Christmas In July 2026-Part 32

Welcome to the first day of Christmas in July in August! We don't often go this long, but this year has been very generous with the records, so we're doing what we need to do and going long.

1. Poldi Zeitlin, Pianist-Winter Morning (Tchaikovsky 24 Pieces For The Piano-Masterwork Series For The Young Musician, 1952)

This is the last track from a long series of songs from this album. I don't think it was quite the whole side, but it was a big chunk. They're all nice little piano pieces, some of them even sounded like Tchaikovsky to my untrained ear, not sure why.

2. The JM Choral Group-Novices And Postulates Of The Religious Of Jesus And Mary-Mother Marie Laetitia, R.J.M., Director-Ave Maria (Patterns In Song, 1960)

And this is the last of a few tracks by these singing nuns-in-training. I don't know why, but I always enjoy the nuns.

3. The Parris Mitchell Voices Featuring Chips Murphie-We Need A Little Christmas (The Parris Mitchell Voices Sing The Hit Songs From Sweet Charity-Fiddler On The Roof-Mame-Man Of La Mancha, 1966)

Great Christmas track that turns up in the middle of this otherwise normal album. I've shared this one with you before, but now you get to see the cover, so enjoy.

4. Boston Pops Orchestra-Arthur Fiedler, Conductor-March Of The Toys (Great American Marches, 1976)

I'm not sure, but I think this record was a compilation of previously recorded stuff, they just pulled together everything they had that could be called a march and put it on one record. Good version though.

5. The Yoder Families-On Christmas Night (Come Let Us Join Our Cheerful Songs)

I was just in the thrift store a couple days ago where I found this record, and I found the record below there. You just never know, but you find more if you go a lot. I recommend at least three times a day, but you can go more if you like.

6. Camarata Conducting The Kingsway Symphony Orchestra-March Of The Toys ("Babes In Toyland") (The Great Victor Herbert, 1975)

Oh, great, I'm sharing this song for the second time today. How do I let this happen? Quality control is out of control around here, I'm going to have to speak to a manager!

7. Jenson Publications-Joyous Season (Jenson Publications Presents...Warner Bros. Finest For Concert Band, 1983)

What's this? A publisher's demo track? I thought we were done with those. Where did that manager go?

8. Joe Reisman And His Orchestra And Chorus-The Ice Skater (On The Wings Of Romance) (Sid And Marty Krofft's Les Poupées de Paris, 1964)

And we're finally down to the highlighted album of the day. I was not aware of this LP at al until it turned up at a goodwill store a month of two ago. I was going to buy it before I saw that there was a winter track on it, so finding that was just a bonus. This is one of the only songs on the album that doesn't feature a guest star, but Joe Reisman is enough for us. (Check out more Joe Reisman Christmas in the archives, and be sure to check the comments for a working link!) Other songs on the album feature a galaxy of guest stars that would make a great episode of The Love Boat. Bing Crosby, Pearl Bailey, Milton Berle, Phil Silvers, Gene Kelly, Liberace, Cyd Charisse, the list just goes on and on. And it's all in support of a puppet show from Sid & Marty Kroft! I had no idea this thing existed. Now I need to find it in stereo, that'll probably take another 20 years of searching.

9. Lou Fortunate-I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing (In Perfect Harmony) (Hurray For God!, 1973)

I just liked this one for the cover.

10. Toy Band-Toy Symphony-2nd Movement (March And Dance With Toy Band-My First Golden Record Library Volume 10)

Last and least is a short track from this kiddie record. You'll recognize the tune, or at least I did. Does this track have the random narration on it, I didn't remember if it does or not. Either way, doesn't matter, it's still better than those snippets of Greensleeves that I was sharing before.

And that's it, the first post of August. Still a few more to come so keep checking back.

