Category Archives: Ballads – Old Standards

Ballads and music from 1920’s through the 1960’s. Great cocktail music.

Alley Cat

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Alley Cat. A fun song to play and clap your hands or tap your feet to. I don’t think there was ever a job we played that we didn’t play this. It is a real crowd pleaser. So I though my personal friends will like it since most are not into playing music – but love to listen to old songs they know. The strange note 3rd from the end is when my dog barked at me and surprised me! Everyone’s a critic! “Alley Cat”, also known as “Alleycat” and “The Alley Cat,” is a popular instrumental song made most famous by the Danish pianist and composer Bent Fabric, released in 1962. Fabric (born Bent Fabricius-Bjerre) wrote the tune under the pseudonym Frank Björn. The song was originally released in November, 1961, under the Danish title “Omkring et flygel,” which means “Around a Piano.”… Read the rest

Fancy Pants

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Fancy Pants. I had more fun playing this song and making the video than a kid in a candy store with a ten dollar bill! So much fun to play. I used the Jazz Scat voices and my trusty tuba. Al Hirt played it up beat and almost Herb Alpert style. I hadn’t listened to the original, so I ended up with an bit slower version. I hope you enjoy the music and you want to clap your hands or dance about a bit. “Fancy Pants” is a song written by Floyd Cramer and was recorded by Al Hirt for his 1965 album, That Honey Horn Sound.… Read the rest

Open Up You Your Heart and Let The Sunshine In

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Another Sunshine Song. Open Up Your Heart And Let The Sunshine In. A Facebook friend asked about the song. I looked it up and slightly remembered it. Once I started playing it, I did remember singing it back in the good old days! Thank You for the memory. I hope you enjoy singing along and feeling a bit of sunshine! This was written by Stuart Hamblen in 1953 and released it in an album in 1956, “It Is No Secret.” When he was 18 years old, Stuart took a job on KAYO-AM radio in Abilene, Texas, becoming radio’s first “singing” cowboy. He went on to write many songs including “This Ole House”.… Read the rest

You Are My Sunshine

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You Are My Sunshine. This is my musette, waltz version. I never studied music theory, so it might break every rule written, but I had fun with it and did it my way. LOL My non-musician friends really like to hear the old, standard singalongs. Can’t get any better than You Are My Sunshine. So I hope you singalong. “You Are My Sunshine” is a song popularized by Jimmie Davis and Charles Mitchell in 1939. It has been declared one of the state songs of Louisiana because of its association with Davis, a country music singer and governor of the state in the years 1944–1948 and 1960–1964.… Read the rest

Whatever Will Be, Will Be – Que Sera, Sera

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Happy Mother’s Day. Que Sera, Sera – Whatever Will Be, Will Be seemed like a great Mother’s Day song. I am sure we have all asked our Mom’s about our future. It is an easy, fun singalong. I dug up a bunch of my old photos back when I was probably asking my Mom if I would be pretty or rich or ??? I can’t believe how old the cars are in my photos!!! I was born in 1944, so that’s a hint. I hope you enjoy my old fashioned version and sing along. “Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)” is a song written by the team of Jay Livingston and Ray Evans that was first published in 1955. Doris Day introduced it in the Alfred Hitchcock film The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956), singing it as a cue to their on screen kidnapped son.… Read the rest

Two Guitars

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I wanted to do a traditional accordion piece and looked into my old, very old lesson books. I always had fun playing this when I was young and have more fun now that I am old. LOL I had this for a lesson Oct. 29, 1952 – not a typo, 1952. I definitely did not play it as written, but just played it my way and had fun today. Although known as a Russian Gypsy folk-song , Two Guitars (Две гитары) actually had a composer -Ivan Vasiliev 1810 – 1870 with lyrics by Apollon Grigoriev. It seems to have been written for a Gypsy folk choir that Vasiliev ran with Grigoriev.… Read the rest

What A Wonderful World

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Beautiful song my friend has asked me to play quite a few times. It’s a rainy, Spring day in Ohio, so a wonderful day to think about What A Wonderful World we live in. “What a Wonderful World” is a song written by Bob Thiele (as “George Douglas”) and George David Weiss. It was first recorded by Louis Armstrong and released in 1967 as a single, which topped the pop charts in the United Kingdom.… Read the rest

I’m In The Mood For Love

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I’m In The Mood For Love with Jr. Petosa. Still getting to know this little guy. Got his mics connected to my computer to record with Audacity. Thought it sounds better this way for videos. The bass is super powerful and I turned it way, way down. I’ve been playing my old standards to get an idea how he sounds compared to my other accordions. He is VERY touchy, just like a man. LOL It is like driving a sports care compared to driving a Mac Truck. Every movement has a meaning and you better be very conservative when playing him. I will get use to playing smoother, hopefully. I’m In The Mood for Love written by Jimmy McHugh and Dorothy Fields in 1935.… Read the rest

These Foolish Things

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These Foolish Things played with my new (slightly used) Petosa Little Pro. Actually his full name is Vampire Petosa Little Pro Piano Accordion LMM 26 72. I have problems lifting the heavy accordions, so I though I would get something smaller. Like my Old Age Insurance Plan so I can keep playing for a few more years. It weighs 14.5 lbs Yes, it is small with only 2 + octaves, but in real life, has a wonderful sound for a little guy. I don’t bounce octaves that much and play with chords, so it sounds pretty good. The challenge is learning to play on a short keyboard, sound good with sold chords and play smoothly. Thought it might be nice to use at a nursing home instead of carrying a larger accordion. Yes, I give up a bit on sound quality, but my back doesn’t hurt after I play. LOL… Read the rest

Lilacs in the Rain

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I see Lilacs in the rain and you are with me again when April sprinkles her dreams in my heart. Happy Birthday Mom. She would have been 99 today, but unfortunately left us at 96. She loved my accordion playing from the time I started at 7 years old in 1951. This ones for you Mom, wherever you are. The song Lilacs in the Rain was written by Peter De Rose in 1939. Dick Jurgens and His Orchestra first recorded it on August 19, 1939. PS If you have really good speakers, I apologize for my dog snoring in the background. LOL I didn’t realize it until I was all done. LOL Mom loved all my dogs, too.… Read the rest