I got a few requests, so I figured I'd go ahead and remaster one of my most popular shares ever. I first shared this back in
2005, and I've remastered it a time or two since then. I'm not sure I have a clean enough copy to do a really nice job, but maybe this new version will tide you over until MGM gets their act together, finds the master tapes and does a proper job. This is
The Ray Charles Singers-
Winter Wonderland (MGM E3387, Mono, 1956)
1. Winter Wonderland
2. Button Up Your Overcoat
3. June In January
4. When Winter Comes
5. Snowfall
6. I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm
7. Winter & Theme For Indoor Sports
8. Moonlight In Vermont
9. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
10. When Winter Comes A-Callin'
11. Jingle Bells
12. (In The Gloaming) By The Fireside
MEGA
Haven't found much MGM music on Amazon Prime Music except for the occasional non-label supplied needle drop.
ReplyDeleteMaybe it all burned up in that fire at Universal. That's their big excuse lately for everything that isn't available...
DeleteThank you Ernie!!! You are great! Do you still have the stereo version, you stated was titled "Christmas At Home"?
ReplyDeleteUm, that was something else, not this record.
DeleteDeepest apologies, maybe that was the stereo version of "Here We Come A-Caroling".
DeleteYes, I still have that one. Thanks for the comment.
DeleteAh, a great one! Nice cover, too. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteYep, it's a classic!
DeleteThe little asides on the songs really make this record ("it's so dark in here!"). I've always found the pose of the couple a little odd though; did he hurt his back while hanging holiday decorations so he has to lay perfectly flat? Lol.
ReplyDeleteYou're paying too much attention, I think. :)
DeleteVery unique version of "Button Up Your Overcoat" laced with a lot of humor, with Ray using the same type of choral sound that he used on some of Perry Como's biggest hits.
ReplyDeleteReally nice version of "June In January" with just a touch of a beat to it, similar to what Ray would use on his later Command recordings. of his "Four Seasons"-themed concept albums, this might be the one that has the most humor attached to it.
ReplyDeleteSomeday I need to revisit all the seasons, I used to share them all out at the same time but didn't have the others handy to remaster this time around.
DeleteMaybe something you can do at the start of each new season! The cover art for Spring Is Here is really great.
DeleteThanks so much for this album. I have the title track from Autumn Nocturne - possibly from you - and would love to hear the rest of that album too.
DeleteEnjoy!
DeleteBy the way, excellent remastering here! You sure pulled out some good sound out of a supposedly not-so-clean copy. To my ears, it sounds like I am listening to the original master tape.
ReplyDeleteThanks for that. The other one might be worse and I mis-remembered it.
DeleteReally nice and unique version of "Moonlight In Vermont" here. Some smooth choral singing by the Singers here. BTW, I don't have the cover, but I do have the non-seasonal Take Me Along album in my collection that you shared the cover art with in the early days of the blog.
ReplyDeleteThat the one with the airplane? That was a long time ago...
Deleteyes, it is.
DeleteThis is probably my favorite of the two Ray Charles Singers Christmas-themed albums. Like you, I wish they would have cut one for Command, however, this album is the closest to reaching that sound. It is more livelier than Here We Come-A-Caroling, which seems to have a more reverential tone to it. It is strong enough to garner a four-and-a-half stars out of a possible five from me.
ReplyDeleteI'll take it! :)
DeleteErnie, I do love this album, probably because it has 8 tracks... that made it on the pop charts. I have a playlist of over 7000 vocal songs (on my iPod) with those tracks a part of it... that I play when I volunteer ringing bells for The Salvation Army.
ReplyDeleteWe used to have a regular visitor who called himself Santa Claus, and spent the holiday every year ringing the bell. I was hoping he'd come around this year for the Kettles & Bells song on that Country Christmas LP from Monument, but no sign of him... :(
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