Rod McKuen [1933-2015]

Artist: Rod McKuen

LP: In Search of Eros: Loneliness and Love In the Age of Eroticism

Song: "Stations and Trains" 
[ listen ]

This morning I awoke to the sad news that singer/songwriter/composer/poet Rod McKuen had died. McKuen is one of those artists where you just keep finding more of their records in the used bins than it seems humanly possible for one person to have made in a single lifetime. I've accumulated 15 Rod McKuen albums so far (not even counting his Christmas record) and, after glancing at his discography, I see that I've barely even scratched the surface! But when you find a Rod McKuen album, you buy it. There's just no question. And speaking of always buying albums, I just learned that "Rod McKuen lived in Southern California with his brother and four cats in a large rambling Spanish house build in 1928, which housed one of the world's largest private record collections." So I guess it's safe to assume that Rod actually acquired a copy of every single album in his own discography. You can read more about Rod McKuen on Wikipedia here, go here to find his obituary in the New York Times and here you'll find the website for Mr. McKuen, whose work literary critic Nora Ephron called "superficial" and "frequently silly." And this from the person who made MIXED NUTS.

 Rod McKuen

[ April 29, 1933 — January 29, 2015 ]

We will miss you, Rod.

The San Sebastian Strings

Artist: The San Sebastian Strings

LP: La Mer/The Sea

Song: "Le Vent, La Mer, L'ete (Beyond the Bend Ahead)"

[ listen ]

"The most successful, beautiful mood album of our age, now in French" seems like a good way to bid adieu to October of 2013. It's been a beauty. This collaboration between Anita Kerr (music), Rod McKuen (words), Marc Ogeret (voice), Rumi (translation) and The San Sebastian Strings (strings) makes for perfect after-work bubble bath music. It's another wonderful thing I found at Goodwill last weekend. 

Erik Bye

Artist: Erik Bye

LP: Einar Skjæraasen

Song: "Sommertrall"

[ listen ]

Maybe you've never heard of singer-journalist-author-artist-film actor and TV personality Erik Bye, but in 2005 he was named the 3rd greatest Norwegian of the 20th century! I feel bad that I'd not heard of him before laying eyes, hands, money, and ears (in that order) on this 1966 record of his, dedicated to Norwegian poet Einar Skjæraasen—especially since I'm of Norwegian stock (and not Norwegian livestock, as some have suggested). Bye was actually born in Brooklyn, NY, but when he was six years old his family moved home to Norway, where they took over a bed and breakfast and where Erik joined the Norwegian Nazi resistance movement when he was in his teens. You can read more about the fascinating life and career of Erik Bye here and see some neat photos from the back of the LP that I've included below.

[ Erik Bye: March 1, 1926 — October 13, 2004 ]