CHILDREN'S TREASURY OF SUPERMAN MUSICAL STORIES  -  The Merriettes

YEAR:  1966
LABEL:  Tifton
TRACK LISTING:  Superman, Clark Kent,  Busy Busy Busy,  Lois Lane,  Superboy,  Kid Stuff,  Don't Want To Go Back to the 5th Dimension,  Mr. Mxyzptlk,  Jimmy Olsen,  The Lion and the Cub,  Krypto,  A Dog's Life
IMPRESSIONS:  Maybe Superman is a harder sell with me than Batman but this companion album to the other Merriettes lp is tedious whereas the Batman album is fun.  Granted, Superman is much more boring (Wayne?) than Batman but the singers even sound as if they're struggling to inject some life into the rather lackluster songs; one gets the sense of them reading the lyric sheets by rote rather than having a party as in the Batman record.  Ah well, it's still worth a listen for the kitschy 60's go-go music sound to the tunes.  A special warning:  the opening track "Superman" is obnoxiously annoying in parts.  High points are the absolute bizarreness of "Mr. Mxyzptlk" (which features the extra-dimensional imp pronouncing his name sounding like a chicken pulled backwards through a hedge) and the slightly obscene-toned "Jimmy Olsen".
MY FAVOURITE TRACKS:  Busy Busy Busy,  Superboy,  Mr. Mxyzptlk,  Jimmy Olsen,  Krypto
FACT SHEET:  Yeah, I got nuthin'.

CHILDREN'S TREASURY OF BATMAN MUSICAL STORIES  -  The Merriettes

YEAR:  1966
LABEL:  Tifton
TRACK LISTING:  Look Out For the Batman,  Ho Ho Ho The Joker's Wild,  The Wonderful Boy Wonder,  The Penguin,  Here Comes the Batmobile,  It's the Batman,  The Joker Gets Trumped,  There Goes Robin,  A Penguin Caper,  The Battiest Car Around
IMPRESSIONS:  The kiddiest of kiddie records.  The music here sounds very "Peter Pan Players" and is perfect for boppin' toddlers.  The singing is so breezy and chirpy it's hard to remember this album concerns the Dark Knight Detective.  Either released right on the cusp of the campy BATMAN TV show craze, it's particularly fun to hear the struggling orchestra try to cope with the hip, modern, go-go sound on "There Goes Robin".  One can only suppose children are instructed to do the "Batusi" while listening.  Also, the musical intro to "Ho Ho Ho The Joker's Wild" is nothing other than the "Casper the Friendly Ghost" theme surely lifted without permission.  Another well-known super-hero would get the "Merriettes" treatment . . . but that's a story for another day. . .
MY FAVOURITE TRACKS:  Look Out For the Batman,  Ho Ho Ho The Joker's Wild,  The Penguin,  Here Comes the Batmobile,  It's the Batman,  The Joker Gets Trumped,  A Penguin Caper,  The Battiest Car Around
FACT SHEET:  No facts . . . just bats.