Audiobooks by Spike Jones

The Spike Jones Show Vol. 4: Starring Spike Jones and his City Slickers

"Many of the episodes on this volume were broadcast from Hollywood, but the program (which finally became The Spike Jones Show when it moved to a Sunday evening time slot in January 1949) traveled extensively in its last season—New Orleans, Jacksonville, Charlotte, Richmond, Philadelphia, Washington, New York, Boston, Chicago, Des Moines, and San Francisco. (The City Slickers never missed the opportunity to perform the likes of “Carolina in the Morning” or “Pennsylvania Polka”). Among the highlights heard here are the Slickers’ outlandish takeoff on “Riders in Sky” (May 21, 1949) with the original ending mocking vocalist Vaughn Monroe, who failed to appreciate being the butt of the joke. Despite the show’s popularity with the listening audience, it was ultimately “too raucous” for its sponsor, Coca-Cola. Spike refused to tone things down, resulting in his replacement by Percy Faith. The star-studded guest list on these episodes includes Marlene Dietrich, Boris Karloff (performing a Paul Revere sketch), Charles Boyer, Tony Martin, Cyd Charisse, Gene Tierney (featured in a parody of Spellbound), Madeleine Carroll, Lassie (doing “Il Barkio”), Kirk Douglas, Don Ameche, Frances Langford (in a parody of The Bickersons), and Janis Paige. 2/6/49 w/ Eddy Arnold and Janis Paige; 2/13/49 w/ Tony Martin and Cyd Charisse; 2/20/49 w/ Alec Templeton and Monica Lewis; 2/27/49 w/ Hildegarde; 3/6/49 w/ Burgess Meredith and Peggy Mann; 3/12/49 w/ Gene Tierney; 3/26/49 w/ Madeleine Carroll; 4/2/49 w/ Charles Boyer and Kitty Kallen; 4/9/49 w/ Boris Karloff; 4/23/49 w/ Marlene Dietrich; 4/30/49 w/ Don McNeil and the Dinning Sisters; 5/7/49 w/ Francis Langford; 5/28/49 w/ Eddy Arnold and Lassie; 6/4/49 w/ Dan Dailey; 6/11/49 w/ Kay Starr and Kirk Douglas; and 6/25/49 w/ Don Ameche"

Spike Jones (Author), A Full Cast (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Spike Jones Show, Vol. 3: Starring Spike Jones and His City Slickers

"This volume of The Spike Jones Show features episodes emanating from Las Vegas, Pueblo, Colorado, and Calipatria, California—where Spike grew up and started his first band—but most of the programs here were broadcast from Hollywood. The guest list reflects the change in locale. Frank Sinatra, Gene Kelly, Peter Lorre (vocalizing “My Old Flame” with impressionist Paul Frees in tow), Don Ameche (doing “Quartet from Rigor Mortis”), Dinah Shore and Fred Astaire (performing “Cheek to Cheek”), Jerry Colonna, and Basil Rathbone are among those heard here. The show’s $5,000 budget had little impact on the guest list. “All those big stars loved doing The Spike Jones Show,” said staff writer Eddie Brandt. “They all wanted to get into a City Slicker number with Spike.” The stars were doubly appreciated by servicemen who heard abbreviated shows on Armed Forces Radio. Big-band crooner Buddy Clark, singer Morton Downey Sr., the “Irish Nightingale,” the Delta Rhythm Boys, an African American quintet who endured for more than 50 years, and Lina Romay, vocalist for the Xavier Cugat band (who sings “Tico Tico”) are among other guest artists here, alongside regulars like singer Dorothy Shay and comedian Doodles Weaver. For more on Spike and the City Slickers and their radio days, see my book Spike Jones Off the Record: The Man Who Murdered Music (from BearManor Media) on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and elsewhere. 6/4/48 w/ Buddy Clark; 6/11/48 w/ The Delta Rhythm Boys; 6/18/48 w/ Buddy Clark; 10/8/48 w/ Gene Kelly; 10/15/48 w/ Don Ameche; 10/29/48 w/ Tony Martin; 11/5/48 w/ Jerry Colonna; 11/12/48 w/ Dick Haymes; 11/19/48 w/ Morton Downey; 11/26/48 w/ Hal Peary; 12/3/48 w/ Frank Sinatra; 12/10/48 w/ Peter Lorre; 12/17/48 w/ Ralph Edwards; 1/9/49 w/ Dinah Shore and Fred Astaire; 1/16/49 w/ Bob Crosby and Celeste Holm; and 1/30/49 w/ Basil Rathbone and Lina Romay"

Spike Jones (Author), A Full Cast (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Spike Jones Show Vol. 1: Starring Spike Jones and his City Slickers.

