Are there any interesting records in my grandparents' record collection?

my grandparents moved to senior housing last week after living in the same house since the mid-'50s, and they're letting me go through their record collection, even though I'm not planning to keep more than a few things. I thought it would be fun to catalogue their collection, if only to get a picture of what they were listening to circa 1955-1965 (answer: mostly vocal pop, bachelor pad lounge music, big band jazz, and a few smatterings of pop-rock). is there anything rare/weird/interesting here, or are these mostly just thrift shop staples? unfortunately I don't own a turntable, so all I can really do right now is listen to clips on youtube.

here's the exhaustive list (c&p'd from discogs:

∙Various - 4 Top Hits (Waldorf Record Corp. - MH 4541)
∙Various - A Golden Encore! (Columbia Special Products - CSP 248)
∙Vienna Festival Orchestra - A Treasury Of Symphonic Classics (Music Treasures Of The World - MSTS-9)
∙Carmen Cavallaro - At The Embers (Decca - DL 8389)
∙Perez Prado And His Orchestra - Dance Party (Parade (3) - SP 325)
∙Ernest Gold - Exodus - Original Soundtrack (RCA Victor - LOC 1058)
∙George Melachrino And His Orchestra* - Gioia Di Natale (RCA Victor - LPM-2044)
∙Andy "Plymouth" Rocke - Honky Tonk Classics (Parade (3) - SP 330)
∙Grady Martin And The Slew Foot Five - Hot Lips / Singin' The Blues Till My Daddy Comes Home (Decca - 29558)
∙Bell Ringers - It's A Sin To Tell A Lie / You Are My Sunshine (Bell Records - 1104)
∙Caravelle And His Orchestra - Love Scene (Columbia Record Club - DS-82)
∙Jimmy Carroll & Orchestra* - Moments To Remember (Bell Records - 1107)
∙Jackie Gleason - Music For Lovers Only (Capitol Records - EBF-352)
∙Chamber Orchestra Of The Vienna State Opera* - Orchestral Masterworks Of J.S. Bach (Vanguard - SRV 105)
∙Pepito Pavon Orchestra - Percussion In Cha Cha Time (Palace Century - PST-664)
∙Edie Adams - Show Time On Broadway (Columbia Special Products - CSP 256M)
∙David Haines with Paris Theatre Orchestra, The* - Warsaw Concerto/Debussy's Clair De Lune And Other ∙Popular Classical Themes (Somerset - P-2100)
∙Virgil Fox - Christmas Carols On The Organ (RCA Victor - LM-1845)
∙Four Bells, The - Here / Dream, Dream, Dream (Bell Records - 1039)
∙Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, The* Featuring Jimmy Dorsey - It Happens To Be Me / Lost In Loveliness (Bell Records - 1043)
∙Tommy Dorsey And His Orchestra Featuring Jimmy Dorsey - Make Love To Me / My Friend The Ghost (Bell Records - 1029)
∙Mario Lanza - The Student Prince (RCA Victor Red Seal - LM-1837)
∙McGuire Sisters - (Baby, Baby) Be Good To Me / My Baby's Got Such Lovin' Ways (Coral - 9-61532)
∙Don Cherry (2) - Band Of Gold (Columbia - 4-40597)
∙McGuire Sisters, The* - He / If You Believe (Coral - 9-61501)
∙McGuire Sisters, The* - He / If You Believe (Coral - 9-61501)
∙Four Lads, The - Moments To Remember (Columbia - 4-40539)
∙Barry Frank - Only You / Black Denim Trousers And Motorcycle Boots (Bell Records - 1109)
∙John Neher / Bell Ringers, The* - Sixteen Tons / I Hear You Knocking (Bell Records - 1112)
∙Patti Page - Allegheny Moon / The Strangest Romance (Mercury - 70878X45)
∙Harry Belafonte - Belafonte (RCA Victor - LPM-1150)
∙Les Elgart And His Orchestra - For Dancers Only (Columbia - CL 803)
∙Morton Gould And His Orchestra - Gershwin: An American In Paris, Porgy And Bess Suite (RCA Victor Red Seal, RCA Victor Red Seal - LM-2002, LM 2002)
∙Philadelphia Orchestra, The, Eugene Ormandy - Hi-Fi 3/4 - Waltzes And Songs By Waldteufel And Lehar (Columbia - CL 849)
