The Addams Family

Vic Mizzy (January 9, 1916 – October 17, 2009) was an American composer for television and movies whose best-known works are the themes to the 1960s television sitcoms Green Acres and The Addams Family. He also penned top-20 songs from the 1930s to 1940s.

This is an album of incidental music from the original 1960s black and white American sitcom The Addams Family, based on the characters in Charles Addams' New Yorker cartoons. Mizzy did an admirable job on the music; it’s in keeping with the music of American TV shows of the time – think “I Dream of Jeannie” or “Bewitched” - just with added harpsichord. With a mix of blues, jazz, lounge and latin rhythms, it at times verges on Esquivel-levels of bachelor pad atmosphere, which is brilliant. I have happily put this on in the background whilst entertaining, and have drawn compliments and questions on my music choice. If you weren’t to listen to the theme tune, this would stand up on its own as a great lounge album; full of jazz flute, drum set, laid back sax and mixed chorus scatting. “Uncle Fester's Blues” could be the b-side to Quincy Jones’ Soul Bossa Nova; “On Shroud No. 9” sounds like it should have Ann-Margret purring over the top of it; and you get the theme tune twice, with and without vocals!

Download HERE (59mb)

The Mariachi Brass featuring Chet Baker

When one thinks of Chet Baker, one doesn’t immediately think of “Tijuana Brass”. But by 1966 – after years of drug addiction, prison sentences, deportation, and a rather nasty case of having his teeth knocked out – Baker was in need of money. So, as was the norm for hard-up jazz musicians, he cashed in on whatever musical fad was about at the time. In 1966 it happened to be Herb Alpert’s Tijuana sound. I seem to have about five hours of music that is all people cashing in on this craze... not all of it stellar.

Four LPs were made, on which Chet played flugelhorn in order to support his family. The albums were surprisingly successful, considering that the content is often entirely devoid of Latin history. Songs such as “Pennsylvania 6-5000” and “In The Mood” are injected with only the slightest Latin flavour, making these albums delightfully kitsch lounge music. Never released to CD, you might be able to find them in your local charity shop; the covers feature beautiful females (always staring at you) in sultry locations, often sporting a large flower in their hair, or Cordobés hat about their person.

Here is a sampling of these tracks which, whilst they were made to cash in on a fad and make easy money, are still very pleasing and make excellent lounge or mood music. The Mariachi Brass’ version of “Flowers On The Wall” is one of my top played tracks out of my music collection.

Download HERE (35mb)

Oh Yeah!

French garage rock from 1966!



Antoine et Les Problèmes - Un Éléphant Me Regarde



Antoine et Les Problèmes - Les Élucubrations

Antoine sure knew how to be in awesome music videos. Best use of a junk yard in a music video ever, I'm positive.