Tracklist:

• Drifting And Dreaming
• Hawaiian Sunset
• Moon Over Miami
• On Treasure Island
• Red Sails In The Sunset
• On A Little Street In Singapore
• Always In My Heart
• Yours Is My Heart Alone

Notes:

Released in 1950 by Coral Records, Drifting and Dreaming is a 10-inch LP by Roy Smeck, the virtuoso famously known as the “Wizard of the Strings.” This album captures Smeck’s masterful fusion of Hawaiian, tropical, and romantic melodies, brought to life through his dazzling performances on the ukulele, steel guitar, and other stringed instruments. It was part of Coral’s early microgroove series, designed to deliver high-fidelity sound using the innovative long-playing format.

The tracklist reads like a leisurely cruise through lush soundscapes and sentimental daydreams. Side A includes “Drifting and Dreaming,” “Hawaiian Sunset,” “Moon Over Miami,” and “On Treasure Island.” Side B continues the mood with “Red Sails in the Sunset,” “On a Little Street in Singapore,” “Always in My Heart,” and “Yours Is My Heart Alone.” Each song is arranged with breezy rhythms and rich textures, evoking mid-century escapist charm.

Smeck’s performance is both technically brilliant and deeply expressive. His ability to paint vivid imagery through instrumental interpretation made the album a favorite for those yearning for an audio getaway. The production emphasizes warmth and clarity, allowing his precise playing style to shimmer—be it the slide of the steel guitar or the rhythmic bounce of the ukulele.

Drifting and Dreaming remains an enduring document of Roy Smeck’s contribution to postwar exotica and Hawaiian-inspired music. Long before the lounge craze of the 1950s took full form, Smeck was already opening doors to dreamy sound-worlds where the ocean lapped gently at the edge of memory and imagination.