Christmas In July 2008-Day 22

We're down to the final ten days of Christmas in July (maybe...). Today is the 22nd share, and it's a real mish-mash of stuff.

Where to start? How about with the Virgin Mary, a track by Walter Raim from his LP Hootenanny For Orchestra (Liberty LST-7332). Sorta interesting, but not very Christmassy.

Track two is a medley including La Dolce Vita Nella Villa Di Fregene, Can Can & Jingle Bells. I think I cut out a couple of songs after this one, but there was a clear pause at the point I cut it, so you won't notice. This is from the soundtrack to the film La Dolce Vita (RCA Victor International FOC-1, 1961), and there was precious little performer info on the sleeve, so I credited it to the composer, Nino Rota.

Track number three is called Blue Christmas, but it's not what you think it is. Elvis never sang this song. This is from the soundtrack to The Apartment (United Artists UAS 6105, 1960), and it's performed by The Hollywood Studio Symphony Orchestra.

Track four is a neat little song called Holidays by Paul Mauriat from the album Theme From A Summer Place (MGM/Verve MV-5087, 1972). You can download Paul's Christmas LP elsewhere at the blog.

Track five is Holiday Parade by David Whitehall And His Music, from the LP Moonglow And Music (RCA Camden CAL 271 "Featuring the Compositions and Arrangements of Domenico Savino"). For more parade music, go here, and for more Dominic Savino, try here.

Track six is Gesu Bambino, played on the marimbas! Bet you've never heard that before. This is by Jack Conner with a little help from Ralph Carmichael. The album is called I Love To Tell The Story (Christian Faith Recordings JC 243), and you'll be hearing more from it later on.

Tracks seven and eight are both Go Tell It On The Mountain. The first version by The Princeton Seminary Choir, from their album of the same name (RCA Victor LPM-1903, 1959) (you heard from this one earlier in the month), is the Christmas one that I grew up with. The second version by The Undergrads from the album Bluegrass Hoot On Campus (Somerset SF-21600) is, unfortunately, not a Christmas version. They've changed some of the words to give it a folk feeling, and perhaps to link it to Bob Dylan. You'll see what I mean when you give it a listen.

There you go, eight more tracks, but I'm still two days behind. I hope to get caught up this weekend, just in time for the last week of shares. Here's your download link, so go for it. And as usual, go get the shares for 2006 and 2007 if you don't have them already.