∙Louis Armstrong And His All-Stars - Mack The Knife / Back O'Town Blues (Columbia - 4-40587)
∙Three Suns, The - Malaguena (RCA Victor - LPM-1220)
∙Rex Harrison, Julie Andrews - My Fair Lady (Columbia Masterworks - OL 5090)
∙Nelson Eddy - Oklahoma! (Columbia - CL 828)
∙Nelson Eddy, Doretta Morrow - The Desert Song (Columbia - CL 831)
∙Eddy Duchin - The Eddie Duchin Story - Original Eddy Duchin Recordings (Columbia - CL 790)
∙Bill Haley And His Comets - The Saints Rock 'N Roll / R-O-C-K (Decca - 9-29870)
∙Glenn Miller And His Orchestra - This Is Glenn Miller (RCA Victor - LPM 1190)
∙Bruno Walter Conducts Columbia Symphony Orchestra, The* / Strauss* - Waltzes- Overtures (Columbia Masterworks - ML 5113)
∙Tommy Dorsey And His Orchestra - Yes Indeed! (RCA Victor - LPM-1229)
∙National Actors And Singers - Children's Stories (Halo - 50108)
∙Beethoven*, Rubinstein*, Symphony Of The Air, Krips* - Concerto No. 5 (Emperor) (RCA Victor Red Seal - LM-2124)
∙Crazy Guy, The - Honky Tonk Piano (Crown Records (2) - CLP 5037)
∙Pat Boone - Love Letters In The Sand / Bernardine (Dot Records - 45-15570)
∙Victor Young - Michael Todd's Around The World In 80 Days - Music From The Sound Track (Decca - DL 9046)
∙Three Suns, The - Midnight For Two (RCA Victor - LPM-1333)
Wagner* / Boston Symphony Orchestra Conducted By Charles Munch - Munch Conducts Wagner (RCA Victor Red Seal - LM-2119)
∙Frank Yankovic And His Orchestra, Victor Zembruski And His Orchestra - Polka Party (Masterseal - MSLP 5009)
∙New Glenn Miller Orchestra, The Directed By Ray McKinley - The New Glenn Miller Orchestra In Hi Fi (RCA Victor, RCA Victor, RCA Victor - LPM-1522, LPM 1522, LPM1522)
∙Tchaikosky* / Philadelphia Orchestra, The, Eugene Ormandy - The Swan Lake - Ballet, Op. 20 (Columbia Masterworks - ML 5201)
∙Frankie Carle - 37 Favourites For Dancing (RCA Victor - LPM-1868)
∙Everly Brothers, The* - All I Have To Do Is Dream / Claudette (Cadence (2) - 1348)
∙Bizet*, Rimsky-Korsakov*, Rachmaninoff*, Dukas* - Basic Library Of The World's Greatest Music - Album No. 1 (Standard Reference Works Publishing Company - U101)
∙Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky* - Van Cliburn, Kiril Kondrashin, RCA Symphony Orchestra* - Concerto No. 1 (RCA Victor Red Seal, RCA Victor Red Seal - LM-2252, LM 2252)
∙Xavier Cugat And His Orchestra - Cugat Cavalcade (Columbia - CL 1094)
∙Tchaikovsky* / Pierre Monteux Conducting The London Symphony Orchestra* - Excerpts From The Sleeping Beauty (RCA Victor Red Seal, RCA Victor Red Seal - LM-2177, LM 2177)
∙Melachrino Strings, The - Moods In Music: Music For Reading (RCA Victor - LSP-1002)
∙Arturo Toscanini, NBC Symphony Orchestra - Nine Beethoven Symphonies (RCA Victor Red Seal - LM-6901)
∙Four Roses Society - Sing With The Four Roses Society (RCA Victor Custom Records - K8OP-6582 / 3)
∙Brahms* - Fritz Reiner . Chicago Symphony Orchestra* - Symphony No. 3, Tragic Overture (RCA Victor Red Seal - LM-2209)
∙Andre Kostelanetz And His Orchestra* - The Columbia Album Of Richard Rodgers, Vol. 1 (Columbia - CL 1140)
∙Mario Lanza - The Great Caruso (RCA Victor Red Seal - LM-1127)
∙Richard Rodgers, Robert Russell Bennett - Victory At Sea Vol. 2 (RCA Victor Red Seal - LM-2226)
∙Connie Francis - Who's Sorry Now (MGM Records - K12588)
∙Rosalind Russell - Wonderful Town (CBS Television Production) (Columbia - OL 5360)
∙Sammy Kaye And His Orchestra - Dreamy Dancing (Columbia - CL 1254)
∙Ella Fitzgerald - Ella Fitzgerald Sings The Gershwin Song Book Vol. 1 (Verve Records - MGV-4013)
∙Johnny Mathis - Faithfully (Columbia - CL 1422)
∙Jeanette MacDonald & Nelson Eddy - Favorites In Hi-Fi (RCA Victor - LPM-1738)
