As usual, I agonized over what to share first for the season. It doesn't matter much, but I always make a big deal about it and worry too much. So I finally decided on this rare release from the Columbia Record Club. It's part of a much larger series that seems to have come out in a couple of different versions, yet this is the first and only copy I've ever seen. The characters seem to span the whole series, so if you really like this, you might want to seek out the other parts from the series, though I think this is the only seasonal edition. If not, let me know and I'll hunt it down for next year. This record was something I found at a great record store in Clearwater, Florida, recently. Most of my music comes from thrift stores and junk stores and little hole in wall places that most people wouldn't even think to frequent, but that's the kind of place that has the kind of stuff I'm looking for. Cheap and forgotten, that's the music for me. But this was at an actual record store, and it's rare that I find stuff in a record store I've not seen before. When I saw this, I knew it needed to go in my collection. I think I recorded it just a day or two later, which is also rare. Some things have been in my collection for a decade or more before I get around to recording it. And this record didn't disappoint. It's a lot of fun and I know you'll enjoy it. It even features some off-brand Chipmunks here and there to add into the fun. There's a different date on the cover than on the vinyl. I'm thinking maybe the vinyl was in a set before it got put into it's own sleeve for single release. Just a theory, but I'm running with it. Anybody have this one as a kid? This is
Christmas At Dr. Fun's Funhouse (Columbia Record Club D-228, Stereo, 1966).
1. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
2. A Holly Jolly Christmas
3. Love Is The Meaning Of Christmas
4. Jingle Bells
5. A Christmas Medley
6. Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer
7. The Santa Claus Parade
8. Jolly Old Saint Nicholas
9. Little Greenie
10. A Christmas Medley
MEGA
Good one! Thanks, Ernie.
ReplyDeletewith the inclusion of "holly jolly christmas", it makes the vinyl date of 1964 highly unlikely. that might have made this the first release of the johnny marks classic, or at least vying for the honor with the quinto sisters and burl ives. far more likely is the cover date of 1966, when everybody and his brother (and apparently, his brother's chipmunks) jumped on the bandwagon in the wake of burl's success. anyone who doesn't know about the quinto sisters' original release of this song can learn all about it here:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.falalalala.com/the-quinto-sisters-first-to-sing-holly-jolly-christmas-even-before-burl-ives/
Excited about this one. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteBarba, interesting link. It looks like the Quinto Sisters site linked to from there is off line though. I'm curious about hearing their Christmas album now.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Ernie.
ReplyDeleteRich
The Quinto Sisters Christmas record is a great album, I wish I could share it. Some years ago, probably around the time of that linked FaLaLaLaLa discussion, one of the actual sisters requested that it not be shared. I'm not sure if all the sisters are even still around anymore, but for the time being, I intend to honor that request. Took a long time to find the album, and there are non-LP singles that I've never seen. I also found a flexi disc from Lord & Taylor that had a Quinto Sisters track on it that came out back in the day. Cool piece!
ReplyDeleteat the risk of stating the obvious, you can listen to all the christmas songs of the quinto sisters on youtube. in fact, the majority of recordings that ernie(notbert) cannot post can be found there. it's supposed to all be listeny-no-downloady stuff. but i'm told there are ways around that if you are technically inclined. me? well, my vcr has been blinking 12:00am for the past 20 years. so i'm no help there. i'm not much help anywhere these days.
ReplyDeleteold people and technology... one of them'a got to go.