I was in Asheville NC yesterday (for an Iron & Wine show) and did some record shopping. At a used record store, in a large collection of common records in poor condition, I found a near mint LP of The Best of Stan Freberg for $3 which collects some of his early singles. I've been a fan since I was a kid listening to my father's Freberg records, and had most of the material on CD and vinyl, but couldn't pass it up. I'm spinning it now and it sounds very good.

Any other Freberg fans?

You bet! I listened to his radio apperances on radio and have always been a fan. Although I love his early stuff, my favorite all time lp is Stan Freberg presents the United States of America; one of the best political and cultural satire bits ever done. I'd be curious if you know of this and how you feel about it!!

My dad bought me Stan Freberg presents the United States of America (vol. 1, The Early Years) on LP when I was in junior high; he had once owned a copy that had gone missing. I could probably recite the whole thing from memory when I was in high school.

Several years back, I bought the double CD release of Vol. 1 (with a couple extra added skits) and Vol. 2 (the middle years). I've never been sure if the new material didn't measure up to the classic album, or if it was just the lack of familiarity that has led me to continue to prefer the original.

Hi,

Love Stan Freberg. How are we going to catch that Dragon? Glad you asked, why a Dragonet!

I hear Stan Freberg radio shows on XM from time to time. Really funny stuff!

Iron & Wine is great!

SF presents the USA, Vol. 1 should be required listening in every HS USHistory class in the USofA ("Sorry, banks closed. Oh, why? Columbus Day. Mmm. We going to go out on that joke. No, we do reprise of song. That help, but not much, no not much."). Vol 2 doesn't have the music, probably because Billy May wasn't along for the ride.

A great Rhino re-issue of his best is called "The Tip of the Freberg", a 4 cd plus VHS tape that just about covers all his greatest hits. Don't know whether it's still available, but I have it. The man was a master, especially in advertising. I will never forget his Jeno's Pizza Roll, or Campbell's Soup commercials.

Is that Star of Indiana in the picture. I see the DCI sign? Big band and corps fan here!!

Is that Star of Indiana in the picture. I see the DCI sign? Big band and corps fan here!!

I wish! Star's last year performing was 1994. That's a shot of this year' DCI Champions, the Phantom Regiment from Rockford, IL taken at the Indiana University Stadium where this year's finals were held. Best Drum Corps show I've ever been to, going back (yikes) 38 years.

Freberg could have easily written some of the Velvet Knights' shows. They were just bizarre enough, funny enough, and creative enough to have been his work.

SF presents the USA, Vol. 1 should be required listening in every HS USHistory class in the USofA ("Sorry, banks closed. Oh, why? Columbus Day. Mmm. We going to go out on that joke. No, we do reprise of song. That help, but not much, no not much."). Vol 2 doesn't have the music, probably because Billy May wasn't along for the ride.


"What? On top of all that you're telling me this ship is rigged!?"

Stan is an amazing guy, just ask him :D Back in the day, I never knew it was him and his friends that did the voices on the Rocky & Bullwinkle Show.

"Take An Indian To Lunch Today!" sung by Mayor Pennypacker indeed.

Yeah, it was all a very funny way to learn history. I find all his stuff hilariously funny, and I hope he lives forever!

I know what you mean about memorizing it all, sometimes I think I did too.

My dad got me going on Freberg when I was a kid. I still drop quotes from Banana Boat Song and Yellow Rose of Texas into my conversation as if anyone will understand what I'm saying. I think there's even Freberg on 78 around here somehwere.

He did a very shortlived show called The Family Dog. I think I only saw one episode but, predictably, laughed like an idiot for half an hour.

The "Spirit of '76" rendition of "Yankee Doodle" from USA Vol. 1 was very much in the spirit of his "Yellow Rose", "Banana Boat" and "Great Pretender" singles, down to the "You've ruined the whole [explosion sound effect] selection" ending.

His take on the signing of the Declaration of Independence through the filter of McCarthyism is just brilliant. "The purfuit of happineff" and "the Un-British Activities Committee" indeed.

I've spun my "new" Best of Stan Freberg LP a few times now. The two tracks I was not familiar with are nothing remarkable: a straight reading of "Ya Got Trouble" (from The Music Man) and a hypnotism to past lives sketch called "The Quest for Bridey Hammerschlaugen."

"Will ya look at that Hancock guy's signature?

I can't stop laughing.

Or Ben Franklin's visit from the guys at Life magazine? Priceless.

Without Stan Freberg there never would have been Firesign Theater. But that's a different obsidian doorknocker, eh?

I think I've reached a point where I am unable to read or say the word pursuit without the F in it. Before being familiar with "The Music Man' (about the only musical I can enjoy without sacharine overload) I thought it was just another funny Freberg song. I never really understood why it's on the Greatest Hits virtually unchanged from the musical. Nonetheless, I do know all the words.

Just checked music library and, along with a lot of other discs and LPs, I do have John and Marsha/Ragtime Dan and Little Blue Riding Hood/St George and the Dragonnet on 78.
(A 412? What's A 412?!?)
In a similar vein, anyone ever happen across Steve Allen's Uncle Jazzbo Fairy Tales?