Dreamin' Of The Desert / Catalina Honeymoon (Mod) [CD], Van Joan Arnem, CD

A rare mid-1950s pop gem, ""Dreamin' Of The Desert"" b/w ""Catalina Honeymoon"" is a delightful, heartfelt ode to two popular California vacation destinations - Palm Springs, whose virtues are extolled in ""Dreamin' Of The Desert,"" and Catalina Island in ""Catalina Honeymoon."" Not much is known about Joan Van Arnem, the charming vocalist on these tracks, other than the fact that she has a lovely voice and acquits herself nicely on both tunes. The ""A"" side, originally written for a musical titled Hotel Happiness, features a captivating vocal chorus, while the ""B"" side has a distinctively island vibe complete with Hawaiian steel guitar with expert backing by arranger Gordon Vanderburg and his band on both sides.