∙Hugo Winterhalter - Goes...Latin (RCA Victor - LPM-1677)
∙Mitch Miller And The Gang - Party Sing Along With Mitch (Columbia - CL 1331)
∙Various - Piano Roll Discoveries (RCA Victor, RCA Victor - LPM-2058, LPM 2058)
∙Norman Luboff Choir, The* - Reverie (Columbia - CL 1256)
∙Ames Brothers, The With Hugo Winterhalter And His Orchestra* - Sing Famous Hits Of Famous Quartets (RCA Victor - LPM-1954)
∙Ames Brothers, The - The Ames Brothers Sing The Best In The Country (RCA Victor - LPM-1998)
∙Mormon Tabernacle Choir, The* / Philadelphia Orchestra, The, Eugene Ormandy - The Lord's Prayer (Columbia Masterworks - ML 5386)
∙Various - Viceroy Cigarettes "Campus Jazz Festival" (RCA Custom - none)
∙Richard Rodgers / Robert Russell Bennett / RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra - Victory At Sea Volume 1 (RCA Victor Red Seal - LM 2335)
∙Hugo Winterhalter And His Orchestra* - Wish You Were Here (RCA Victor - LPM-1904)
∙Lester Lanin And His Orchestra - Dancing On The Continent (Epic - LN 3578)
∙Platters, The - Encore Of Golden Hits (Mercury, Mercury - MG 20472, MG-20472)
∙Manos Hadjidakis - Never On Sunday (Original Sound Track Music) (United Artists Records - UAL 4070)
∙Unknown Artist - Four Roses Dance Party (Columbia Record Productions - none)
∙Bill Black's Combo - Yogi / Ole Buttermilk Sky (Hi Records - 45-2036)
∙David Thorne With Richard Wolfe - The Alley Cat Song / The Moon Was Yellow (Riverside Records - R-4530)
∙Les Brown And His Band Of Renown - The Young Beat (Columbia - CL 2119)
∙Robert Goulet - This Christmas I Spend With You (Columbia - CL 2076)
∙Rolf Harris - Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport / The Big Black Hat (Epic - 5-9596)
∙Leroy Holmes And The Southwinds - 50 Fabulous Hawaiian Favorites (United Artists Records - UAL 3353)
∙John F. Kennedy - A Self-Portrait (Caedmon Records, Caedmon Records - TC2021, TC-2021)
∙Al (He's The King) Hirt* - Cotton Candy (RCA Victor, RCA Victor - LPM-2917, LPM2917)
∙John Barry - Goldfinger (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (United Artists Records - UAL 4117)
∙Teresa Brewer - Moments To Remember (Philips - PHM-200-119)
∙Various - Walt Disney's Mary Poppins (Original Cast Soundtrack) (Buena Vista Records - BV-4026)
∙Les & Larry Elgart - Elgart Au Go-Go (Columbia - CL 2355)
∙Nancy Sinatra - These Boots Are Made For Walkin' (Reprise Records - 0432)
∙Various - Brigadoon: Original Television Sound Track (Columbia Special Products - CSM-385)
∙Barbra Streisand - My Name Is Barbra, Two... (Columbia - CL 2409)
∙New Happiness, The - Winchester Cathedral (Columbia - 4-43851)
∙Julie Andrews With André Previn And Firestone Orchestra And Chorus, The - Your Favorite Christmas Carols, Volume 5 (Forrell & Thomas, Forrell & Thomas - MLP 7012, MLP-7012)
∙Various - A Very Merry Christmas (Columbia Special Products - CSS 563)
∙Petula Clark - Color My World / Who Am I (Warner Bros. Records - WS 1673)
∙Jack Jones • Roberta Peters • Vienna Choir Boys* With Irwin Kostal Conducting Firestone Orchestra And ∙Chorus, The - Firestone Presents Your Favorite Christmas Music Volume 6 (Forrell & Thomas - MLP 7014)
∙Arthur Fiedler & Boston Pops, The* - Pops Festival (Reader's Digest, RCA Custom - RDA 48-A, RD4-48)
∙Sergio Franchi - Time Alone Will Tell (Non Pensare A Me) (RCA Victor - 47-9471)
∙Four Roses Society - Join The Four Roses Song Fest Vol. II (RCA Victor Custom Records - L9OP-9557)
∙James Taylor (2) - Mud Slide Slim And The Blue Horizon (Warner Bros. Records - BS 2561)
∙Tex Stewart And Sons Of The Alamo, The / Buddy And His Pals ‎– The Ballad Of Davy Crockett / The Crazy Otto (Bell Records ‎– 1091)

