Search - Spike Jones :: V-Disc Recordings

Rarities for WWII military

Ted Hering | Redding, CA USA | 12/08/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Spike and the Slickers recorded these during 1943 (when nothing was recorded for RCA Victor) and 1944. Most performances are less "polished," as they were not intended for the general public and their studio time was donated. Several familiar titles are actually EARLIER versions. And some of the material ("As Time Goes By")was never recorded anywhere else. But there are some down sides to the CD: Several tracks are NOT from V-disc ("Cocktails for Two," and "Chloe" are dubs from RCA Victor records). One of the V-Discs sides, "You Can't Say No To A Soldier," does not appear. (No big loss -- this was a sappy "straight" patriotic song, and is available on another CD anyway.) Most odd is the appearance of "Holiday for Strings" -- which was never a V-Disc release (although it was considered at one time; perhaps the source archive for the CD mastering was "test pressings?") Sound quality ranges from pretty good to very scratchy. But they are an entertaining bit of history."