9 burlesque albums you NEED in your collection

Starting burlesque? Need a 'go to' list of classic burlesque tunes or inspired tunes? Check out my top picks. Happy browsing

How to Strip for Your Husband Vol 1 and 2

Music by Sonny Lester, this is a proper bump and grind jazz album. It's probably my most used class CD! 

For Strippers Only

More Sonny Lester! There is some double up with the "How to Strip" album but a few more classic big band tracks. 

Take It Off. Striptease Classics

A change of pace. I have two David Rose albums that I like to use in classes. It's an obvious choice because of their rendeition of "The Stripper"but the music is a little more 'pumped up' than the Sonny Lester albums, so great for really hitting clear beats. Slightly more Vegas feeling in a way.

Music of The Stripper

This is my other favourite David Rose album. I particularly enjoy for burlesque takes on some hit musical songs like "My Heart Belongs to Daddy”

Tease: The Beat of Burlesque

This is probably the album that most people pick up first. It's not actually my favourite, but it's a pretty good staple and has the most used version of Harlem Nocturne (Sam Taylor) in it so it's worth adding. Not original but good to have. And if you are a performer and like a song on the album I highly recommend using it as starting point to find different and less used variations of that song

Shim Sham Revue

This Ronni Magri album is where it's at for classic 40s and 50s tracks. Great slow, sensual numbers. The best version of Tombstone Blues and Egyptian Fantasy in my opinion. Brings to life the classic New Orleans sound.

Las Vegas Grind

Disclaimer. This is not my favourite or most used. But I know many students and performers that love a good 60s grindhouse track. Gritty, raw and raunchy. If that's what I'm after this is the album I pick up the most often (yes actually pick it up. I have it on CD. That's how old I am!)

Girls! Girls! Girls! The Best of Striptease Music

A good staple album, with many tracks that have not been re-recorded on other albums, so you will find some classic tracks that aren't on every other burlesque inspired soundtrack,

Baby It's Cold Outside Vol 1 - 3

So I wanted to include something that had music from the 1930s - 1950s that wasn't necessarily a burlesque or striptease album. And music that had a slightly different (but still yesteryear) sound. I've got a million suggestions from Sinatra to Springfield; Andrews Sisters, Boswell Sisters; Grace Knight; Dinah Washington; Eartha Kitt. If you're stuck for songs from the mid 20th century e-mail me and I'm happy to help out! This is a good general compilation CD, sold in ABC Shops across Australia it's a great general Jazz and Big Band standards album, with enough modern artists and slightly left of centre choices to give you something slightly less bog standard. From Dean Martin through to Stacey Kent, it's a good people pleaser. I love it. Good driving music too!

So these are my 10 most used/recommended burlesque or burlesque inspired albums. Hopefully a good starting point if you are new and looking for some inspiration, or even if you're just bored with your current selections.

Have I missed any other classic burlesque albums? Or got any great (even left field) suggestions that you want to share? Drop a message in the comment box. I'd love to hear from you :)