Christmas In July 2026-Part 33

G'day, welcome to the second day of the slightly-extended Christmas in July celebration this year. I've got a few more goodies in the pile so we're going into extra innings to get it all out to you. We've got too much fork for just one fork, as they say. Make your own overtime play on words here if you wish, I'm too tired to come up with more. Anyhow, the Christmas keep on coming... 

1. Margo Smith-Six Weeks Every Summer And Christmas Every Other Year (Song Bird, 1976)

It's got Christmas in the title, that makes it a Christmas song, even if it's really about the price of fame on a married performer and her kids. I had forgotten about this song until it showed up on this LP recently. I think I've shared a version of it many years ago, but not this one. Turns out this is not the hit version so I'll need to keep looking for that one.

2. Lynn Roberts, Carmen Baron & Juda Campbell-My Christmas Wish (Holiday Songs For All Occasions, 1978)

From an album for the kiddies that covered a lot of different holidays, this is the Christmas-appropriate song.

3. The Merrill Stanton Voices-Pine Cones And Holly Berries (With "It's Beginning To Look Like Christmas") (Meredith Willson's Here's Love, 1963)

One of my favorite collections of songs from this musical, I might even like it better than the official cast album. The performances here are really infectious, assuming that's a good thing. You'll want to sing along, is that a better description?

4. Bowmar Orchestral Library-Arabian Dance (Stories In Ballet And Opera)

The last of the tracks I have for you from this library recording. And the only Nutcracker track of the day as far as I can tell.

5. Living Marimbas-Arranged And Conducted By Leo Addeo-Greensleeves (Love Is Blue, 1968)

You had living guitars, living voices, living pianos, living strings, living brass, why not a living marimba? This was the age of the Tijuawannabes, a whole subculture of groups trying to be the backing band for Herb Alpert. And the sound of the marimbas was a big part of that.

6. Urbie Green-Ave Maria (Bein' Green, 1972)

I thought about having a theme day for Urbie Green, but I didn't make the appropriate notes to keep track of all the different recordings I had this year that he appeared on. After I recorded this track, I started seeing his name pop up as a sideman playing trombone on all sorts of other records. I really should have written them down. I could even have thrown in a track from that trombone accompaniment record if you were inspired by hearing Urbie play. For the record, I recall that Mitchell Kezin, creator of the movie about Christmas record collectors, stated once that his next project after Bob Dorough would be about Urbie Green. We discussed a number of his albums at one point and Mitchell was pretty excited about diving into it someday. Unfortunately, Mitchell passed away before he finished that Bob Dorough project and long before he could start anything about Urbie. I wonder what happened to all that live footage he shot of Dorough in the final years of both their lives? I hope it finds an outlet someday where it can be documented and appreciated.

7. Teddi King With Loonis McGlohon, Pianist-Blackberry Winter (Lovers & Losers, 1976)

I need to pull this up and compare it to the song of the same name by Mitch Miller. I'm not sure if they're the same or not.

8. Chorus-Christmas At Hampton Court (Reprise) (Rex, 1976)

I probably should have attributed this to the Chorus from "Rex", but I was lazy and didn't think about it. You'll remember this record as the one that features a Christmas song with a part sung by a very young Glenn Close.

9. Judy Garland-Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (That's Entertainment, Part 2, 1976)

It's a bit of a ringer, but it showed up on a non-Christmas album so it counts. For those who don't remember, That's Entertainment was a series of movies that featured highlights and outtakes from musicals put out during the heyday of such things. I can remember seeing it on TV when I was little, or maybe it was specials cut from the movies I saw. Anyhow, this is the version Judy sang in the movie, and it's a little rough.

10. Toy Band-Toy Symphony-3rd Movement (March And Dance With Toy Band-My First Golden Record Library Volume 10)

Finally, the last track I have to share from this kiddie record. Some things just aren't that exciting but I still share them for whatever reason.

That's the end for today, hope you hear something you enjoy! 

MEGA