Quite The Cut Up

Back to the military shares finally, and something that I'm afraid isn't quite new.  I shared this with you in 2016, but I got the record late in the season and didn't have time to cut it into individual tracks.  I know some of you like to listen to the program complete as aired, but others want to be able to listen to specific songs or just the little bits of dialog.  Well, now you have the chance to do either one.  You can download the uncut version or the tracked versions.  It's only taken me two years to get this done...  Now if I could just find a stereo copy, that would be great!  This is The United States Air Force Presents Christmas Programs Featuring The Air Force Band With Jack Jones And Edward G. Robinson (The United States Air Force Public Service Program GXTV 220278/220279, Mono, 1965).

1. Promotional Spot
2. Sing A Song For Christmas Featuring Airman Jack Jones
3. Promotional Spot
4. Christmas In Washington Hosted By Edward G. Robinson

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Hawaii!

Here's a real Hawaiian record for you, after that Belgian imitation we shared with you previously.  This record is actually made by students on one of the islands in Hawaii, so you know it's about as authentic as we're going to get.  You can read more about it from my first share back in 2012, but this time I went back and re-encoded it at a full 320 bitrate for your listening pleasure.  This is The Kamehameha Schools With The Hawaii Youth Symphony Orchestra-Kamehameha Sings At Christmas (IMUA Records SYB-2256, -2257, Stereo, 1968)

1. Choral Fanfare For Christmas
2. Christmas Festival
3. Angelus Ad Pastores Ait
4. Here We Come A-Wassailing
5. Do You Hear What I Hear
6. Sleigh Ride
7. Carols In Hawaiian: Pomaika'i Wale Ko Ke Ao (Joy To The World); Ho'onani Kakou Iaia (O, Come All ye Faithful); Po La'l E (Silent Night)
8. Mele Kalikimaka
9. Glory To God (The Christmas Story)
10. Snow, Snow, Beautiful Snow
11. Winter Wonderland
12. We Need A Little Christmas (Mame)
13. White Christmas
14. Selections From The Messiah: And The Glory Of The Lord; Hallelujah!

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Hawaii?

How about we visit Hawaii for a little bit?  Well, except this isn't really from Hawaii.  It appears to have been recorded by a bunch of guys in Belgium. So does that mean I can count this as a Christmas record from Belgium?  Maybe.  But now I have to find another record from Hawaii...  First shared with you in 2011, This is The Waikikis-Merry Christmas In Hawaii (Kapp KS-3444, Stereo, 1965).  Mele Kalikimaka!

01. White Christmas
02. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
03. Silver Bells
04. Snow In Hawaii
05. O Tannenbaum
06. Sleigh Ride
07. The Little Drummer Boy
08. The Christmas Song
09. Winter Wonderland
10. Waikiki Christmas
11. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
12. Silent Night

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San Francisco!

From Sacramento, we head to San Francisco via Croatia.  I know it doesn't make much sense, but that's how these things go sometimes.  This LP is a nice collection of songs performed by groups from around the city, encompassing a wide variety of styles and sophistication, pretty much like San Fran itself.  Haven't been there in years, but I remember being suitably impressed the few times I visited.  This is Christmas In San Francisco, Recorded Live In The City (Sponsored By Embarcadero Center, David Riordan EC-101, Stereo, 1974).

1. Unknown Artist-Montage-The Sounds Of Chistmas In San Francisco
2. Combined Symphony Choirs-On This Day
3. Featuring Members Of The San Francisco Symphony, Oakland Symphony, San Francisco Opera, Western Opera, San Jose Symphony, Carmel Bach Festival, et. al.-Magnificat "Gloria: Sicut Erat In Principio"
4. Grace Cathedral Boys' And Men's Choir-Silent Night
5. Jeanette Campbell-Harpsichord Solo-La Volta
6. Baroque Ensemble-Noel "Joseph Est Bien Marie"
7. John Fenstermaker-Organ Solo-Noel Etranger
8. Grace Cathedral Men's Choir-O Come Emmanuel
9. Folk Ensemble-Sing A Song Of Christmas
10. Juan Guerrero-Posida-s
11. Featuring Members Of The San Francisco Symphony, Oakland Symphony, San Francisco Opera, Western Opera, San Jose Symphony, Carmel Bach Festival, et. al.-Allegro From Sonata No. 4 For Flute And Continuo
12. Le Choeur De Notre Dame Des Victoires-Il Est Ne Le Divin Enfant
13. Steve Silverstein-Recorder Duet-D'Amour Je Suis De Sheriter
14. Featuring Members Of The San Francisco Symphony, Oakland Symphony, San Francisco Opera, Western Opera, San Jose Symphony, Carmel Bach Festival, et. al.-Messiah-Hallelujah Chorus
15. Grace Cathedral-Grace Cathedral Bells

