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Various Artists

Easter Parade - 29 Easter Eggs For The Springtime Basket

Review by Gary Hill

This new collection is about Easter and spring music. The songs here range from 1932 to 1962. The styles are all over the place from rockabilly to jazz, contemporary pop and more. This works well and presents an intriguing collection of retro music.

This review is available in book (paperback and hardcover) form in Music Street Journal: 2023  Volume 2. More information and purchase links can be found at: garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2023.

Track by Track Review
Jimmy Wakely - Peter Cottontail
A bouncy old-fashioned bluegrass meets jazzy musical theater vibe is all over this. It really sounds like a Christmas song adapted to Easter lyrics.
Chris Connor - Suddenly It's Spring
This ballad has a string arrangement that is very much a feature of its bygone era. It's a little too precious for my tastes, but the vocal performance is solid.
Frankie Lymon - Up Jumped The Rabbit
I dig this bouncy old-school rock and roller a lot. It's a driving tune that's so much fun.
Fay Darling - Funny Bunny
Here we get more tasty old-school rock and roll. It's another fun romp.    
Ernie Freeman - Spring Fever
An instrumental jazz piece, this features prominent piano. It's a particularly effective piece.    
Vera Lynn - Two Easter Sunday Sweethearts
This has an old-time musical theater vibe to it. There is a sing-along section later in the tune.
Sarah Vaughan & Billy Eckstine - Easter Parade
This classic number has a very precious arrangement, and is decidedly musical theater based.     
Betty Clooney & The Sandpipers - Egbert The Easter Egg
Bouncy and playful, this is another with a musical theater vibe to it. It's another fun (if dated) tune.
Beverly Bunt - My Choc'late Rabbit
The vocals on this sound like a child, but at times it seems more like an adult trying to sound like a kid. Either way, this has a musical theater vibe and is more of a novelty tune.
Jimmy Wakely - The Easter Egg Parade
Bouncy and entertaining, this works pretty well.     
The Tri-Tones - Chicken In The Basket
A bouncy rock and roller with doo wop vocals, this cut is a lot of fun.
Billy Bland - Chicken In The Basket
This feels like Bo Diddley to me. I dig the rawer old-time rock and roll vibe to it. This is one of my favorites on this disc. The saxophone on this brings its own brand of magic.
Speedy West & Jimmy Bryant - Pickin' The Chicken
I dig the fast-paced bluegrass energy on this tune. This instrumental is so much fun in a down home, but pretty crazed way.   
Rex & The Minors - Chicken Sax
Another energetic instrumental romp, this reminds of me of the kind of music that was played on the Benny Hill show. It's very entertaining.
Jimmy McCracklin - Let's Do It (The Chicken Scratch)
This is another strong rock and roller.
Bing Crosby - The Ol' Spring Fever
We're back into mellow zones with a symphonic string arrangement serving as the backdrop for Mr. Crosby's vocals. This has a very old-time sound to it. You can't beat the vocals, but this sounds very dated.
Cedric Dumont & The New Dance Orchestra - Spring Idyll
There is a soundtrack type vibe to this symphonic instrumental piece. It's quite pretty and moving.
Noél Coward - Something To Do With Spring
Old-time music is on display here. This is the kind of excursion Queen used to like to go on. It feels very much like musical theater of the turn of the 20th century.
Johnny Hodges & The Ellington Men - Little Rabbit Blues
I love this instrumental jazz romp. Yes, it's definitely a blues. It's also so strong. I'd consider this another highlight of the set.
Pat Boone - April Love
With an old-timey arrangement. this is a balladic piece with some energy to it.       
Lionel Newman & His Orchestra - Main Title From 'April Love'
The symphonic soundtrack vibe of this cut is dramatic and powerful.
Jimmie Rodgers - Their Hearts Were Full Of Spring
A balladic tune, this makes good usage of classical strings. It's a very pretty number.       
Joe Graydon with Four Hits & A Miss - In The Spring Of The Year
This feels like the kind of thing you expect from Bing Crosby. The lyrics to this are very silly.
Rudy Preston with Tommy Scott & His Ramblers - Don't You Go Chicken
This is a novelty tune with a lot of old-school rock and roll in the midst. It's a fun romp, but it's also very goofy.
Chubby Checker - The Chicken
I dig the driving groove on this cut. This is a so much fun. It's a killer rock and roller like you would expect from Mr. Checker. The chicken sounds are pretty silly.
Chuck Higgins - The Rooster
An instrumental that combines old-school rock and roll with jazz, this is bouncy and fun.
Don & Juan - Chicken Necks
Here we get a fun rock and roll romp.
Jeri Southern - Spring Will Be A Little Late This Year
A piano and vocal based ballad, this is slow moving and pretty.     
Jo Stafford - All The Things You Are (From 'Very Warm For May')
This is based very much on soundtrack music as it gets going. The vocals come in over a stripped back arrangement after the opening flourish. This is a little too precious for my tastes, but it does bring a heartfelt conclusion to the set.            
 
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