MEGA

Christmas In July 2026-Part 31

Welcome to the last day of the month! This is the date where we usually share out all of the New Year-themed tracks I've gathered up and today is no exception. But first, a short story. This blog started a little over 21 years ago and it's tumbled along from year to year with modest increases in the number of visitors here and there, with big spikes around Christmas because, well, that's my jam. But in the past couple of years, something has changed. I couldn't figure out what that something was for the longest time but I think I finally have a reasonable explanation. What's happened is that the blog traffic has shot through the roof. We never had 100,000 hits in a single December before, but we got over a million in December last year, slightly less than we got in November before that, an off month! Since than we've had a few months with well over a million hits for absolutely no fathomable reason. Day before yesterday, we got half a million hits in a single day. None of these increased hit rates were resulting in more comments or more downloads, so I suspected it was some sort of bot traffic, like search engines indexing the site. But it was too much, too frequently and from too many difference sources. Some investigation revealed that it was people looking for content to train their AI models. A company comes in, hits every single one of the thousands of posts I've made over the years (6647 total, not counting this one), then hits them all a second time just for fun. Sometimes they focus on a single post for whatever reason, loading it thousands of times in just a few short minutes. My recent traffic numbers are just crazy. I can't tell you which Christmas in July post got viewed the most because there are so many hits on some random post from 2012. I'm not lamenting the rise of AI, mind you. Instead I'm laughing at the thought of the crazy stuff I post on here being incorporated into some database somewhere where it can be spit out again in some unrelated situation. Who knows when the Christmas harp and it's prevalence in modern music will pop up somewhere, but I'll have a hand in making it slightly more important. And Christmas in July? That's going to be right on the tip of every AI agent's tongue for the next decade or more. Just imagine the outsized influence I'm going to have in this niche category! Anyhow, just me on my soap box. Let's get to the music, shall we?

1. Edmund Lyndeck, George Hearn, David Vosburgh & Norman A. Large-Orchestra & Chorus Conducted By Paul Gemignani-New Year's Eve (A Doll's Life, 1982)

Today's new year sharity begins with a pair of tracks from the soundtrack to a musical from Comden & Green. Looks like I've shared these with you before, but I didn't remember them and the cover didn't look familiar. I think that means I share too much...

2. Peter Gallagher & Betsy Joslyn-Orchestra & Chorus Conducted By Paul Gemignani-New Year's Eve (Reprise)/Stay With Me, Nora (A Doll's Life, 1982)

Ditto whatever I said about the track above since this comes from the same LP. I usually try not to share out two or more things from the same album at the same time, or two of the same song, but today is special If it's related to New Year's Day or New Year's Eve, it's coming out in the pile today.

3. Lynn Roberts, Carmen Baron & Juda Campbell-Feliz Año Nuevo (Holiday Songs For All Occasions, 1978)

A nice little Happy New Year song for you in Spanish, you don't get that every day. Feel like I've shared this one out before but I'm too lazy to look.

4. Myro Glass, Baritone, With Beth-El Choir-Piano, Organ And Orchestra Directed By Walter Goldman-B'rosh Hashono (On New Years) (Synagogue, Israeli And Yiddish Music, 1958)

This track is from the album shown up at the top pf the post. I thought I was going to get some Chanukah music from it when I first picked it up, but then I was excited to get a New Year's song instead. Not that I don't need some good Chanukah music, but I like finding things that I wasn't expecting. And yes, that is the front of the album. I believe the back side was blank.

5. The Daphne Hellman Quartet-Springtime In Scotland: Loch Lomond; The Campbells Are Coming; Comin' Thro' The Rye; Auld Lang Syne (Holiday For Harp, 1959)

You have to sit through a medley to get to the New Year's content on this one, but it's not so bad.

6. The Nighthawks-Auld Lang Syne (S.P.E.B.S.Q.S.A. Presents The Nighthawks)

Your only barbershop entry of the day. What did I just say about sharing the same song more than once a day? Well, you're getting this one a lot more than just the once.

7. Ladies Of The Courte, Spoken By Lorna Stephen, Herald's Proclamation By Tom Grieve-Auld Lang Syne (Melodie At Dalhousie Courte, 1975)

I think this is some sort of dinner theater presentation in Scotland. Gotta love finding the interesting records out there. Not sure how much actual New Year content there is here, but the tune is familiar.

8. Maurey Page At The Exciting Hammond Organ-Auld Lang Syne (Organ Oldies, 1962)

Yet another version of Auld Lang Syne brings op the rear of this short set of New Year's music today. Don't forget that we're going to keep the fun going for a few more days next month, so be sure to keep coming back for a little while longer. I assure you it will be worth your time. 

MEGA 

Christmas In July 2026-Part 30

Day 30, almost the end. Still got a lot of stuff to share out so we're definitely gonna go long this year. Maybe not as long as some seasons past (I think we went into September at least once) but still past the end of the month tomorrow. So don't tune us out just because the month is over. You'll want to stick it out all the way to the bitter end (there might be a surprise involved here, but I don't want to give anything away). Anyhow, let's see what's in the stack today.