and these records aren't listed on discogs:

∙Columbia Presents the Sound of Genius: 19 Favorites by 18 of the World's Finest Artists (2-LP Set, Columbia – SGM 1, 1963)
∙Orch. '70 - Without Me / Tomorrow Morning (RCA Victor - USA - 47-9461)
∙Royale Dance Orchestra - Victor Herbert Waltzes (Royale – 1843)
∙Henry Jerome and His Orchestra - Designed for Dancing (Lion 10" – E70004, Mono, 1954)
∙Frank Petty Trio - That Honky Tonk Piano (Lion Records – L70065)
∙Christmas Is For Children - merry favorites for Santa's little helpers (Design – DLPX-2)

no

;_;

this a fun ragtime (?) piano piece if you can tolerate the vocals. it almost sounds like a riff on Teresa Brewer's 'Music! Music! Music!'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkgJ7nIucr8

nice sleeve too:

http://i.imgur.com/O7jgdiH.jpg

That Xavier Cugat record is pretty good. I'd also try spinning the classical stuff but that may be void if you don't really like classical

honestly I wouldn't know where to start with those classical LPs; I have no idea if those are reputable conductors/performances. some of them appear to be budget releases, and then there's a ridiculous 10-LP Reader's Digest Boston Pops box set that you would probably have to pay to get rid of. but I like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rhc0Rl5_5Ps

Personally, if you were planning on picking up a turntable, I'd keep at least the Perez Prado, the Don Cherry, the Ella, and the CSO/Reiner Brahms' 3rd. Nothing rare, just very likely good records.

My grandparents had a lot of Folkways records, classical, jazz, and 60s motown. I managed to get some of them although I think my aunt took a lot of the good ones.

