career at Chicago jazz clubs in the 1950's and even made it to New York a few times to record. Some of her recording sessions resulted in her second LP, "This Is Lucy Reed," a Cheerfully Lucy Exclusive! 

LaVerne Goes Live, Hitchcock's Best, Chakiris Croons, Plus Pyewacket And A Stunt Queen Secret Song!

Think only today's singers are raunchy? That only they cross the line? Oh, hahahahaha! LaVern Baker laughs at you. In fact, "Think Twice," LaVern's duet with Jackie Wilson, was so racy it was banned outright - and that was in the late 60s. But some things are just too good to remain hidden. Give a listen:

Haven't heard of LaVern? She was a popular R&B queen in the 1950s who started out singing in nightclubs under the name "Little Miss Sharecropper." Like most legends, she couldn't, or wouldn't, leave well enough alone. Thank goodness. She was still truckin', as they used to say, live in Hollywood in 1991 in this Sassy Cheerful Exclusive!, the year she was inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall Of Fame.

Believe it or not, she sounded better than ever, maybe because she returned to her jazz and blues roots, especially on cuts like "Slow Rollin' Mama" and "I Cried A Tear." Oh, and in the song, "Saved," where she claims she no longer "smokes, cusses, drinks and dances the hootchie-coo," you get the distinct feeling that she's bending the truth a little. Yes, the song ends with her "stepping on to glory," but I'm sure she did it on her own terms.

Look, the couple below is making sweet love. Actually, it's a murder, but with Hitchcock, as you know, love, cruelty and death are one and the same.

Have you ever seen "Frenzy?" It's late-era Hitchcock, so not as well known, but it's one of my favorites, and the music by Ron Goodwin is appropriately upbeat, yet menacing. A track from that film can be heard in "Psycho: The Essential Alfred Hitchcock," a wonderful two-CD set which includes essential tracks not only from Bernard Herrmann, but Dimitri Tiomkin ("Dial 'M' For Murder," "Strangers On A Train"), Franz Waxman ("Suspicion," "Rear Window") and a host more going all the way back to music for 1935's "The 39 Steps." In other words, there's something for every Hitchcock fan to celebrate!

Meanwhile, who's the swaggy-looking dude leaning out of the truck cab below?

Why, it's our old friend George Chakiris: dancer, Academy Award-winning actor, singer and all-around nice guy. How do I know he's nice? Because me and my Cuban Luvuh met him briefly a few weeks ago at a tribute to his career. He could not have been more gentlemanly, and at seventy-nine years old, he still has a tall dancer's build - from a few feet away, you'd swear he was in his mid-forties. In fact, given the way he moved, I'm almost certain he can still do this:

Chakiris hasn't gotten his due as a singer - he was one of the few who wasn't dubbed in "West Side Story - and as we learned that night, it's what brought him his greatest pleasure besides dancing. "Memories Are Made Of This" - a Dancing Greek Cheerful Exclusive! - is one of his better LPs. The orchestrations are smart (it's Frank Sinatra's official Capitol band) and Chakiris' vocals are sharper and more confident than in past efforts, especially on "Witchcraft" and "A Taste Of Honey." Though he can tend to overuse his lower register for woo-woo-woo effect, this is a stylish LP from beginning to end.

Since Christmas is coming, shouldn't we celebrate a famous puss?

Yes, it's Pyewacket, the famous puss from "Bell, Book & Candle" (that other puss is awfully nice, too). It's a terrific movie, of course - not "great," necessarily, but perfectly pleasant - and the soundtrack by George Duning, believe it or or not, is a brightly fizzy listen for the holidays. No, really. Wonderful to listen to while hanging lights on the tree 'n' such. Or for cuddling your own little Pyewacket.

There are stunt queens - and then, guuuuuuurl, there are Stunt Quenns! The Secret Song File has to give it up for this pop singer's midnight dump earlier this week: an all-new CD, plus accompanying videos, out of nowhere. Who cares if it's any good or not, because at least this mess and this mess were pushed off the news cycle for a few hours.

Some of it's not bad, and it's definitely better than her last CD (which The Secret Song File listened to once, then promptly deleted). Are the videos good? Who knows - and they aren't here, but the music is. Yet the question remains, how will music's other pop divas one-up this?

Good God, what will Mariah do?!

Pull your own stunt in the comments, if you like.

George on George, Pick Your Roni With K&D, A DJ'S Shadow, Plus Esther's Free And A Gayelle Secret Song!

