THE BLACK AND ORANGE ALBUM - VARIOUS ARTISTS
YEAR: 2010
LABEL: Wonderful Wonderblog
TRACK LISTING: Welcome to Horror Hotel - Daniel Roebuck, The Gourd's Prayer - Cult of the Great Pumpkin, Batman Wolfman Frankenstein or Dracula - The Diamonds, Chamber of Horrors - Radio Spot, Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde - The Who, Dracula's Lament - Jason Segel, The Devil's Rain & the Virgin Witch - Radio Spot, Ghostbusters - Run-DMC, Goosebumps Theme - TVToons, Grim Grinning Ghosts - Barenaked Ladies, Halloween - Betty Grable, Halloween - Radio Spot, Happy Halloween - The Fuzztones, Haunted House - Flexi-Disc, King Kong vs. Godzilla - WAKY Radio Spot, Keepin' Halloween Alive - Alice Cooper, Magic - Radio Spot, Monster Movie Ball - Spike Jones, Monsters Lead Such Interesting Lives - Mel Torme, To Cause A Witch To Die - Vincent Price, Mr. Monster's Movie Marathon - Peter Pan Singers, Dawn of the Dead - Radio Spot, Dry Bones - Fred Gwynne, Punky Punkin (The Happy Pumpkin) - Rosemary Clooney, Purple People Eater - Judy Garland, Ghost Whisperer - TVToons, Scarecrow - The Wellingtons, Secrets of the Crypt Keeper's Haunted House - John Kassir, The Blob - Wolfman Jack, The Headless Horseman - Pickwick Records, The Headless Horseman - Thurl Ravenscroft, The Island of Dr. Moreau - Radio Spot, Monster Hop - Bert Convy, The Night Before Halloween - Bill Buchanan, Trick or Treat - Elvira, Vampires Quote - Boris Karloff, Zombie Jamboree - Rockapella, Fairly Lame Ending Track - Daniel Roebuck
IMPRESSIONS: Once again we have a non-commercial release like the previous post. This is one of many compilations originating from the great blog called "Wonderful Wonderblog". The first thing that strikes you is the lovely spoof on Metallica's "Black Album" cover; what could be more fitting for Halloween than a "Black and Orange" album cover? After that laugh, we get a nicely-chosen selection of Halloween tracks - most of which I admittedly already possessed in my vaults - but once again it's always great to hear someone's selection of a playlist. And this is a good'n. I kinda like the inclusion of radio spots and movie trailers in between the songs; it gives things a nice Halloween party air. There are several old favourites of mine appearing here: The Who's rare "Jekyll & Hyde" song showing John Entwhistle's abiding love of the horror genre, the Spike Jones track (originally credited to "The Fiend-ager") from that beloved "SPIKE JONES IN STEREO" album I played to death in my youth (and which is discussed in depth on this very blog), and the tracks by Mel Torme, Vincent Price, The Diamonds, Rosemary Clooney, Judy Garland, The Wellingtons, Thurl Ravenscroft, Bert Convy, Bill Buchanan, Elvira, and Rockapella have long featured in my Halloween listening. However, it was only with this "BLACK & ORANGE ALBUM" that I first encountered Run-DMC's terrific cover of "Ghostbusters", the Cult of the Great Pumpkin's "The Gourd's Prayer", and Alice Cooper's "Keepin' Halloween Alive" tracks. There are many, many Halloween compilations all over the internet and I love all of them; it's a wonderful practice and albums like this one are a great example of how to do it right.
MY FAVOURITE TRACKS: The Gourd's Prayer - Cult of the Great Pumpkin, Chamber of Horrors - Radio Spot, Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde - The Who, Ghostbusters - Run-DMC, Halloween - Betty Grable, Haunted House - Flexi-disc, Keepin' Halloween Alive - Alice Cooper, Monster Movie Ball - Spike Jones, Monsters Lead Such Interesting Lives - Mel Torme, To Cause A Witch To Die - Vincent Price, Mr. Monster's Movie Marathon - Peter Pan Singers, Dawn of the Dead - Radio Spot, Punky Punkin (The Happy Pumpkin) - Rosemary Clooney, Purple People Eater - Judy Garland, Scarecrow - The Wellingtons, The Headless Horseman - Pickwick Records, The Headless Horseman - Thurl Ravenscroft, Monster Hop - Bert Convy, The Night Before Halloween - Bill Buchanan
FACT SHEET: "THE BLACK AND ORANGE ALBUM" is a compilation of Halloween tracks produced by the "Wonderful Wonderblog" website. The 2 Daniel Roebuck tracks are taken from Dr. Lady's "HORROR HOTEL" album. "Dracula's Lament" is taken from the film "FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL". "Grim Grinning Ghosts" is a cover version of the Thurl Ravenscroft song and appears on the soundtrack to the "HAUNTED MANSION" movie starring Eddie Murphy. The "Halloween" track by Betty Grable is taken from an old radio broadcast. The Fuzztones' "Happy Halloween" is a cover version of a Zacherley song. "Monster Movie Ball" is taken from the 1959 "SPIKE JONES IN STEREO" album. Mel Torme's "Monsters Lead Such Interesting Lives" appears in the short film "DAFFY DUCK'S QUACKBUSTERS". "Dry Bones" is taken from an episode of "THE MUNSTERS" with Fred Gwynne as Herman Munster. "Scarecrow" by the Wellington's is taken from the Disney TV show "THE SCARECROW OF ROMNEY MARSH" starring Patrick McGoohan. "Secrets of the Crypt Keeper's Haunted House" is taken from a 1997 episode of HBO's "TALES FROM THE CRYPT". Thurl Ravenscroft's "The Headless Horseman" is a cover version of the original song sung by Bing Crosby in Disney's 1949 film "THE ADVENTURES OF ICHABOD & MR. TOAD". The Bert Convy who sing "Monster Hop" is the same actor/TV host who appeared as a regular on "THE SNOOP SISTERS" as well as hosting the TV game show "TATTLETALES" and others. Bill Buchanan is one half of the duo of Buchanan & Goodman who brought us the classic original "break-in" record "The Flying Saucer".
