17-Bethlehem Morning
What's the theme of the day? Oh, that's right, it's men singing, which is appropriate since we had girls serenading us yesterday. There's plenty of good stuff here, though I don't think I like male voices as much as female voices. Not being sexist here, just personal opinion. Many of the classic Christmas crooner voices are guys, but there are plenty of women in there, too. I'll quit arguing with myself and get out of the way so you can download some music. As yesterday, this collection is filled with common and uncommon things, so it's a good listen. Sometimes it's hard to get into a collection of totally new stuff, but there's plenty here that will be familiar enough to reel you in. Enjoy!
1. Edward Bear-Coming Home Christmas
2. Richard Hayes With Jerry Murad's Harmonicats And Orchestra Conducted By George Bassman, David LeWinter At The Piano-Jing-A-Ling, Jing-A-Ling (Based On A Theme From Walt Disney's "Beaver Valley")
3. Richard Fey & The Christmas Rangers-Never Take The Love Away (Which Makes It Christmas Day)
4. Jimmie Davis-Sacred Singing With Instrumental Accompaniment-No Room At The Inn
5. Keith Richards-Run Rudolph Run
6. Bobby Vinton-Silver Bells
7. Alexander O'Neal-The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire)
8. Andy Williams-Orchestra Conducted By Archie Bleyer-Christmas Is A Feeling In Your Heart
9. Barry Sadler-Arranged And Conducted By Sid Bass-I Won't Be Home This Christmas
10. Bing Crosby With Frank De Vol And His Orchestra-The Secret Of Christmas (Columbia Version)
11. Bobby Goldsboro-Look Around You (It's Christmas Time)
12. Bobby Helms-Jingle Bell Rock (Little Darlin' Version)
13. Charles Brown-Merry Christmas Baby
14. Danny Thomas-Christmas Year
15. Del Reeves-White Christmas
16. Dennis Day With The Mitchell Boychoir And Male Choir With Organ Accompaniment-O, Holy Night (Cantique De Noël)
17. Doctor Ron-The Gift
18. Don Ho-Christmas Is For Everyone
19. Eddie Fisher With Hugo Winterhalter's Orchestra-Chorus-Christmas Eve In My Home Town
20. Engelbert Humperdinck-Christmas Time Again
21. Frankie Avalon-Vocal Background By The Four Dates-Orchestra Conducted By Peter De Angelis-Ginger Bread
22. Jimmy Roselli-Arranged & Conducted By Ralph Burns-Buon Natale (Means Merry Christmas To You)
23. John McGrath-Christmas In The Trenches
24. Julius LaRosa With The Columbus Boy Choir-Conducted By Archie Bleyer-Ave Maria
25. Kenneth Copeland-Bethlehem Morning
26. Leon Russell-Slipping Into Christmas
27. Maynard Williams-Orchestrations By Andrew Lloyd Webber-Boys Choir Directed By Alan Doggett-Christmas Dream
28. Nat Stuckey-How Can Christmas Be Merry
29. Randy Brown-At Christmas Time
30. Ronnie Rinard-I'll Be Home For Christmas
31. Tony Martin With Henry René's Orchestra And Chorus-Christmas In America
32. Vaughn Monroe And His Orchestra-Vocal Refrain By Vaughn Monroe And The Moon Maids-A Marshmallow World
33. Vic Jordon-Little Drummer Boy
34. Webb Foley-Littletown Christmas
35. Larry Norman-Christmas Time
36. Ty Whitney-Winter Wonderland
37. Al Martino-Orchestra And Chorus Under The Direction of Peter DeAngelis-You're All I Want For Christmas
38. Arthur Godfrey-Conducted By Johnny Parker-Every Christmas Morning
39. Bobby Curtola-Jingle Bells
40. Frank Sinatra-Christmas Mem'ries
41. Gordon MacRae With Choir Under The Direction Of Paul Weston-Adeste Fidelis (O Come All Ye Faithful)
42. Jim Reeves-Blue Christmas
43. Jimmy Boyd-Orchestra, Chorus Under Direction Of J. Carroll-Frosty The Snowman
44. Vic Damone-Silent Night
45. Neil Sedaka-Christmas Greetings
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Good stuff this time around! Glad to know that you have Andy's Cadence Christmas single; I have not even come across a copy yet in my record hunts. I have the original yellow and orange swirl label pressing of the Al Martino record included here, in addtion to the feature 45 of this post. The Tony Martin song is really great, and was totally surprised to find a Larry Norman Christmas tune included here: didn't think that CCM pioneer ever cut one.