George Chakiris, your favorite hot Greek actor/dancer back in the day (not that he isn't hot today) (you know what I mean) didn't attain star status after his Oscar-nominated performance in "West Side Story," but his career was long and steady (and, yes, he was closeted) (which was necessary back in the day) (much like today if you want to be a leading man) (but I digress).

Happily, George also recorded several LP's, and in this So Greek Cheerful Exclusive! from 1962, he goes all-Gershwin, crooning "Someone To Watch Over Me," "Do It Again," and more. True, his singing style is as dated as his pompadour below, but like the hair, its also timelessly endearing.

Sometimes Google Image Search amuses me, especially when it burps up a mistake like below. I typed simply, "Roni Size," hoping to find a nice picture of the renown British DJ and producer whose "Heroes" is the first track remixed in Kruder Dorfmeister's "K&D Sessions." Anyway, look what it presented for me to choose from:

Which one is Roni Size? I'm not telling. Sadly, I was unable to duplicate this Google-burp when I tried it again, but I did get this priceless jewel:

After recovering from a serious case of the hahahas - there was no person of color in "Close Encounters" with a significant speaking role that I can recall - I realized Google, in its wisdom, believes that Roni Size is a mountain with a spaceship landing on its top, or perhaps an alien, which, when you think about it, is kind of awesome. Either that, or Spielberg went way-way Rasta back in the day.

But I digress (again). Now that the 90's are nostalgia fodder for VH1 and the like, it's time to recognize that decade as a golden era for electronica. I know, we can surely argue that point (but really, you know I'm right). The decade ended with two masterpieces. The first, "The K&D Sessions," was so outstanding that not even its creators were able to match its brilliance before or since (they disbanded as a duo shortly after). There's a few shockers if you haven't heard this 1998 double-CD in a while. First, it's surprisingly melodic - and fun. Try the first rendition of "Bug Powder Dust" or "Jazz Master." Is anything in electronica today as stylishly entertaining?

Also among the decade's best is DJ Shadow's 2-CD "Entroducing," which brilliantly melded hip-hop and electronica with countless different musical genres. It was considered a major breakthrough, and not just for electronica, but for pop music as a whole. You can still hear its influence in pop music today, from Lady Gaga to Daft Punk to Frank Ocean and more.

In another era entirely, Esther Phillips, or "Little Esther" as she was known on an early handbill below, was a master at blues, jazz, pop, soul and...well, the list goes on. There really wasn't anything she couldn't do.

She was discovered at a talent show by Johnny Otis when she was just thirteen-years-old, but life wasn't easy for Esther. Like Anita O'Day, she struggled with heroin addiction, yet after each bout, she rose like a phoenix, creating more records and exploring even more musical genres - even cutting a country LP and scoring a major hit with her cover of the Beatles' "And I Love Him (Her)."

I've been developing a real affection for Esther lately, especially after listening to "Set Me Free." Many compare her soulfulness to Aretha, her bluesiness to Dinah, but when you hear her take on Peggy Lee's "Fever," for example, or "Women Will Do No Wrong" (my favorite track here), you'll realize that there's only one Esther.

The Secret Song File is so-o-o tired of jokers. You know, the cranks who love swinging open the shower curtain and wielding a carving knife when you're trying to clean the goods? It's. Not. Funny. Any. More. Plus, isn't it sexist? A humor-free lesbian might claim as much, but then lesbians aren't known for their humor (you know, like the ones who wanted to be called "Gayelles") (and they weren't joking). And yet, and yet...

Every once in a while, a Gayelle comes along and breaks the stereotype, like "Ellen" (before she became "adorable"), or Jane Lynch, and a current Gayelle whom my Cuban Luvuh just adores (she's probably hated by Taylor Dayne...but that's another story). What else can I tell you? Oh, let's see. Did you know that "tig" is another name for "tag?" It's true. You can actually get "tigged" by someone. And say "no" to tarot card readings. Or "No Tarot!" But say it like one word and leave off the last "T."But whatever you do, don't tell Taylor Dayne! That gurl will cut you. But I digress...

And digress and digress and digress. I can't help it!

Go off on your own little tangent in the comments. You know I won't mind. 

George Does It Daddy-O, Beverly Snuggles, Juanita Gets Bluesy, Marilyn's First Time, Plus A Real Pushy Secret Song!

You go, Daddy-o! George Chakiris was one fine looking Greek years ago when he was tapped to play a dancing, singing Puerto Rican gang member in "West Side Story." 

