50% Of The Jazz

I shared this out of in the forums at FaLaLaLaLa.com, but I thought I should go ahead and share it out here as well.  If you're not a regular member over there, let me encourage you to join up.  It's a great community of Christmas music aficionados that's fairly active year-round, though it certainly slows down in the non-holiday season.  That's where I first heard about the 10" version of this record.  It's really hard to find, and I counted myself lucky to be able to find this 7" version that features half of the full LP.  If you're a fan of jazz, then this is the record for you.  This is Urbie Green And His All-Stars-A Cool Yuletide Volume II (X (RCA) 7" 45 RPM EP EXA-51, Mono, 1954).

1. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
2. Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town
3. The Christmas Song
4. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer

Zippyshare

And Breath...

And as many of you may have suspected, here's the third entry into my little Christmas Seals marathon.  Many of the same celebrities rejoin is to remind listeners to send in their contributions.  Go dig that letter out from that giant pile of bills in the kitchen and send us some money!  Or something like that.  These could be good to wrap up your Christmas CD, just a little reminder to listeners.  Or maybe you could cut them up into unexpected ways, I don't know.  I notice that these three records are labelled Style C, D & E.  I wonder what style A and B are?  Anyone know?  Oh, duh, it's listed on the flipside of the record sleeve.  Style A is a collection of eight favorite Christmas songs, Style B is Eight favorite country songs.  Now I know.  For your consideration, this is Christmas Seal Campaign 1972-Celebrity Reminder Spot Announcements-Style E (Christmas Seals 203.313/314, Stereo, 1972).

1. Peter Breck
2. Ernie Ford
3. Edward Asner
4. David Clayton Thonas
5. Martin Milner
6. Lynn Anderson
7. Robert Reed
8. Mclean Stevenson
9. Kim Novak
10. Martha Raye
11. Tommy Leonetti
12. Jerry Reed
13. Leif Erickson
14. Forrest Ticker
15. Pat Carroll
16. Mary Tyler Moore
17. Billy Dee Williams
18. Mel Blanc
19. Michael Landon
20. Ernest Borgnine

Zippyshare

Caroling Carols

Another reshare request for something I had completely forgotten about.  At least this time it's from way back in 2008.  What were you doing in December of 2008?  Not easy to remember, is it?  Well, I've got a written record here at the blog of exactly what I was doing back then, and occasionally people go back and read the old stuff.  Lots of what I shared back then has finally seen to the light of day in this digital age, but many things have not, especially privately pressed items from groups that may have been very ephemeral, like this record produced by a small church.  Well, I say small, I really don't know.  All I know is they put this record out way back in the day before I was born, and now I'm putting it up here for you to listen to.  Please enjoy The Cardinal's Cathedral Choristers, Conductor: Very Reverend Monsignor Charles N. Meter-Carols Of The Nations (Pressed But Not Recorded By Columbia Records XCTV-9512/3, Mono). Not your usual song list here, lots of uncommon stuff on this one.

1. Roman Martyrology (Latin)
2. Stille Nacht (Austrian)
3. Angels We Have Heard (French)
4. A La Nanita Nana (Spanish)
5. Ihr Kinderlein Kommet (German)
6. Nenie Pastorale (Italian)
7. Wsrod Nocnej Ciszy (Polish)
8. O Sanctissima (Latin-Sicilian)
9. The Christ-Child's Visit (Traditional)
10. Il Est Ne, Le Divin Enfant (French)
11. Es Ist Ein Ros Entsprungen (German)
12. Tu Scendi Dalle Stelle (Italian)
13. Lulajze Jezuniu (Polish)
14. Stars Of Glory (Irish)
15. Tyliaja Natki (Lithuanian)
16. Dormi Non Piangere (Italian)
17. Carol Of The Bells

Zippyshare

Christmas Greetings

Here's a massive collection of old shares that feature Christmas greetings.  Lots of golden oldies in here, so enjoy. The first one goes back to 2011 around these parts, but first came out in 1987.  Some big names on there, but also some people you've probably never heard of.  Krystol? Lion?  Who knows.  But some of these folks are still well known today, so drop their festive greetings into your mix and you'll be cooler than all your friends.  You don't have to tell anybody where you got 'em.  This is Holiday Greetings From The Epic, Portrait And CBS Associated Families (Epic Portrait Associated/CBS EAS 2864, Stereo, 1987).