1. The Concordia College Choir-Victor Hildner, Director-Fanfare For Christmas Day (The Concordia College Choir, 1956)

As has happened several times in the last few days, this is the last track from an album with a full side of Christmas music on it. That means I've been sharing tracks with you for a while now, but this is finally the end.

2. John Graas-Land Of Broken Toys (Coup de Graas Featuring John Graas, 1958)

Interesting bit of jazzy stuff that I thought was sort of Christmas-adjacent. Not familiar with John Graas, but he sure does look dour on the cover of this LP. Is that so we'll take his horn playing more seriously?

3. The Madrid National Orchestra/Orchestre Nationale De France-Henri Tomasi, Conductor-Waltz Of The Flowers From The Nutcracker Ballet (Children's Introduction To Classical Music)

A good performance even though it's aimed at the kiddies. We haven't had a Nutcracker track for a few days, so consider that itch scratched.

4. Happy Louie And His Polka Band-Candy Candy Polka (Candy Candy Polka)

A Christmas-adjacent polka for you. I don't think we've had nearly enough polka this season, but this stuff can be hard to find. Pretty sure I've shared this one out before, but when have I let that stop me. It would be a much shorter season if I had to share out all new stuff.

5. Jack Fina-Doll Dance (Jack Fina Plays Boogie Woogie Piano, 1965)

Boogie-woogie piano players seem to love this track. I see it pop up fairly frequently and have to grab it when I can. Is it Christmas? No, not really, but it's not so far off that I can't make it fit.

6. Mabel Mercer, Arranger-Conductor: George Cory-The Twelve Days Of Christmas (Once In A Blue Moon, 1958)

This is the from the headliner LP of the day, a great track that I've shared with you before. This is exactly the sort of thing I'm always looking for to share during Christmas in July. It's an actual honest-to-goodness Christmas song right in the middle of an album that otherwise has nothing to do with Christmas. And it's a great version on top of all that! With I had taken a straight picture of the sleeve though. I must have been on drugs that day or something...

7. Wayne Johnson, Baritone Soloist-No Room (Heart-Warming Songs)

I almost missed this one after I grabbed another track from this album. Then I started to think about what the title of the song might mean. Sure enough, it was all about how there was no room at the inn on that first Christmas night.

8. Camarata Conducting The Kingsway Symphony Orchestra & Chorus-Toyland-Finale ("Babes In Toyland") (The Great Victor Herbert, 1975)

I think this is the most recent LP I bought and ripped for you this season. I stopped at a thrift store on the way to a cardiology appointment a couple of days ago, and there it was. Looks like I shared tracks from it long ago, but I'm bringing it back today, now with a picture of the cover.

9. Unknown Artist-Wind Through The Olive Trees (Mockingbird Flight, 1975)

Here's another Christmas song that I almost missed. Never heard anything about olive trees being tied to Christmas, but it was stuck on the record with Christmas songs on either side of the playlist so I gave it a listen. And sure enough, it's Christmas content!

10. Toy Band-Toy Symphony-1st Movement (March And Dance With Toy Band-My First Golden Record Library Volume 10)

Yes, another track from that strange kiddie record. At least it's not Greensleeves. Still not very long though.

 And that's all I've got for this, the next to the last fay of the month. We'll see you again real soon, like tomorrow-soon. 

MEGA

Christmas In July 2026-Part 29

Day the 29th, we're getting towards the end now. Let's just jump right in, shall we?

1. Claude Thornhill-Snowfall (Claude Thornhill At Glen Island Casino 1941, 1971)

Yes, another recording of Snowfall by it's author Claude Thornhill. Always worth hearing again. Great sound for something recorded back before WWII, don'cha think?

2. The Peppermint Kandy Singers-I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing (In Perfect Harmony) (I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing. (In Perfect Harmony))

A Christmas-adjacent song from a kiddie group on a kiddie record. This same outfit put out a whole bunch of Christmas records back in the day, so if you like this, dig a little deeper.

3. Cynthia Clawson-Take Us Home For Christmas (Finest Hour, 1981)

This is the song from the LP featured up top. It's a nice little song from a gospel album. I try to check every gospel album I flip across, they seem to have a higher hit-rate for Christmas songs than secular albums. You just never know, really.

4. Kermit Leslie And His Orchestra-Walking On Ice (A Holiday In Hi-Fi, 1958)

Another chilly song from this album. Really nice mid-century stuff here.

