What a Berry Good Day!

Strawberry Shortcake & her Friends,
Kid Stuff Phono Picture Disc, American Greetings, 1981

This LP is a story record interspersed with songs. Strawberry Shortcake has this incredibly high pitched squeaky voice that is terribly annoying. But the record album that is also a full color image is incredibly cool.

Pictured on the cover are Strawberry Shortcake and Pupcake, Lemon Meringue , Raspberry Tart and Custard the cat, Apricot and Hopsalot, Apple Dumpling, and Blueberry Muffin.

I am not sure I EVER really liked this album but I couldn't possibly part with it simply because it LOOKS so cool. Still even today, my friend's kids enjoy listening to this and playing with my Strawberry Shortcake dolls.

"I Hate Christmas" -- Oscar the Grouch

Sesame Street, Children's Television Workshop, 1975

I'm listening to this holiday record as I post. The most memorable bit was the Sesame Street version of O. Henry's short story, "The Gift of the Magi." I love how Bert and Ernie give up their prized possessions, a rubber duckie and a paper clip collection, in order to buy thoughtful gifts for one another. In this version Mr. Hooper saves the day.

Also on the album, "The Twelve Days of Christmas" has a new twist and the count sings "All I Want for Christmas is my Two Front Teeth." One of my favorite bits has to be Oscar the Grouch song; why is it I always love the melancholy characters best? (Eyeore in the Winnie the Pooh stories is my favorite too!)

The inside cover of the record is pictured below, as is the back of the album with the song list and the credits.

Periodically I create a little top-o-the-china cabinet display. For the holidays I opted for a tribute to Frosty! One of my very favorite Christmas albums is narrated by Frosty and filled with Christmas songs from around the world.

Frosty the Snowman LP
George Peed, cover design, Peter Pan Records
The Peppermint Kandy Kids, performing

Retold by Annie North Bedford, Corinne Malvern, illustrator
Western Publishing Company, 1950 (1980 reprinting)

On the copyright page a note reads:

About Frosty

Frosty the Snow Man was born in 1950 as the subject of a phonograph record, and soon after appeared in many different forms. A motion picture about him has been shown frequently on television and there are Frosty toys, shirts, and games. He was been in numerous Thanksgiving Day and Christmas parades. Unlike other snow men, he is at home in the warmest parts of the United States.

The Little Golden Book version is pretty much burned on my brain, though the 1969 cartoon by Jules Bass and Arthur Rankin, Jr. truly forms my mental picture of Frosty.



This is the first segment of the 1969 cartoon. Click here to see the part two and part three.

Poor little chilly Karen who was so faithful to her friend. And the whole greenhouse scene--so sad. It's just not Christmas without Frosty!

My Musical Heritage--You Can Cry if You Want To!

Not all THAT long ago at trivia, I offered my meager contribution in the form of recognizing a Lesley Gore song from my youth.... "Sunshine, Lollipops, and Rainbows." This trigger suddenly had me thinking of all my favorites from the one album my mom had from 1963. Gosh, the songs I loved: "Cry and You Cry Alone," "It's Judy's Turn to Cry," "Cry Me a River," "Cry," "No More Tears Left to Cry," "Just Let Me Cry," and "The Party's Over."

Of course most of us know this red-headed 17-year-old singing sensation as the voice of "It's My Party" ..... and I'll cry if I want to. Apparently when I was 12 I wanted to. Cry, that is. What a morbid song line-up.

Read more about her rise to fame here and here's her Wikipedia entry.

I loved (and still love) Lesley Gore and even have a greatest hits CD in my collection.

An Unforgettable Voice, Unforgettable Verse

Walt Disney Productions, 1964

Why not make this a Mother Goose day? I love the rhymes. It blows my mind to discover there is an entire generation of children who don't know them. Which leads me to wonder how did I learn them? Was it from the books? From this record? Did we read them or recite them in school? Was it my mother's influence? I have no idea. I just know that I am very familiar with Little Bobby Shaftoe, Wee Willie Winkie, and Georgie Porgie.


On this record, my favorite verse is the Misty Moisty Morning one.

The very best part of this recording, though, is Sterling Holloway (1905-1992). You might remember him for his Puppy Chow commercials or as the voice of Winnie the Pooh. But he is soooo much more than that. He was named a Disney legend in 1991. He has a Hollywood street named for him. He is the voice of the Cheshire Cat in Alice in Wonderland, Kaa in The Jungle Book, Mr. Stork in Dumbo, and the narrator in Peter and the Wolf. Those are only a few of his voice gigs and those are just the ones for Disney. He also acted. Ironically, his first film was a silent one, in 1927.