Finally Friday

Been a long week 'round these parts, but it's finally Friday. Just a few more hours to the weekend. Since you've been such good visitors and you're still coming around almost two months after Christmas Day has come and gone, here's a nice little record that's a little more commercial than some of the privately-released stuff I've been sharing of late. Of course, it's all in Italian, but that should make it more interesting, not less. No American standards here, either, it's all original stuff like you might hear in Italy if you get away from the more touristy spots. Never had the chance to visit Italy during the holiday season, but I'm sure it's a wonderful place to visit when it's time for Babbo Natale to come around. To put you in that Italian Christmas mood, this is Roberto Murolo-Christmas In Italy-Natale Napoletano (Request Records SRLP 8182, Stereo, 1972). Enjoy! I know this was released here in the US, but I'm pretty sure it was recorded in Italy and just licensed to the US distributor. Sounds authentic to my ears.

1. Pastorale Natalizia (A Christmas Pasture)
2. 'A Zampogna (The Bag Pipe Player)
3. Natale 'Nzieme A Tte (Christmas With You)
4. Lettera 'E Natale (A Christmas Letter)
5. Zampugnariello (The Young Piper)
6. Zampugnaro 'Nnammurato (The Piper In Love)
7. Nott' 'E Natale (Christmas Eve)
8. 'E Zampugnare (The Bag Piper)
9. Natale (Christmas)
10. 'A Nuvena (The Novena)
11. Lacreme Napulitane (A Neapolitan's Tears)
12. 'Na Prumessa D'Ammore (A Love Promise)

MEGA

Up With This

I told myself I wasn't going to share this, but here it is. Someone left a comment on the Up With People Christmas record in the archives (look in the comments there for a link), and that reminded me of this later effort by the then-current iteration of the group. I recorded this a few years ago and really didn't like it, so it's been in the can for a while. I went ahead and scanned the sleeve in this year and when it came up in conversation, I decided why not put it out there. Most people don't know that Up With People recorded two Christmas records (at least two, there may be more, they persisted longer than you think). I'm not a fan of this one, it sounds too polished and professional compared to their more folksy work from the Sixties. I guess once you've performed at a few Super Bowls (Five! And a pre-game show in 1991!), you can never go back to being homespun. This is Up With People-Holiday Greetings From Up With People (Up With People 1127, Stereo, 1980). Enjoy, if you can.

1. Medley Of Traditional Carols: Deck The Hall; The First Noel; It Came Upon The Midnight Clear; Angels We Have Heard On High; Joy To The World
2. Carol Of The Bells
3. The Little Drummer Boy
4. Carols From Other Lands: We Wish You A Merry Christmas; Ding Dong! Merrily On High; Tu Scendi Daile Stelle; Un Flambeau, Jeanette, Isabella; Il Est Ne, Le Divin Enfant; Als Ich Bel Meimen Schafen Wacht; El Rorro; Fum, Fum, Fum; We Wish You A Merry Christmas (Reprise)
5. Winter Medley: Sleigh Ride; Ring Those Christmas Bells; Silver Bells; Winter Wonderland; Sleigh Ride (Reprise)
6. What Child Is This?
7. O Come, All Ye Faithful
8. Children, Go Where I Send Thee
9. Do You Hear What I Hear?

MEGA

Seeing Double

I knew this sleeve looked familiar! I shared a record with this same cover image earlier in the season, commenting about how familiar it was. I'm sure when I recorded this record I had intended to share both on the same day, but it was yet another plan that fell under the wheels when I went to New Mexico for Christmas. This is The Temple Ladies Chorale-The Glorious Sounds Of Christmas (Tennessee Temple University 94580, Stereo). I keep telling myself I need to hold back some of these stock cover sleeves, then share a whole days' worth of records with the same cover. But I'm too lazy to make that happen. Maybe someday...

1. Carol Of The Bells
2. Blessed Little Baby
3. Forever Worthy
4. Jesus, Jesus Rest Your Head
5. Fum, Fum, Fum
6. Silver Bells
7. Joy To The World
8. Sing Alleluia! Christ Is Born
9. Ivory Palaces
10. Infant Holy
11. Away In A Manger
12. Jesus Our Lord We Adore Thee
13. Noel, Noel Bells Are Ringing

MEGA

Tuna Fish

Here's another one of those records where i really have little to no idea what's going on. I think Tuna De Cayey is a band, but it may also be a type of band. And Uni-Coop is some type of store maybe, or an exchange, or a buying club? I'm not sure, I can't keep it straight. The only mention I see of this LP on the internet is a copy for sale at eBay. No idea how I stumbled onto a copy, but I could have had this thing for decades, I dunno. It's not your usual Christmas music, but you might enjoy it if you give it a chance. This is Tuna De Cayey-Navidades Con Uni-Coop (Producciones Alvarez-Miranda (Puerto Rico) No Number, Stereo).

