New Year's Rocking Attic Revisited

I find this hard to believe, but it's been three years now since the last edition of the New Year's Rockin' Attic. In 2006, 2007 and 2008 I finished the "broadcast year" with the heavy metal "Auld Lang Syne" by Rockosaurus Rex and some other seasonal delights.

I've been poking around the Attic again and found those eventful podcasts tucked behind a strange looking vase that started talking to me about the Phoenix Islands. That's a tale for another day.

For now I offer this links/download opportunities with the whimsical thought that maybe I should start thinking about dusting off the microphone.

Uncle Warren's Attic #16: New Year's Rockin' Attic (Jan. 1, 2007)
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Uncle Warren's Attic #46: New Year's Rockin' Attic II (Dec. 30, 2007)
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Uncle Warren's Attic #56: New Year's Rockin' Attic III (Dec. 28, 2008)
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And then there's the closest thing to a lost episode of Uncle Warren's Attic - the seldom heard fourth New Year's Rockin' Attic! The reason it's seldom heard is that I wasn't satisfied with the results - and because it ends with a promise to return to regular podcasting - so I pulled it from circulation after just a couple of days. But now here it is - and it's not at all as bad as I remember.

Uncle Warren's Attic #59: New Year's Rockin' Attic IV (Dec. 29, 2009)
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Uncle Warren's Attic 56: New Year's Rockin' Attic III

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.

UPDATE: Sometimes the obvious escapes me, but this is ridiculous: Download here or click the player up there on the right.

UWA 46: New Year's Rockin' Attic II

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

Hit "play" on the player to your right, or download here or by clicking on the podcast icon.

UWAttic45: Scandinavian Zombie Holiday Greetings

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.

Download here or press play over there at the top of the right column.

UW's Attic #16: New Year's Rockin' Attic

Celebrating 2007 and the spirit of freedom with nifty stuff from 1922 to the present day! The show is peppered with moments from the classic James Stewart vehicle Shenandoah, which should be mandatory viewing for kids of all ages.

The picture of Hemi the cat in the sink has nothing to do with this show; I just think it's cute. Hemi occasionally drapes his body over my left arm and falls asleep while I'm typing, so he's kind of a silent partner to the podcast.

Courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network comes Rockosaurus Rex with "Auld Lang Syne," the only way to start the new year, says I.

After a Marines recruiting ad from Lefty Frizzell, we welcome back Billy Murray and Aileen Stanley, who spiced up UWA #3 with their rendition of "Keep Your Skirts Down, Mary Ann." This time around they perform a piece I found at the Internet Archive called "I'll Stand Beneath Your Window Tonight and Whistle." All that whistling inspired me to follow it up with a vintage excerpt from Lux Radio Theater; I bet you can guess what it is!

"I Wonder How You're Doing" is a song I wrote and recorded at home in 1985; it becomes the latest Uncle Warren project to be hauled out of the attic and shared with the world.

Then it's back to the present day for Jonathan Coulton's wonderful a cappella tune, "When You Go," and a brand-new piece by Los Gallos called "Free the People" - a terrific sentiment to start the new year with, says I.

After an ad for the new Sunday edition of Newsday, we close out with Huddie "Leadbelly" Ledbetter doing his song "Where Did You Sleep Last Night," perhaps best known as the piece that Kurt Cobain made his own when Nirvana played MTV's "Unplugged."

All this and 22 seconds of Firefly, too - what are you waiting for? Download the darn thing!