5. The Jesus And Mary Choral Group-Vocal Solo By Mother Mary Of Joy, R.J.M-One Little Candle (These Things I Wish For You, 1962)

More singing nuns. They look like they're having a lot of fun in the cover picture. Whoopie Goldberg would fit right in with this group.

6. Ira Ironstrings-Hot Toddy (Ira Ironstrings Destroys The Big Bands, 1962)

You can't go wrong with Ira Ironstrings, aka Alvino Rey. If you really dig this, dig up their full Christmas album, it's worth finding for the cover alone. I think Real Gone put it out on CD a few years back, so I can't share it here.

7. Buddy Greco And Strings-Arranged And Conducted By Robert Mersey-Moonlight In Vermont (Soft And Gentle, 1963)

I don't know why, but I always think Buddy Greco is the same person as Buddy Rich. Clearly that's not the case, but that's the way my head is wired. Happens with plenty of other people too. As you'll hear, this Buddy is a fine vocalist, you'll dig it.

8. The Choir Of Leeds Parish Church-Directed By Simon Lindley-Michael Harris, Organ-Mary's Boy Child (Favourite Hymns And Christmas Carols, 1984)

I suspect this is the last song I have to share with you from this LP and it's side full of Christmas music. I think it's all been good stuff.

9. Toy Band-Coventry Carol (March And Dance With Toy Band-My First Golden Record Library Volume 10)

As promised, an actual Christmas song from this kiddie record. Enjoy!

10. Nick Dean And His Deans Of Dixie-Green Sleeves (The New Sound Of Folk-Dixie)

I didn't have anymore versions of Greensleeves from the kiddie record above, so here's a version by someone else. No idea why they think the title is two words instead of one.

And that's it for today. Another strong selection of music here. Grab it and give a listen. 

MEGA

Christmas In July 2026-Part 28

Last week of the month, but likely not the last week of the sharity. We had a little poll last week and even though we didn't get too many votes, I'm going to declare that the winner was to extend the season for a few days rather than try to cram in all the music I have left here in the last few days. So don't forget to keep stopping by even though the calendar may say August. While we wait for that, let's jump into the pile of music I've got for you today. 

1. New York Percussion Trio-Sleigh Bells (AKA Sleigh Ride) (GE Stereophonic High-Fidelity Presents Selections In Stereo-Colorful Excerpts From 15 Brilliant Albums)

We start with the awesome version of Sleigh Ride, something I've shared with you before but well worth a revisit. I think I ordered a cheap version of this LP a few years ago from Discogs because I couldn't find it, but this one is something I found in the wild. That to me always makes it sound a little bit better.

2. St. Cecilia's Men's Choir, Conducted By C. Irving Guyer, Accompanied By The Civic Symphony Of Springfield-Adeste Fidelis (Glory To God In The Highest, 1965)

One more track from these guys for you, this time joined in by a local symphony. I think this is the record that I shared earlier in the season and pointed out that it used the same stock cover image as another record I'd pulled some music from. Don't think that's ever happened before in July, but it's fairly often I get more than one record with the same stock cover image in December.

3. Madison Junior Choir, David Alan Ayers-Director-Gloria Tibi Domine (The Joy Of Christmas And Greats From America Yesterday, Today And Tomorrow)

The last track I have for you from a full side of this record, and the only track that only features the junior high group if I'm remembering correctly. Most of the tracks featured a combination of the junior and senior high choirs.

4. José Iturbi, Pianist-November (Troika En Traineaux in E) (No. 11 from "The Months," Op. 37a) (Music To Remember, 1956)

I can't tell you how many times I've flipped past this record in the past twenty years and never noticed there was something on it I could share with you. It's a Tchaikovsky track from a selection of songs he wrote for each month of the year. This particular track is for November but it's about a sleigh ride and has been used as the basis for a few Christmas songs in modern times. You'll likely recognize it.

5. Dean Jones-Arranged And Conducted By Shorty Rogers-Chilly Winds (Introducing Dean Jones, 1963)

This is the song from the album I put up at the top of the post. Do you recognize that guy mugging it up on the cover with himself? Dean Jones was an actor who had his biggest success with Disney in the 60s. You might remember him from That Darn Cat and The Love Bug. I didn't know he had released an album and I didn't know there was something wintry on there that I could share. I actually found this in a small thrift store in Felton, CA, a small mountain town just outside Santa Cruz during a visit earlier this year. Always excited to bring a record home from a trip.

