Golly mister, I'm lookin' for some swell music.
December 25, 2008 2:44 PM   Subscribe

For comedic purposes, I need some of that breezy music you often hear in the background of 50's educational films, usually strings. Youtube is probably not an option because I need the 'pure' version without talking, sound effects, etc. already dubbed over it. I'm thinking it might be somewhere in the Henry Mancini realm but not sure. Any thoughts you have would be just swell.
posted by mattholomew to Media & Arts (13 answers total) 15 users marked this as a favorite
 


"Holiday For Strings"? (from 0:34)
posted by iviken at 3:10 PM on December 25, 2008


If you can manage to find it (I haven't) there's something called 'production music'. I used to work at a radio station that had a much-dubbled tape reel of the stuff - labeled either 'Columbia Production Music' or 'Capitol Production Music' - as in the big record companies. I've been unable to find hide nor hair of any of it in the intervening years, but it's EXACTLY what you're looking for - you'd recognize the tracks, I'm sure.
posted by DandyRandy at 4:04 PM on December 25, 2008


So, a bunch of Ren and Stimpy music would probably be right up your alley then?
posted by knowles at 4:06 PM on December 25, 2008 [1 favorite]


Best answer: Don't forget Part II of the Ren & Stimpy production music. It's pretty much exactly what you're asking for (and much, much more). From AskMe's own Metafilter.
posted by range at 4:23 PM on December 25, 2008 [2 favorites]


this probably isn't it, but it sure is good. (henri mancini & his orchestra, esquivel & his orchestra, etc. not 100% sure, but i think it's all instrumental, no vocals.)
posted by msconduct at 4:48 PM on December 25, 2008


I used Music for TV Dinners when I had to shoot a short instructional piece for a class project. It really does capture that filmstrip feel.
posted by fairytale of los angeles at 4:53 PM on December 25, 2008 [1 favorite]


Maybe something from the Inkspots? They were used in the post-apocalyptic future-as-'50s Fallout games.
posted by porpoise at 7:06 PM on December 25, 2008


Theme from A Summer Place?
posted by hydrophonic at 10:43 PM on December 25, 2008


"Baby Elephant Walk" by Henry Mancini was immediately what came to mind... my dad used to play it for me all the time when I was a kid and I loved how happy go lucky it sounded.
posted by veronicacorningstone at 12:26 AM on December 26, 2008


Seconding Music for TV Dinners. It's pretty much exactly what you asked for. There's a second disc in the series subtitled The Sixties, too.
posted by sleeping bear at 10:57 AM on December 26, 2008


I would definitely check out Music for TV Dinners. If you can't find anything you like on there, another disc to try is called The Sound Gallery
posted by Millimillenary at 12:25 PM on December 26, 2008


Response by poster: Ah, that Ren & Stimpy stuff is fantastic! The track "Holiday Fun" was exactly what I was looking for. Thanks all, that TV Dinners CD sounds great & worth seeking out.
posted by mattholomew at 1:34 PM on December 28, 2008


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