Kames On King 2

Here's the second of my multitudinous Bob Kames share today.  This is more of the same, no better, no worse.  Nice little version here of The Night Before Christmas, too, which I think is the only time we hear his voice in the whole series.  This is Bob Kames-Organ And Chimes #2-It's Christmas Time (Gusto K-722 (Originally King 722, 1960), Stereo, 1976). I first shared this with you in 2008.

1. Here Comes Santa Claus
2. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
3. Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow
4. Dancing The Christmas Tree Round
5. Frosty The Snowman
6. Seasons Greetings
7. The Night Before Christmas (Narration)
8. Christmas Tree Polka
9. Ave Maria
10. Light Of The World
11. Deck The Halls (With Boughs Of Holly)
12. Away In A Manger
13. Oh Tannenbaum
14. Christmas Island
15. Mrs. Santa Claus
16. I'll Be Home For Christmas

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Kames On King 1

I've got a small pile of Bob Kames records here that I want to reshare with you.  Each one has it's special charms that I really can't explain.  They're all organ music, but they're a little bit different.  I first shared most of these out with you in 2008 after someone emailed me a request for some Bob Kames music.  I had no idea who he was, yet somehow in a span of less than a year, I wound up with four different Christmas records from the man.  He's nothing if not prolific.  Here's the first of my multitude of reshares, Bob Kames-Organ And Chimes-15 Songs Of Christmas (King 679, Stereo, 1959).

1. Silent Night
2. The First Noel
3. O Little Town Of Bethlehem
4. It Came Upon A Midnight Clear
5. Joy To The World
6. O Come All Ye Faithful
7. Hark The Herald Angels Sing
8. Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer
9. The Chipmunk Song
10. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
11. White Christmas
12. Jingle Bells
13. Silver Bells
14. Winter Wonderland
15. On Christmas Eve

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What? Another Ernie?!?

Couple of things here.  First, isn't that a great Santa Claus?  I think so.  Second, and more importantly, I think this is the first time I've ever shared a Christmas record by someone named Ernie.  That in and of itself is cause for celebration!  Doesn't matter that it's yet another organ record on a budget label (although the budget label is a subsidiary of the great King label...).  You've still got to download this in honor of me!  Enough about me, how about you...download Ernie Berger-A Variety Of Christmas Songs (Audio Lab (King) 1554, Mono).

1. Hark The Herald Angels Sing
2. Silent Night
3. O Tannenbaum
4. Jolly Old St. Nicholas
5. Gesu Bambino
6. It Came Upon The Midnight Clear
7. Medley: Away In A Manger; Joy To The World
8. O Little Town Of Bethlehem
9. O Holy Night
10. Jingle Bells
11. O Come Little Children
12. The First Noel

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The New Old Hugo

For many years I've shared Hugo Winterhalter's great Christmas album, Christmas Magic, with you,but not this one.  This is the 10" version, and it predates the 12" record I've been sharing with you all this time.  I think when they decided to put the old music out as a 12", they stole some star-titled tracks from another 10" and called it good.  Which is a shame, because Hugo had quite a few single-only Christmas tracks that would have made great additions to this record (Hint-Search the blog!).  But for now, you're gonna get the original 10" with it's original line-up.  This is Hugo Winterhalter And His Orchestra And Chorus-Christmas Magic (RCA Victor 10" LPM 3132, Mono, 1953).

1. White Christmas (just the orchestra)
2. Winter Wonderland (featuring Judy Valentine)
3. I'd Like To Hitch A Ride With Santa Claus-That Christmas Feeling (featuring Judy Valentine)
4. That's What I Want For Christmas (featuring Judy Valentine)
5. Carol Of The Bells
6. Christmas Island
7. Deck The Halls With Boughs Of Holly-Wassail Song
8. Away In A Manger-I Saw Three Ships

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Mummer, Not Murmer

I'm not sure if this goes with today's theme of polka music or not, but it popped into my head when I was looking for something new to share.  In my record hunts, I frequently see these string band records, often talking about mummers or mummer parades, and I'm really not sure what it's all about.  To my untrained eye, it looks a little like a parade I saw once in San Francisco, but the less said about that, the better.  No offense to these guys who dress up in feathers and march in parades, but, umm, well, whatever.  But this is the first of those records I've seen that featured holiday music, so I wanted to share it with you.  I think you'll enjoy Happy Holiday With The Best Of The Mummers (Sure SM-Vol. 13, Mono).

