Christmas In July '24-Day 13

My job is a lot easier when I stay ahead of the game. This year I'm sharing out the share of the day on the corresponding day, but that's not always been the case. I'd miss a day or two, and suddenly I'm trying to share day eight on day twelve, and it just complicates things. I know, I know, you don't care about such minutia, but that's the way this game works behind the scenes. So what have I got for you today? Let's see, there's a winter-themed track, the first of a big double handful of tracks from one of those sampler albums they sent to music educators to try and entice a sale of the sheet music and bringing up the rear is a rerun of a soundtrack song that's interesting. Download and enjoy!

1. Skywalk-First Snow (Silent Witness, 1984)
2. Unknown Artist-Come Christmas Morning (Choral Sampler For The Music Educator, 1980)
3. Conducted By Joseph Brooks-Christmas Song (Version 2) (If Ever I See You Again, 1978)

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Christmas In July '24-Day 12

On the twelfth day of Christmas in July, Ernie gave to you, three more tracks of non-Christmas album origin. I'm not to sure my version of the song is going to catch on, but perhaps you'll like one of my three selections o' the day better. We've got two new ones, featuring some more Wintersauce and another from St. Joseph's Church. The rerun today is yet another zither-based tune. Not the best day, to be honest, but probably not the worst. (The worst day is yet to come, I promise. Ever hear of an Aeolian harp? You will, but you may not like it.)

1. The Wintersauce Chorale-George Guilbault, Director-Brian Marble, Associate Conductor & Accompanist-Sing We And Chant It (Winters Are Warmer)
2. St. Joseph's Church-Adult Choir-Director: Bill Ryan-Hallelujah Choir (Alleluia! Sing To The Lord)
3. Willie Dittrich-Away In A Manger/O Little Town Of Bethlehem (The Singing Zither-Christmas Music & Old Time Hymns, 1969)

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Christmas In July '24-Day 11

Day number eleven. What can I say about 11? Well, it's a prime number, and it means we're more than a third of the way done. Beyond that, I got nothing. I do, however, have three brand spanking new tracks for you today, never before shared at the blog. I guess I was feeling generous when I made today's selections, I hope I don't regret it later. First up is track featuring the balalaika as requested last Christmas season. Not actually Christmas, but the title is close. Second is the nicely named Wintersauce Chorale doing a musical version of the Robert Frost poem. Third is a long waltz that doesn't strike me as too wintry, but your mileage may vary. Enjoy!

1. The Osipov Balalaika Orchestra Conducted By Vitaly Gnutov & Viktor Dubrovsky With Valentina Levko-Jingle Bell (The World Of The Balalaika, 1971)
2. The Wintersauce Chorale-George Guilbault, Director-Brian Marble, Associate Conductor & Accompanist-Stopping By The Woods On A Snowy Evening (Winters Are Warmer, 2024)
3. Václav Neumann-The Czech Philharmonic-Winter Storms Waltz (Entry Of The Gladiators-The Beautiful Music Of Julius Fučik, 1976)

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The Best From July 2022

I have been somewhat remiss in sharing these best-of collections from my Christmas in July celebrations. The last best-of I gave you was from way back in 2021, so it's time to catch that up just a little bit with this look back at the best music from July of 2022. Looking down the tracklist for this one, I can tell this was the year I managed to get a lot of production music albums that were designed for radio station use. Those are usually short tracks that would get played behind seasonal ads or to help fill out the hour to prevent dead air. Because they're so short I was able to squeeze a lot of them into the list so it looks like a lot of music. If you like what you hear here, you can always dive into the archives and download all the shares from July of 2022, I believe they're all still there for the taking. I'm too lazy to link them all, but you should be able to find them with a minimum of searching. The artwork is a detail from a painting I saw a while back in the St. Petersburg Museum of Fine Arts (the one in Florida, not Russia). Looks like I didn't take a picture of the whole painting, or of the label next to it, so I can't tell you who or what this is. I'll have to head up there soon and get the missing info. Looks like I took the picture a couple years ago, so I'm probably due for another visit.

