Voices from a Photograph

Compilation: Voices from a Photograph

Here it is, my latest compilation – Voices from a Photograph. I have been working on this compilation for quite some time, almost a year in the making. It took a long time to find songs that fitted both the mood and title of it. The theme for the compilation is mood music for rainy Sundays – meaning melancholic, dreamy vocal pop mixed with instrumental music and songs from movies from the late 1960s to the mid 1970s. I am pretty sure you will recognize some of them – especially if you are a movie buff (like me). The compilation clocks in at about 60 minutes and is available to download from the links below. Enjoy, and please give me feedback if you like it.

01. Scott Walker – It’s Raining Today
02. Nick de Caro & Orchestra – I’m Gonna Make You Love Me
03. Dominic Frontiere – When Were Your Dreams Worth Remembering
04. Dino, Desi & Billy – Thru Spray Colored Glasses
05. Elmer Bernstein – Nearing East Proctor
06. The Velvet Underground & Nico – Sunday Morning
07. Michel Legrand – Theme From The Thomas Crown Affair
08. The Hollyridge Strings – Scarborough Fair
09. Scott Walker – Rosemary
10. Henry Mancini – Natasha In Venice
11. The Cyrkle – It’s a Lovely Game Louise
12. Michael Legrand – Main Title from Pretty Polly
13. Jerry Goldsmith – Claudie’s Stockings
14. Brian Bennett – Thoughtful
15. The Free Design – My Brother Woody
16. The Velvet Underground & Nico – Femme Fatale
17. John Barry – The Man on a Scooter
18. Quincy Jones – On Days Like These
19. Scott Walker – Copenhagen
20. Richard R. Bennett – Anya
21. Marvin Hamlisch – Lovely Hair
22. Tony Hatch and Jackie Trent – Gotta Get Away
23. Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood – Some Velvet Morning
24. Dennis Farnon – Lonely Promenade

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About the author: Chris

Founded Ultra Swank in 2005. Has a crush on Pan Am, Disneyland and the Century 21 Exposition. Lives life as an expat in Barcelona, Spain.

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By Chris

April 5th, 2007

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Comments for this post

  • Jason

    We seem to share exactly the same taste in music, I always call this soft moody music “Rainy Afternoon” music because that’s always the mood it conurs up for me.

    Guess I’m not alone afte all :)

    Great stuff

  • Anonymous

    Nice music for rainy days, staying at home or walking outside (getting all wet)

  • Lee

    Another great and unique collection. I will listen to it on the burning hot summers here in Bakersfield when rain is a distant memory. As always you’re brilliantly brilliant. The tracks exude cool.

  • Chris

    Thank you all for your kind words! It is really nice to know that you appreciate my work. More compilations are coming, keep an eye open!

  • Old Vinyl

    I would just like to add my heartfelt thanks to your wonderful compilation.

    OV

  • Lee

    Believe me I am poised and ready. I’m bringing swank to Bakersfield with my zine called SWIZZLE and I have pointed people in your direction.

  • Anonymous

    Great selection

  • Anonymous

    As always a gorgeous compilation! I am always thankful for your perfect touch of capturing a innocent time that has sadly past. This mix brings back memories from the springs of the mid-1970′s, when as a child I remember the rides back to boarding school after a weekend at home. Staring out the rain streaked window sitting in the back seat of my parents’ Simca. Not talking …just watching the wet road rush past,listening to Scott Walker sing on the radio and hoping the rain would hide my boyhood tears. Thanks Chris for the memories.

  • Anonymous

    BRAVO!

  • Peoplemover

    Thanks for another winner, Chris! This compilation really does bring that “Rainy Day Feeling” around. Now I wish it would rain here, but at this time of year, in L.A., not bloody likely!

    Cheers!

  • Chris

    Thank you all for your really swell comments! Without your support, I probably wouldn’t share my compilations.

    Especially like what “Anonymous” said about it brining back those rainy springs back in the mid 70s, going back to boarding school.

    Thank you all again!

  • BillyRocker

    Wow My Compliments to this great Music for rainy days….I Live in Scotland and it Rains every day lol Ty again!

  • Anonymous

    Another faultless mix – thank you!

  • Anonymous

    The Cyrkle track starts off exactly like “Rain On The Mountainside” by Jake Thackray. Think you might like it:

    http://www.sendspace.com/file/nmq98m

  • Anonymous

    Many thanks for sharing theese forgotten jewels. I LOVE your blog, and can’t wait your next update. Gloubiboulga from France

  • Chris

    Thank you, Chris. You’re awesome.

  • kaspian

    Great, great comps here — thank you so much for all the time and thought you spend on this.

    I’m really glad to discover your blog (via a link from Rangeraver’s Departure Lounge).

  • Anonymous

    Thanks, a nice selection of well known and not so well known cuts, library, ost and psych.
    standouts for me are the Free design, Dominic Frontiere and Dino, Desi & Billy cuts.

    check some of the KPM and CHAPPELL libraries of artists like Roger Webb/Dennis Farnon/James Clarke/Steve Gray for more music in this vein.

    when i get around to getting a USB interface for my vinyl deck, i’ll post some links to stuff that you may be interested in…..

  • Chris

    Thank you for your nice comments!

    Anonymous: I usually use alot of library music from KPM, Chappell etc. on my compilations – but tried to avoid that on this compilation. Wanted it too sound different, more real. Looking forward to your rips.

  • doft fischer

    A superbly curated collection. Please continue you fantastic efforts.