1. Quaker City String Band-Happy Holiday And White Christmas
2. Quaker City String Band-Jingle Bells
3. Greater Kensington String Band-Silver Bells
4. Greater Kensington String Band-Winter Wonderland
5. Polish-American String Band-Christmas Bells
6. Polish-American String Band-Mistletoe Polka
7. Greater Kensington String Band-I'll Be Home For Christmas
8. Greater Kensington String Band-Silent Night
9. Polish-American String Band-Christmas Time
10. Polish-American String Band-Jingle Bells Polka
11. Quaker City String Band-Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer
12. Polish-American String Band-Happy New Year To You
13. Aqua String Band-Golden Slippers and Four Leaf Clover
14. Aqua String Band-Auld Lang Syne

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Old Andy

Today's Single Of The Day (tm) is Andy Williams first record on the Cadence label.  I'd never heard of anyone start with a Christmas record, but that's what happened here.  Turns out, it didn't go anywhere, and it took Andy a couple of more tries to become the big star he was destined to be.  One side of this single has turned up here and there on CD, but the other side, The Wind, The Sand And The Star has eluded the magic discs for all these years.  I think you'll find it's a great little song that you've most likely never heard before.  Please be my guest and download Andy Williams, Orchestra Conducted By Archie Bleyer-Christmas Is A Feeling In Your Heart b/w The Wind, The Sand And The Star (Cadence 7" 45 RPM 1282, 1955, Mono).

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More?!?

You say you're on a roll and you need more Christmas polka?  Well, OK, here's a good one again from 2008.  This is Jimmy Sturr And His Orchestra With The Jimmy Sturr Singers & The Matusz Singers-Polka Christmas In My Hometown (Starr Records/Bruno-Dean Enterprises R-BS-116, Stereo, 1979).  If memory serves, this was a double album.  Not sure why I didn't note that in the technical stuff above...

1. Christmas In My Hometown
2. Churchbells Are Ringing
3. Jingle Bells Polka
4. The Christmas Song
5. Santa's Super Sonic Sleigh
6. On This Christmas Day
7. O! Holy Night
8. Twinkle Toes
9. Little Boy Jesus
10. Merry Christmas Polka
11. Wśród Nocnej Ciszy (In The Still Of The Night)
12. Dzisiaj W Betlejem (Today In Bethlehem)
13. Przylecieli Aniolkowie (The Angels Came)
14. W Zlobie Lezy (Away In A Manger)
15. My Tez Pastuszkowie (We Too Are Shepherds)
16. Pojdzmy Wszyscy Do Stajenki (To The Manger)
17. Sliczna Panienka (Beautiful Lady)
18. Medrcy Swiata (Kings Of The World)
19. Lulajze Jezuniu (Sleep Little Jesus)
20. Pasterze Mili (Shepherds Mild)
21. Tryumfy Krola Niebieskiego (Triumphant King Of Heaven)
22. Hej W Dzien Narodzenia (Hail! The Day Of His Birth)
23. Nowy Rok Biezy (New Year Begins)

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Just For Kicks

I decided to take all of my old shares and get them in one place.  Then I loaded the whole thing into iTunes.  It tells me that I have 5669 songs, and it should play for 10 days.  That's a little exaggerated because there are duplicates in there from replacing mono version with stereo, or from some of these remasters I've done this year, and some stuff that never actually got shared because it turned out to be on CD.  That also includes all of the Christmas in July tracks, which really add up over the years.  I'm a little proud of that total, all from vinyl, all from my own collection.  :)  Hopefully, you've downloaded your fair share of those tracks and have a nice little collection, too.  OK, that's enough patting myself on the back for now.  Thanks for indulging me.

Dancin' Fool

Did I hear you say polka?  Pretty sure I did.  This was first shared back in 2008.  From the Polka King himself, this is Frankie Yankovic-Christmas Party (Columbia CS 9053, Stereo, 1964).

1. Jing-A-Ling (Christmas Time Is Here Again
2. The Merry Christmas Polka
3. Blue Christmas
4. Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer
5. Jingle Bells Polka
6. Christmas Polka
7. There'll Always Be A Christmas
8. Christmas Chopsticks
9. Christmas Lullaby
10. Medley: The First Noel; It Came Upon The Midnight Clear; Away In A Manger; We Three Kings Of Orient Are
11. Medley: O Come, All Ye Faithful; Good King Wenceslas; Ihr Kinderlein Kommet
12. Medley: Joy To The World; Deck The Halls With Boughs Of Holly; God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen

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North Pole Or South?

