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Most of us, when we think of Jackie Gleason, immediately recall him as Ralph Kramden of “The Honeymooners,” a working class stiff who was about as musically inclined as the lunchbox his wife Alice packed for him everyday.  But long before Gleason donned Ralph’s bus driver uniform, he hosted not one, but two variety shows, for two different networks, complete with flashy dancing girls and lush orchestra music. 

Eventually, he’d go on to release albums featuring what he called “mood music,” orchestral numbers heavy on the strings that had overtly romantic titles like “Lonesome Echo,” “Night Winds,” and “Music, Martinis and Memories.” (Though on doing research for this blog, I discovered another called “Music to Change Her Mind.” In a word, Eep.) These albums are precisely what you think of when you think of cheesy strings and Golden Age of Hollywood background music.  Strangely, though, Gleason makes it work beautifully.

When I was growing up, my parents had several Jackie Gleason albums, most notably “Music for Lovers Only” and “Music to Make You Misty,” which were recently reissued in this two-in-one called “The Romantic Moods of Jackie Gleason.” Although he didn’t have any training in writing music, he reportedly heard tunes in his head and then had someone else write them down.  He also rearranged numbers recorded by other orchestras to suit his preferences.  He wanted music that was unobtrusive, something pretty that could be played in the background while people focused on something other than the music.  And that’s pretty much what he achieved.

But I like to focus on it when I listen to it.  True, it’s great for when you’re cooking with someone else and want to talk while preparing the food.  Or it’s nice when you’re out on the deck in the evening with visitors.  Or when you’re in a, ah, romantic mood.  But it IS very pretty, even if it lacks a certain soul (for lack of a better word).  Anyone who has the “Sleepless in Seattle” soundtrack always switches gears at track ten, the theme from “An Affair to Remember.” After all the jazzy, catchy tunes, and immediately following Tammy Wynette singing “Stand by Your Man,” the CD suddenly launches into this slow, delicious, enormous-sounding string arrangement.  It’s wonderful.  And that’s what Jackie Gleason’s albums are like.

Some of my favorite old standards are on this CD: “Melancholy Serenade,” “The Best Is Yet to Come,” “You and the Night and the Music,” “A Taste of Honey,” “The Girl from Ipanema,” “Moon River.” There’s music from movies like “From Russia with Love” and “Lawrence of Arabia.” Anyone my age or older will immediately recognize the sound and be transported to a time when the music in movies was incidental, and credit to the musicians an afterthought.  But even you young whippersnappers might find something here to love.  It’s a fun retro sound that can bring out the romance in just about anybody.  Martinis have made a huge comeback in recent years.  Why not give them a suitable soundtrack, like Jackie Gleason, too?

For today’s music blog, we’re doing something a little different.  In celebration of Squawk Radio’s second anniversary, today, someone is actually going to WIN the CD I’ve blogged about.  I’ll be choosing a winner later today from our member list, so check back this evening to see if that winner is YOU.