The opposing gang was Caucasian, of course, though as Pauline Kael famously noted, "...the only difference between these two gangs of what I'm tempted to call ballerinas is that one group has faces and hair darkened, and the other group has gone wild for glittering yellow hair dye. They’re about as human as the Munchkins in ‘The Wizard of Oz.'" 

After "West Side Story" put him on the map, George had a fairly lengthy career, primarily on television, and presently sells frightfully expensive, but interesting-looking, self-designed jewelry. And yes, he recorded LPs, too! In 1963's "George Chakiris" - the full title is actually "West Side Story's Dynamic George Chakiris" - he croons in a woo-woo-woo matinee idol-style that I'd thought was a cliche by the time this was recorded (but apparently not). When he goes for those low notes, he dives deep, baby, very deep. And don't you worry, he sings a few songs from "West Side Story," including a mambo-style version of "Tonight." It's delirious fun, I promise. 

I've become newly enthralled by Beverly Kenney these days. Her vocals are so sweet and so (seemingly) simple; my whole body goes "Ahhhh" whenever I put on one of her CDs. Is it any wonder she was regarded as the heir apparent to Billie Holiday? Oh, and I just love that she began her career by singing "Happy Birthday" greetings for Western Union. She's still a footnote in jazz history which. Ain't. Right. At. All. And that's despite a fascinating 1992 "Rolling Stone" article about her life. 

Still, there's must be something in the water these days, because there seems to be a lot of new articles and postings about her, which means she's earning new fans every day. The CD below, re-issued in 2010, features a lovely version of "Sweet Lorraine," while "Tea For Two," the opening track, is irresistibly flirty. Honest, you can't go wrong with this one.  

Let's turn things up a bit, okay? How about some Big Band New Orleans blues and jazz? With a little dab - or a soupcon, as the French say - of Broadway? 

In her bouncy-happy 1969 namesake LP - a Cheerful Exclusive, dont'cha know - Juanita lets it rip right from the first track, "Way Down In New Orleans," goes to town on "Basin Street Blues," and unleashes pure joy in her version of "When You're Smiling." 

Juanita was the first African-American to win a Tony Award - the first, m'k? - for "South Pacific" in which she played an Asian character (say what?) named Bloody Mary. She also starred in "Flower Drum Song" as yet another Asian character (I'm not kidding) named Auntie Liang.

At the end of the LP, she gives fans of those shows what they want by endearingly performing both "Bali Ha'i" and "Happy Talk." Incredibly, when she played Bloody Mary in the movie version of "South Pacific," she was dubbed (!) (WTF?). Luckily, she was a regular at Greenwich Village nightclubs in the late 1950's and early 60's. They got to hear the real deal. And now so do we!

My Cuban Luvuh, as he is wont to say, has "exquisite taste in music," and while I can't get behind his unholy adoration of Betty Buckley - I'll never forget seeing her in "Carrie," the musical, when she stood at the top of a huge staircase, ready to sing a very-very serious song, and some queen cried out, "Betty Buckley, come on down!" - I have to agree with him that Marilyn Michaels is good, kicky fun for any occasion. 

She was already a celebrated singer in nightclubs, Catskills resorts and on TV variety shows by the time she recorded "Marilyn Michaels, a 1965 LP - and another Cheerful Exclusive! - and man, does she tear it up. Just listen to "All Or Nothing At All;" I swear, she seems ready to explode into smithereens by the end of the song. Big is always better, more is always marvelous. With a hot-cha virtuoso like this, she doesn't just kill every song she sings, she assassinates them - then turns around and mows them down for good measure. I love it!

Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! Accidents happen, especially in the kitchen. Just look at the Secret Song File's bestie below. Poor dear. She really should have used a Cuisinart. But then you can't rush cooking, or new CDs, and this one's been over ten years in coming. No doubt, that's a long time. Oh, hahahahaha! (sorry, but I get s-o-o-o-o tickled when I'm that obvious). 

If you like to rock steady - and honestly, who doesn't? - then today is your lucky day. Don't speak about how this group doesn't sound as good as they used to. They do, and, yes, the lead singer still comes off like a fifteen-year-old girl sucking on helium, which I mean in the hella nicest way, instead of the forty-something pro that she is. Just remember, when cutting up carrots for din-din, watch it with that knife. It'll take longer, of course, but then we all like a simple kind of life, right?

Pan sauteed carrots, garlic and yellow peppers look so pretty!

And hey, jabber and pow-wow all you like in the comments.