Here's one of the odder shares from a few years back.  I thought I'd enjoy it more than I did, but it just didn't float my boat.  A combination of language I don't understand with music I'm not familiar with just sort of sunk it for me.  So I'm going to inflict on you one more time, and I'll give it another listen, too.  Please download The Men's Choir Of St. Hedwig's-Polish Christmas Carols (Custom Pressed By Columbia Record Production SRS-513, Stereo).

1. Narodzil Sie Jezus Chrystus (Christ Is Born)
2. W Zlobie Lezy (In The Manger)
3. Dzisiaj W Betlejem (Today In Bethlehem)
4. Tryumfy Krola Niebieskiego (Triumph Of The Heavenly King)
5. Sliczna Panienka (Beautiful Maiden)
6. Wesola Nowine (Happy Tidings)
7. Wsrod Nocnej Ciszy (At Midnight)
8. Pospieszcie (Hasten Shepherds)
9. Kolysanka (Lullaby)
10. Lulajze (Go To Sleep)
11. Znarodzenia Pana (Master's Birth)
12. A De-ste Fideles
13. Chrystus, Chrystus (Christ, Christ)

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Have A Pint On Me

OK, if any of you have ever seen this before, I want to hear about it.  This has to be the most off-the-wall thing I've seen in a while.  A Christmas record from the point of view of a bunch of regulars down at the pub on Christmas Eve.  (Well, that's one side.  Side two is New Year's.)  I've never heard of or seen such a thing, but here it is, pulled from living vinyl.  And here's your chance to listen to such a thing, too.  Please download Ken Stanley And The Pubsters-Christmas At The Red Lion And A Happy New Year Too... (Arc AC-15, Stereo).

1. Beer, Beer, Glorious Beer
2. Here's To Good Old Whisky
3. All I Want For Christmas (Is My Two Front Teeth)
4. Musical Limericks
5. The Night Before Christmas
6. Good Night Ladies
7. Wee Deoch And Doris
8. Auld Sandy's Wee Special
9. The Northern Lights Of Aberdeen
10. The Miner's Dream Of Home
11. Auld Lang Syne

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Seasoned Greetings

One of the things I had hoped to share with you this year was the great Christmas LP from Homer & Jethro, Cool Crazy Christmas.  But it turns out that you can now buy that CD legally, so I'm left with nothing.  Well, not really nothing.  You see, at least of the 12 tracks on that LP are remakes of earlier recordings, and I've got an EP here that features four of those earlier sides.  And if you're keeping track, this counts as today's single.  Please download Homer & Jethro-Seasoned Greetings (RCA Victor Extended Play 7" EPA 534, 1953, Mono).

1. (All I Want For Christmas Is) My Upper Plate
2. I Saw Mommy Smoochin' Santy Claus
3. Randolph The Flat-Nosed Reindeer
4. Frosty The Defrosted Snowman

(For those keeping track, the other two remakes were Santa's Movin' On and Nuttin' Fer Christmas.  I think you can download that single over at The Christmas Yule Blog.)

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Glee!!

Maybe with the popularity of that Glee show, this is a share whose time has come.  It's time first came two years ago when I shared it even though it skipped in a few tracks (so bad in one song I left it out of the share).  But I fixed all that last year after I found a cleaner copy.  Now this year I ran it through ClickRepair, and it sounds better than ever.  Still not as good as a Journey cover, I guess, but good none-the-less.  I just wish I could find it in Stereo.  This is Dartmouth Glee Club-Paul R. Zeller, Director-White Christmas On The Campus (United Artists UAL 3102, Mono, 1961).

1. Happy Holiday
2. O Come All Ye Faithful
3. White Christmas
4. Angels We Have Heard On High
5. The Secret Of Christmas
6. What Child Is This?
7. The Christmas Song
8. Lo How A Rose E'er Blooming
9. Sleigh Ride
10. The First Noel
11. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
12. Mid Ox And Ass
13. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
14. Here A Torch Jeanette Isabella
15. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
16. Jingle Bells

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Down At The Barbershop

I gave you some gospel music yesterday unlike anything else I've ever shared at the blog, so now it's time for something else new to the blog.  This is the only barbershop Christmas record I can recall ever seeing.  My dad was part of a barbershop chorus when I was growing up, so I know a thing or two about it.  This record is even endorsed by their official organization, the SPEBSQSA.  And that's a good thing.  So get your harmony in order, download Yuletide Favorites-Barbershop Style (Official SPEBSQSA Recording, Stereo).  You get both kinds of barbershop singing here, chorus and quartet.  Can you handle it?