01: Greg Allman
02: Ana
03: Big Trouble
04: Bill Carter
05: Robin Zander of Cheap Trick
06: Rick Neilsen of Cheap Trick
07: Cherrelle #1
08: Cherrelle #2
09: Angela Clemmons
10: Charlie Daniels
11: Mary Davis
12: Gloria Estefan And Miami Sound Machine
13: Fabulous Thunderbirds
14: David Hallyday
15: Hiroshima
16: Insiders #1
17: Insiders #2
18: Tuesday Knight
19: Krystol
20: Lion
21: Aimee Mann of 'Til Tuesday
22: Teena Marie #1
23: Teena Marie #2
24: Kathy Mathis
25: Ozzy Osbourne #1
26: Ozzy Osbourne #2
27: Ozzy Osbourne #3
28: Quiet Riot #1
29: Quiet Riot #2
30: The Radiators
31: REO Speedwagon
32: S.O.S. Band #1
33: S.O.S. Band #2
34: Dan Siegel
35: Charlie Singleton
36: Survivor
37: Robert Tepper
38: Wa Wa Nee #1
39: Wa Wa Nee #2
40: Weird Al Yankovic #1
41: Weird Al Yankovic #2
42: Weird Al Yankovic #3
43: Weird Al Yankovic #4
44: Weird Al Yankovic #5
45: Pia Zadora

Zippyshare

Up next is another batch for the same family of labels, but one year later.  Again a mixed bag of superstars and Johnny-Come-Lately's, but I think the hits to miss ratio here is a little higher.  First shared in 2010, though I have vague memories of buying it many, many years earlier, this is Holiday Greetings From The Epic, Portrait and CBS Associated Family (CBS Records EAS 1393 12" Same On Both Sides, 1988, Stereo).  Dig it!

1. Gregg Allman of The Gregg Allman Band
2. Billy Always
3. Basia
4. Robin Zandar of Cheap Trick
5. Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick
6. Cherrelle
7. Alice Cooper (2x)
8. Gloria Estefan (3x)
9. Europe (2x)
10. The Fabulous Thunderbirds
11. The Godfathers
12. Peter Coyne of The Godfathers
13. Gregory Hines
14. Insiders
15. Living Colour
16. Alexander O'Neal
17. Ozzy Osbourne (2x)
18. Quiet Riot (2x)
19. The Rave-Ups
20. Kevin Cronin of REO Speedwagon
21. Rhythm Cords
22. Dan Siegel
23. Slammin' Watusis (2x)
24. Henry Lee Summer (2x)
25. Jim Peterik of Survivor
26. Tony Terry
27. 'Til Tuesday
28. Luther Vandross (2x)
29. Gino Vanelli
30. Stevie Ray Vaughan (2x)
31. Weird Al Yankovic (3x)

Zippyshare

Whoa, they just keep coming.  Another year later, and this time Capitol Records gets in on the act.  Again it's a mixture of the ridiculous and the sublime, though I don't think Sublime was around yet.  Again shared by me for the first time in 2010, please enjoy The Best For '89 From The Entire Capitol Family (Capitol 12" 33 RPM SPRO-79471 (Same on both sides), 1989, Stereo).

1. Paul Shaffer
2. Anne Murray
3. Peter Blakeley
4. Steve Miller
5. Heart
6. Shadowfax
7. Crowded House (2x)
8. Megadeth
9. Flesh For Lulu
10. Climie Fisher
11. Johnny Clegg & Savuka
12. View From The Hill
13. Sequal
14. The Reivers
15. Melba Moore
16. Hazell Dean
17. Pat McLaughlin
18. Aslan
19. Tracie Spencer
20. Suave
21. Poison
22. Pete Bardens
23. Willie Dixon
24. Chapter 8
25. 101 North
26. Lloyd Cole & The Commotions
27. Bert Robinson
28. MC Hammer & The Posse
29. Richard Thompson

Zippyshare

Too new for you?  You want something older?  Here's one from way back in the day, though I'm afraid I don't know the exact year.  I do recall it took a lot of work to get halfway decent tracks from this pretty green record.  The grooves were pretty well trashed, so don't expect too high of a fidelity here.  But this is still Holiday Greetings Voice Tracks (Columbia 7" 45 RPM JZSP 111921/2 Green Vinyl Promo).  Oh yeah, 2010 was the first year for this one around here.

