Acorn was a subsidiary of Eli Oberstein's Rondo Records. The early catalog was based largely on
reissues of material from Rondo or other of Oberstein's Record Corporation of America labels, although
not always credited to the same artists. When Rondo was sold to P.R.I. in 1961, Acorn was part of the
deal, and reissues of material from old Tops or other PRI labels soon appeared. Acorn was eventually
assigned to Hudson Record Company in New York, which was possibly part of the PRI empire.
Of all the budget labels that graced supermarkets during the late 1950s and early 1960s, this one may
have been the silliest, at least as far as packaging goes. Artists like Blotto Otto? And whoever wrote the
blurbs on the jackets was apparently not an English scholar; and neither was the proofreader. For
example, we find this "explanation" of stereo in a box on the back of each album: "In these recordings
the music has not been reshaped or reformed for the benefit of stereo. Rather, stereo and
stereocoustics have been molded to fit the music and it is only thus that stereo sound has a chance to
really sing, and to dazzle the connoisseur. 'Stereo' is the unrelenting division of orchestras into very
discreet parts, thus engendering the technique of recording soloists or sections on separate mikes
individually against their accompaniment. The philosophy of microphone placement is consistent with
the acoustical environments and are especially selected to suit the subject."
Huh? My seventh grade teacher would have given me an "F" for that essay, for sheer
incomprehensibility if nothing else. Of course, it didn't help that the author confused "discreet" for
"discrete," but this wouldn't be the first or last time glaring errors appeared on Acorn albums. Take for
example Acorn #649, which should have been titled Accordion Favorites by the Accordion Kings.
Actually, on the back slick and the spine of the album, as well as on the top of the front cover, it
is titled that way, but in the large title on the front cover, and on the label, we are treated to
"accordion" being spelled "accordeon."
Apparently, Acorn, like the Rondo Gold series, was a special label whose releases were all in stereo
(although not necessarily true stereo in all cases). We have not seen mono versions of these albums.
The original Acorn label was blue with silver print. The ACORN logo (with an acorn inside the letter "O")
bends around the top edge of the label. The address of the label is given on the back of the jacket as
"West New York, New Jersey." Later issues also are known with a black label with silver print with the
same design.
We would appreciate any additions or corrections to this discography. Just send them to us via e-mail. Both Sides Now
Publications is an information web page. We are not a catalog, nor can we provide the records listed
below. We have no association with Acorn Records. Should you be interested in acquiring
albums listed in this discography (all of which are out of print), we suggest you see our Frequently Asked Questions page and follow the
instructions found there. This story and discography are copyright 2002, 2003 by Mike Callahan.
Cover |
Number - Title - Artist - [Release Date] Contents |
601 - The Sleeping Beauty [19??]
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602 - Broadway - Sammy White with Orchestra [19??] Probably the same as Evon 330.
Give My Regards To Broadway/Mary Is A Grand Old Name/(others)
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603 - Beethoven: "Emperor" Piano Concerto No. 5 [19??]
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604 - Dvorak: "New World" Symphony [19??]
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605 - Peer Gynt Suites - Cyril Green & London Concert Orchestra [19??] Anitra's
Dance/In The Hall Of
The Mountain King/(others)
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606 - Dance in Glenn Miller Style [19??] American Patrol/When Johnny Comes Marching
Home/(others)
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607 - Nutcracker Suite, Opus 71/Serenade for Strings Sonata - Cyril Green & Orchestra
[19??] Waltz Of The Flowers/Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairies/(others)
| |
608 - Sousa Marches - Grenadiers Band [19??] El Capitan/Hail To The Spirit Of
Liberty/King Cotton/Hands Across The Sea/Diplomat/Stars And Stripes Forever/Liberty Bell/Manhattan
Beach/Happy Comrades/Coast Guard
| |
609 - The Merry Widow - Muller Lampertz & His Orchestra & Chorus [19??] Complete
recording.
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610 - Bizet: Carmen for Orchestra - Cyril Green & London Concert Orchestra [19??]
Cover has photo of Bettie Page.
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611 - Gypsy Music - Al Samanda & His String Orchestra [19??] Hora Staccato/Gypsy
Love Song/(others)
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612 - Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor, Opus 18 - Albert Cohen, Piano, with
Societe Des Concerts Orchestra (Hans Lille, Conductor) [19??] Moderato/Adagio Sostenuto//Allegro
Sherzando
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613 - Beethoven: "Eroica" Symphony No. 3 [19??]