1. Southern Gateway Chorus-While By My Sheep
2. Southern Gateway Chorus-Lo, How A Rose E'er Blooming
3. Roaring 20's-Angels, From The Realms Of Glory
4. Southern Gateway Chorus-O Come, All Ye Faithful
5. Southern Gateway Chorus-O Holy Night
6. Roaring 20's-It's Beginning To Look Like Christmas
7. Roaring 20's-Let's Have An Old Fashioned Christmas
8. Southern Gateway Chorus-O Christmas Tree
9. Roaring 20's-Children's Medley
10. Southern Gateway Chorus-We Wish You A Merry Christmas
11. Roaring 20's-Silver Bells
12. Southern Gateway Chorus-Jingle Bells
13. Arlingtones-I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day
14. Arlingtones-Away In A Manger
15. Soundtracks-God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
16. Arlingtones-Coventry Carol
17. Soundtracks-Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
18. Arlingtones-As With Gladness Men Of Old
19. Arlingtones-O Little Town Of Bethlehem
20. Soundtracks-It Came Upon The Midnight Clear
21. Arlingtones-Angels We Have Heard On High
22. Arlingtones-Silent Night
23. Soundtracks-Winter Wonderland
24. Soundtracks-I'll Be Home For Christmas

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Any Repost Requests?

There's a long time between now and Christmas that I need to fill up with posts, so if there's anything you've seen posted here before that you'd like to see pop up again, let me know.  Obviously, I can't share out the stuff that's now on CD or legit download, but that still leaves hundreds of things I've shared out over the years that are still fair game.  I've got folders full of old shares around here, so finding old stuff shouldn't be a problem.  You guys probably remember stuff that I've forgotten all about (like that last David Rose post...)  If you don't request anything, then I have to choose what gets reposted, and I get tired of having to pick something each and every time.  Anyone, anyone?

(I'm not updating the old posts with re-loaded shares this year, so if you're looking for something, look for a share from 2010 for the best chance of it being live.  RapidShare removed a bunch of files over the summer that had been live for years and years, but now they're all gone away...  Sad...)

Still No Stripper

To be perfectly honest, I forgot that I had shared this one out.  I took a look just to see what I was missing, and there is was.  Some things I remember like it was yesterday, and some things I have no memory of ever posting.  I first threw this up one night back in 2007 and haven't revisited it since. It must be a fairly popular share, though, because it's still a live link over at RapidShare.  I don't think this is the original cover, or even the original title, but I'm too lazy tonight to do the research and refresh my memory on what's what. (Looks like it was originally The David Rose Christmas Album (Capitol ST-2853, Stereo, 1968)).  Either way, if you want it, this is David Rose-Little Drummer Boy (Capitol ST-290, Stereo). Not sure of the date on this reissue, unfortunately.

1. Carol Of The Bells
2. Little Drummer Boy
3. The Christmas Waltz
4. The Christmas Tree
5. The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You)
6. I Saw Three Ships
7. Medley-Deck The Hall, The First Noel, Joy To The World
8. Medley-Silent Night, O Come All Ye Faithful
9. The Twelve Days Of Christmas
10. Toyland
11. Medley-Christmas Is Coming, Angels We Have Heard On High

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No Stripper

From back in 2006, this is a pair of side-long medleys by the great David Rose.  Nothing on here really rises to the level of his best or most-famous work, but it's still nice instrumental Christmas music.  This isn't David's only Christmas record, either.  He had a number of releases on 78, as well as a later full-length LP on Capitol that I need to share again one day.  Please be my guest and download David Rose And His Orchestra-A Merry Christmas To You From David Rose And His Orchestra (MGM E3469, 1956, Mono) if you haven't gotten it from me in the past.

Tracks include:

O Little Town Of Bethlehem
O Christmas Tree
Jolly Old Saint Nicholas
Good King Wenceslas
O Holy Night
Hark, The Herald Angels Sing
It Came Upon The Midnight Clear
While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks By Night
Away In A Manger
We Three Kings Of Orient Are
Deck The Hall With Holly
The First Noel
Joy To The World
The Twelve Days Of Christmas
I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day
I Saw Three Ships
Unto Us A Boy Was Born
Wassail Song
Angels, From The Realms Of Glory
Christmas Is Coming
Angels, We Have Heard On High
Toyland
Silent Night
O, Come All Ye Faithful

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Wintertime?

