Music folks my age were weaned on. Carl Stalling (1891-1972) was the composer for Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies, the most infamous unknown composer of the 20th century, and master of the musical pun. For the 22 years represented here, Stalling is supposed to have scored a cartoon each week. Wow. If my math is correct, that's over 1100 cartoons. If you're like me, and grew up watching Bugs Bunny on Saturday mornings, then you already know this music. While this CD isn't something you'd listen to on a regular basis, it's an occasional fun journey back to childhood. This release was late followed by a second volume, but I don't listen to this CD enough to warrant the purchase of another one. However, I'm glad that Warner Bros. chose to put these out; they fill a definite niche. Great liner notes, too.
Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #188
Tracks: You have to listen to them all, of course, but if I had to choose, I'd listen to Hillbilly Hare, The Good Egg, and Powerhouse. To be honest, it's difficult to listen to 78 minutes of cartoon music without the accompanying images, no matter how good the music is. There's some music from a Speedy Gonzalez cartoon included which reminds me that you never see those anymore. Are they deemed to be too offensive, like Song Of The South? Unfortunately, music from The Rabbit Of Seville and What's Opera, Doc? aren't included here, but Stalling had little to do with those cartoons. This CD focuses on mostly on original music.
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Personal Memory Associated with this CD: I wouldn't know where to start or when to end. Many of these cartoons are now in the public domain, so you shouldn't have any trouble finding them on budget DVDs or on YouTube.
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