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614 - Tschaikowsky: "Pathetique" Symphony No. 6 [19??]
| |
615 - 1812 Overture/A Night on Bald Mountain/Coriolanus - Paul Waladsky & Schleswig
Symphony Orchestra [19??]
| |
616 - Stephen Foster Melodies - Al Samanda & His String Orchestra [19??] Jeannie
With The Light Brown Hair/O Susanna/Old Folks At Home (Swanee River)/Uncle Ned/Captown
Races/Beautiful Dreamer/Old Black Joe/Massa's In The Cold Cold Ground/My Old Kentucky
Home/Come Where My Love Lies Dreaming
| |
617 - Dance in Dorsey Style - Maurice Rene [19??] Song Of India/Dark Eyes/(others)
| |
618 - Strauss Waltzes - Al Samanda & His String Orchestra [19??] Emperor Waltz/Blue
Danube Waltz/(others)
| |
619 - Tschaikowsky: Piano Concerto No. 1 - Albert Cohen, Piano, with Societe Des Concert
Orchestra (Hans Lille, Conductor) [19??]
| |
620 - Scheherazade [19??]
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621 - Listenin' to the Popular Organ - Patricia Wilde [19??] Humoresque (Dvorak)/Elegie
(Massenet)/Barcarolle (Offenbach)/Liebestraume (Liszt)/Salur D'amour (Elgar)/Poeme (Fibich)/Song of
India (Rimsky-Korsakoff)/Etude (Chopin)/Nocturne (Chopin)/Melodie In F (Rubinstein)
| |
622 - Tschaikowsky: Violin Concerto in D Minor [19??]
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623 - Can Can/Gaite Parisienne - Cyril Green & London Concert Orchestra [19??]
| |
624 - Mozart: Symphony No. 40 - Olympia Symphony Orchestra (Peter Mattos, Conductor)
[19??] Allegro Molto/Adante//Manuetto-Allrgretto/Finale-Allegro Assai
| |
625 - William Tell Overture - Cyril Green & London Concert Orchestra[19??] William Tell
Overture (Rossini)/Titus Overture (Mozart)//Poet and Peasant Overture (Suppe)/Marche Slav
(Tchaikovsky)
| |
626 - The National Emblem March - Harry Smith & Grenadiers Band [19??] National
Emblem March/Colonel Bogey/(others)
| |
627 - Grieg: Piano Concerto - Hans Lillie [19??]
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628 - Christmas Carols in Percussion - Patricia Wilde, Organ and Chimes [19??]
Adeste Fidelis/It Came Upon A Midnight Clear/O Little Town Of Bethlehem/The First Noel/Angels We
Have Heard On High/God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/What Child Is This/Good King Wenceslaus/Rejoice
Rejoice Believers/Christians Awake//White Christmas/Joy To The World/O Come, O Come
Emmanuel/Hark! The Herald Angels Sing/Silent Night, Holy Night/Good Christian Men Rejoice/We
Three Kings/Lo: How A Rose E'er Blooming/Away In The Manger/Jingle Bells
| |
628 - Viennese Waltzes [19??] Voices Of Spring/Tales Of The Vienna Woods/(others)
| |
629 - Wedding Marches - Patricia Wilde [19??]
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630 - Beethoven: Fifth Symphony - Peter Mattos & Olympia Symphony Orchestra [196?]
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631 - 24 Honky Tonk Piano Selections - Blotto Otto & Rhythm [196?] This is a series of
medlies. Sailing Sailing-Hinky Dinky Parlez Vous-Funiculi Funicula/The Band Played On-The Bowery-
Sidewalks Of New York/Big Rock Candy Mountain-Red River Valley-She'll Be Coming Round The
Mountain/I'll Take You Home Again Kathleen-While Strolling Through The Park One Day-Auld Lang
Syne//Billy Boy-Bill Bailey Won't You Please Come Home-There Is A Tavern In The Town/Believe Me If
All Those Endearing Young Charms-Oh My Darling Clementine-Kathleen Mavourneen/When Johnny
Comes Marching Home-For He's A Jolly Good Fellow-Hail Hail The Gang's All Here/When You Were
Sweet Sixteen-Just Tell Them That You Saw Me-Abdul The Bulbul Ameer
| |
632 - The Mikado - Acorn Savoyard Company [19??] A Wand'ring Minstrel/Our Great
Mikado/Behold the Lord High Executioner/Three Little Maids From School/Were You Not to Ko-Ko
Plighted/Finale Act 1//The Sun, Whose Rays Are All Ablaze/Brightly Dawns Our Wedding Day/Here's a
How De Do/A More Humane Mikado/The Flowers that Bloom in the Spring/Willow, Tit-Willow/There is
Beauty in the Bellow of the Blast/For He's Gone and Married Yum-Yum
| |
633 - South Pacific/Serenade for Strings - Albert Cohen & His Orchestra [19??]