The title says wintertime, but I'm pretty sure it's almost 80 degrees outside.  Well, I suppose I live in Florida for a reason, now don't I?  Maybe in a few weeks, things will start to cool off a bit.  Anyhow, maybe sharing this record out will cool things off, too.  This first came to the blog in 2008 on the strength of it's song titles alone.  Have a look below if you don't think they're great.  The organ isn't too impressive, but I'll give it a passing grade. Give it a listen if you're curious.  I don't think you can copyright song titles, so maybe you could steal some of these for your own recording project.  If so, can I get partial credit?  I think that's only fair.  This is Richard Ellsasser-Michael Carr's Wintertime Suite (MGM E3284 (Richard Ellsasser Playing The Organ of the John Hays Hammond, Jr. Museum, Gloucester, Massachusetts), Mono, 1955).

1. King Winter
2. Happy Fat Man (With A Sleigh Full Of Toys)
3. Winter In Mexico
4. Home For Christmas
5. Winter Setting
6. December Has A Warm Heart
7. Red Indian Snowman
8. Eight Very Busy Little Reindeer
9. Star In The East
10. Holly And Ivy And Mistletoe
11. Jack Frost, Incorporated
12. Ring In The New Year

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Pete Plays

Always a fine compliment to Big Tiny Little, this LP by Pete Fountain is making a return visit to the blog this year.  I first shared this with you back in that golden year of 2005 from a mono copy, which I upgraded in 2007 to stereo, and that's what you're hearing tonight.  I can't say too much more about this record than what I've said before.  I can tell you that Pete Fountain is quite the survivor.  He's still doing his thing after all these years, even after his home was destroyed during Hurricane Katrina.  Here is Pete Fountain-Candy Clarinet (Coral CRL 757487, Stereo, 1966).

1. The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You)
2. Santa Claus Medley: Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town, Jingle Bells
3. Winter Wonderland
4. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
5. Blue Christmas
6. Candy Clarinet
7. Jingle Bell Rock
8. I'll Be Home For Christmas
9. The Little Drummer Boy
10. Silver Bells
11. White Christmas
12. Christmas Is A-Comin' (May God Bless You)

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Wrap It Up! Week One

Well, that's the end of the first four days of Christmas 2010.  Are you having a good time yet?  I know I'm glad to be able to finally share some of this stuff I've been working on.  It's hard to keep track of so many things as they start to really pile up, and I don't want to jump the gun before Thanksgiving, either.  So when the season starts, I really have a lot of momentum built up.  That's why you've been seeing eight or more shares a day for the first few days.  That's going to slow down quite a bit tomorrow as I have to go back to work, but never fear, there's still plenty of good stuff in Santa's sack for the rest of the season.  I don't always get to do it, but I like to take a few minutes at the end of each week during the season and recap all the good stuff I've shared.  That gives me a chance to reflect on just how much I've gotten out there (sometimes it seems like I'm not busy enough if I don't spend every waking minute at the computer) and it lets you check to see if you missed something in all the holiday rush.  So let's take a look at all the stuff that's come out since last Thursday, Turkey Day.

Spencer Ross-Thanksgiving Day Parade, Etc
Squanto And The First Thanksgiving (Rerun)
Thanksgiving For King
Lollipop Dragon Helps Santa/Thanksgiving In Tum Tum
Christmas Around The World
James A. Linen-Time For Christmas
Fred Waring-Twas The Night Before Christmas (Remaster!)
Fred Waring-Christmas Time (Rerun)
Raymond Lefevre-Merry Christmas (Remaster!)
Paul Mauriat-The Christmas Album (Remaster!)
Paul Mauriat-Joyeux Noel
Les Djinns Singers-Joyeaux Noel (Rerun)
Mireille Mathieu-Mireille Mathieu's Christmas
The Merriest Time!
Skitch Henderson-Winter Holiday (Rerun)
Elliot Lawrence-Christmas Just A Minute (Remaster!)
Holiday Greetings From The Epic, Portrait And CBS Associated Family
The Best For '89 From The Entire Capitol Family
Holiday Greetings Voice Tracks
Saint Patrick's Cathedral Choir Sings Christmas Carols (Rerun)
Saint Patrick's Cathedral Choir Sings Christmas Songs (Rerun)
Fontanna-Christmas At Home (Rerun)
Carols Of Christmas And The Stories Behind Them
The Best Of Christmas In July 2006 From Ernie (Not Bert) (Rerun)
Dino Martinelli-Plays Music For Christmas (Now In Stereo)
John Donnelly & Sons-Sing It Outdoors (Rerun)
Sammy Kaye-I Want To Wish You A Merry Christmas (Remaster!)
Sammy Kaye-Christmas Day With Sammy Kaye (Rerun)
Sammy Kaye-Christmas Serenade (Rerun)
Sammy Kaye-Year 'Round Favorites (Rerun)
The Gregory Orchestra And Chorus-David Frost Introduces A Christmas Record For Oxfam
Sing Along With Santa's Pixie Helpers-The Animals' Christmas Song b/w The Christmas Song Cha Cha Cha?
When Singers Meet, Inc., Mass Choir-Joy To The World
Santa's Snowmen-Swing Along With Santa's Snowmen (Rerun)
Big Tiny Little-Christmas With Big Tiny Little (Remaster!)

