Ernie Kovacs
"Record Collection"
© Varese Sarabande
December 14 - 20, 2025
Year of Release: 1997
Rating:
Please Stand By
Ernie Kovacs - Theme Song
Mack The Knife - Opera
Song Of The Nairobi Trio
Polka - From The Golden Age
Oye Negra - Piano Duet
Hot Cakes And Sausage -
Song
Saxophobia - Saxophone
Jalouisie (Jealousy)/
Sentimental Journey -
Medley
The Wrong Man - Song Duet
There's A Little Spark Of
Love Still Burning -
Song
Fish - Bad Song
Celestial Nocturne
African Echoes - Piano Duet
Indian Love Call - Song Duet
Tumba - (Earthquake)
Rats In My Room - Bad Song
Mississippi Boogie -
Piano Duet
Lt. Kije - Part Three
Oriental Blues -
Ernie's Tune
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Ernie Kovacs was an American comedian, actor, and writer. His TV show was seen on PBS, late night on Sunday evenings.
I remember watching his show when I was watching another show on PBS, Monty Python's Flying Circus. Kovacs' show was
seen before MPFC. His humor was adult, and although I was very young at the time, I most likely didn't understand his
adult humor. BUt, what I did remember, was the music from his show. Two in particular: "Song of the Nairboi Trio,"
which featured two or three cast members decked out in gorilla masks, derbies and trenchcoats, with one ape getting
bopped over the head with a mallet or vase. This sketch was meant to be seen, along as heard, with the music provided.
It was quite humourous, and very funny. The other song was a wacky version of "Mack The Knife," most famous by
Bobby Darin and also by Louis Armstrong. Kovacs' version of the famous tune was titled "Mortiatensanger," as this
version was the opening of Kovacs' shows with quick gag sketches punctuated by ank oscillating soundwave across the screen.
It was another humourous and funny sketch(es) from his show). Both of these songs are from Ernie Kovacs' Record
Collection, 20 tracks, mostly from his famous television shows, which ran from 1952 - 1962.
"Ernie Kovacs - Theme Song" is has a ragtime style. "Mack The Knife - Opera" is just hilarious, and more
hilarious, if you've ever seen his show, featuring this song. "Song Of The Nairobi Trio" is the ultimate highlight,
especially if you've ever watched Kovacs' show.
"Polka - From The Golden Age" was the work of Slostakovich, and was featured prominently during the Eugene
program's opening scene. This song was performed by Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops. "Oye Negra - Piano Duet"
was by Ferrante & Teicher, as it appeared on Kovacs' shows many times, on "preared piano" (with wedges and mutes lodged
in the strings to create percussive effects.) There were three live performances of this, based from Edie Adams' (Kovac's
wife) kinescope collection. "Hot Cakes And Sausages - Song" (performed by Ernie Kovacs with the Tony DeSimone Trio)
was used at odd moments of Kovacs' radio programs and early TV shows. It almost sounds like the Country music style from
the early 1950s. "Saxophobia - Saxophone" was from the original Rudy Wiedoeft 78 recording. An "elbows out music"
and corny, as Edie Adams explained, similar to what Jackie Gleason did in his TV show, with his "and away we go!" (before
The Honeymooners). "If someone was running around the studio, Ernie would say 'We'll be there in a minute, don't
go away,' and "Saxophobia" would play.
"Jalousie (Jealousy)/Sentimental Journey - Medley" - both arrangements were by Juan Garcia Esquivel, spliced
together by Ernie, and used for the soundtrack for a music video, in which office furniture and secretarial equipment
were kinetically synchronized. A visual effect to watch, obviously. Ernie Kovacs and his wife Edie Adams sing on
"The Wrong Man - Bad Song." Ernie hated it. He was off-pitch, and bad accents. Ernie: "It was awful!"