1. Jimmy Dean
2. Jerry Vale (2x)
3. Andy Williams
4. Patti Page (2x)
5. Percy Faith (3x)
6. Ray Conniff (4x)

Zippyshare

Love The Leibert

Here's some really good organ stuff for your holiday enjoyment!  Yes, I said good organ, there is such a thing you know.  Dick Leibert does a great job of making the pipes play on this album and the next one down, not so much on the last one down there, but I'm a completist, so deal with it.  This first LP is from 1962, and I first shared it in 2005, but I have remastered it since then so it should sound good. This is Dick Leibert-Senior Organist At The Radio City Music Hall-The Sound Of Christmas On The Radio City Music Hall Organ (RCA Victor LSP-2558, Stereo, 1962).

1. Deck The Halls
2. Joy To The World
3. The First Noel
4. Silent Night
5. Hark The Herald Angels Sing
6. O Holy Night
7. Medley: We Wish You A Merry Christmas-O Tannenbaum
8. Oh Little Town Of Bethlehem
9. Angels We Have Heard On High
10. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
11. We Three Kings Of Orient Are
12. Adeste Fideles (O Come, All Ye Faithful)

Zippyshare

Next up, from the following year, this LP is more of the same.  Again, I first did this one in 2005 with a remaster at some point along the way.  Welcome to Dick Leibert-Senior Organist At The Radio City Music Hall-The Happy Hits Of Christmas (Christmas Evergreens Played On The Radio City Music Hall Organ) (RCA Victor LSP-2771, Stereo, 1963)

1. Silver Bells
2. Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer
3. The Christmas Song
4. Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town
5. Winter Wonderland
6. Under The Christmas Mistletoe
7. I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day
8. Sleigh Ride
9. White Christmas
10. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
11. It Came Upon The Midnight Clear
12. Jingle Bells
13. Parade Of The Wooden Soldiers

Zippyshare

Last, and possibly least is this set of two 45s that came out 11 years prior to the earliest of the two LPs above.  This one is much more of what you expect when I say organ Christmas music, but I feel the need to throw it in here anyway due to my anal retentive tendencies.  Again from 2005, This is Sing And Rejoice! Christmas Carols Played by Dick Leibert At the Organ of the Radio City Music Hall New York City (RCA Victor EPB 3056, Mono, 1951). Hope you like medleys!

1. Joy To The World-Away In A Manger
2. It Came Upon The Midnight Clear-Oh, Holy Night (Cantique De Noel)
3. Hark The Herald Angels Sing-Silent Night
4. The First Noel-As With Gladness Men Of Old
5. O Come All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fideles)-Oh Little Town Of Bethlehem
6. Angels From The Realms Of Glory-While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks
7. We Three Kings Of Orient Are-Good King Wenceslas
8. Deck The Halls With Boughs Of Holly-God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

Zippyshare

Of Life...

Do you need some more celebrity sound bytes?  I thought so.  Here are 30 more from the same series as yesterday.  This time it's TV and movie stars, and some of them get a little more into character than the ones yesterday.  Mel Blanc is good, Arte Johnson spices things up a bit, and Billy Dee Williams is smoooooooth.  Some of these folks, I don't know who they are, I'm afraid, but hopefully there's somebody here for everyone!  Please help yourself to Christmas Seal Campaign 1972-Celebrity Spot Announcements-Style D (Christmas Seals 203.311/312, Stereo, 1972).

1. Steve Forrest
2. Peter Breck
3. Mary Tyler Moore
4. Joseph Campanella
5. Lynn Anderson
6. Pat Carroll
7. Ed Asner
8. Don Mitchell
9. Gregg Morris
10. Ernest Borgnine
11. Louis Nye
12. Gale Gordon
13. Robert Stack
14. Robert Reed
15. Maclean Stevenson
16. Kim Novak
17. Billy Dee Williams
18. Mel Blanc
19. Raymond St. Jacques
20. Bill Cosby
21. Andy Griffith
22. Michael Landon
23. Ray Bolger
24. Arte Johnson
25. Ann B. Davis
26. Gail Fisher
27. Martha Raye
28. Martin Milner
29. Edward G. Robinson
30. Leif Erickson

Zippyshare

Austria, Not Australia

I figure any request for something I forgot that I posted is a good one, so here's something from 2012 that I have very little memory of.  I'm sure I was trying to get something else from the great Westminster label up, but it certainly didn't leave much of an impression on me.  Don't let that discourage you, though, everyone has a different taste in music.  Please give a listen to Vienna Akademie Kammerchor-Conducted By Günther Theuring-Christmas Carols From Austria (Westminster WP 6019, Mono, 1956).