I'd keep all the classical and donate the rest, but that's just me.

Nothing that jumps out at me from that list as a definite keeper. I was a bit surprised to see Don Cherry in that list- but then I looked it up and realized it's not the same Don Cherry. Might be some gold there if you have the patience to listen through it all.

thanks for the tips, Tom. I did a double take when I saw the Don Cherry record (lol xpost) until I figured out that it wasn't the trumpeter.

I was hoping I'd come across an original pressing of Anthology Of American Folk Music and a stack of Charlie Parker singles, but that just wasn't their style, and they definitely didn't warm up to the rock era — my grandfather hated the Beatles and hippie culture when my dad was growing up, and even Motown would probably have been a stretch. I feel like their taste in music was somewhat conservative even by the standards of their generation.

yeah there are some good classical records in there. On the whole its a pretty bland collection and conservative -- sort of what I'd expect of the average WWII generation couple (if they're younger than that generation), no offense to your grandfolks. I'll bet that there are some cool sounds somewhere in some of those easy listening records, I just wouldn't have the patience to listen through them.

My grandparents were lefties and their collection was atypical.

The Everly Bros record is pretty good, maybe the Connie Francis, the Louis and Ella records, I'd be curious about the Bill Haley and the Comets record, Perez Prado record is probably fun

On the whole its a pretty bland collection and conservative -- sort of what I'd expect of the average WWII generation couple (if they're younger than that generation), no offense to your grandfolks.

yeah, they were born in 1928 and 1930 and they're very conservative politically (my grandfather still occasionally sends out scaremongering anti-Muslim chain emails :-/), so their musical taste isn't too surprising. I have an interest in space age pop and Martin Denny-style exotica, but it doesn't seem like there's much of that in their collection.

the James Taylor LP is the major outlier on the list, but I'm pretty sure it belonged to my dad. one side of it is extremely moldy for some reason.

the oddities I didn't mention are an acetate disc with my grandfather's name on it (I still haven't asked him what it is, and I'm not sure how to play it without damaging it), a private-press single of sentimental songs recorded by one of his coworkers, and a recording of a speech by the president of his company. I'm definitely holding onto those.

the Bill Haley song is a little stiff, but it has a nice sax solo.

I'm not sure how they ended up with this Bill Black Combo single. Black recorded for Sun Records and played bass on Elvis's 'Blue Moon of Kentucky', but 'Yogi' was never anything close to a hit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnMNU-gXCLg

it's weird seeing so many 7-inch 78s in their collection. apparently Bell Records manufactured them for a few years in the late '50s as the market for 78s was dwindling. they're made of vinyl and their sleeves boldly proclaim "full length playing time equal to ten inch record". they aren't very collectible though.

http://i.imgur.com/iWxgl5O.jpg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxZHCVC_kI0

I like this Four Lads song, nice sad youtube comment as well:

I was in the US Army stationed at Ft. Eustis, Va. assigned to Hq. Company. In our barracks someone purchased a Four Lads album. This was one of the song. I head it over and over again. Convinced me to continue my college education on the GI Bill. I did, but lost my girl on that decision. Obtain my B.S. in Business Management, was brought aboard on a management training program taken our family to three states, and re-tired after 35 years in commercial insurance.
Some of the songs words, yeah, I can relate to them now. During down time, I question what ever occurred to X. Song brings back many personal memories. G3n3 H1nd5 - San Jacinto - California

I own that Cugat lp; I would check out the Prado, and Three Suns, but that's me.

Three Suns have a killer album called Movin' and Groovin. Unfortunately didn't see that one on the list.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkvCZpOEAis

useful thread, I can never even parse some of this stuff

Ella on Verve is definitely a keeper

Prado, Everlys, Petula Clark, Nancy Sinatra are others I'd keep

yeah Don Cherry is WRONG DUDE

Black recorded for Sun Records and played bass on Elvis's 'Blue Moon of Kentucky'

he played on a lot more than that. he was elvis's bassist throughout the sun years and the early rca years.