Wow, that's a lot of stuff, especially for only four days.  I'll be lucky if I don't drop dead before the end of the month.  Seriously, stay tuned for many more great shares, both new and old.  I've got plenty of goodies to last all the way through Christmas day.  And thanks for all the comments, those really make my day.  Nothing nicer than waking up to a dozen positive emails in the morning.  :)

New Big & Tiny

Another of the great albums I first shared out way back in 2005 was this great one by 'Big' Tiny Little.  This is the album that will really get your toe tapping for the Christmas season, and now it sounds even better than ever.  This album sits great alongside similar efforts from Al Hirt and Pete Fountain with that New Orleans barroom instrument sound.  Go download yourself a copy of Big Tiny Little-Christmas With Big Tiny Little (Coral CRL 757391, Stereo, 1961).

1. Tiny's Christmas Medley
2. When Santa Claus Does The Polka
3. Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town
4. Sleigh Ride
5. Frosty The Snow Man
6. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
7. Silver Bells
8. Santa's Chopsticks
9. Winter Wonderland
10. Here Comes Santa Claus
11. Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer
12. Jumpin' Jiminy Christmas

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Snowmen, Not Pixies

I was reminded of this old share when I threw up a single by Santa's Pixie Helpers a minute ago.  I thought that the two groups might be one in the same, but that single isn't on here as far as I can tell. This is one of those budget label albums that never went very far, and when I shared it out here back in 2007 it went even less far.  But I'm bringing it back for another go 'round, and maybe this time some one who's been looking for it since they were a little kid will find it and enjoy it.  Please download and enjoy, Swing Along With Santa's Snowmen (Craftsmen C 8040, Mono).

1. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
2. Sleigh Ride
3. O Come All Ye Faithful-Silent Night
4. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
5. Frosty The Snow Man
6. Joy To The World
7. Jingle Bells
8. Deck The Halls

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That Gospel Sound

I don't think I've ever shared anything quite like this record with you.  This is gospel music, in the most direct sense of the word.  Just download it and listen, you'll see what I mean.  If you let it, it will creep into your soul and lift you up to a higher place.  I wanted to open with this on Thursday, that's how much I liked it, but I wanted to wait until Sunday, just because it reminds me of Sunday.  Please download When Singers Meet, Inc. Mass Choir-Joy To The World (Jubilee Gospel 6000, Stereo).

1. In The City Of David
2. We Three Kings
3. Silent Night
4. Away In A Manger
5. Joy To The World
6. He's A Wonder
7. Jesus A Wonderful Child
8. Hark The Herald Angels
9. If He Gives Me Strength

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Cha Cha Cha?

Your single of the day for today is this cute little number from the fine budget-label folks at Precision Radiation Instruments.  Unlike their normal push-it-out-the-door cover recordings, this little ditty features a bit of thought and some actual songwriting.  Side one is a cute song about what all the animals want for Christmas that really, really gets into your head.  I sang this for days after I recorded it, sometimes with the actual words, and sometimes with animal rhymes I made up myself ( a whirly bird...for the myna bird...).  The B side is a chipmunk-voiced take on The Christmas Song with a bit of cha cha cha thrown in.  Not too bad.  I've seen these songs on full albums put out by the same cheap label, I may even have shared them under a different name, I need to check, but when I saw the single, I thought it was too cute to pass up.  This is Sing Along With Santa's Pixie Helpers-The Animals' Christmas Song b/w The Christmas Song Cha Cha Cha? (PRI 45-S 320, Mono, 1960).

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What's An Oxfam?

 I very nearly flipped past this one in the stack I was flipping through.  It didn't look much like a Christmas record, and sometimes when I get on autopilot, that's all I'm keying off of.  But something in my head clicked and I flipped back to it, and I'm glad I did.  This record was released in support of Oxfam charities back in 1967, features some really great versions of your favorite Christmas tunes, and even has a spoken introduction by David Frost, well known English television personality and brother of seasonal troublemaker Jack Frost.  I had some issues with trying to put a date on this one, as it clearly says 1961 on the label, but all of the info I could find online said 1967.  That's a pretty big difference, but I finally decided it had to be 1967 based on David Frost's career arc.  Perhaps the music was recorded earlier, or the arrangements were copyrighted then or something, I don't know.  Anyhow, the music is really good, I'm sure you will enjoy it.  And Oxfam is still a going concern, so if you're so inclined, you can visit their website and make a donation if you enjoy the music.  This is The Gregory Orchestra And Chorus-David Frost Introduces A Christmas Record For Oxfam (Flamingo (Philips) SPL.155, 1967, Stereo).

