Christmas In July 2011-Day 27

Day 27.  Time flies when you're having fun.  We'll be wrapping this thing up soon, and I've got a lot of stuff I still want to share.  For that matter, I've still got a lot of stuff I want to record.  Remember that shelf I showed you earlier?  Well, the shelf above it is now almost half full of records I've recorded for you.  Hopefully, when the month is over, I'll show you a picture of the whole thing and you can see what a massive sampling of music I've given you.  But I've still got a few nights to go, so let me get this one out of the way tonight.

1. Santa Claus Calling by Jackie Kannon from Songs For The John (Roulette SR 25187, Stereo, 1962).  Yes, you read that right, Songs For The John.  It's a little comedy bit from an album featuring a plunger on the front cover.  I've got a handful of comedy bits and songs for you tonight, a couple are new but most of them are reruns from earlier years.

2. A Christmas Carol by Tom Lehrer from An Evening Wasted With Tom Lehrer (Recorded During A Concert Performance) (Lehrer TL 202, Mono, 1959).  Good stuff in the same vein as Green Christmas by Stan Freeburg, but not as well known.

3. Merry Christmas, Doctor by Mike Nichols And Elaine May from The Best Of Mike Nichols And Elaine May (Mercury MG-20997, Mono, 1965).  Not from the same LP, but still a rerun.  And still not very funny to my ears.  Hmm, can't find where I shared this one before, but I know I did.  Google must be having a bad day.

4. Xmas In Mt. Idy by Charlie Weaver, Music Under The Direction Of Charles (Puddin' Head) Dant And The Mt. Idy Symphonette, a semi-funny bit from Charlie Weaver Sings For His People (Columbia CL 1345, Mono, 1959).  Another rerun, but I'm sure it sounds better this go-round.

5. The Nutcracker Suite (Story) by an unknown artist from an LP I found in the sleeve for something entirely unrelated.  The label didn't identify an artist but it did tell us the title was Ballets For Children (Twinkle (Premier) TW-41, Mono).  Certainly a chopped up version of the story.

6.  Holiday by Mariano And The Unbelievables, an instrumental cover of the Bee Gees tune, from 25th Hour (Capitol ST 2875, Stereo, 1968).  Interesting, veddy interesting.

7. Holiday (Love Theme) by Lee Holdridge from the soundtrack album The Other Side Of The Mountain Part 2 (MCA MCA-2335, Stereo, 1978).  Obscure, yes.  Christmas, no.

8. Toyland by Jane Conners With Bill Anders & Jack Mitchell & The Happy Time Orchestra from Music From Victor Herbert's Babes In Toyland (Happy Time (Pickwick) HT-1002, Mono).  Another kiddie album with another Victor Herbert cover.  Sigh...  And that sudden jump in there is the way it's recorded, or maybe edited.  It's not a skip, and I didn't do it.  I think they chopped together two different recordings.

9. Ave Maria (Schubert) by Carmen Dragon Conducting The Capitol Symphony Orchestra from the various artists collection Melodies Of The Masters-Volume VI: Music Of Reflection (Capitol SA 8568, Stereo, 1961).  Pretty sure this is a rerun, but from a different LP.  This is part of a series of albums, each of which brings together a series of classical recordings covering similar themes.  I don't have the whole series, but I'm working on it.  Nope, doesn't appear to be a rerun, or if it is, I can't find where I shared it before.  Good.

10. Greensleeves, a nice version by Isaac Stern, Milton Katims Conducting The Columbia Symphony Orchestra from Humoresque (Columbia Masterworks MS 6825, Stereo, 1965).  I shared another track from this LP earlier in the month, and explained my confusion with the sleeve not matching the record label.

11. Of The Father's Heart Begotten (Corde Natus Ex Parentis) by The Choir Of Saint Luke's Church-Richard Webster, Organist & Director With The Pritzen Brass Ensemble-Mitchell Arnold, Music Director, taken from their LP Music From Saint Luke's (St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Evanston, IL 62281, Stereo, 1981).  The last track from this that I'm sharing this year, I think.

12. Parade Of The Wooden Soldiers From "Chauve Souris" by Richard Hayman And His Orchestra from You're Just In Love (Ambassador (By Arrangement With Mercury) S/98059, Stereo).  I think this is a re-issued track from Mr. Hayman and company, as it seems to be identical to another version I've shared before.

13.  Schlafendes Jesuskind (Sleeping Christ Child), another track by Erich Kunz With The Vienna State Opera Orchestra-Anton Paulik, Conductor from his LP Erich Kunz Sings Best Loved German Songs By The Great Composers (Vanguard VRS-1063, Stereo, 1961).  Maybe if it weren't sung in German...

14. Schneeflockchen, Weibrockchen (Little Snowflake, Little White Skirt), more German singing, this time from little girls that were members of  Erich Bender Children's Choir, recorded from The Most Beautiful German Children's Songs (Philips PHS 600-031, Stereo, 1962).  Sweet.

15. Sing We Now Of Jesus by St. George's Choir Of Men And Boys, Frederick Monks-Master Of The Choristers from The Music Of Christmas, Lent And Easter (St. George's Church, Schenectady, NY SG102666, Stereo).  Another nice selection from this LP, and probably the last.

16. Sleigh Ride by Living Strings from their LP Holiday For Strings (RCA Camden CAS-760, Stereo, 1963).  If I'd heard this version before, I didn't remember it.  As the liner notes say, it's "vigorously updated with a twist rhythm".

17.  Twelve Days Of Christmas, another comedy track, and something I shouldn't be sharing.

That's it, seventeen tracks, a couple more than usual, but some of these are a little short.  Lots more to go, but here's the download link for this evening.  See you again tomorrow!