| |
634 - Pleasant Polkas - Polka Players Dance Group [19??] Little Brown Jug
Polka/Golden Pheasant Polka/Champagne Polka/Yankee Polka/Colonel Polka//Carnival Polka/Cheek to
Cheek Polka/Count Lichtenstein Polka/Auto Riding Polka/Beautiful Flower Polka
| |
635 - Let's All Sing - Acorn Chorale [19??] In The Good Old Summertime/Bicycle Built
For Two/(others)
| |
636 - Brahms' Hungarian Dances - Peter Mattos [19??]
| |
637 - The Pirates of Penzance [19??]
| |
638 - Oklahoma [19??]
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639 - Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue/Lizst: Piano Concerto #1 - John Johnson & His
Orchestra [19??] Rhapsody In Blue [Sondra Bianca & Orchestra (Hans Juergen Walther,
Conductor)]//Piano Concerto #1 [Hamburg Pro Musica (Erich Riede, Conductor)]
| |
640 - Honky Tonk Piano & Banjo with Rhythm - Frankie's Johnnies [19??] Frankie And
Johnny/Gypsy Love Song/Home On The Range/Old Folks At Home/The Sweetest Story Ever
Told/Mother Mother Mother Put A Rose On Me//Martha/The Last Rose Of Summer/Aloha Oe/Carry Me
Back To Old Virginny/In The Shade Of The Old Apple Tree/Drink To Me Only With Thine Eyes
| |
641 - Stereo "Pop" Concert - Olympic Pop Concert Orchestra [19??] Intermezzo
Cavalieria Rusticana/Dance Of The Hours/(others)
| |
642 - Music of Porgy & Bess - Albert Cohen [19??] Summertime/A Woman Is A
Sometime Thing/(others)
| |
643 - Gershwin: An American in Paris - John Johnson [19??]
| |
644 - H.M.S. Pinafore [19??]
| |
645 - Jazz - Various Artists [19??] Side 1 is by Gideon Dorey and the Little Club
Boys, while Side 2 is by Clegg Lapp and the Dixieland Club. Susie/Dreamer/Jeannie/Joe/Camptown,
Kentucky//Old Folks at Home/Moanin Blews/Serenading/Jet Planing/Foolin'
| |
646 - The King and I - Albert Cohen [19??] I Whistle A Happy Tune/Hello Young
Lovers/(others)
| |
647 - Gershwin: Piano Concerto in F [19??]
| |
648 - Sing with Honky Tonk Piano and Singers - Blotto Otto & Rhythm/Acorn Chorale
conducted by John Johnson [19??] Seeing Nellie Home/Annie Laurie/(others)
| |
649 - Accordion Favorites - Accordion Kings [196?]
Moonlight/Meapolitan/Morenita/Trieste/Adele/Mary/Lola/Roan//Latin Tango/Russian Gavotte/Sabre
Dance/Latin Marimba/Sand Dance
| |
650 - Carousel - Albert Cohen & Orchestra [19??] June Is Busting Out All Over/You'll
Never Walk Alone/If I Loved You/Carousel Waltz/What's The Use Of Wondering/(others)
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651
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652
| |
653 - Songs of America - Hi-Tiders [19??] They're Laying Eggs Now And Hooray/Black
Is The Color OF My True Love's Hair/Turtle Dove/Darlin' Corey/Wayfarin' Stranger/Darlin'/Hullabaloo
Belay/Drunken Sailor/Railroad Bill/Doney Gal/I Am A Rake
| |
654 - All the Best Children's Stories - Percy Baldwin & the Players [19??] Six stories by
Hans Christian Anderson and nine stories by Christopher Robin.
| |
655 - Latin Favorites in Percussion - Amadeus & His Percussionists [19??]
| |
656 - Tchaikovsky: 5th Symphony - Albert Cohen & London Symphonia [19??]
| |
657 - Waltzes for Dancing - James Murray [19??]
| |
658 - Hawaiian Holiday - Lani Scott & Orchestra [19??] Hawaiian Holiday/Sleepy
Sea/Hawaiian War
Chant/Luana/Aloha Sweetheart/Hawaiian Starlight/Moari's Farewell/(others)
| |
659 - Most Famous Opera Gems - Peter Mattos & Olympia Opera House Orchestra
[19??]
