Christmas In July 2008-Day 2

Is it day 2 already? Time flies when you're having fun. Big thanks to everyone who's joined in the celebration already. I've already gotten 23 downloads on the first installment, and it's only been up a little over 24 hours. That's not bad for music that's six months out of season. I'm sure that number will shoot up as more folks join the party. Our theme for day 2 is snow, something you don't see too much of here in Florida, and certainly not at this time of year. But you're going to get plenty of snow here tonight at Ernie (Not Bert)!

We're starting out with a cover of the Claudine Longet classic tune Snow, as covered by The Johnny Mann Singers. I had no idea that there were other versions out there, but I guess pretty much every song that's been out there for so long has some covers. This version comes from the LP Midnight Special (Liberty SCR-3, for Columbia Record Club). That appears to have been a compilation LP for members of the record club, so that tells me this track was originally on a different Johnny Mann LP. I'll have to keep my eyes open for that one.

Track two is Snow Deer Rag by Joe "Fingers" Carr, from the LP Bar Room Piano (Capitol T280). Not really a holiday song at all, but just a fortuitous title. I'm not going to complain.

Track three is something quite a bit newer than the tracks I usually feature, but it's still 37 years old! This is Prayin' For Snow from the LP How Come The Sun (Reprise-Warner Bros. RS 6443, 1971) by Tom Paxton. I think this one fits in quite well with our theme of snow.

Rounding out our selections this evening are not one, not two, but three different versions of the Claude Thornhill theme, Snowfall. Listen to all three of these in a row and you'll swear that those are snowflakes floating past your window. Version one is by Dennis Farnon And His Orchestra from The Enchanted Woods (RCA Victor LPM-1897, 1959). (Another track from this LP will show up later, I promise.) Version two is by the ponderously titled All-Star Orchestra Conducted By Bobby Byrne from The Great Themes Of America's Greatest Bands (Grand Award G.A. 33-392). That's right, it's an Enoch Light-related track. Do I have enough of those yet to do a whole collection? Maybe not just yet... And lastly we've got a little bit of a ringer in a version by George Shearing With String Choir Conducted By Billy May from The Shearing Touch (Capitol ST 1472, 1960). I say it's a ringer because I first shared it two years ago, but now I'm sharing it out in stereo. So it's going to sound a little better for you.

There you have it, six tracks for your listening enjoyment. Here's the download link, so go get it.

Don't forget to check back in 2006 and 2007 for more great Christmas In July goodies. You'll find my favorite track from 2007 featuring Count Basie and The Mills Brothers, as well as some Irish and Dutch Christmas music.