2007 Oldies Holiday Gift Guide

The success of the Jersey Boys juggernaut has of course turned the spotlight back on Frankie Valli and his Garden State vocal heroes, but this 3-CD, 1 DVD box set is an embarrassment of riches all the same: 76 songs, including all the chart hits, Frankie's solo work, the Seventies comeback smashes, album tracks like the original version of the Tremeloes' "Silence Is Golden," novelties like their tenure as the Wonder Who? and a dozen vintage videos to boot! Essential for any fan of vocal groups, past or present.

The last surviving Righteous Brother's first new album since the untimely 2003 death of partner Bobby Hatfield is an idea whose time should have come long ago: get Medley in a studio and let him wrap his booming baritone around a slew of blues classics. Of course, Earl King's "Trick Bag" comes closer to the blue-eyed soul tag usually placed on Bill, and there's a cover of Dylan's "Just Like A Woman," too, but that only shows his range on the rootsier stuff, as does an unprecedented collaboration with Phil Everly and Brian Wilson himself on the Beach Boys' "In My Room." A classy and surprisingly relevant solo statement.

The annual "Elvis Lives" concert held in Memphis during the city's commemorative Elvis week has become some hot ticket -- who wouldn't want to see live footage of the King at his best, surrounded by live, in-the-moment performances from his legendary sidemen? Yet the concert's very popularity has made tickets hard to come by. Get this DVD, then, for your favorite Elvis fan, as it perfectly recaptures the 25th anniversary concert and its digital trickery in all its splendor.

Charles Pignone isn't just the head of the American Frank Sinatra fan club, he also serves as the Sinatra family's official archivist, and his lean yet intriguing coffeetable book, therefore, offers up a side of The Chairman of the Board that may be surprising to even many longtime fans. Aided by commentary from daughter Nancy, as well as other members of the clan, this book shows the domestic Sinatra, the Rat Packer made real, the private husband and father often overshadowed by the singer/actor's combative and even abusive public persona. A rare look at the man behind the bluster.

Astrid Kirchherr is justifiably famous for photographing the Beatles when they were just snotty little upstarts maching show in the dives of Hamburg, but she was also summoned to Liverpool to document the Fab Four in their own hometown of Liverpool during the shooting of their first film, [i]A Hard Day's Night.[/i] These 200 gorgeous black and white photographs, therefore, capture the lads during the first flush of Beatlemania, combining the best of what were previously two limited-edition books. A must for any fan of the early Beatles.

The ladies of rock and roll, like their more mundane counterparts, didn't get to do much in the Fifties and Sixties except wait for love, enjoy it while they had it, and then mourn its brevity. But wait! This model of archivism exhumes several classic ultra-rarities from the vaults, all of which directly answer the men's more famous hit singles. A sampling of these 20 vintage non-hits from the girl-group era tells the story: "Tell Tommy I Miss Him," "He'll Have To Stay," "Yes, I'm Lonesome Tonight," and "Gary, Please Don't Sell My Diamond Ring." (The boys get one pledge of fidelity with "Not Just Tomorrow, But Always," a reassurance based on the Shirelles' "Will You Love Me Tomorrow.")

Not doo-wop the musical style, mind you, but doo-wop the architectural movement! New Jersey's classic "Wildwoods" beach resorts still feature the unique design their motels sported between 1955 and 1970. In fact, many folks now visit these resorts just to catch that classic flavor -- but if you can't make it to Jersey, this historian's book will bring you there virtually with this ode to and history of the classic bungalows. Candyland dreams, UN-style futurama, Polynesian tiki paradises... they're all here.

If you don't mind getting a little (tastefully) naughty with your gift giving, consider this book, which details the history of "dirty" playing cards straight from the author's personal collection of 20,000 decks stretching back to 1935! See how cheesecake artists of all eras worked around society's taboos -- and enjoy some of the postwar era's finest pin up art. Grampa or your weird uncle might already have a few of these decks in his sock drawer, but he'll enjoy reliving those boy's night out memories just the same!

Mom may have a lot more to do these days than "just" run a household and raise a family, but this full 17-month calendar -- which can be put to use right away, even before 2008 -- casts a winking look back at the days when a woman's place was supposedly in the home. Crafted with just enough wit and modern styling to make it a fun presence in the home, this calendar also features big grids for detailed notes, space for every family member's appointments, and pockets for notes and reminders.

From Radio FLyer, the folks who brought you your little red rocket when you were a kid, comes this sturdy steel "rocket" that any hip kid can push along the floor with his feet! Safe and classically styled with that retrofuturistic Fifties look, it makes three different space sounds, lights up in the control panel and "afterburner," and vibrates like a real motor! Also comes with a storage compartment in the truck so your little astronaut can bring along his favorite toys or games. A real treat from a trusted name!