1. Kay Lande-The Man With The Merry Ho-Ho-Ho-Edit
2. Frank Hunter And His Orchestra-Christmas In The Valley
3. Joanne Mackell-Christmas Day
4. Patti Page-Pretty Snowflakes
5. Dear Mr. President-Who Killed Santa Claus?
6. Bobby Troup-I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm
7. Mac Davis-Christmas Carol
8. Red Nichols And The Augmented Pennies-Cool Tango
9. The Calvin Handbell Ringers-Robert Ivey, Director-Fum, Fum, Fum
10. Trendsetter-Deck The Halls (Logo)
11. Pinkard & Bowden-Let's Put The 'X' Back In Christmas
12. Hagood Hardy-Wintertime
13. Donna McKechnie, Margo Sappington, Baayork Lee-Turkey Lurkey Time
14. Meiko Miyazawa, Piano-Christmas-Day Secrets
15. Dennis Farnon And His Orchestra-Spring Will Be A Little Late This Year
16. Unknown Harpist-Greensleeves
17. The Sun Valley Trio-Sleigh Ride
18. Armando Trovajoli-Christmas Night
19. Ferron-Snowin' In Brooklyn
20. The Sandals-Ski Bum
21. The Buddy Weed Quartet-Snow Mountains
22. Classroom Materials Company-Jingle Bells
23. Mickey Katz-Grandma's Draidel
24. Dr. John-Xmas In New Orleans (Vocal)
25. Walt Brown With Bill Collins-The Marvelous Toy
26. Tyree Glenn-Conductor: Sy Oliver-Cold Winter Nights
27. Willie Rodriguez With Chuck Sagle And His Orchestra-Moonlight In Vermont
28. The Production Garden-Looking Great/Christmas
29. Hugh Downs Accompanied By Mundell Lowe And His Friends-I Wonder As I Wander
30. Harpers Bizarre-Snow
31. Warren Covington And His Marching Band-Winter Sports
32. Joe & Eddie-Go Tell It On The Mountain
33. The International Staff Band Of The Salvation Army-Conducted By Colonel Bernard Adams-The Message Of Christmas
34. Montreal Lithuanian Choir-Linksmų Kalėdų/Merry Christmas/Joyeux Noël
35. Wally Whyton-When Winter Comes
36. Airforce Broadcast Services-We're The Center Of Everything This Christmas-Vocal
37. Buddy Hackett-Dear Santa Claus
38. Trendsetter-Snowfall Magic
39. Billy Rowland And His Thumbtack Piano-Button Up Your Overcoat
40. The Arcadia Choir-Barth Dowling, Director-Introit: Fanfare For Christmas Day
41. The Meddiebempsters-Winter Wonderland
42. Trendsetter-Orchestrated Pattern (Christmas) (Joy To The World)
43. William B. Tanner Company-Auld Lang Syne

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Christmas In July '24-Day 10

Today marks approximately one third of the way through the season, but it's still far from over. I need to get in there and count how many tracks I have left, then do some math to see if I can start sharing four a day instead of three, but for today, I'm sticking to three. Got some interesting stuff in the pile of three though, starting with our unofficial theme song, Sleigh Ride In July. That's a new version for you, and I think the Chilly Scenes of Winter is new as well (not _the_ Robin Williams I'm afraid. Wouldn't that be nice!). Lazy Holiday is our only repeat of the day, but I love that percussion sound! Give 'em all a download and enjoy!

1. Robin & Linda Williams-Chilly Scenes Of Winter (Harmony, 1981)
2. Jackie & Roy-Sleigh Ride In July (Full Circle, 1988)
3. The New York Percussion Trio-Lazy Holiday (Holidays For Percussion, 1959)

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Christmas In July '24-Day 9

Nothing special about day 9 so I'll jump right in. A new gospel track that I think it pretty good for you today, a repeat track featuring the zither, and a possible repeat from some Korean orphans. I'm still not certain if those tracks were repeated on the two Christmas albums they released (and that I shared with you last Christmas), or if they are unique. I'm also not sure if I've shared them with you from this specific LP before. Apparently, I'm not too sure about a lot of things. I've been doing this for too long... Anyhow, here's three songs for you to download and enjoy!

1. Willa Dorsey And The Sanctuary Choir And Orchestra Of First Baptist Church, Dallas Texas, Directed By Gary Moore-Wasn't That A Mighty Day (Spirituals For All Seasons, 1977)
2. Willie Dittrich-Jingle Bells/Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer (The Singing Zither-Christmas Music & Old Time Hymns, 1969)
3. The World Vision Korean Orphan Choir Directed By Soo Chul Chang With Ralph Carmichael And His Orchestra-Silent Night (The World Vision Korean Orphan Choir, 1962)

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Christmas In July '24-Day 8

Good morning! Welcome to week two of our Christmas In July spectacular! I've got three more tracks for you today, three tracks of Christmas music that come from non-Christmas albums. I think there are two new tracks today (but the rerun is really, really great!). The first one is a church group, but the second one is 70's superstar (and Muppet co-worker) John Denver with a sort of hidden Christmas track. The title doesn't clue you in very well, but the next line in the song is "don't get drunk this Christmas", so you can imagine where it goes from there. Enjoy!

1. St. Joseph's Church-Adult Choir-Director: Bill Ryan-Silent Night, Holy Night and The Christmas Story (Alleluia! Sing To The Lord)
2. John Denver-Please, Daddy (Farewell Andromeda, 1973)
3. The New York Percussion Trio-Sleigh Ride (Holidays For Percussion, 1959)

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Christmas In July '24-Day 7

Day seven, and so ends the first week of Christmas in July sharity. The new track today is a winter song by the Rose from country group The Maddox Brothers And Rose. It's a Hoyt Axton song that as near as I can tell doesn't have anything to do with the movie of the same name. The other tracks are really good, too, but they've been shared here before (though these are new rips of new vinyl). Enjoy!

1. Neal Hefti And His Orchestra-Waltz Of The Flowers (From "The Nutcracker Suite") (Concert Miniatures, 1957)
2. Rose Maddox-Lion In The Winter (Reckless Love & Bold Adventure, 1977)
3. The Editors Of Popular Photography-Christmas Time (Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree/Jingle Bells) (Popular Photography's Sound For A Picture Evening, 1965)

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