The Alley Singers: Side by Side

Left to right, Freddy Morgan and Mousie Garner as the Alley Singers

The Alley Singers: Side by Side is a 1958 album combining vaudeville humor and the tin pan alley musical style, as performed by a duo listed on the cover and record as Phil Stern and Al Brennan (and who refer to themselves in dialogue as Phil and Al). The back cover however humorously chooses to give "practically no idea" as to who the Alley Singers are, and "they would have wanted it that way."

The duo were actually Spike Jones alumni, banjo player Freddy Morgan (as Phil) and vaudeville comic Mousie Garner (as Al, also playing piano). Produced independently of Jones, this was their only record as the Alley Singers. They're photographed on the cover, singing in an actual alley to the annoyance of others. Morgan was also a songwriter, who wrote "If You Felt Like I Did When You Said Goodbye" on the album, and for Jones, co-wrote the likes of "Wild Bill Hiccup" and "Wyatt Earp Makes Me Burp."

Three tracks from the album were lip synced by the Muppets on Sam and Friends and other early appearances, notably "Yes! We Have No Bananas" (with Chicken Liver as Phil and Kermit as Al).

The back cover was illustrated by Lou Myers.

Recordings used

all 1961

• "Yes! We Have No Bananas," also used on Today
• "Side by Side"
• "If You Felt Like I Did When You Said Goodbye"