Christmas In July 2008-Day 12

Today marks the twelfth day of Christmas in July. Lucky for you that there are more than 12 days of Christmas when it happens to fall in July! Today is one of the special days when you get six tracks instead of the usual five. I don't know why, I just felt like being generous. I'll regret today later in the month when I have to stay up extra late recording more tracks to share. Anyhow, let's get started.

Track one is a nice, ordinary version of The Twelve Days Of Christmas by Mabel Mercer from the LP Once In A Blue Moon (Atlantic 1301). Nothing odd about it at all.

Track two is a slightly messed up version of the same song retitled Twelve Days performed by The Chad Mitchell Trio from their LP Singin' Our Minds (Mercury SR 60838). I don't know what to make of this version. The liner notes say it was inspired by an article in the paper from Christmas Day, telling how a Nazi war criminal was released after years in jail, and his return to his hometown where he was treated as a hero. I guess in certain lights the song might be humorous, but I'm not convinced. Give it a listen and decide for yourself. More from this scratchy LP later this month.

From here on out, today is just a random jumble of Christmas tracks with neither rhyme nor reason. Track three is a very slow version of We Need A Little Christmas (you know, the song from Mame popularized by Angela Lansbury) by some guy named Joe Berl from his album Mame (Parliament/Connoisseur PLPS 901). Hmm, I guess I didn't need to tell you where this was from since it's the name of the album.

Track four is a song I'd never heard before I happened to pick up the album called Spring (Warner Bros. 4WS 2754 Promotion Not For Sale, 1973) by The San Sebastian Strings, Vocals by Rod McKuen and Anita Kerr. It's a nice little Christmas song, but I would have expected it to be on their Winter album. Oh, I didn't tell you the name... It's called And Everyday Was Christmas.

Track five is Cantique de Noel by George Wright from the album George Wright At The Mighty Wurlitzer (Regent MG 6022). You got another track from this LP earlier this month.

And finally, track six is Exotic Night by the great Martin Denny from his LP Exotica Classica-For Those In Love (Liberty LST-7513, 1967). Yes, I think this track showed up on one of the Christmas Cocktails CDs, so don't tell anybody I'm sharing it here. I doubt if you'll mistake my noisy vinyl for a CD version anyway.

And there you have it. Six tracks on the twelfth day. Here's the download link, now go clean up after those six geese a-layin'. Be sure to go back to this same day in 2006 and 2007 for more Christmas In July fun. Counting today, I've shared out 65 Christmas tracks this month. Not too shabby!