1. Stille Nacht (Silent Night)
2. In Dulci Jubilo
3. Es Ist Ein Reis Entsprungen (Lo, How A Rose E'er Blooming)
4. O Du Fröhliche (O Thou Joyful)
5. Joseph, Lieber Joseph Mein (Joseph, My Loving Joseph)
6. Der Engel Sprach (The Angel Spoke To The Shepherds)
7. Von Himmel Hoch (From Heaven Above)
8. Congratulamini Nunc Omnes (Now Let Us All Rejoice)
9. Es Blühen Die Maien (The Mayflowers Are Blooming)
10. Es Wird Scho Glei Dumpa (It Will Soon Be Dark)
11. Heissa Buama (Hey, Boys)
12. O Jesulein Zart (O Sweet Little Jesus)
13. Es Hat Sich Halt Eröffnet (The Heavenly Gate Has Opened)
14. Still, Still (Hush, Hush)
15. O Jubel, O Freud (O Joy, O Gladness)
16. Schlaf, Schlaf (Sleep, Sleep)
17. Kommts Her Ihr Hirten (Come Here, You Shpherds)
18. Andachtsjodler (Devotional Christmas Yodel)
19. Stacherl (Eustace)

Zippyshare

Merv Shiner-Greatest Christmas Kiddie Hits

My favorite track from this LP just played at random on my computer, so I figured that meant I should go ahead and reshare this great surprise I discovered in 2012.  Merv Shiner was a big deal in the early fifties, hitting it big with a version of Here Comes Peter Cottontail.  Looks like he had one Christmas single back in the day, but this record didn't come out until the first year of my existence, 1970.  And even though the cover makes it look like a budget label throwaway, it's actually quite good.  So please, be my guest, download Merv Shiner-Greatest Christmas Kiddie Hits (Certron Corporation CS-7012, Stereo, 1970).

1. Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer
2. Little Drummer Boy
3. Oh, Little Town Of Bethlehem
4. Here Comes Santa Claus
5. Twas The Night Before Christmas
6. Frosty The Snowman
7. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
8. White Christmas
9. Pancho's Snowball
10. Jingle Bells
11. Away In A Manger
12. I Saw Mommie Kissing Santa Claus

Zippyshare

A Matter...

I figured you needed some more celebrity greetings.  So from 1972, here's a whole passel of artists you'd have heard on the radio back then, telling you all about the great work done by the folks who put out Christmas Seals.  At the time it was called The National Tuberculosis And Respiratory Disease Association, but these days it's just The American Lung Association.  But the goal is still the same, to help you breathe easier.  I got a bit of a kick about how some of these people struggle with the pronunciation of the words on their script, and some people just flow right through it.  I suspect a little rehearsal goes a long way.  These should make a great addition to your annual Christmas CD, especially if you were planning on including one of these artists anyway.  Please enjoy Christmas Seal Campaign 1972-Disc Jockey Spot Announcements-Style C (Christmas Seals 203.309/310, Stereo, 1972).

1. Tommy Leonetti (Who?)
2. Jerry Reed
3. David Clayton Thomas
4. Tennessee Ernie Ford
5. Kenny Rogers
6. Hank Thompson
7. Pat Boone
8. Peggy Lee
9. Al Martino
10. Ray Stevens
11. Andy Williams
12. Sonny & Cher
13. Trini Lopez
14. Johnny Mathis
15. Dionne Warwicke
16. The Fifth Dimension
17. Warren Entner (Grass Roots)
18. Roy Clark
19. Andy Williams
20. Lynn Anderson
21. Jack Jones
22. Glen Campbell
23. Robert Goulet
24. Eddy Arnold

Zippyshare

Christmas Is Coming

I spotted a record on eBay that would fill in a small hole in my Air Force record shares, if anybody feels like dropping $30 on it and contributing to the cause...  :)  I think that's a little much for it, and it's a mono copy anyway.  But if there's a sugar daddy out there somewhere with deep pockets...