1. David Frost-Oxfam Introduction
2. I Saw Three Ships
3. Good King Wenceslas
4. Silent Night, Holy Night
5. While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks By Night
6. Once In Royal David's City
7. Away In A Manger
8. The Holly And The Ivy
9. We Three Kings Of Orient Are
10. Here We Come A-Wassailing
11. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
12. The First Noel
13.  O Come, All Ye Faithful

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Bonus Sammy

Real quick, here are a couple of bonus Sammy Kaye frocks from the above collection of 45 RPM records.  Only two of the tracks are Christmas related, so this probably belongs more in the Christmas-In-July stuff than here, but I've shared it here in the past and I'm grandfathering it in.  Here are two tracks from Sammy Kaye And His Orchestra-Year 'Round Favorites With Sammy Kaye And His Orchestra (RCA Victor WP 184, 3x7", Mono, 1949).

5. White Christmas
6. Winter Wonderland

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(Blank) (Blank)

While I'm sharing out Sammy Kaye, I may as well through this golden oldie up, too.  This is Sammy from way back in 1951, but I first shared it in 2006 and I'm bringin' it back in 2010.  Go get a copy of  Sammy Kaye-Christmas Serenade (Columbia B-285, 4-7", Mono, 1951) for yourself.

1. Silent Night, Holy Night
2. O Little Town Of Bethlehem
3. White Christmas
4. Winter Wonderland
5. Frosty The Snowman
6. Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town
7. Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer
8. Jingle Bells
9. Joy To The World
10. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
11. O Come All Ye Faithful

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From (Blank)

Here's another great collection of Christmas tunes, again from Sammy Kaye.  He's jumped labels from Columbia to Decca now, and things are in stereo.  I guess that means all bets are off, and he can record new stuff, old stuff, whatever Sammy wants.  All in all, it's pretty good stuff.  I first shared this with you back in 2006, but here it is again.  This is Sammy Kaye And His Orchestra-Christmas Day With Sammy Kaye (Decca DL 74070, Stereo, 1960).

1. White Christmas
2. 'Twas The Night Before Christmas
3. Christmas Child (Loo, Loo, Loo)
4. Medley: The First Nowell-It Came Upon The Midnight Clear
5. Medley: O Little Town Of Bethlehem-O Come All Ye Faithful
6. Silent Night
7. It's Beginning To Look Like Christmas
8. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
9. Silver Bells
10. Sleigh Ride
11. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
12. (Joyeux Noel, Buona Natale, Feliz Navidad) A Merry Christmas (To You)

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To (Blank)

From the stack of things that really didn't need a remastering, here's a remaster of last year's Sammy Kaye share.  So why did this rate a remaster when great artists like Eddie Dunstedter or Ruth Welcome didn't get done?  Well, it turned out I still had the WAV files I recorded last year on my hard drive, and I just ran them through ClickRepair.  I'm sure you'll be able to hear a difference, though.  This is Sammy Kaye And His Orchestra-I Want To Wish You A Merry Christmas (Columbia CL 1035, Mono, 1957).

1. I Want To Wish You A Merry Christmas
2. Winter Wonderland
3. Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer
4. Santa, Santa, Santa Claus
5. Frosty, The Snowman
6. Jingle Bells
7. Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town
8. All Around The Christmas Tree
9. The Christmas Song
10. White Christmas
11. Silent Night, Holy Night; O Little Town Of Bethlehem
12. Joy To The World; Hark! The Herald Angels Sing; O Come, All Ye Faithful
13. I Want To Wish You A Merry Christmas

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Singin' Outside

I love to share stuff that no one has ever seen before.  It's hard to find things that fit that description, but this record came close.  It's an advertising jingle for a company I'd never heard of.  When I first posted it on 2007, I thought it was just one of those neat, unknown things that I like, but no one else would care about.  Boy, was I wrong.  I get comments and email on a fairly regular basis from people who grew up hearing some of the jingles from this record on TV and radio.  I'd never heard any of them before, but I guess I just lived in the wrong spot.  And being on groovy green vinyl didn't hurt anything.  So for a little something that you may or may not have ever heard before, please download John Donnelly & Sons-Sing It Outdoors (No Catalog Number, Mono).

