THE Girl FRIENDS - LAWRENCE WELK and his CHAMPAGNE MUSIC

THE Girl FRIENDS

LAWRENCE WELK and his CHAMPAGNE MUSIC


Instrumental Fox Trots

Selections Include :

Side One

1 - THE GIRL FRIEND - Richard Rodgers - Lorenz Hart
2 - ANNABELLE - Wayne King - Burk Bivens - Mitchell Parish
3 - MARY LOU - Abe Lyman - George Waggner - J.R. Robinson
4 - JOSEPHINE - Wayne King - Burke Bivens - Gus Kahn
5 - EMALINE - Mitchell Parish - Frank Perkins
6 - DOLORES - Frank Loesser - Louis Alter


Side Two

1 - IRENE - Harry Tierney - Joseph McCarthy
2 - SWEET ELOISE - Mack David - Russ Morgan
3 - LOUISE - Richard A. Whiting - Leo Robin
4 - MARIE - Irving Berlin
5 - MARGIE - Con Conrad - J.R. Robinson - B. Davis
6 - SWEET SUE, JUST YOU - Victor Young - Will J. Harris



HERE IS A CHARMING IDEA captivatingly presented. Here, as the title promises, is a collection of some of musical America's most popular girl-friends. Heralded by the famous introductory title-song, we have such tuneful sweethearts as "Annabelle," "Mary Lou," Josephine," Emaline," "Dolores," and other names celebrated in haunting melodies. Entrancing in themselves, they are given still further charm by the Lawrence Welk treatment.

Lawrence Welk's popularity has increased to such an extent that 90 million listeners relax or dance to his "Champagne Music" each week when Welk gives out with his "Armed Forces Radio Show." These facts and figures are gleaned from Disk, "the little-giant magazine of recorded music," which featured "The Lawrence Welk Story" in its June, 1955 number.

The story began even before Lawrence's birth. It began when Ludwig Welk fled from his native Alsace-Lorraine in 1878 after Bismark's Prussians had invaded France. Ludwig made his escape, crossed the Atlantic and, with other Alsatians, settled on a small North Dakota farm which carried the Alsatian name of Strasburg. There were eight Welk children. Lawrence was the next to the youngest, and from his father he inherited so great a love for music that he mastered his favorite instrument, the accordion, before he was in his teens. At thirteen, although he had never had formal instruction, young Larry was already playing for community dances. He made his first personal appearance on the inaugural broadcast of radio station WNAX at Yankton, South Dakota - his "orchestra" consisted of drums and accordion. Soon he hadded a saxophone and a piano, and gave his group such fancy names as "The Hotsy Totsy Boys," "Lawrence Welk and His Honolulu Fruit Gum Orchestra," and "The Biggest Little Band in America" - this last because its five members performed on thirty instruments.

Lawrence Welk's organization survived all these titles. Gradually the orchestra was enlarged - it changed its character - the instruments were regrouped - new rhythms and new arrangements were introduced. Finally it achieved that characteristic lightness and bouncing effervescence which earned it the appropriately bubbling name of "Champagne Music."


If you've enjoyed this recording ... you're sure to like these other LONG PLAY albums by LAWRENCE WELK:

T.V. FAVORITES - CRL 57025
LAWRENCE WELK AND HIS SPARKLING SRINGS - CRL 57001
VIENNESE WALTZES FOR DANCING - CRL 56120
NIMBLE FINGERS : LAWRENCE WELK - His Accordion and Orchestra - CRL 56101
SOUVENIR ALBUM - Actually Recorded at the Aragon Ballroom - CRL 56088

Photographs by TONY GUYTHER