Uncle Warren's Attic

A dramatic reading of one of my favorite Ray Bradbury short stories anchors this session. Try to ignore the fact that I refer to a Bradbury "tune"; in fact, as musical as the master's prose is, it's probably as accurate a misstatement as you're ever going to hear. Vintage ads for Coca-Cola and a prominent Illinois politician are also on the agenda. Plus, I spend a couple of minutes reminding you that I'd love to sell you some musical fiction of my own ... The songs: She Said Her Name Was Saffron - Marc Gunn You Bug Me Baby - Larry Williams For Your Boy and My Boy - Peerless Quartet God's Gonna Cut You Down - Odetta Don't Go Drinking With Hobbits - Marc Gunn

A 3.5-minute journey through seven audio formats is featured in this particular trip through the attic - to wit: "Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho" - Odetta "The House of the Rising Sun" - Jack Elliott "Old Blue" - Cisco Houston "In the Mood" (2 78s, a cassette, 45, 33, CD and download versions) - Glenn Miller "Tar Paper Stomp" - Wingy Manone and his Orchestra Along the way you'll hear clips from "The First Family" with Vaughn Meader and "Nick Fury Agent of SHIELD" starring David Hasselhoff.

OK, maybe you don't "rock" when you're talking Ole Svenson & His Smorgasbord Band, Bing Crosby and Benny Goodman ... download and enjoy!First off, I tell you about the tri-speed turntable that powers this podcast, and then Ole checks in with the now-classic "Yingle Yingle Yumping Beans." After a word from the company that brings you the very best chocolate, we check out a couple of Beatles covers from Bing Crosby ("Hey Jude") and Benny Goodman ("Octopus's Garden"). While we're on the subject (and after a commercial message a la National Lampoon Radio Hour), a brief introduction to Emitt Rhodes, who was marketed as a McCartney sound-alike but was quite an artist in his own right. The link takes you to a nifty interview that I discovered after the show was put to bed. I had to hear the Ballad of Serenity again before bringing in Marc Gunn's version of "Hero of Canton," and then it was time for Rockosaurus Rex to ring in the new year a couple of days early.

A special hat tip to Wally Conger, who influenced this show in ways you'll hear about. Wow, it's good to be back â I hope you agree. Coming your way: Vintage ads for Camel and Budweiser, with The Crew-Cuts stepping in for the latter. Also ... + Sweet Dawn My True Love, a B-side from Crispian St. Peters + You Can Have Him, a lost treasure by Dionne Warwick + Railway Station, from Oshkosh's own Bill Waters Band + Sixteen Tons by Eric Burdon, the best thing about Joe Versus the Volcano ... and a lot of jabbering from yours truly.

"Chapter 1: The Matter of the Cookies" launches our dramatic recitation of the upcoming novel The Imaginary Revolution by my imaginary friend B.W. Richardson. Because he didn't quite meet the goal of having the first three chapters ready, B.W. opened his notebook and gave me a couple of mini-scenes to pique your interest for the rest of the story. Also in this episode: "The Star-Spangled Banner" by Reinald Werrenrath ... "Harrigan/Yankee Doodle Dandy" from Fred Waring & the Pennsylvanians ... and "Two Dollar Shoes" by Rosie Thomas.

You're going to want to have your podcatcher primed and ready for UWA #54, that's all I'm sayin' folks.

Barack Obama's comment about the need for "aggressive diplomacy" with Iran reminded me of an Anakin Skywalker line, which led to a little audio collage that also incorporates The Prisoner and that other guy running for Big Guy this year.Other features of this 53rd trip to the Attic: Two versions of "I'm a Monster" by the inimitable Scotty MacGregor ... The memorable "Oh, The Thinks You Can Think" from the lost Dylan Hears A Who project ... "That's Cool" by Adam and the Couch Potatoes ... and a big announcement about upcoming episodes.

Even if I'm a couple of days late for Independence Day, I have to read from the Declaration and play the Hurtado Brothers Royal Marimba Band version of "The Stars and Stripes Forever," don't I? I mean, it's tradition! Also within this slightly longer trip to the Attic are a couple of tunes by Red Ingle and his Natural Seven and the complete and unabridged Rusty in Orchestraville, one very interesting adventure. Oh, and there's a little Spike Jones in there, too.

