A Blast From The Past 1

Something I've been meaning to do for a long time now is finish up the Best-Of collections from older Christmas In July celebrations. I've previously put out collections from 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 & 2015. As you can see, things got a little sporadic at the end, and I missed a few years when I moved in with my then-girlfriend (some things are more important that Christmas music). Not sure how I managed to squeeze in a 2015, actually, but it seems to have happened somehow. Anyhow, I didn't do another Christmas in July until 2017, but I've done them pretty steady since that year. However, I haven't done any best-of collections since that one in 2015, until now.  I finally got my act together and put some artwork into a usable format, I put the tracks I had set aside so long ago into a single folder. I did some rudimentary sequencing (very rudimentary), tried to rename everything in a consistent manner, renumbered the original tracks, put them into a ZIP file, and here it is for your enjoyment!  It's a long 46 tracks, which I didn't really split up into two discs, though I'm sure it won't fit onto one. Does anybody still put things on disc?  I guess not... Anyhow, here's the tracklist for you.

1) Vic Damone-Arr. & Cond. By Norm Geller-The Sal Carson Orch.--Christmas In San Francisco
2) Mieke And Nina--Sint Nicolaas Potpourri (St. Nicholas Medley)
3) The Ringers On-The-Green--Fum, Fum, Fum
4) Bob Lowry With Joseph Kahn-Piano--Parade Of The Wooden Soldiers
5) The Wyld Ryce Band--Christmas In Your Heart
6) Ted Heath And His Music--Baby Doll (Theme From "Baby Doll")
7) Earl Grant With Chorus And Instrumental Accompaniment Directed By Thurston Frazier--Children Go Where I Send Thee
8) Silver Burdett Records--African Noel
9) Friends Of Fiddler's Green (Bob & Evelyne Beers, Martha & Eric Nagler And The Boyer Family)--The Peace Carol
10) The Goodies--Father Christmas Do Not Touch Me
11) Jose Melis, His Piano And Orchestra--March Of The Flowers
12) Glenn Yarbrough--We Won't Freeze
13) Hugo Montenegro, Moog Synthesizer Performed By Eddie Kalehoff--A Hazy Shade Of Winter
14) Gloria Lynne With The Earl May Trio--On Christmas Day
15) Kitty Kallen & Richard Hayes--Silver Bells From The Paramount Picture "The Lemon Drop Kid"
16) Jo Stafford With Orchestra Conducted By Paul Weston--I Wonder As I Wander
17) The Somerset Strings--The Bells Of St. Mary's
18) Leslie Uggams-Arranged And Conducted By Glenn Osser--Spring Will Be A Little Late This Year
19) The Kermit Leslie Orchestra--Walking On Ice
20) The Murk Family With Accompanist-Arranger Betty Bowman--Winter Medley: The First Snowfall Of The Winter; Winter Wonderland; Frosty The Snowman; Let It Snow; You Belong To Me; We've Got Our Love To Keep Us Warm
21) The Big Band Swing Sound Of Charles Bud Dant Featuring Singing Instrumentals By The Clark Sisters--March Of The Toys
22) Harry Koenig--White Christmas
23) The New Singing Sergeants With The US Air Force Band--We Need A Little Christmas, From "Mame"
24) Liz Anderson--The Spirit Of Christmas
25) The San Sebastian Strings-Narrator: Gene Merlino, Vocal Solo: Anita Kerr--When Winter Comes
26) The Singers Unlimited--Snowfall
27) Anne-Charlotte Harvey Accompanied By E. Craig Ruble, Stephen Gammell And Maury Bernstein--När Juldagsmorgon Glimmar (When Christmas Morning Gleams)
28) B. Bumble & The Stingers--Nut Rocker
29) Adele Addison And The Jubilee Singers--Go Tell It On The Mountain
30) Country Joe And The Fish--Dirty Claus Rag
31) The Tokens--Perhaps, The Joy Of Giving
32) Arlo Guthrie--The Pause Of Mr. Claus-Edit
33) Frederick Fennell, Eastman Wind Ensemble--Christmas Festival
34) Tony Fontane--Christmas
35) Jimmy Newman--Blue Lonely Winter
36) Toni Arden With Chorus And Orchestra Conducted By Earl Sheldon--Ave Maria
37) Pete Seeger--Allelulia/Joy Upon This Earth
38) Frank Chacksfield And His Orchestra--Adeste Fideles March
39) Trio Shmeed-Orchestra Conducted By Don Costa--Winter Time
40) Joe Harnell And His Trio--Sugar Plum
41) The Norman Luboff Choir--Still, Still, Still (Austria)
42) Zacharias And His Magic Violins--Northern Lights (Nordlicht), Polka
43) The McNulty Family--Miss Fogarty's Christmas Cake
44) Guitar Magic--God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
45) Gordon Jenkins And His Orchestra--Blue December
46) The Lions--Happy New Year Twist (Auld Lang Syne)

I told you it was long.  It's also surprisingly good. Some months ago I dumped all my favorite old tracks from Christmas in July onto a disc of MP3 files, and put it in the car player.  That was almost 5 months ago and it's still in there.  Of course that was during a national pandemic that has greatly restricted the amount of time I spend in the car, but I still drive back and forth to work every day.  My point is, it's very listenable, and very enjoyable.  Lots of new and unfamiliar songs, nice versions of classics, and some nice not-strictly-holiday stuff to break up the sameness.  I'm sure you will enjoy it.  No guarantees on the other missing years, or even that I'll be able to upload the old ones anytime soon, but we'll see.  For your Christmas in July enjoyment, here is The Very Best Of Christmas In July From Ernie (Not Bert) 2017!

MEGA

PS-Saint Nicholas Avenue is in NYC somewhere near the middle of Upper Manhattan. I remember we were on our way to the oldest private home on the Island, and then we walked across The High Bridge.  So where is that, Washington Park?  Something like that. I wasn't surprised when I spotted it, the place did used to be called New Amsterdam after all.