ReplyDeleteI remember finding that Andy Williams record and wondering if it were Christmas. I bought it anyway 'cause it was cheap, and I was glad I did. I believe that was the very first single he ever released, or maybe the second, I need to look it up...
Deleteit was Andy's first single for Cadence; he had released a couple of singles for RCA Victor's "X" imprint that were hard to find until RCA Camden put them on one LP in (i think) 1971.
DeleteOh, I didn't know that!
DeleteWas totally surprised to find "Ginger Bread" on the playlist here; one of two hits that Frankie Avalon "Sang as if he had a clothespin on his nose" according to one of my friends on the Songs of the '60's Facebook group. The Sinatra tune included here is one of my favorites, and it is great to have the Don Ho song included here: I have yet to find that one on YouTube.
ReplyDeleteI was on the fence about Gingerbread since it doesn't have anything to do with Christmas, but I liked the title. :)
DeleteI also have the Jimmy Roselli and Jim Reeves albums where the songs featured here originally appeared on.
ReplyDeleteI didn't spend a lot of time comparing single versions to LP versions, but I doubt if these are anything different. I'm sure I have the albums, too, and in stereo, but I like the singles this time around.
DeleteCongratulation for this monumental work! You are the last Christmas hero survivor ... like Davy Crockett at Alamo.
ReplyDeleteThanks, I'm pretty happy with it. Lots of goodies to listen to and enjoy. And getting to revisit things that have faded into the background, too.
DeleteLotsa good stuff here! Thanks as always. And watch out for Santa Ana, who does not bring gifts.
ReplyDeleteI had to think about that for a minute... ;) Meredith's sisters are with her parents in Santa Fe, NM for the holidays, so I sent them all a link to Santa From Santa Fe.
DeleteSpeaking of Santa Ana: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/the-far-side-by-gary-larson--831547518670019299/
DeleteOuch!
DeleteSanta From Santa Fe is my favorite Lennon Sisters cut on the Lawrence Welk Jingle Bells album.
DeleteThe Bobby Goldsboro cut appeared on two of his United Artists albums: The Romantic, Wacky, Soulful, Rockin; Country Bobby Goldsboro and Word Pictures (both of which also contained the flip side of the infamous "Honey", "Danny"), thus qualifying it as a Christmas in July cut as well.
ReplyDeletePretty sure I shared it during Christmas in July one year, thought it was a great track. Still remember finding the Word Pictures LP (I think) at a dumpy little thrift store that closed in order to become an antique mall, and now that's in the process of closing as well. Things fall apart...
DeleteDear Ernie, I discovered from your shares this year that Bobby Helms did several Versions of Jingle Bell Rock. Nice tunes.
ReplyDeleteI can't get an ear on the 1971 Ashley Version. Do you have this one in your collection, too?
https://www.discogs.com/release/18049297-Bobby-Helms-Jingle-Bell-Rock?srsltid=AfmBOor_2C5gLUr9JUTtYUN5XHtKoIhKX20zyBssXMpO5cW6OGx14Iz7
Don't think I have that one. I do have an LP version on Certron that I've ripped. I need to compare it to all the others and make sure it's unique. He got a lot of mileage out of that one song, and not a lot of traction with all the other stuff he recorded. Not sure how many more versions there are out there to find.
Delete