"The best comedy-novelty band of all time was at its peak when The Spike Jones Show (officially The Spotlight Revue, better known as The Coke Show) debuted on CBS, Friday, October 3, 1947. The show premiered in San Francisco where Spike and his City Slickers’ wacky Musical Depreciation Revue was holding forth at the Curran Theatre. The guest list here includes musical humorist Victor Borge (savaging “Clair de Lune” on the premiere), Tex Williams (doing his signature “Smoke Smoke Smoke”), Mel Torme and Frankie Laine. Also along for the ride are the great jazz singer/songwriter Nellie Lutcher, pianist/xylophonist Jan August, crooner/songwriter Jack Owens, the Dinning Sisters (a vocal group from Oklahoma in the mode of the Andrews Sisters), and the Harmonicats (offering their popular rendition of “Peg O’ My Heart.”) Among the regulars are singer Dorothy Shay, the “Park Avenue Hillbillie,” Slicker superstar Doodles Weaver (“William Tell Overture”), doing his best to steal the show as the spoonerism-spouting Professor Feetlebaum, trumpeter/vocalist George Rock (“Two Front Teeth”), comedian Earl Bennett (alias Sir Frederick Gas), banjoist Freddy Morgan, opera singer Ina Souez, and announcer Mike Wallace, en route to his stellar career as a TV newsman. 10/3/47 w/ Victor Borge; 10/17/47 w/ Frankie Laine; 10/24/47 w/ Tex Williams; 10/31/47 w/ Jan August; 11/7/47 w/ Jack Owens; 11/14/47 w/ Francis Craig; 11/28/47 w/ Jack Smith and the Clark Sisters; 12/5/47 w/ The Three Suns; 12/12/47 w/ Mel Torme; 12/19/47 w/ The Dinning Sisters and the Harmonicats; 12/26/47 w/ Golden Gate Quartet; 1/2/48 w/ Buddy Clark; 1/9/48 w/ Nellie Lutcher; 1/16/48 w/ Jan August; 1/23/48 w/ Jack Owens; and 1/30/48 w/ John Laurenz"

Spike Jones (Author), A Full Cast (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Spike Jones Show Vol. 2: Starring Spike Jones and His City Slickers

"Spike Jones and his City Slickers enjoyed perhaps their finest hour in March 1948, when they performed in Washington, DC at the request of President Harry Truman. They do a slam-bang up job on “I’m Just Wild About Harry” on the opening show in this volume, in anticipation of their visit. Getting The Spike Jones Show on the air took a lot of advance planning from week to week, with schedule and location dictated by the band’s lucrative road show and its cross-country tours of one-night stands. Though most of the fall/winter episodes were broadcast from Chicago, the shows on this volume originated from Buffalo, Pittsburgh, New York City, Indianapolis, Detroit, Cleveland, St. Louis, Kansas City, and Omaha. They beefed up the City Slickers with extra musicians in every locale for the big band numbers. Guests heard here include the fabulous Mills Brothers (doing their evergreen “Paper Doll”), Burl Ives, Mel Torme, Vic Damone, Eddy Arnold, and Frankie Laine. Among the forgotten treasures in this time capsule are trios led by organist Milt Herth, and jazz pianists Eddie Heywood and Page Cavanaugh. 2/6/48 w/ The Mills Brothers; 2/13/48 w/ Vic Damone; 2/20/48 w/ Buddy Clark; 2/27/48 w/ Eddy Arnold; 3/12/48 w/ Jack Smith and the Clark Sisters; 3/19/48 w/ The Milt Herth Trio; 3/26/48 w/ Jan August; 4/2/48 w/ The Harmonaires; 4/9/48 w/ Mel Torme; 4/16/48 w/ The Dinning Sisters; 4/23/48 w/ Vic Damone; 4/30/48 w/ The Page Cavanaugh Trio; 5/7/48 w/ Burl Ives; 5/14/48 w/ Eddy Heywood Trio; 5/21/48 w/ Ken Griffin; and 5/28/48 w/ Frankie Laine"

Spike Jones (Author), A Full Cast (Narrator)

Audiobook