Exclusive Patrice and Barbara, Plus Bette's Darkest Day And A Designer Tunes Secret Song!

Glory be! Why is that dresser reaching beneath Miss Patrice Munsel's garment? And Patrice looks so happy about it. Why I never!

Lola's Delicious Dream, Maisel's Merry Melodies, Plus Max Goes Dark, A Bucket For Legrand And A Street Boys Secret Song!

Some people are just too pretty for words. Such is the case with Lola Albright, who earned lasting fame by playing the hot-cha! nightclub singer on TV'S "Peter Gunn" in the early 1960s.

Nancy's Nite, Chloe's Fiddling, Plus Ana's So Kewl, Lotus Land's Epics And A Boy-Boutique Secret Song!

Spring has sprung! And with it, more cheerful tunes. In case of our first vocalist, we have yet another singer who's a mystery wrapped in a sphinx wrapped in a Rubik's Cube. Intrigued? I knew you would be.

Morgana Rises, Teresa in Stereo, Max At His Maxi-est, Plus A Georgia Jazz Girl Secret Song!

Here's a tale to shiver your timbers before Halloween. On October 4th, 2008, Lina Morgana, an impoverished nineteen-year-old singer and songwriter born of Russian immigrant parents in Staten Island, New York, was on the cusp of superstardom when she either fell or deliberately jumped from a ten-story building. Barely six months later, in April of 2008 - and seemingly out of nowhere - "Just Dance," the first single from Lady Gaga, rocketed to the top of the charts. Why is this important? Because many believe that Gaga outright stole Lina's entire musical and visual persona. 

Monkees Give Head, Exclusive Candi, Plus More Robin, Bette's Curls And A Gag-Jazz Secret Song!

I've always liked "The Monkees," the late-60s TV series about a loopy rock band created by "Five Easy Pieces" director Bob Rafelson (of all people). Some mocked the show as a rotten-stinking money-grab designed to exploit The Beatles craze, and while that might have been the thinking of network executives when they bought it, the show itself clearly just wanted to make everyone giggle. When I was just a teensy little gumdrop, the combo of milk, cereal and the slapstick antics of "The Monkees" was purest ecstasy. 

Still, I wasn't old enough to know that they'd made a movie just after their show was cancelled. It's probably a good thing, because if I had, I would have wanted to go - and there's no way in hell my parents would have let me. Why? Because the movie is deliberately designed as a near-plotless LSD trip in which The Monkees, Frank Zappa, Teri Garr, Annette Funicello and Jack Nicholson (in one of his earliest roles) cavort, chuckle and generally hippie-out in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Palm Springs. 

Anita's Finest, Sheila's Confirmin', Plus Bette's Best And A Tiny Diva Secret Song!

Peace out, yo, from Anita to you (don't you feel better now?)  (I do). As you may know, I've highlighted a lot of Anita LPs here from her later years (because they're the hardest to find and every Anita fan should have them), but I got to thinking the other day, what if there are readers out there who only know Anita from the this blog? It's certainly possible, and that would be a shame, since early and mid-career Anita is just flat-out fantastic.

Below, you'll find what I think is the best-evuh compilation of classic Anita.

Swingin' Barry, Georgia's Nibs, A Big Howdee From Minnie, A Classic Crime Scene, Plus An Oh-So-Very-Blue Secret Song!

Today post is full of laughs and romance and danger! But first, a little intrigue by way of John Barry's kicky 1965 score for "The Knack And How To Get It," a groovalicious soundtrack with funky organ, xylophone, a fabulously overactive percussion section and a horn section that'll  - pow! - blow you into kingdom come.

The movie, which is actually pretty good, is all about "Swingin' London" in the 1960's - mods! hippies! rockers! - and stars Rita Tushingham, the movie's "Jo" from "Taste Of Honey," so you know it's going to be so far out. And Barry's music jacks it all up. Did I say far out? I think I did. Trust me. You'll love it.

Speaking of groovy and all kinds of fine, say hello to Miss Georgia Gibbs:

In the Exclusively Cheerful Nibs! posting, Miss Gibbs herself - who started her career by performing jazz and R&B covers, then moved on to pop - starts off this 1966 collection with a wonderfully snazzy version of "Something's Got To Give." But my favorite is her take on "Do It Again." Not many singers can sound so scrubby clean, yet so down low and dirty, at the same time, but somehow Miss Gibbs pulls it off.

In the mood for a giggle? Me, too. So 'cmon, now, pull up a bucket of chicken and a box of wine, cuz Minnie's got a few story's to tell ya'.

I'd never really followed the career of Minnie when I was mini myself, but when I happened upon the 1963 comedy LP "Howdee! Cousin Minnie Pearl, The Gal From Grinder's Switch At The Party" something told me to grab it.

In this Cheerfully Downhome Exclusive!, Minnie chats about her booze-swillin' Uncle Naybob, sings a few songs, like "How To Catch A Man" ("Hog tie 'im!") and chitchats about her own looks. "A feller told me I looked like a fresh breath of spring," she says, then meekly corrects herself. "Well, actually, he didn't use those words, he said I looked like the end of a hard winter." Plus, she talks all about her "good friend Elvis." How can you go wrong?

I've always held a special place in my heart for film noir (and John Garfield, the ultimate dumb-luck hunk).

And yet it's not just the skewed camera angles, concealing shadows or nefarious storylines that have pulled me in. The danger-girl jazz-infused music adds to the fun, too, and most of it makes for great listening (even out of context).

"Crime Scene USA" is hard to beat in this regard with its collection of tunes from classics like "Double Indemnity" and "Mildred Pierce," to name just two, by a Who's Who of composers such as Alfred Newman, Miklos Rozsa, Max Steiner, Franz Waxman, Elmer Bernstein and even Marvin Hamlisch. It's perfect for a rainy Sunday afternoon, but really, any day is a bad-girl good day for music like this.

Some time ago, The Secret Song File was crowned Miss Sausage Queen USA, and, yes, I know what you're thinking, and yes, you'd be right. How else do you think Beauty Queens win their crowns? They're not getting down on their knees for the Lord (rim-shot!) (oh, no I di'nt!).

What in hell's bells does that have to do with today's musical offering (or anything, really)? Beats me. So anyhoo, let's give today's hints in pictures! This popular jazz songstress with a poppin' new CD has THIS as a first name, plus a last name which sounds like the moniker of THIS chateau. OMG, was that supereasy or what?

Right, so when we start talking sausages and supereasy, it's time to hit the trail. 

Tell me if you've ever been crowned (and for what) in the comments. I swear I won't judge (too much)!