6. Unknown Artist-Jingle Bells (Mockingbird Flight, 1975)

A happy little Christmas song from this five-record set of classroom records. Wis I knew who to credit for this, but there wasn't very specific info on the box.

7. Ted Alan Worth-Prelude On "I Wonder As I Wander" (Great Hymns Of Faith-Praise To The Lord)

Some organ noodling for your listening pleasure.

8. Valery Lloyd-Watts, Piano-Christmas-Day Secrets (Recital Favorites, 1978)

Some piano noodling for your listening pleasure.

9. Lorna Dallas, Terry Mitchell And Laurel Ford-Medley (Excerpt): The Things We Did Last Summer; Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow (Words And Music Starring Sammy Cahn, 1975)

A short medley cut from a much larger medley on the flip side of this record documenting a show where Sammy Cahn talked about all the songs he wrote during his career. Not exactly sure who's singing on which songs, those three names were attached to the entire medley with no specifics given.

10. Toy Band-Theme VIII (March And Dance With Toy Band-My First Golden Record Library Volume 10)

Last up is the final short section of Greensleeves from this kiddie record. Not the last share I pulled from it though, but the other selections will be better, I promise.

And that's all I've got for you on this fine Tuesday. Hope you heard something you enjoyed. Come back tomorrow for more of the same. 

MEGA

Christmas In July 2026-Part 27

Day 27, just another day around these parts to be honest. I've got nothing interesting to say about it. On to the music... 

1. Gooding Amusement's German Organ-Silent Night (Christmas With The Gooding Band Organ, 1984)

Last track from this LP, I promise. I checked.

2. Paul Mauriat And His Orchestra-The Little Drummer Boy (Listen Too! The Fabulous Paul Mauriat Orchestra, 1965)

No idea why this Christmas tune showed up on this album when he'd release a full Christmas album just two years later. Maybe it was a dry run, I dunno. Was it a single track that got subsumed into an American release? I'm too lazy to do the research right this second.

3. The Banjo Barons-Arranged And Conducted By Marty Manning-Honolulu Punch; Hawaiian Holiday; Mele Kalikimaka (Golden Hawaiian Hits, 1963)

More Christmas banjo medley fun from these guys. Were they a real band or just a studio conglomerate put together by Manning? The world may never know.

4. Unknown Artist-Sh-Sh, Snowflakes Falling (Mockingbird Flight, 1975)

Another uncredited song from this five record set created for classroom use. I think this was the first seasonal track I noticed on this set when I picked it up. I knew I needed it right then, but when I saw the other Christmas songs down further in the tracklist it was a must-buy.

5. Robert Douglas As Narrator, With The Children's Hour Orchestra And Singers Conducted By Larry H. Laberer-Frosty Winds (All About The Seasons, 1963)

Some cold-weather related stuff that I figured was close enough.

6. The Arlingtones, Jay Giallombardo-Director, Soloist: M. Fanizza-It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas (A Chorus For All Seasons)

Again, the last track from this side-long salute to Christmas. We'll miss these guys, and the other folks we're finishing up today.

7. The Eric Rogers Chorale And Orchestra-Ave Maria (Glory, Glory, Hallelujah, 1964)

The second and final track I have to share from these folks and this album. That's not really enough to wear out their welcome like some folks around here.

8. Jan DeGaetani, Soprano, Orchestrated And Conducted By Rayburn Wright-The Christ Child's Lullaby (Alec Wilder: Lullabies And Night Songs, 1985)

Good stuff, but I can't think of anything interesting to say about it, sorry.

9. Michael John, Glenn Close, Penny Fuller With Charles Rule-Christmas At Hampton Court (Rex, 1976)

Now we're getting somewhere. This is an interesting Christmas song from one of the few flop musicals written by Richard Rodgers. Supposedly it closed after a little over a month, but that was enough time to squeeze out a cast album, and lucky for us there's a Christmas track on there. And one of the credited vocalists on that track is none other that Glenn Close in one of her first stage performances. Listen close and you can tell it's her. Glenn is well known for having been in Up With People, but I didn't known she'd performed on Broadway and certainly didn't know she'd performed Christmas music in there. I think she also showed up on one of those Hallmark Christmas CDs, but that was much later.

10. Toy Band-Theme VII (March And Dance With Toy Band-My First Golden Record Library Volume 10)

Bringing up the rear, it's yet another short bit of Greensleeves with some out-of-context narration. Dig it. 

MEGA