Various Artists - Bear Family Memorial Series: Sputnik! The Launch Of The Space Race (Various Artists) (CD)

Details:

On October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik into earth’s orbit, the satellite’s ascendancy officially commencing the Space Age.

Naturally, rock and rollers inclined toward social commentary offered their own musical spin on the interplanetary action, as did singers from other genres—country, R&B, pop, surf, and a number of styles in between.

They’re all represented on this galactic Bear Family compilation, from rockabillies Joe Montgomery, Carl Mann, and Jerry Engler to R&B stalwarts Danny Overbea, Paul Perryman, Frank (Dual Trumpet) Motley, and velvet-voiced Jesse Belvin.

Songs about satellites sail skyward, interspersed with high-flying instrumentals by Jimmie Haskell, percussionist Bobby Christian, and the mysterious Comrade X (Dorsey Burnette was involved).

Vocal groups have their say via Vernon Green and The Medallions, The Equadors, and The 3 Honeydrops, while Young John Watson’s 1954 instrumental masterpiece Space Guitar and mind-boggling wordless workouts by country guitar genius Jimmy Bryant and steel guitar wizard Speedy West are genuinely otherworldly.

Take a wild ride into the stratosphere!

FEATURES:

• CD Digipak with 36 page booklet, 29 tracks. Total playing time approx. 75 min.
• In the 1950s, the United States and the Soviet Union engaged in a fierce race to successfully launch a satellite into space.
• The Soviet Union fired up its Sputnik satellite on Oct. 4, 1957, winning the race and heating up the battle for space supremacy.
• Bear Family Records® presents U.S. musicians and singers from a variety of genres who took this topic and recorded a variety of songs, all dealing with the space age.
• R'n'R with Joe Montgomery and Carl Mann, R&B with Danny Overbea, Frank Motley and Jesse Belvin, a.o., plus instrumentals, percussionists, vocal groups and guitarists such as Johnny 'Guitar' Watson, Jimmy Bryant and Speedy West.
• Extensive liner notes by music expert and historian Bill Dahl in the illustrated and detailed booklet.
• Carefully restored recordings, primarily from the 1950s and 1960s.
• Look forward to a wild ride through the stratosphere!

BEAR FAMILY MEMORIAL SERIES: SPUTNIK / VARIOUS

Tracklist:

1. Men Into Space - Buddy Morrow ; His Orchestra
2. There Goes Sputnik - the Teen-Clefs
3. Planetary Run - Joe Montgomery
4. Sputniks and Mutniks - Ray Anderson ; the Home Folks
5. Stratosphere Boogie - Jimmy Bryant with Speedy West
6. Space Age - Frank (Dual Trumpet) Motley ; His Crew
7. Gonna Build a Rocket - Galen Denny
8. My Satellite - Jesse Belvin ; His Space Riders
9. Satellite No. 2 - Carl Mann
10. Satellite Fever - Asiatic Flu / Paul Perryman
11. Rockin' Satellite - the 3 Honeydrops
12. Sputnik Dance - the Equadors
13. Space Time - Danny Overbea
14. Sputnik (Satellite Girl) - Jerry Engler ; the Four Ekkos
15. The Sputnik Story - Bill Thomas
16. Rocket Ship - Vernon Green ; the Medallions
17. Theme from Spacenik - Comrade X
18. Weightless Blues - Jimmy Haskell ; His Orchestra
19. Count Down - Flight Into Orbit Bobby Christian ; His Orchestra
20. Rocking to Telstar - Cees ; His Skyliners
21. Space Guitar - Young John Watson
22. Space Man in Orbit - Speedy West
23. Rocket Race - Charlie Ryan
24. Astrosonic - Jimmie Haskell ; His Orchestra
25. Journey to the Stars - the Nocturnes
26. Sputnik - los Loud Jets
27. Static - the Velvetones
28. Shooting Stars - Dick Jacobs ; His Orchestra
29. Up There in Orbit - Earl Bostic