| |
660
| |
661 - Polka-Go-Round - Tommy Clayton & His Polkateers [19??] Helena Polka/Clarinet
Polka/Annen Polka/Farmers Polka/The Happy Coppersmith//Summel Petrus Polka/The Joyous
Brothers/The Village Musicans/Why Worry Polka/Martha Polka
| |
662
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663
| |
664 - Piano Percussion in Rhythm - Arthur Cohen with Rhythm Group [19??] Can
Can/Humoresque/Song Of India/Barcarole/Hungarian Rhapsody//La Paloma/Opera Fantasy/La
Violetta/Toselli's Serenade/Luxemburg Waltz-Skaters' Waltz Medley
| |
665 - Stereo Sound Spectacular - Various Sound Effects [19??]
Trains/Jets/Ships//Drums/Sea Sounds
| |
666 - Ken Griffin Salute - Patrick Wilde, Organist [19??] Skater's Waltz/Red River
Valley/My Darling Clementine/Swanee River/Jeanine/Pop Melody/Mattinata/Reverie/Hawaiian Song/And
The Band Played On
| |
667 - Sing-A-Long Around the Campfire - Sweet Singers [19??]
| |
668 - Dixieland Jamboree - Dixieland Kings [19??] The Big Parade/Rockin' Chair/Dream
Boat/Squeeze Me/Farewell Blues//Down Home Rag/Lovin' Arms/Lullaby Of The Leaves/Trippin'
Along/Easy Livin'
| |
669 - Famous Movie Themes - Paul Payne & His Orchestra [196?] Reissue of Rondo-
lette 874 and the same as Evon 339, credited on Rondo-lette as the "Russ Case Orchestra." Theme
From The Apartment/Ballad Of The Alamo/A Tale Of Two Cities/Hungarian Freedom
Fighters//Stradivarius Theme/Gypsy Theme/Life Of Stephen Foster/Stephen Foster Theme
| |
670 - Strike Up the Band March Time - Harry Smith & Grenadiers Band [19??]
| |
671 - Show Time! - Kirby Stone Four [196?] Reissue of Tops-
Mayfair/GoldenTone/Rondo 9582; in fact, that matrix number can be found in the dead wax area.
Alexander's Ragtime Band/They All Laughed/Ballin' The Jack/I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now//How
Deep Is The Ocean/I Told You I Loved You/Happy Little Island/Clyde
| |
672 - Hawaiian Favorites [196?] Hawaiian War Chant/Song Of The Islands/Naka Pueo/Lovely
Hula Hands/My Little Grass Shack/(others)
| |
673 - Eddie Duchin Favorites - Milton Stanley [196?] Reissue of Tops L 1540, although
on that label the artist was credited as the Al Lerner Orchestra. Manhattan/Nocturne In E Flat/Starlight
Concerto/Gee Baby Ain't I Good To You/Shine/Night Dreams//My Heart Belongs To Daddy/It Must Be
True/I Can't Give You Anything But Love/Besame Mucho/Love Walked In/Whispering
| |
674 - The Ink Spots - Ink Spots [196?] (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons/Up A Lazy
River/Do I Worry/Old Man River/(others)
| |
675 - Cha Cha Cha [196?] Donde Estabas Tu/Noche De Ronda/Oyelo/Taboo/(others)
| |
676 - Sing Along with the Busy Beavers - Busy Beavers [196?] Old MacDonald's
Farm/Polly Wolly Doodle/On Top Of Old Smokey/Pop Goes The Weasel/(others)
| |
677 - Dance the Twister - Bunny Chess & Twisters [1962?] Red Devil Twist/Hey Little
Girl/The Spinner/My Baby Couldn't Dance/The Twister/Two To Twist//I Need Your Love/Diggin' The
Twist/Oh This Is Love/Like, The Twist/I Just Couldn't Take It/Ankle Twist
| |
692 - Christmas Carols in Percussion - Patricia Wilde, Organ and Chimes [19??]
Reissue of Acorn 628. Adeste Fidelis/It Came Upon A Midnight Clear/O Little Town Of Bethlehem/The
First Noel/Angels We Have Heard On High/God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/What Child Is This/Good
King Wenceslaus/Rejoice Rejoice Believers/Christians Awake//White Christmas/Joy To The World/O
Come, O Come Emmanuel/Hark! The Herald Angels Sing/Silent Night, Holy Night/Good Christian Men
Rejoice/We Three Kings/Lo: How A Rose E'er Blooming/Away In The Manger/Jingle Bells
| |
693 - Favorite Christmas Songs - Choir of London with Patricia Wilde, Organ [19??]
|