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More Kids

I meant to share this out a while back when I was sharing some other Christmas music from France, but I forgot.  This is a re-encode of a share from 2012, and it features kiddies singing Christmas music in French.  Not sure if that's your cup of tea, but it's nice to have a wide variety of Christmas music in your collection. If you're interested, please download and enjoy Christmas With The Children Of France (London Phase 4 SP 44188, Stereo, 1972).

1. Jingle Bells (Vive Le Vent)
2. Silent Night (Douce Nuit)
3. Away In A Manger (Dans Une Pauvre Etable)
4. The First Noel (Premier Noel)
5. Good King Wenceslas (Le Chanson Du Bon Roi)
6. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (Jesus Est Ne A Bethleheem)
7. Joy To The World (Paix Sur Le Terre)
8. Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer (Le Petit Renne Au Le Nez Rouge)
9. White Christmas (Noel Blanc)
10. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (Elevons Nos Voix)
11. The Holly And The Ivy (Le Temps Des Boules De Neige)
12. Lone Star (Noel Noel)
13. Adeste Fidelis (O Come All Ye Faithful) (Peuple Fidele)

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We Wish You The Merriest!

I felt a little bad just giving you a single in that last post, so here's another single to kind of balance things out. And it's not really Christmas, but that cover certainly lends things a cheery holiday air. I don't think any of these tracks would be out of place on a Christmas mix, but they aren't your classic Christmas canon.  From the 2010 Christmas sharity season, this is The Merriest Time! (Repertory/Sesac AD-35 7" 45 RPM, Mono, 1958).

1. The Honey Dreamers With Richard Maltby And His Orchestra-Wild Bells
2. Richard Maltby And His Orchestra-Jangle Waltz
3. Richard Maltby And His Orchestra-Skater's Holiday
4. Skitch Henderson And His Orchestra-The Merry Bells

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Christmas Cheese

For the more discerning among you, how about a 7" full of music from the house band at ShowBiz Pizza? Yeah, I thought you'd like that.  First shared this with you back in 2010, and I still get requests to bring it back. Hard to believe, I know, but it's true. This is The Rock-Afire Explosion-Disco Christmas (Showbiz Pizza Place-Creative Records VI 7" 33 RPM, Stereo, 1982).

1. Disco Christmas
2. In December
3. If Every Day Were Like Christmas-Featuring Billy Bob

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Women & Mennonites

The tenth and final installment in our ten ten-inch records on the tenth celebration is this one related to a radio show broadcast from Harrisonburg, Virginia.  It's The Mennonite Hour, and it seems to somehow be related to the Eastern Mennonite College.  Here in Sarasota, we have a large Mennonite community, but I've never seen or heard any of them sing. Maybe I just don't travel in the right circles.  As far as I know, this is the only record I'm posting today that is actually something that has ever shown up over at Buster's Big 10-Inch blog.  I try not to duplicate too much stuff from my fellow bloggers, but it happens from time to time.  Try as we might, there are only so many Christmas records out there.  There are actually three different groups on this record, one with everybody, one with the men only and one with the women only.  I'm sure you'll be able to tell which is which, you're pretty smart.  This is The Mennonite Hour Choral Groups-Joy To The World (Mennonite Hour Records 10" 33 RPM MH-33-LP-5, Mono, 1956).

1. Joy To The World
2. Once In Royal David's City
3. We Three Kings Of Orient
4. O Little Town Of Bethlehem
5. Sleep Child Divine
6. Lo, How A Rose E'er Blooming
7. All My Heart This Night Rejoices
8. It Came Upon The Midnight Clear
9. O Come, All Ye Faithful
10. Brightest And Best
11. As With Gladness Men Of Old
12. Hark, The Herald Angels Sing
13. The First Noel
14. I Know Not How That Bethlehem's Babe
15. To Us A Child Of Hope
16. Silent Night

(Whew!  That's a lot of tracks for a 10" record!)

