Best of Mel Blanc, Man of 1000 Voices

Mel Blanc was best known for doing the voices of literally hundreds of cartoon characters, including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Woody Woodpecker, Yosemite Sam, Barney Rubble and many more. But he also made dozens of novelty records. He actually had hits with "Woody Woodpecker", "Toot, Toot, Toosie" and "I Taut I Taw a Puddy Tat". This CD features 25 of his novelty records. Most of the songs here are good, but some of my favorites are missing. I really wish this CD included "Big Bear Lake", "K-K-K-Katy", "Ten Little Bottles" and "Daffy Duck's Rhapsody". There would have been room for them if they hadn't included so many Christmas songs. Four Christmas songs is a bit too many for a non-Christmas CD, one would have been plenty.

While am a big fan I also bought the "That's All Folks" album and BOTH had almost 90% of the same tracks. In fact I wondered if there was mixup in the albums. I am still happy I bought both albums. It's perfect for anyone who is a "Looney Toons" fan or a talented vocal actor. By the way Happy 105th Birthdat Mel . I wish you were still here because the world needs you.

I recall when I first saw this Collectors' Choice 2005 release hoping against hope that the list of contents would somehow include Snowbound Tweety Parts 1 & 2 which came out as a picture-sleeve 45 rpm in time for Christmas 1953 on Capitol 3169. With the Dave Cavanaugh orchestra providing background music, it told the tale of two of his most famous Looney Tunes And Merry Melodies characters Tweety Pie and Sylvester The Cat stranded in a blizzard, and made it to # 14 on the Billboard Xmas charts that year.But since that was less of a musical offering than a story I suppose Collector's Choice never considered it for inclusion. Still, this certainly gives you a thorough coverage of those records he did cut for Johnny Mercer's Capitol Records from 1949 to 1954, most with the backing of the Billy May orchestra, including the three he put onto the main Billboard singles charts during his years as probably THE most famous voice in animated history. In addition to the two just mentioned, among his many voices for Warner Brothers are Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Woody Woodpecker, Yosemite Sam, Marvin The Martian, and Pepe Le Pew, and some of Porky Pig and Elmer Fudd (among many more).Born Melvin Jerome Blank in San Francisco on May 30, 1908, his first association with a hit record came in 1942 when he was the vocalist on the # 23 Clink, Clink, Another Drink by Spike Jones & His City Slickers b/w Pack Up Your Troubles on Bluebird 11466. Unfortunately, neither side is here. But those registered with Capitol are, starting with the July 1948 # 2 (for 5 weeks) Woody Woodpecker, done with The Sportsmen on Capitol 15145 (the flip was a Sportsmen-only song). The only thing keeping it from # 1 was the 6 weeks run at the top by the cover version by the Kay Kyser orchestra (vocal by Gloria Wood) and Pee Wee Hunt's 8 weeks at # 1 with The Twelfth Street Rag.His rendition of the old 1923 Al Jolson hit, Toot Toot Tootsie (Good-Bye) peaked at # 26 in December 1949 on Capitol 780 b/w I've Got A Lovely Bunch Of Cocoanuts, but that's unfortunately omitted, and in February 1951 he concluded his initial string of nationally-charting singles when I Taut I Taw A Puddy Tat, based on the famous Tweety Pie line from te cartoons when spying a skulking Sylvester, topped out at # 9 on Capitol 1360 b/w Yosemite Sam, which thankfully is included.None of his other similar novelty singles could get him back on the national charts (some for obvious reasons as things like I Dess I Dooto Doe and The Pussy Cat Parade are pretty grimace-inducing), while others wouldn't get past the Politically-Correct Police today (The Hat I Got For Christmas Ees Too Beeg). But many of them are here in this thorough compendium of his cartoon-related and oter comedy offerings with excellent sound reproduction and informative and interesting liner notes written by Todd Everett.A list of some of his other Capitol releases is in the Comments below with an asterisk (*) preceding those titles included in the release. Not something you'd want to hear from beginning to end at one sitting, but sure to entertain the children with selected choices.Mel passed away at age 81 on July 10, 1989 but his many voices live on in countless classic cartoons.

Many don't realize that besides being a behind-the-scenes powerhouse of vocal talent in cartoons and early-TV, Mel Blanc was also a prolific recording artist releasing many records. Being mainly novelty recordings and during the 78rpm era, the actual records are hard to come by. This is a great CD, but now is GROSSLY OVERPRICED. You can find it elsewhere for less and there are other great collections to choose from, available here. Any of Mel's recordings will put a smile on your face and make your heart sing!

Mel Blanc was best known for doing the voices of literally hundreds of cartoon characters, including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Woody Woodpecker, Yosemite Sam, Barney Rubble and many more. But he also made dozens of novelty records. He actually had hits with "Woody Woodpecker", "Toot, Toot, Toosie" and "I Taut I Taw a Puddy Tat". This CD features 25 of his novelty records. Most of the songs here are good, but some of my favorites are missing. I really wish this CD included "Big Bear Lake", "K-K-K-Katy", "Ten Little Bottles" and "Daffy Duck's Rhapsody". There would have been room for them if they hadn't included so many Christmas songs. Four Christmas songs is a bit too many for a non-Christmas CD, one would have been plenty.

Mel Blanc was a funny man and this is a funny album. He did a lot of very funny songs. Unfortunally not all of them are on this album as some of them are on his other greatest hits album. So if you get them both youll have a perfect compilation of his songs at least in my opinion. So you should get this album and then unless you think you have enough -or you already have it- get the other one.

If you really enjoy loony toons cartoons with Mel Blanc voices, you may enjoy this cd very much. We were actually only looking for the one song...The Hat I Got For Christmas Is Too Big...but after listening to the whole album we enjoyed it very much.

This cd proves that Mel Blanc totally deserved his reputation as an unbelievably gifted voice artist and comedian. The man truly was a legend. Even the most talented voice artists today can't hold a candle to Mr. Blanc. He was trully a gifted individual.