Christmas In Slo Mo

Where else but Ernie (Not Bert) are you going to find Christmas music that is half-speed mastered?  Well, sort of.  You might remember growing up and playing with that big console phonograph your grandparents had.  There was a big knob that controlled the speed of the turntable, and it had settings that didn't make any sense.  33, yeah, for the big records, 45 for the smaller records.  Then up higher on the dial was 78, which you eventually figured out was for those thick records that only played one song and they sounded terrible, probably because you didn't flip the needle over like you were supposed to. (It was also a good speed to make any record sound like the Chipmunks.  Oh, what fun!)  But there was another speed setting down at the bottom that never, ever got used, 16 RPM.  What was that for?  I don't remember ever having a 16RPM record as a child.  A little research shows that Chrysler made some records at that speed to play in your car, and Seeburg used it for their background music system, but why is it on your big console?  Well, I think somebody tried to make it a thing, and it just never caught on, but it was an easy speed to add, so manufacturers put it on there in hopes of making it a selling point.  Oh, I just remembered seeing a few spoken-word records that ran at this slow motion speed, stuff about cults and religious records.  But the only music records I've seen were this one and another non-christmas LP by the same guy.  (Well, there are transcription discs, but they won't fit on my turntable...)  Anyhow, I first shared this out in 2012, and I'm bringing it back now.  Please download Will Kennedy's Stereo Orchestra-Stereo Christmasland (Dancetime 12" 16-2/3 RPM LP WK-5000-S, Stereo). For the record, I didn't actually play this at 16-2/3 RPM.  I played it at the usual 33-1/3, then slowed it down in Audacity.  Is that cheating?

1. Rudolph, The Red Nose (sic) Reindeer
2. Greensleeves
3. I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day
4. I Saw Three Ships
5. O Tannenbaum
6. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
7. Silent Night
8. Over The River And Through The Woods
9. Adeste Fidelis
10. Joseph O Joseph
11. Deck The Halls
12. By The Christmas Tree
13. Unto Us Is Born A Son
14. Hark The Herald Angels Sing
15. Good King Wenceslas
16. Come, All Ye Shepherds
17. Jolly Old St. Nicholas
18. Joy To The World
19. Winter Wonderland
20. We Wish You A Merry Christmas
21. The Christmas Song
22. Angels We Have Heard On High
23. O Little Town Of Bethlehem
24. Wassail Song
25. The First Noel
26. Shepherds, Shake Off Your Drowsy Sleep
27. White Christmas
28. O Sanctissima
29. Away In A Manger
30. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
31. Lo How A Rose E'er Blooming
32. We Three Kings
33. O Holy Night
34. O Come, Little Children
35. The Holly And The Ivy
36. Jingle Bells

Zippyshare

Frosty, No Snowman

Christmas is the season of Giving, and every year sees the release of dozens if not hundreds of charity records, each offering a little something special for your donation and causing no ends of headaches for Christmas music collectors like me.  This record from 1967 is no exception.  I shared this with you back in 2010 and was surprised by a number of people who posted that it was part of their annual Christmas listening back in their childhood. I guess you just never know.  Anyhow, please add it to your annual Christmas celebration by downloading The Gregory Orchestra And Chorus-David Frost Introduces A Christmas Record For Oxfam (Flamingo (Philips) SPL.155, 1967, Stereo). You do remember who David Frost is, right?

1. David Frost-Oxfam Introduction
2. I Saw Three Ships
3. Good King Wenceslas
4. Silent Night, Holy Night
5. While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks By Night
6. Once In Royal David's City
7. Away In A Manger
8. The Holly And The Ivy
9. We Three Kings Of Orient Are
10. Here We Come A-Wassailing
11. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
12. The First Noel
13.  O Come, All Ye Faithful

Zippyshare

Geetars!

Another of the records I got in the mail recently, I ripped this last night and scanned it tonight so that I could share it with you just as soon as possible.  Long-time readers will recall that Warner Bros is a label I've long enjoyed, and this is one of the last Christmas records from their early years that I was lacking.  In fact, I can't think of any other Christmas records from the label that I need, but I'm sure there are things I've missed.  Recall that this is the label that brought you Ira Ironstrings, Jimmy Joyce, Billy May, the stars of numerous Warner Brothers TV shows, singing kids, music boxes and more back when they were first getting started.  They had so few records out in those days that they would put recommendations for records on other labels on the backs of their sleeves, just to be neighborly.  But I digress, let's get to the Christmas music!  This is The Guitars, Inc.-Guitars At Christmas (Warner Bros WS1340, Stereo, 1959).  Good stuff!

