Finally, Christmas Day is here! What a season it's been! Hopefully you have spent the day with friends and family, opening presents and eating too much food, now it's time to relax and download a little more Christmas music. I've got a very special share for you tonight, something I don't think you've ever seen or heard before, I know I certainly hadn't. This is a record given to employees of RCA's Electron Tube Division, the people that manufactured radio & TV tubes, for the 1959 Christmas season. It's a custom recorded program of Christmas carols presented as a sort of radio program complete with narration. Both sides feature the same program, one side in mono, the other side in stereo. When you give it a listen, you'll see that it's not very conducive to being cut into tracks, so I present it to you just as I recorded it, two complete programs, one in mono and one in stereo. They aren't exactly the same length, but I think that's just a mastering issue. As near as I can tell, they are the same recording, just processed differently. It's a great little show, and it's unreleased music from the best record company in the world in one of their best years ever. It's not unheard Elvis or anything, but for Christmas music fans of this period, it's pretty impressive stuff. So make your Christmas last just a little bit longer and download
Radio Corporation Of America-
Here We Come A-Wassailing (Radio Corporation Of America Electron Tube Division K08P-2866/K08Y-2867 Not For Sale Or Broadcast, Stereo/Mono, 1959). Anyone who recognizes the announcer, or the singing group, or even the recording itself per chance, please let me know something more about this recording! Oh, this was a gatefold sleeve with a pocket on one side for an insert and there was nothing printed inside, so I didn't scan it. The insert featured artwork and lyrics for all the songs. I scanned the front and back but didn't do all the pages. Sorry...
1. Here We Come A-Wassailing: Greensleeves; Gloucestershire Wassail; Green Grow'th The Holly; Boar's Head; Wither's Rocking Hymn; Bell Carol; Wassail Song; Deck The Halls-Monophonic
2. Here We Come A-Wassailing: Greensleeves; Gloucestershire Wassail; Green Grow'th The Holly; Boar's Head; Wither's Rocking Hymn; Bell Carol; Wassail Song; Deck The Halls-Stereophonic
MEGA
This looks great! Will listen to it tonight for sure. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteHappy First Day of Christmas!! We aren't doing our gifts & get together until Twelfth Night/Three Kings Day this year so I'm still in total, full on Christmas mode until after that so I'm looking forward to hearing this on one of the other days of Christmas.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Ernie. This looks great. After our 'big Christmas meal' as the kids used to call it, my job is to clean the kitchen, wash this dishes, and put all the leftovers away. Neatly, without breaking any of the crystal and 'good' china, of course. Tonight, I will listen to this. Merry Christmas, Ernie!
ReplyDeleteWow, what an interesting item! You know how to find 'em. Hope you are enjoying the day.
ReplyDeleteThis looks to be a treasure! Thanks for everything you shared this year and for the last many years Ernie! Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteA special thank you for this one, Ernie. This type of thing hits the sweet spot for me; a real moment in time that offers a soundscape of the holiday in a unique and interesting way. Great stuff!
ReplyDelete...I really want to thank you for posting some truly excellent things this year! Bless your heart, and Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteThanks all! And Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteTrying to figure age of this, so feels old but the 33rpm and stereo version help to date it, but the label with Radio Company of America (not RCA) the Electron Tube Division (aka pre transistor) say newest is early 50s, but probably late 40s is my guess.
ReplyDeleteIt's 1959 based on the pressing code. :)
DeletePs forgot to say thanks love this commercial link stuff plus this has great stereo separation
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