1. Trulla Navidena
2. Plena Navidena
3. Hasta Aqui Llegamos
4. Son Borinqueno
5. Mosaico Del Lechon
6. Noche De Paz
7. Parranda Del Sopon
8. La Gata
9. Candela
10. Si No Me Dan De Beber Lloro
11. Puerca Sinverguenza
12. Tengo Un Swing

MEGA

We Are The Musicmakers

Up next is a budget LP full of Christmas medleys to tickle your earlobes. Well, maybe. Each side was presented as a long medley, but they weren't recorded as medleys and the edits in many cases were just horrible. So I cut it into tracks were those edits seemed especially bad and tried to make it a little more listenable. Some of the songs are still in medleys, I thought those sounded OK. There are still some abrupt fades and cuts on some of the tracks, I assure you those are not my fault, that's how these songs were pressed into the vinyl. But all faults aside, it's worth a listen. This is The Musicmakers-Christmas Party Sing-Along 20 All Time Favorites (Hallmark/Pickwick (England) SHM 811, Stereo, 1973). Oh, it does say Pickwick on the label, I guess that explains a lot.

1. Winter Wonderland; Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
2. Jingle Bells
3. The Little Drummer Boy
4. Mary's Boy Child
5. Little Donkey
6. While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks By Night; Good King Wenceslas
7. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
8. Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town
9. White Christmas; Rudolf The Rednosed Reindeer
10. The First Noel; Away In A Manger; Silent Night
11. The Christmas Song; Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
12. Hark The Herald Angels Sing; O Come, All Ye Faithful
13. Auld Lang Syne

MEGA

Farr (Not Jamie)

Up next, it's a family affair on a nice little religious record that attracted me with the cover. I buy so many records based on the cover that you might say I judge the records by their cover. You're probably not suppose to do that, but my only other option would be to carry a record player with me everywhere I go, and that just doesn't seem very feasible. This one is enjoyable enough, but it's not really anything special. I've shared so many of these religious records this season that they have all tended to run together. I remember at least one of them featured a moog on a couple of tracks, but I can't for the life of me remember which one it was. I figured someone would chime in about it during the season, but no one said anything. I remember it playing at random at some point and I had to go see what it was. Wish now I'd made a note about it. Anyhow, if you're still around at this late date, this is The Farr Family With The Sunday Strings-For Unto Us A Child Is Born-Alleluia (Hymntone Records HPS 7716, Stereo, 1974). Enjoy!

1. Gloria
2. Excerpt From Gloria In Excelsis
3. Silent Night
4. A Gift Of Love
5. Away In A Manger
6. Do You Hear What I Hear?
7. Carol Of The Star
8. Alleluia
9. Jesus Bambino
10. The Little Drummer Boy
11. In The Bleak Mid-Winter

MEGA

The Joy Of Christmas

Back into the random religious records we plunge with this plainly covered record from another artist that's never made it to the big time. The stacks are filled with records like this, people who likely got lots of compliments from church members and friends, got hooked up with a local radio show, then decided to record an album and release it. Whether they tried to sell it or give it away we don't know, but somehow a copy made it's way down through time and landed in my collection. I hope that someday a relative or friend of this artist (or any of the many artists I share here) will chime in and tell us a little more about this person and their life. It happens occasionally and it's always a good feeling. The internet sometimes brings things together that have been separated for a long time. Anyhow, I'm blathering because it's late and I'm tired. This is Ralph McGilvra-Christmas Joy From The Gospel Hour (The Gospel Hour TH 1070 (label) AKA TH70 (front cover), Stereo). There are a couple of duets hidden here among the usual male vocals, so don't be surprised when you listen.