1. Jingle Bells
2. The First Noel
3. Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town
4. Caroling, Caroling
5. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
6. The Star Carol
7. Deck The Halls With Boughs Of Holly
8. Winter Wonderland
9. O Little Town Of Bethlehem
10. Sleigh Ride
11. Silent Night
12. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
13. Some Children See Him
14. Come, Dear Children
15. Adeste Fidelis (O Come All Ye Faithful)
16. White Christmas

(Whoops, looks like this one isn't as obscure as I thought.  You can grab this one from Amazon, folks! I won't be sharing it around here.  If you already grabbed it, be sure to send it back. Do keep a copy of the original cover though, it's much nicer.)

Wow, lots of Alfred Burt in there.  He was all the rage there for a while, and now he's almost forgotten except for a couple of songs that only show up now and then.

Elliot Lawrence-Christmas Just A Minute

Can't believe I haven't brought this one back since 2010 (remastered from the original 2009 recordings), but if I haven't, I can't find it.  All of these songs are short but sweet, and really, really nice!  Have a listen to Elliot Lawrence And His Orchestra-Christmas Just A Minute! (Sesac PA 221/222, Mono). I thought Elliot Lawrence was just a jingle guy, but I recently discovered he did regular recordings as well.  Check him out over at my buddy Buster's blog.

1. Jingle Bells
2. Jumpin' At The Toy Shop
3. Toyland
4. Dancing Snowflake
5. Santa's Mambo
6. Ring-Around-The-Snowman
7. Deck The Halls
8. Auld Lang Syne
9. The Bell Carol
10. Silent Night
11. Joy To The World
12. We Three Kings
13. O Little Town Of Bethlehem
14. Adeste Fideles
15. The First Noel
16. We Wish You A Merry Christmas

Zippyshare

John Klein-Bells In Toyland

Here's another one from those busy request lines. (Remember, if you get a busy signal, just keep calling.  Do they even have busy signals anymore with call waiting?)  Anyhow, this one isn't even a Christmas album, but it's by an artist who made some great Christmas music.  That led me to this one, which has a couple of tracks that have been used as Christmas tracks in places, and the rest of the songs have a very similar feel, so I figure, what the hey.  The file is a 2010 remaster of a share originally from 2009, which probably means I just ran it through ClickRepair to make it sound gooder.  So, for some good non-Christmas music, please have a listen to John Klein With Orchestra And Chorus Arranged And Conducted By Leo Addeo-Bells In Toyland-John Klein At The Sun Life Centenary Carillon (RCA Victor LSP-3832, Stereo, 1967).

1. March Of The Toys
2. March Of The Lead Soldiers
3. Haydn's Toy Symphonette
4. Doll Dance
5. Sweet Nutcracker!
6. Dancing Doll
7. The Toy Trumpet
8. Toyland
9. Parade Of The Wooden Soldiers
10. Knight Of The Rocking Horse
11. Toy Train
12. Syncopated Clock

Zippyshare

Almost A Month Early

I know I'm early, but I keep getting requests for this, so here you go.  I've gotten a lot of emails over the years from people telling me they heard this record right before going to bed on Christmas Eve.  I've even heard from people who know the girl on the right in that picture, though I never spoke to her directly.  I have shared this out on Christmas Eve in the past, but this year I'm going to go ahead and get it out of the way.  Be sure you put it someplace safe so you can break it out on the big night and play it for your little ones.  And when they ask what The Sugarplum Fairy means about playing the other side, you can explain to them all about those big black discs they called records.  First shared around here ten years ago, this is 'Twas The Night Before Christmas (RCA Camden CAS-1101, 1968).

