Lounge mix for summer

Let's start with some Mancini, Monica Mancini, doing a very John Barry/James Bond take on her papa's song "Charade" (also the newest song, 2004, featured within this post):

The best of The Pink Panther soundtrack

My parents had this album, the soundtrack to the original, 1963 The Pink Panther film (with all due respect to Steve Martin, the Peter Sellers/Blake Edwards/Henry Mancini Pink Panther was a film, Martin's, simply a movie). I have very clear memories of listening to it up in my room on a small, children's phonograph when I was eight or nine years old. On some of the songs, when I listen to them today, I can still hear the crackling of the needle on the record. I just love this stuff now. It immediately transports me to another time - Camelot, if you will. My favorites are "It Had Better Be Tonight" (particularly the instrumental version), "Champagne and Quail" (so lounge - I love it!), and "Royal Blue." Man, that's a beautiful song (so melancholy and sad). Definitely a "desert island" song for me. Thank you, thank you, Henry Mancini.

"Mr. Lucky"

We interrupt current programming for a beautiful little slice of musical, retro heaven entitled:

This TV series, very loosely based on the movie by the same title, is about a suave gambler, Mr. Lucky (John Vivyan), his faithful sidekick, Andamo (Ross Martin), and various guest stars (such as Frank Gorshin) who undergo their adventures on Lucky's yacht, the Fortuna II (Fortuna I sank in episode 1). Anchored beyond L.A.'s twelve-mile limit, the yacht is a center of gambling, classy dining, and intrigue. Lucky and Andamo get themselves into all kinds of danger, but always manage to get themselves out by the time the closing credits roll. While the setting is creative, the magic of this series is created by Henry Mancini's fabulous musical score. The theme "Mr. Lucky" plays throughout, as does Mancini's "Chime Time" and other lovely numbers (e.g., "Blue Satin"). (From the IMDb entry for the TV show which ran from 1959 to 1960)
End credits to Mr. Lucky:

Mancini's smooth theme music for the show reached Number 21 in the US singles charts. He released two successful LP's based on the show, Mr. Lucky and Mr. Lucky Goes Latin. On the show, Mr. Lucky carried a pocket watch whose chimes played the first five notes of the Mr. Lucky theme music. See that at around 1:00:

"Royal Blue"

Say what you will about the Russians, they appreciate and recognize good music when they hear it. Back in January, the Grand Flute Ensemble performed "The Pink Panther Suite," with the third part featuring one of my favorite tunes from the The Pink Panther (1963) soundtrack, "Royal Blue."


While their version is true to the original melody, albeit slower, I sure miss the barroom piano and muted trumpet of the original, Mancini version.