"There's A Little Bit Of Spark Of Love Still Burning - Song" - from Eugene, is definitely a nostalgic song
from the old-time radio shows, with the pops as heard from the old 78s of the day. "Fish - Bad Song" is more of a
novelty song, especially fitting what would later become a popular radio show for novelty music, Dr. Demento. Ernie would
be in a suit of armor on his TV show, playing this particular song. "Celestial Nocturne" (performed by the Les Baxter
Orchstra) - it was used occasionally under the tender poetic offerings of lush versifier Percy Dovetonsils. I remember
seeing this character, and saying, "this guy is really weird." "African Echoes - Piano Duet" (by Ferrante & Techer),
another prepared piano duet for another Kovacs kinescope visual.
"Indian Love Call - Song Duet" - performed by Edie Adams and Ernie Kovcas (mostly by Edie, humored by Ernie),
with the Henry Mancini Orchestra - It was from Edie's album Music To Listen To Records By. "Tumba -
(Earthquake)" (by Yma Sumac), as she performed this song live on Kovacs' show, surrounded by an exotica tableau of Tiki masks, flaming
torches, and volcanic smoke. A kinescope of this exists, as Sumac sings as enigatic as she can. "Rats In My Room -
Bad Song" (by Leona Anderson), also performed live on Kovacs' show. It was used periodically as sketch music. It's
another song that could fit Dr. Demento's shows. Ferrante & Techer's "Mississippi Boogie" - another kinescope
piano duet. "Lt. Kije - Part III" was used for the soundtrack of the psuedoscientific video documentary - "The Story
Of A Drop Of Water." It's classical music at its finest, by the Chicago Symphony Orchetra, conducted by Friz Reiner.
"Orchetral Blues - Ernie's Tune" - This remake of the theme was the B-side of Ernie's "Hey Taxi." Another
ragtime-theme tune.
Ernie Kovacs' TV show displayed many visuals that were way ahead of its time. I vaguely remember the kinescopes
mentioned in the "piano duets." His TV shows were meant to be seen, and highly noted. As I was much younger, I had
visited the local library, where many vinyl albums of old-time radio shows were available to take home, and return.
One of those albums was The Ernie Kovacs Album, which was reissued in 2019 as The Ernie Kovcas Album: Centenial
Edition. The two songs that I had previously mentioned on this review, only had one of the two on the The Ernie
Kovacs Album and it's centenial edition: The "Mack The Knife" version. The "Song Of The Nairobi Trio"
was a must to get, as it was only on Ernie Kovacs' Record Collection.
Sadly, Ernie Kovcas died from a car accident, on January 13, 1962. He was 42 years old. With his unique ideas in
television visuals, we can only imagine how he would have continued onward, if he had lived. Most of Kovacs' shows were
erased and be reusued. Edie Adams was able to purchase the rights of the suviving tapes of Kovacs' work. In 2011, Shout!
Factory released a 6 DVD set, The Ernie Kovacs Collection, featuring Kovacs' televsion career. A second set,
Volume 2 was released in 2012. His game show, Take A Good Look was also released on DVD in 2017. His character
Percy Dovetonsils had recorded an album in 1961, but what never released. Kovacs had tiven the master tapes of the album to
a Los Angeles area hospital. Edie Adams was able to purchase the rights to that album in 1967, and remained in her private
collection until her death in 2008. Percy Dovetonsils Thpeakth provided Kovacs as Percy Dovetonsils reading his
poems with no music background. The album was released in 2012.
Ernie Kovacs made many films in his career. Some with such stars as Jack Lemmon, James Stewart, Doris Day, ALec
Guinness, Kirk Douglas, John Wayne, George Sanders. A biography of Kovacs' life was portrayed by Jeff Goldblum, Ernie
Kovacs: Between The Laughter, in 1984.
It would be interesting to watch his television shows, now that I am much older - his humor, his visual effects, and
his comedy. Ernie Kovacs was ahead of his time, as it was shown throughout his television shows. The music on Record
Collection is a great collection of the music played throughout his TV career. Most of the songs on this album were
performed by many popular band arrangers. Likewise, songs with his wife, Edie Adams. His DVD set is obvioiusly a must
to watch. Discover Ernie Kovacs' Record Collection. But most importantly, discover his TV work.
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