Yeah, the Petula Clark has a killer chorus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjuG9nstgvE

the motherlode of VNYL shipments

don draper's LP collection, currently available at auction here:

"Glad All Over" from the Dave Clark Five, "The Music Man" Broadway performance, "The Supremes at the Copa," Nat King Cole's "I Don't Want to be Hurt Anymore."Al Hirt's "He's the King," "Elvis Sings How Great Thou Art," "Whipped Cream and Other Delights" by Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass, Errol Garner's "Paris Impressions," "The Red Mill" by Victor Herbert and "Up in Central Park" by Sigmund Romberg, "Some Blue-Eyed Soul" by The Righteous Bros., "Sketches of Spain" by Miles, "The World's Greatest Jazz Band," "Johnny Hodges, Billy Strayhorn and his Orchestra," "Ambassador at Jazz" by Max Kaminsky, "Subways of Boston" by The Coachmen, "Ben-Hur" soundtrack, "Think Ethnic" by the Smothers Bros., "Streets I Have Walked" by Belafonte, "John Gary Sings Your All-Time Favorite Songs," "Four Freshman and Trumpets," "Where the Action Is" by The Ventures and "Annie Got Your Gun" soundtrack.

∙Perez Prado And His Orchestra - Dance Party (Parade (3) - SP 325)
∙John Barry - Goldfinger (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (United Artists Records - UAL 4117)
∙Nancy Sinatra - These Boots Are Made For Walkin' (Reprise Records - 0432)

i'll take those, thanks

I liked that Bill Black tune. That was actually a B side though, to "That Ole Buttermilk Sky," a minor hit.

sorry ilx, I considered your suggestions but ended up only keeping a few records that struck me as interesting. so

http://i.imgur.com/GSrmIC5.jpg?1

the sleeve notes wax rhapsodic about the supposedly hi-tech piano roll transfer process:

Early in 1959 an unusual event took place at RCA Victor. One of the nation's finest recording studios was placed in readiness for a most extraordinary "date." A meticulously tuned piano was carefully placed in relation to a group of the most sensitive microphones available. At a a spoken signal to the producer the familiar strains of the Rhapsody in Blue began to sound in the studio—exactly as played by George Gershwin himself. But there was no one seated at the keyboard!http://i.somethingawful.com/forumsystem/emoticons/emot-iiam.gif The keys were depressed and released by a ghost, in this case a Duo-Art piano roll which Gershwin had cut decades before. It was a "recording" replete with subtle diminuendos and crescendos which gave further proof that he was, in addition to being a creative genius, an extraordinary pianist. It was, in fine, a recording-of-a-recording—but it emerged as the highest fidelity recording of Gershwin ever achieved since his all-too-few disc performances were captured before the present era which enables us to impress wide-range sound on tape. The performance we hear on this record is a remarkably accurate re-creation. It is not the sound of an automaton at the keyboard—rather, it is a play-back of exactly what Gershwin did on that day back in the Twenties when his performance was engraved into the piano roll forever.

the Gershwin performances only account for about 15 minutes of audio, so the rest of the LP is padded out with rolls recorded by a bunch of stride and ragtime pianists.

http://i.imgur.com/bz32Amt.png?1

like a lot of records in my grandparents' collection, this was released on a budget label. apparently Royale acquired the back-catalogues of defunct record labels and re-released them under its own imprint. there's no session info on the label or sleeve aside for the the "recorded in Europe" tagline.

http://i.imgur.com/MVt3uHQ.jpg?1

this is the only record of theirs that seems to be remotely collectible (according to popsike), but I'm not really sure why (baby boomers buying back mementos of their childhood?). Design was a division of Pickwick.

I also kept the Frank Petty piano record I mentioned upthread.