Christmas In July (In August)-The Fourteenth Day
Well, here we are, in another month, but we're still celebrating Christmas in July. Long story... Hopefully, I can wrap up Christmas in July in time for the real Christmas in December. I've got five more songs for you today that have at least some little something to do with the holiday season, or maybe just the season itself, we'll see. Let's begin, shall we? Track one is The Bells Of St. Mary's by Kenny Baker. This is from the album Kenny Baker Sings Song Hits Through The Years (RCA Camden CAL-131, Mono). When I first picked this up, I thought it was the guy who played R2-D2 in Star Wars, but that was a very different Kenny Baker. Track two is The Skaters--Waltz, Op. 183 by The Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy, Conductor, from their LP Hi-Fi 3/4; Waltzes And Songs By Waldteufel And Lehar (Columbia CL 849, Mono). Nice little version of this perennial favorite. Third is a nice version of Go Tell It On The Mountain by a group of nuns called The Daughters Of The Cross With Peter Knight And His Orchestra. The album is also called Go Tell It On The Mountain (Chapter 1 (London) CPS 39002, Stereo, 1969). Nice little bit of Now Sound in the rhythm on this one. Fourth up is another track from that great Hugo Winterhalter LP A Season For My Beloved (ABC-Paramount ABCS-447, Stereo, 1963), June In January. And last, we've got a track from the soundtrack to the movie Giant (Capitol DW 773, Mono, 1956) called Toy Trumpet March-Christmas Morning by Dimitri Tiomkin. Those are the sorts of tracks that I love to find, something in a spot you'd never think to look. Anyhow, here's the download link, enjoy the music!
As far as I am concerned you can do this all year long.
ReplyDeleteI may be telling you something you already know, but Kenny Baker preceded Dennis Day on the Jack Benny Program on radio. He then was in some films (notably singing the Gershwins' Love Walked In to Andrea Leeds in a diner setting in the movie Goldwyn Follies) and made quite a few records, mainly sacred as time went on. Quite a good singer who may show up on my blog at some future date.
There were three famous Kenny Bakers that I am aware of. Firstly, the singer in your post, discussed here by Buster; secondly, a British jazz trumpet player; and thirdly, a British dwarf who played R2D2 who is still around.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I'm thankful that I have a unique name - not shared with anyone else on this planet...
Ernie, thanks again for your shares in July - and August. I like Buster's comment to open his post.
ReplyDeleteJust out of curiosity, were you ever able to retrieve anything from your hard drive that crashed late last year?
Perhaps it's worth a try again...?