1. Joy To The World
2. Ralph McGilvra & Georgia Horne-Down From His Glory (Duet)
3. Ring The Bells
4. There's A Song In The Air
5. Ralph McGilvra & Georgia Horne-Away In A Manger (Duet)
6. It Came Upon The Midnight Clear
7. O Little Town Of Bethlehem
8. I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day
9. O Holy Night
10. Ralph McGilvra & Georgia Horne-That Beautiful Name (Duet)
11. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
12. Ralph McGilvra & Georgia Horne-Silent Night, Holy Night (Duet)
13. O Come, All Ye Faithful
14. If Jesus Had Not Come

MEGA

Lipton, Not Tea

Does anyone else remember the Claymation commercials for Lipton's brand of bottled tea in the late eighties to early nineties? They would have animated celebrities drink the tea in some odd situation and then an imitator's voice would say the tagline, "That's Brisk!". The only one I can clearly remember is Frank Sinatra as voiced by Joe Piscopo. Maybe there was another one with Rocky drinking a bottle after he knocked out his latest opponent. I was reminded of this by the last name belonging to the artist on this latest share, Celia Lipton. I doubt really if she has anything to do with the tea company, but that's where my mind headed when I was trying to think of something to write here. The front of the record kindly tells us that this record went gold in the UK, though I suspect that also means it's a year or two old since that sort of thing doesn't happen overnight. Odd that it would show up on an unknown label if it was such a big hit. It's nice enough though, I think there's plenty here to enjoy. This is Celia Lipton-With Love...Merry Christmas (Independent Record Corp CMLS1392, Stereo, 1987). Enjoy! (Oh, says here she married the guy who invented the paper milk carton!)

1. We Need A Little Christmas
2. The Christmas Song
3. Winter Wonderland
4. Child
5. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
6. Jingle Bells
7. White Christmas
8. Sleigh Ride
9. Puppet On A String
10. Let It Snow, Let It Snow
11. Silver Bells
12. I Dreamed A Lovely Dream

MEGA

Hilarious

When I first spotted this record on the shelf, I thought perhaps I had mis-filed it. Didn't look much like a Christmas record. But a quick scan of the contents told me I was wrong and it was indeed a Christmas record. I guess I should have known that because it does say Christmas right there on the front cover. I think this is another vestige of my abandoned project to share a Christmas record from every state in the union, representing Alabama in this case. I have no explanation for the title, other than it appears to be an annual thing with the University Of Alabama music department. This is University Of Alabama Singers & Jazz Ensemble-Hilaritas (Boutwell Recording Studios for Hilaritas, Music Department, The University Of Alabama, NR14998/NR14898, Stereo, 1983). Enjoy!

1. It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year; Have Yourself A Merry Christmas; I'm Dreaming Of A White Christmas; Do You Hear What I Hear
2. Little Jack Frost Get Lost; I'll Be Home For Christmas; Let It Snow
3. O Come All Ye Faithful
4. Sing We Now Of Christmas; Away In A Manger; I Wonder As I Wander; Lullay; Shepherd's Carol; Hark, The Herald Angels Sing; How Far Is't To Bethlehem; Jingle Bells
5. The First Noel
6. Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire; Deck The Hall; Angels We Have Heard On High; We Wish You A Merry Christmas

MEGA

Pop Music

Been a while now since I've shared a Christmas album full of actual pop music with you, so here's the closest thing I still have in my pile of Christmas goodies. Not sure if you want to count George Beverly Shea and The Korean Children's Choir as popular music, but at least it's not another church choir. There are some bigger names here that I'm sure you'll enjoy, like Tennessee Ernie Ford, Lawrence Welk and Pat Boone, but even those might not fall under the head of pop. What attracted me to this album was the possibility that some of these tracks were exclusive to this disc. I'm not sure all of these artists released full albums on Word Records, who put this collection together for Guideposts in 1977, and there are no note on the back of the LP about how tracks were licensed elsewhere. I didn't dig much deeper than that, but maybe one of my loyal visitors will be able to clue me in on what's what here. Please have a go at The Guideposts Treasury Of Christmas Hymns (Word GPR 002, Stereo, 1977). Some of these artists have been shared here at the blog from full albums of their own. You might be rewarded richly if you do a few searches.

1. Tennessee Ernie Ford-O Little Town Of Bethlehem
2. Lawrence Welk-O Come All Ye Faithful & Away In A Manger
3. The King Family-It Came Upon A Midnight Clear
4. Pat Boone-Hark The Herald Angels Sing
5. George Beverly Shea-O Holy Night
6. Evie-Mary's Little Boy Child
7. Richard & Patti Roberts-Go Tell It On The Mountains
8. Ralph Carmichael-Little Drummer Boy
9. Korean Children's Choir-Silent Night
10. Jim Roberts & Norma Zimmer-Silver Bells

MEGA