What made me hesitate: eulogies to my friend kyfho and to Danny Federici, as we return to the Attic at last. Highlights include: "Hold On To Your Freedom" from Jennifer Avalon ... quite a few clips from Firefly and Serenity among other memorable movie moments ... "Don't Let Us Get Sick" by Warren Zevon via the Internet Archive ... old ads for Rheingold beer and Good N Plenty ... "What Have You Got That Gets Me" from the Bob Crosby Orchestra with Marion Mann ... another Animal Story ... and "Undecided" by The Ames Brothers. And I add this in memory of kyfho: "As a juror, I will exercise my 1000-year-old duty to arrive at a verdict, not just on the basis of the facts of a particular case, or instructions I am given, but through my power to reason, my knowledge of the Bill of Rights, and my individual conscience. When needful, I will judge the law itself." -L. Neil Smith

THE BIG 5-OH ... Oh boy ... 50 trips up to the Attic ... who woulda thunk. I'm rushing this up online and then taking off for a Saturday night date with Red â talk amongst yourselves and I'll be back with the show notes at a later date ...

After a false start by The King, we pull a bushel of corn down from the Attic, including a couple of Animal Stories by Uncle Larry and Lil' Tom, and a movie ad from the legendary National Lampoon Radio Hour. Our musical selections (links to be added at a later date, sorry):+ Peter Cottontail - Mervyn Shiner+ Roving Gambler - U.S. Sen. Robert Byrd+ Another Brew Bartender - Whitey Knight+ Wang Wang Blues - Elliot Everett and his Orchestra+ Easy - Harry James+ When You Come Back - Raymond Dixon and Orpheus Quartet+ Dirty Water - The WhizBang Shufflers

He's ba-ack ... with a sneak preview of the new book The Adventures of Myke Phoenix, along with a smattering of other shtuff: "In Malibu" by Johnny Proctor ... and off the 78's, "Learn to Do the Strut," written by Irving Berlin and performed by The Georgians ... "A Little Bit of Heaven" by Charles Harrison ... "My Eyes (Get Me in Trouble)" by the inimitable Muddy Waters ... and the "William Tell Overture" by the even more inimitable Spike Jones and his Orchestra.

Who is Charlie Francis? He had some surprisingly tasty tunes on a series of budget albums in the early to mid-1960s, and a search for Charlie resulted in a surprise I should've seen coming. In this edition, we hear Charlie Francis sing "A New Love," "Mountain of a Man," "Just Tell Me When," "Believe in Me" and "Little Girl." If you haven't heard the show yet and want to be surprised with me, don't click on this, the link I refer to during the story. Also, the megahit "I Got a Crush on Obama," thoughts on creativity by Dave Slusher of the Evil Genius Chronicles, and classic Robot Theater from the legendary Illinoise! podcast by Just Pete and NASA Janet. Last but not least, an unabashed plug for The Imaginary Bomb by B.W. Richardson, edited and published by moi over at Lulu.com.

New Year's Eve is a time of review and renewal and resolutions, and I share some of my big plans for Ought-Eight in between fun shtuff, including: Auld Lang Syne, Rockosaurus Rex Hi-Diddle-Diddle, Guy Lombardo Wildroot Cream commercial, King Cole Trio Anybody Here Remember Radio?, Stan Freberg The Boogie Woogie Flying Cloud, Hank Snow Just Today, w.p. bluhm Re: Your Brains, Jonathan Coulton A Wee Deoch an' Doris, Harry Lauder

Actually, no, Mary Woronov (pictured) does not appear in this episode, but we do share several clips from one of her greatest cult hits, when she played conflicted scientist hero Audrey White. I spend most of the show rummaging through the Attic in search of this thing I saw in the newspaper once - UWA 45 is sandwiched between "A Laptop Like You" and "Podsafe Christmas Song" by Jonathan Coulton. Featured tunes include "Deck the Halls" by Rockosaurus Rex ... "Giggling Gertie" from Vaughn de Leath ... "O Lutefisk" by Molly and Sonny Boy ... "Emilia Polka (Laughing Polka)" by Lawrence Duchow ... my dramatc reading ... and "I Yust Go Nuts at Christmas" by Yogi Yorgesson.