  • scoredaddy

    very nice collection
    Thanks for your hard work

  • hrundi

    Hey Chris! I enjoyed listening to all of your compilations. The covers are really great too. I’ve been doing a compilation like this one for quite a long time, must have been longer than 2 years, and the strange thing is we both had Scott Walker, Henry Mancini, Nancy Sinatra and Nico. Different tracks though. Give it a listen if you can find the time and tell me what you think.
    http://rapidshare.com/files/29358270/Hrundi_s_Out_of_the_Groove_Extended_Nausea_Mix.mp3
    Don’t let the filename put you off, it’s just an in-joke. I’m quite pleased by the way it turned out, cause the sellection is pretty eclectic… And then it might be only me that can see the connection, I’m not sure. I’d love to hear what you think.

  • hrundi

    Sorry, I dont know what happened with the link. Here’s the right URL
    http://rapidshare.com/files/29358270/Hrundi_s_Out_of_the_Groove_Extended_Nausea_Mix.mp3

  • hrundi

    This is odd, and now I look like an idiot. I guess blogger doesn’t allow that many characters in a row. Anyway, the rest of it is
    Out_of_the_Groove_Extended_Nausea_Mix.mp3

    Sorry for spamming

  • Chris

    Thank you hrundi for your kind words, I appreciate it! I am downloading your mix as I write this, will get back to you when I have listened to it. Thank you for sharing it! Weird about the song selections, I agree!

  • hrundi

    Thanks, Chris. You can get the tracklist here
    http://filmuzika.informe.com/viewtopic.php?t=213

    I hope you dont mind me posting your compos here a couple of days ago
    http://filmuzika.informe.com/viewtopic.php?t=101
    I explained that whoever downloads them can thank the guy that made them, and I posted a link to your blog.

  • Charles and Anne

    Hrundi…loved your compilation! It came out as one loooong track. I probably have some glitch that caused that. I appreciate the time you took to put it together. Thanks.

  • Chris

    hrundi, your compilation was great, lots of tracks I hadn’t heard before!

    If I would change something I would remove some of the 50s songs (Sandman, Chappell etc.) in the begining, not my cup of tea. But that’s just me, hope you continue to create new compilations!

  • hrundi

    Thanks Charls and Anne and Chris :) Actually, Chris, I kind of thought that those girl group tracks added to the feel of the compilation. I wanted to see if the initial mood of a particular track can be “altered” by its context. For example, can the “merry” Chapel of Love sound glum when you play it after Nico’s These Days. Again, I don’t know… I may have overdone it. But, man, do I envy you on your artwork! Your covers are fantastic, I wish I could make them that way.

  • Charles and Anne

    Quick question Chris…If I were to put together a compilation to share with others, how do I avoid copyright infringement? Are the songs you’ve put together public domain? I’d like to put one together.

  • Traitor Vic

    Brilliant, as usual!

    And the cover… I know I’ll be keeping an eye out for it in the Thrift Shop stacks from now on.

    Thanks so much.

  • Lee

    How did I miss this one? Excellent as usual Chris!

    The Cyrkle? Jackie Trent? Free Design? Awesome.

  • Morticia

    my favourite series is The Persuaders, the best part is the overture, the car race with a cool song playing over it.(Jackie Trent & Tony Hatch)would be my need onto the lyrics.

  • Chris

    That scene is a classic Morticia! I love the scenery and the music playing over the race to the casino in Monte Carlo! :D

  • Anonymous

    Thanks very much for sharing… I really enjoyed it.

  • Francisco de los Santos

    i love this CD… or LP

    this is completely depressive.

    im crying now, Thanks. i Love It

  • C.K. Dexter Haven

    Chris, This compilation is so melancholy, reflective, and sad. I’m really enjoying it! ;) It’s also my first expereince with Scott Walker’s music. Where has he been all my life??? I knew about the Walker Brothers’ “Deadlier Than the Male”, but knew nothing about Scott’s brilliance. Thanks for “introducing” us!

    BTW, a blog you may be interested in is “Pleasant Family Shopping” which is right up your alley.

    http://pleasantfamilyshopping.blogspot.com/

  • Chris

    Thank you for your comments C.K. Dexter Haven, I am glad you liked it! Scott Walker is a gem indeed. Also thanks for the tip about that shopping blogg, it definitely seems up my alley. Especially now seeing that the Malls of America blog is no more.

  • Steve

    This is so lovely, I can’t express my thanks enough…your comp is the perfect soundtrack for any day here in Los Angeles, rain or shine. Bless you!

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  • Eric Grossman

    I've always wanted Windmills of Your Mind–the original movie is an all-time favorite of mine–so thanks! Wonderful blog–you're bookmarked!

  • peso_vienna@gmx.at

    You made my day, as I searched for “Gotta Get Away” since I heard it decades ago.. Thank you very much!!! :-)

  • DefChef

    Fannnnstastic comp….lots of attention, intelligence, and good taste went in here, obvs. Please keep up the good work!

  • http://www.ultraswank.net Chris

    Cheers! I try my best!

  • DLM-PINOY

    thank you for posting your compilations of retro music. I adore retro music.
    this is one blog I really appreciate. Thanks a million. DLM-Pinoy from the Philippines.

  • ChrisM

    another compilation that i’d love to download but when i got to it , it says ” temporarily unavailable ” . Seriously….I would really like to download about 3 or 4 of the compilations , but frustratingly , I cant ! When will they become available for download again ??

Ultra Swank – Your one stop blog for retro living, style and design

Ultra Swank takes you back in time into the kitsch, chic and swank living of the 50s, 60s and the 70s. We mainly focus on the design, architecture and the lifestyle of the happy-go-lucky and space-age-living mentality of that era – but also on the music and movies that takes you back to happier times. Ultra Swank is run by Chris, a Swede born in the wrong decade that currently resides in Barcelona. Read more

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