1. Christmas Greetings From The Sugarplum Fairy
2. Fran Diver-'Twas The Night Before Christmas
3. Dialogue From The Sugarplum Fairy
4. Robin Grean-The Little Drummer Boy
5. Closing Dialogue From The Sugarplum Fairy
6. Opening Dialogue From The Sugarplum Fairy
7. Fran Diver-A Visit To Santa's To Shop-The Magic Of Believing
8. Closing Dialog From The Sugarplum Fairy

Zippyshare

An Isthmus Christmas

You probably knew it was inevitable that I would bring you some organ and chime music, and here it is!  I stumbled across this LP just the other day, and with such a great title, I knew it was a natural for the blog.  I guess the Canal Zone in Panama was a really hopping place at one time.  I've stumbled across my fair share of records from down there, all bragging about the place.  I think I have one other Christmas record from Panama, but I'm not sure what I did with it, and I'm sure it didn't have the great rhyming title.  So please be my guest and download Leroy Lewis-Christmas On The Isthmus With Leroy Lewis (Earsa (Panama) 1002-S, Stereo)

1. Deck The Halls-Silent Night
2. Joy To The World-Hark The Herald Angels Sing
3. The First Noel-We Three Kings Of Orient Are
4. Good King Wenceslas-We Wish You A Merry Christmas-God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
5. Adeste Fideles-Angels We Have Heard On High
6. O Little Town Of Bethlehem-Holy Night
7. O Tannenbaum-Toyland (Skips, sorry)
8. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
9. White Christmas
10. Jingle Bells-Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
11. Winter Wonderland
12. Christmas On The Isthmus

Zippyshare

There were a few typos in the tracklisting on the back of the LP, but I fixed them.  This was probably a rush job at some point, gotta sell those records while the timing is right!

Now With 55% More Moustache!

You know, I've seen and shared out so many different Tijuana Brass ripoff Christmas albums over the years, I can't keep them straight.  Are any of them any good?  I don't know.  All I know is that the cover of this one wins some sort of award.  Whether it's a good award or a bad award, I don't know, but it's certainly a major award!  Anyhow, this is one of the many items that you folks have put in your request to be reshared this year, many of you sending in multiple requests and lists with links and whatnot.  I'll see what I can get to.  My advice is to download what you can when you can because it may not be around again!  So go get Tijuana Voices With Brass-Sing Merry Christmas! (Pickwick SPCX-1005, Stereo).  For the curious, this was first shared back in 2006.

 1. Joy To The World
2. Deck The Halls
3. Angels We Have Heard On High
4. We Wish You A Merry Christmas
5. Tijuana Christmas
6. O Come All Ye Faithful
7. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
8. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
9. Jolly Old St. Nicholas
10. Jingle Bells
11. What Child Is This
12. Christmas Bells

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Fav-O-Rite

A favorite from my 2012 season, this is a great brassy collection of Christmas music that you've probably never heard.  So don't let another season pass without giving a listen to Jerry Fielding And His Brass Choir-Favorite Christmas Music (Signature SM 1028, Mono, 1959). Is there a stereo version of this out there in the real world?  If so, I've never seen one.

1. Joy To The World/Hark The Herald Angels Sing
2. Winter Wonderland/Jingle Bells
3. The First Noel
4. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/O Come All Ye Faithful
5. Oh Tannenbaum/Cantique De Noel
6. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer/Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
7. The Twelve Gifts Of Christmas
8. Auld Lang Syne/White Christmas
9. Silent Night
10. The Christmas Song/Let It Snow/Let It Snow, Let It Snow
11. It Came Upon A Midnight Clear/Oh Little Town Of Bethlehem
12. Deck The Halls/Here We Come A-Caroling

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Back To Duophonic!

I just spotted this on an old Facebook post of mine and figured some of you may get a kick out of it here.  Seemed a little odd to me that a classic of mono recording would get advertised as now being in stereo.  Not sure if it's fake stereo or somebody went back and monkeyed with Phil's master tapes.  I know they've been adding echo to these classics for years, but I think there are good, original versions available out there now for your listening pleasure.  More music to come this year from people currently in jail for fairly heinous crimes...fair warning!

Christmas In Ye Olden Days

There was some discussion recently on FaLaLaLaLa.com about this record, so I figured it was time to share it again.  Looks like I haven't shared it out since first doing so back in 2007, so I suppose it's due.  This is part of a series of Air Force promo records that featured contemporary artists playing Christmas music in the studio, usually with an Air Force band, but not always.  This one featured your host Roger Carroll, Sonny James, Connie Smith, The Jordanaires, and Side two is all Ray Conniff.  Please give a listen to An Old Fashioned Christmas (US Air Force Recruiting Service Directorate Of Advertising, Stereo, 1973).  Looks like side one is cut up into tracks, but side two was too tight to cut, so it's one long show. And there's a great portrait of Ray Conniff on the back of the LP!