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One More From Capitol

Finally we have this one from Capitol, something I shared with you some years ago in 2012 from 78s, but now I've got it as pulled from a later 10" 33 RPM release with a different cover.  (I was imagining things when I wrote this post.  This is a whole new LP compared to that other one.  There's a link to the original in the comments.  Sorry about that!) Hopefully the sound is a little better from vinyl as opposed to shellac, but it's still far from perfect.  Plenty to enjoy here though, so don't hesitate to give it a listen.  This is The St. Luke's Choristers-William Ripley Dorr, Conductor-Christmas Choristers (Capitol 10" 33 RPM H-9012, Mono, 1950).  By this time, Capitol had started printing the sleeves normally, with the opening on the right.  I have, however, seen this on 10" vinyl with the original cover and with the opening on the left.  I just can't lay my hands on that copy right now, so you'll have to take my word for it.

1. Cantique De Noel (O Holy Night)
2. Carol Of The Bells
3. I Saw Three Ships
4. Gesu Bambino (The Infant Jesus)
5. Good King Wenceslas
6. Sing Noel
7. Masters In This Hall
8. Sleeps Judea Fair
9. We Three Kings Of Orient Are
10. Sleep Of The Child Jesus
11. Noel! Sing Good News

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Next From Capitol

Following on with Capitol Records and their 10" albums, here is a nice one from The Sportsmen, or The Sportsmen Male Quartette, or The Sportsmen Male Quartet, lots of different names for these guys on the album.  But whatever you want to call them, they sings some nice Christmas carols.  Give a listen to The Sportsmen Quartet With Hammond Organ-Carols At Christmas (Capitol 10" 33 RPM H-9005, Mono, 1949). Sorry about the little bit of tape at the top and bottom, I couldn't do much about that.  And yes, this one opens to the left as well.

1. Wassail, Wassail
2. We Three Kings Of Orient Are
3. Away In A Manger
4. Good King Wenceslaus
5. O Little Town Of Bethlehem
6. Silent Night

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Capitol For Christmas

Another from the archives, this time from 2011, here's a great 10" LP from early in the existence of Capitol Records.  If memory serves, this is one of their 10" albums where the opening is to the left as seen in the picture above, instead of to the right.  I've got a few of these that I hope to share with you, but this is the one with the very best cover.  And for what it's worth, I re-encoded my original WAV files for this share, so it sounds better than ever.  This is Carols For Christmas By The Starlighters Chorus (Capitol 10" 33 RPM H9007, Mono, 1949).

1. Joy To The World
2. Deck The Halls
3. The First Noel
4. It Came Upon A Midnight Clear
5. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
6. We Three Kings Of Orient Are
7. O Come All Ye Faithful
8. Hark, The Herald Angels Sing
9. Gather 'Round The Christmas Tree
10. Silent Night

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Cactus Christmas

Up next in our parade of 10 inch records today is this collection on religious label Singtime.  Don't let that turn you off though, because there is at least one great song on here about a cactus Christmas tree.  I've got a short list of cactus Christmas tree songs that ranges from The McGuire Sisters to Brian Setzer, and I'm happy to add this one to it.  If for no other reason, you need to download and listen to Songs Of Christmas Old And New (Singtime Recordings 10" 33 RPM LST-50, Mono, 1954).

1. Dick Anthony-Tenor-What If We Didn't Have A Christmas
2. Dick Anthony-Tenor-Silent Night, Holy Night
3. Redd Harper-Happy Birthday, Gentle Savior
4. Redd Harper-My Cactus Christmas Tree
5. Bill Pearce-Bass Baritone-Oh Holy Night (Cantique De Noel)
6. Bill Pearce-Bass Baritone-Oh Little Town Of Bethlehem
7. Lorraine Morrison-Contralto-There's A Song In The Air
8. Lorraine Morrison-Contralto-Sleep, Child Divine

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More Fred With Bonus

Returning now for your listening pleasure is the 1942 Fred Waring Christmas album, as ripped from a 1949 UK release on 10" vinyl.  The history of this release is long and tortured, and I'm sure I don't have all the details straight in my head, but I do know that most everything here got re-recorded later on in his career for his series of albums on Decca & Capitol, as well as a little bit of Christmas stuff on Reprise.  I re-encoded this for you from my original WAV files, so this should sound a little bit better than what I gave you back in 2012. I even threw in a little bonus for you (see below!).  This is Fred Waring And His Pennsylvanians-'Twas The Night Before Christmas (Brunswick (UK) 10" 33 RPM LA 8693, Mono, 1949).