1. Sing It Outdoors
2. Deck The Halls
3. O Tannenbaum
4. Parade Of The Wooden Soldiers
5. The Friendly Beasts
6. Les Agnes Dans Nos Campagnes
7. Maria Und Joseph
8. Nu Ar Det Jul Icen
9. Twelve Days Of Christmas
10. What Child Is This
11. Unto Us A Boy Was Born
12. O Come, O Come Emmanuel
13. Silent Night
14. Sing It Outdoors

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Dino Is Back And In Stereo

I saw someone searching for this record in the logs, so I figured I'd go ahead and get it up here. This is a new rip of a stereo version to replace the mono version I first shared back in 2008.  I don't think it was ever a very popular download, but I thought it was good enough to revisit when I found a stereo copy this past year.  In fact, I may have had the stereo copy longer than that, intending to share it last year, but my hard drive failure precluded most of my sharing then. Anyhow, I've got it all recorded and ready to share with you this year.  I think you'll enjoy it if you give it a chance.  Please download Dino Martinelli-Dino Martinelli Plays Music For Christmas (Harmony (Columbia) HS 11010, Stereo, 1959).

1. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
2. What Child Is This
3. The First Noel
4. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
5. We Three Kings Of Orient Are
6. The Coventry Carol
7. Silent Night, Holy Night
8. O Come, All Ye Faithful
9. It Came Upon The Midnight Clear
10. O Little Town Of Bethlehem
11. Joy To The World
12. O Holy Night

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July 2006

There may be a few of you out there who have just stumbled across my little blog this holiday season.  If so, then you might not know what goes on around in the hot summertime.  When it gets too hot to go out and take pictures, I turn to my record collection and look for Christmas music.  But not the easy-to-find stuff, I look for Christmas songs on non-Christmas albums.  And I've been doing this since 2006 now.  I've shared out almost 1000 songs that could be interpreted as Christmas music, but almost none of them have been from Christmas albums.  (Some of them turn out to be also found on Christmas albums, but I sourced them from a non-Christmas record.)  After all of the rapid-fire sharing during the month, I sort through what I found and shared, winnowing it down to the very best tracks, and I put together a compilation of the year's best stuff.  This is that collection from 2006.  Please be my guest and download The Best Of Christmas In July 2006 From Ernie (Not Bert).  All the tracks are listed below, and linked to the day when I first shared out the song in question.  I doubt if all of those downloads are still available, but some of them are.  Lots of good music in the downloads that are still active.

1. Clebanoff-Bobsled
2. Ted Heath/Edmundo Ros-Baby It's Cold Outside
3. Lionel Hampton-Gin For Christmas
4. Marty Gold-High On A Windy Hill
5. Eastman-Rochester Pops-Brazilian Sleigh Bells
6. Dinah Washington-I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm
7. Henry Mancini-Latin Snowfall
8. Yuji Takizawa & His Blue Bones Orchestra-White X-mas
9. Will Glahé-The Skater's Waltz
10. Esquivel-Sun Valley Ski Run
11. Billy Vaughn-The Chipmunk Song
12. Percy Faith-Little Bells And Big Bells (Glocke Und Glockchen)
13. Lawrence Welk-The Merry Christmas Polka
14. Jerry Murad's Electronic Harmonicats-March Of The Toys
15. Richard Hayman & His Harmonica Orchestra-Parade Of The Wooden Soldiers
16. Ian Fraser & His Orchestra-Sleigh Ride
17. Eddie Layton-Winter Wonderland
18. The Smothers Brothers-Swiss Christmas
19. David Rose-Christmas Tree
20. Eydie Gormé-Winter Night
21. Bernie Green With The Stereo Mad-Men-The Skater And His Dog
22. Enoch Light & The Brass Menagerie-My Favorite Things
23. The Four Freshmen-Santa Claus Is Flat Gonna Come To Town
24. David Carroll-The Ski Song (Slalom)
25. The Monterey Brass-We Need A Little Christmas
26. The Three Suns-Busy Holiday
27. Six Fat Dutchmen-Sleigh Bell
28. Billy May-Snowfall Cha-Cha
29. Dick Schory's New Percussion Ensemble-Holiday In A Hurry
30. Armengol-Ave Maria
31. The Crew-Cuts-Auld Lang Syne

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Stay tuned, more of these great collections to come!  (Got to give credit to my buddy CaptOT for that cover.  Captain, where are you?)