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Some day I need to go back and remaster all these Air Force things.  There are so many of them, some good, some not so good, but all worth rescuing from the dustbin of history.

Yet More, Still Different

Had enough yet?  Ready to say uncle?  OK, this is the last record in this series that I've found, and the only one that I had to go out on the internet and buy.  The other three I just happened to stumble across one at a time and only discovered the differences one day when I was looking to record stuff.  The first two I recorded many years ago but never shared.  These last two were things I found this year, which jogged my memory about the first two.  This last one I found out about from a mention in some Frank Sinatra discography which didn't quite match up with the one I had, so I had to track down the missing version.  However, I don't know if this is all of them, or just all that I have.  Either way, I think I'm done with the series for now.  More good material here from a broad range of artists.  If you use any of these in your Christmas mixes this year, share a link here so I can hear them, I'm sure all my visitors will get a big kick out of it as well.  For the fourth and final time this year, this is Songs For The Season (#4) (Narwood Productions For The US Army Reserve, Stereo)

1. Jerry Vale
2. Susan Raye
3. Mel Torme
4. Ferlin Husky
5. Bob Haggart (World's Greatest Jazz Band)
6. Glen Campbell
7. Sammy Cahn
8. Buck Owens
9. Ray Conniff
10. Ernest Tubb

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In case you're just stumbling across this fourth one, here are the links to the other three.

One
Two
Three

The Starlighters Chorus-Carols For Christmas

Here's an oldie first shared in 2011 and I don't think it's been back since.  I don't remember much about the music, but look at that cover!  How could you go wrong with this?  And oddly enough, I found this record in the stacks the other day and was surprised to discover that is opens on the wrong side.  When you hold it like it's shown, the record slides out of the left side, not the right like most other sleeves.  Odd, but this was really early in the existence of Capitol records, so who knows what they were thinking. Grab yourself a copy of Carols For Christmas By The Starlighters Chorus (Capitol 10" 33 RPM H9007, Mono, 1949).

1. Joy To The World
2. Deck The Halls
3. The First Noel
4. It Came Upon A Midnight Clear
5. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
6. We Three Kings Of Orient Are
7. O Come All Ye Faithful
8. Hark, The Herald Angels Sing
9. Gather 'Round The Christmas Tree
10. Silent Night

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Mystery Solved!!!

Some years ago, a reader posted a reply to a record I had posted, saying they had grown up with a different version of the song from the one I had posted.  The record was by Mimi Hines and the song was I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus.  My version was from the somewhat classic Space Age Bachelor Pad Christmas LP The Merriest Of Christmas Pops, and their version was from a later Reader's Digest LP collection called Joyous Noel.  I dug out the Reader's Digest collection, and sure enough, there was a different take on there.  This version, in mono, started out with Mimi laughing in her best little kid voice, and omitted a bit about Santa dancing in the middle.  Well, I just figured out that this is the version released on 45 back in 1959!  I found the single today and ripped it, then compared all the versions.  The 45 matches the Reader's Digest version, but not the LP take.  Flipping over the single, Santa Baby sounds like it might be a different take as well.  It's slightly longer on the 45, and to my ears it sounds like the phrasing might be different here and there.  Not a big difference, though.  Now I need to go dig out that mono copy of The Merriest Of Christmas Pops and see if it's different from the stereo version.  Give a listen and see for yourself!  This is Mimi Hines With Ray Martin And His Orchestra (And Chorus)-I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus b/w Santa Baby (RCA Victor 7" 45 RPM 47-7646, Mono, 1959).  I'd share both versions, but I'm pretty sure the other one is available at all your finer download emporiums.

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Famous Me

In case you wondered what I've been up to lately, here's a little thing of which I'm pretty proud.  New local band Cottondale Swamp asked me to take some promo pictures a while back, and then asked me back to take some photos for their new CD release, Leave Me On The Suwannee.  That's one of mine on the left hand side of the CD above, as well as the promo sheet below.  Look close and you can see my name in the credits, too.  I attended the CD release party the other day and finally got a chance to hear them play.  Wow, are they good! They performed the whole CD, and it all sounded great.  They wrote the whole thing, no covers, no classics, all new stuff.  And each song was awesome.  Follow the link above and I'm sure they can link you to a site where you can preview the tracks.  If you like it, order a CD, and tell them Ernie sent you.