1. 'Twas The Night Before Christmas
2. Silent Night, Holy Night-Introducing: Come Unto Him from "The Messiah"
3. Oh, Gathering Clouds
4. Adeste Fideles (O Come, All Ye Faithful)
5. Cantique De Noel (O, Holy Night)
6. The First Nowell; O, Little Town Of Bethlehem; Carol Of The Bells
7. Beautiful Savior

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Shown above is the US 10" release cover, very similar to the original release on four 10" 78 RPM records. Shown below is the cover of an insert that came with that original 1942 release. I'd never seen this until I found a copy of the 78 set with the insert still in it earlier this year. There was also a program for a 1948 Kiwanis Club Christmas party, but I didn't think you'd be too interested in that. Anyhow, I threw a complete scan of the insert in the download for you to read and enjoy! The round discoloration you see on the right side there is where the insert overlapped the cutout in the page so you could see the record label.  I guess the oxygen exposure there was higher, so the paper turned darker. These things happen as we age...

A Different Ray

It's 10 AM on the 10th day of December and I'm sharing out 10" records, hopefully 10 of them!  Did you notice the pattern?  OK, maybe not.  I share out too much stuff, but in my head, there is often a method to my madness!  For more 10" goodness, be sure you go visit my friend Buster and his blog, Big 10" Record, he's got all sorts of stuff for Christmas and it's frequently from 10" records.  As for me, I'm giving you another 10" record now, this time an English pressing of an American record from the bandleader of the Ed Sullivan Show, Ray Bloch, who was born in England.  I am only assuming this came out at some point in America because this version was licensed from the American Coral label, but I've never seen one.  I stumbled across this version a few months ago and was excited to see it.  There's some good stuff on here, I think you'll like it.  This is Christmas Carols Featuring Ray Bloch, His Orchestra And Choir (Vogue Coral Series (UK) 10" 33 RPM LVC 10007, Mono, 1952). The plastic laminate on the cover was partially peeled off, that's some of the issue with the ugly cover scan above.  Sometimes you have to work with what you find.

1. Adeste Fideles (Oh, Come All Ye Faithful)
2. Cantique De Noel (O Holy Night)
3. Here We Come A-Carolling; The First Noel; God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
4. Joy To The World; Good King Wenceslas; Angels We Have Heard On High
5. Silent Night, Holy Night
6. Deck The Hall With Boughs Of Holly; Away In A Manger; Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

Well, looks like Jasmine threw all these tracks on one of their famous Smorgasbord of Christmas collections.  Find it here.

Croatia

Taking a quick detour back to Europe for a minute here, and a tribute to the small Eastern European nation of Croatia.  Not sure what the connection is between Croatia and Duquesne University is, but they seem to have something.  This small LP highlights that link with some fine Christmas music that you've never heard before.  I could swear at one point in the past twelve months, I also had a 12" version of this album, but when the time came to start ripping things, all I could find was the 10" version.  I'm sure the bigger one will turn up someday, but for today, this is Duquesne University Tamburitzans-Walter W. Kolar, Director-Christmas In Croatia (Hrvatske Božićne Pjesme I Kolede) (Du-Tam 10" 33 RPM LP-DU-5/6, Mono, 1958).

1. Dobar Večer, Dobri Ljudi I & II
2. U Sej Vrijeme Godišta
3. Narodi Nam Se Kralj Nebeski
4. Tiha Noć, Sveta Noć (Silent Night, Holy Night)
5. Radujte Se Narodi!
6. O Isuse Poljubljeni
7. Presveta Noć
8. Dobar Večer, Japica

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and for Barba (this is as Eastern Europe as I could get)...

Zippyshare

Ten Inches Of Marian

Something a little bit out of left field for me is this vocal album from Marian Anderson.  Her style isn't something I would normally throw on the old turntable, but it's nice to hear something different at Christmas time.  This is a repost from 2008, so I recorded this ten years ago.  Time flies when you aren't sitting at the dentist.  This is Marion Anderson Sings Christmas Carols With Franz Rupp At The Piano (RCA Victor Red Seal 10" 33 RPM LM 7008, Mono).

1. Silent Night
2. Oh! Little Town Of Bethlehem
3. Adeste Fideles (O Come All Ye Faithful)
4. The First Noel
5. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
6. Cantique De Noel
7. Angel's Song
8. Hallelujah

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Avon Calls Back

Anyone remember this old Avon share?  It's been something I've shared with you since the very first days of the blog in 2005 and I finally got around to re-recording it here in modern times.  Not sure if that makes it any better, but at least it sounds a bit better.  Still the same record as 13 years ago, I've never seen another copy.  It's just a paper sleeve, so that's the part that's unlikely to survive all the years, and often when the sleeve goes, the whole album gets tossed.  And it's just a 10" record anyway, so people don't seem to treasure them as much as the larger records.  Anyhow, you just want some great sales tips for the 1968 Christmas season, and you'll find them on Avon Campaign 21 Sales Meeting (Avon 10" 33 RPM, Mono, 1968).

