ALAKAZAM THE GREAT �Saiy�ki� – Les Baxter 1961 Soundtrack

The 1960 animated film “Saiy�ki” is the great granddaddy of Japanese Anime. In 1961 American-International Pictures distributed an English language dubbed version of the film re-titled “Alakazam the Great” with the voice talents of Frankie Avalon, Sterling Holloway, Jackie Joseph, Arnold Stang, Dodie Stevens & Jonathan Winters. The English version also replaced Ry�ichi Hattori’s original score with a new music & song score by Les Baxter. A soundtrack album was released by Vee Jay Records, which was actually a re-recording as was the custom then, with Frankie Avalon’s vocals & a minimal amount of narration performed by studio singer Bobby Adano, who sounds like an exact clone of Avalon, whose exclusive recording contract with another label prevented the use of his voice on the album. “Alakazam the Great" was not a hit, mainly because it was marketed as a Disney-like cartoon feature which it was not and the huge American obsession with Japanese Anime was 20 or so years in the future. The Vee Jay soundtrack LP was pressed on recycled vinyl and sold as a children’s record for $1.98. Like the film it faded away quickly and is one of the rarest soundtrack LPs. I found a sealed copy of the LP in the 1970s but the vinyl was atrocious with gobs of crackle throughout. Fortunately, with today’s modern remastering tools, most vinyl aberrations can be removed without seriously affecting the musical content of LPs. So here is the wonderful Les Baxter song score, surely the one positive feature in “Alakazam the Great” that was not a misfire.

https://www.sendspace.com/file/09ulnz

Track listing:
1. Introduction (00:35)
2. Aliki Aliko Alakazam (02:19)
3. Ali’s Song (02:53)
4. Magic Man (01:55) Instrumental
5. Hey, I’m In Love Again (02:02)
6. Magic Man (02:09)
7. Blue Bird In The Cherry Tree (03:20)
8. Under The Roaring Waterfall (02:09)
9. Blue Bird In The Cherry Tree (02:53) Instrumental
10. Alakazam Ballet Fantasy (02:39)
11. Finale (02:47)
BONUS TRACK:
12. ALAKAZAM THE GREAT Orchestral Suite (09:21)
All tracks composed by Les Baxter, conducted by Ian Freebairn-Smith & Albert Harris

Incidentally for those that may be interested, the original Japanese version of “Saiy�ki” can be viewed in its entirety on YouTube at these two links:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RHwoUCMaMA
via Google+: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RHwoUCMaMA&feature=youtu.be

Nice!

Many thanks to you, Stevie, for sharing this Les Baxter! 🙂

Most grateful to you. Take care.

Thanks !

Thank you!

Oh man, I remember watching this when I was a kid. Thanks for sharing!

Thank you share!

Thanks for sharing Stevie. You can get the LP covers here: https://lpcover.wordpress.com/2014/02/21/alakazam-the-great/.

Thanks once more !

Thank You.

thank you

Thanks

Here is a new limited time link to this rare soundtrack:

https://www.sendspace.com/file/09ulnz

Here is a new limited time link to this rare soundtrack:

https://www.sendspace.com/file/09ulnz

Thank you for the updated link!

Thanks

anyone have this?

Not sure if this is the same rip. It’s 128kbps and does NOT include the bonus track from the original listing.

https://www.sendspace.com/file/gd68iu