1. Christmas Kickoff
2. Jingle Bells
3. Silent Night
4. Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairies

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Guest Star

This next post is slotted in with the military band shares I've been doing lately, but it's really from, of all things, the US Treasury Department.  I suppose they were trying to raise awareness for purchasing Savings Bonds, but it seems like an odd show to me.  The show is hosted by everyone's favorite game show mogul Merv Griffin and guest stars Rouvaun and Ronnie Kole.  I can't say as I've ever heard of Rouvaun, but someone was pushing him at the time, and he apparently showed up more than once on the show.  Ronnie Kole is a little bit better known, but not too much.  Not everything here is Christmas, but there are a few Christmas songs thrown in near the end.  Worth a listen, I guess.  This is Guest Star Show Of The Month #48-Special Christmas Program (The Department Of The Treasury-U.S. Savings Bond Division Guest Star No. 48 (one-sided), Mono, 1970).  As I try to do whenever I remember, you can download either the complete 2-part show, or the version I've cut into tracks as best possible to isolate the music from the chat.

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Mas Eighth

OK, I feel a little bad that the last two night of Chanukah were just a track or two each.  I feel sorry for the little kiddies who get good gifts on the first six nights of Chanukah, then they get a stick of gum or a pencil on the last two nights.  So to make up for it just a little, here's something special for you that I rarely do.  I collected up all of the Chanukah stuff from my Christmas In July shares between 2006 and 2017, put them into a single ZIP file, and I'm sharing them with you tonight!  There weren't Chanukah tracks every year, and there were plenty of years I didn't even do a Christmas in July, but I think there are still 50 tracks in there!  Some repeats, though, so don't get too excited.  And don't forget there are still two Chanukah days from Christmas In July 2018 that are available (here and here).

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Who's Melech Ha'Chanukah now??!!

The Eighth Night

Well, looks like I'm going to make it!  It's the eighth night of Chanukah and here is my eighth share featuring a little bit of Chanukah music!  I hadn't planned to go all eight nights, but when you're hot, you're hot!  This record is a nice collection of tracks by local artists in the Sacramento, California area, something I was pretty excited to find.  I've been sharing Christmas albums from around the world for a while now, and this is part of a detour around the US for a week or so.  I kinda liked the little voice-over at the beginning of one of the Chanukah selections, explaining that all people and all holidays are being represented.  Sad to think they needed to explain, but good that they included everyone.  This cover is supposed to be a little more gold than it shows in the scan, but it's a hard color to get right.  Just try to imagine what it should look like instead of the way I put it out there if you're trying to find one.  This is Christmas In Sacramento Featuring Sacramento Christmas Choirs (Ikon Records for KGMS Radio No Number, Mono). Very eclectic collection of choral groups on here.  Church groups, company choirs, Air Force children! Wow! (Listen close for the ringing telephone in the room!)

1. Arcade Baptist Church Choir-Director: Lee Gerig-Christmas Hymn
2. Bethel Temple Bethelaires-Director: Earl Johnson-Ring The Bells
3. St. Francis Adult Choir-Director: Anton Dorndorf-O Holy Night
4. Redeemer Covenent Choir-Director: Alvin C. Molen-Listen
5. Sacramento State College Chorus-Director: Paschel Monk-O Magnum Mysterium
6. Mather Air Force Childrens Choir-Director: Mrs. Trini Ortiz-Dear Little Stranger
7. Congregation B'Nai Isreal-Cantor Eli Cohn-Organist Ray Blackburn-Blessings Over Chanuka Candles And Rock Of Ages
8. Mather Air Force Childrens Choir-Director: Mrs. Trini Ortiz-Birthday Of A King
9. Westminster Presbyterian Church Choir-Director: Philip Manwell-Praise Ye The Lord
10. Aerojet-General Mixed Chorus-Director: Alvin C. Molen-Mistletoe
11. Voices Of Inspiration Choir-Directors: William Thompson And Joseph Slade-Silent Night
12. Congregation B'Nai Isreal-Cantor Eli Cohn-Organist Ray Blackburn-O Chanuka O Chanuka And O Chanuka Feast Of Our Joy

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