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Showing posts with label Compilation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Compilation. Show all posts

A Christmas Yuleblog Sampler - 2010



Merry Christmas!


Usually at this downloading season, I would be posting new Christmas albums that I would have rummaged for at thrift stores, haggled for at record shows, and sniped at the last minute on eBay.

Several things prevented me in doing that this year - I could bore you with the details but I'll refrain. I did want to continue the tradition that I started five Christmases ago - the annual Yuleblog Sampler.

Normally, this would have been posted on Christmas Day - my present to you. But I decided to move the release date up by 10 days since I don't have anything else to post this season.

I'm excited about this release for two reasons: 1.) Many of the 45s and 78s I found for the sampler were nowhere to be found in my 22,000+ Christmas song library. 2.) These singles were the first vinyl transferred on my new Stanton T.92 USB turntable and captured to digital on my new Dell PC.

None of the vinyl I've transferred before has sounded better than this. Welcome to the 21st century Capt.


Your 2010 Christmas Yuleblog sampler:


Track 1 - Franklin MacCormack - I Like Christmas
Chicago Federal Savings Promo - ZTSC-9044-1A - 195?

MacCormack was a longtime Chicago radio host who helped to pioneer the spoken word album back in the 1950s.

Open a Christmas club account, get this record - sweet!






Track 2 - Dick Roman - Christmas Village
Harmon Records - 1011 (NO7W-0796-2) - 1962

"Pretty song about a dream of childhood days is sung with much feeling by the lad, while the ork lends good support. Could grab spins". - - Billboard Magazine, 12/1/62

I agree!




Track 3 - The Di Mara Sisters - Santa's Italian Wife
Pip Records - 100X-A - 1971

Did you that wife that Santa comes from Italy? And your presents on Christmas morning could have a very cheesy smell? Every Italian stereotype is thrown in good measure on this song - eh cumpari!





Track 4 - Johnny Long & His Orchestra (Vocal by Francey Lane and the Ensemble) - Winter Wonderland
Signature Records - 15150-B (SRC-434) - 1947

Found this 78 at a local thrift store - I've since discovered this came from a larger set of Christmas 78s that featured other artists. Keep watching...





Track 5 - Frank and Jack - Twas The Night Before Christmas (Breaking Through The Sound Barrier)
Bergen Records - 100A - 1957

Taking a cue from Buchanan & Goodman, two radio guys decided to have some fun in the radio studio. Instead of break-ins with Elvis and Fabian, they chose sound F/X and celebrities. Strange...




Track 6 - Hank Crawford - Merry Christmas Baby
Atlantic Records - 45-5032 (A-8326) - 1964

Crawford has a long career in the R&B/jazz world and was astounded to find this at a garage sale for a dime.

If you want some Christmas sax this holiday, look no further than this.




Track 7 - David Hill (with Ray Martin & His Orchestra) - Christmas Bride
RCA Victor - 47-7430 (H2PW-7812) - 1958


I've never heard of a song that combines wedding proposals and Christmas before. Not exactly rock-n-roll, not exactly pop... love the sax solo.





Track 8 - Red Buttons - Bow-Wow Wants A Boy For Christmas
Columbia Records - 40384 (CO 52652) - 1954

I won a promo 45 of this record several years ago on eBay. Found this 78 RPM earlier this year - one of the first 78s on the new turntable.

I think the songwriter on this is Steve Allen - can anyone confirm that?



Track 9 - The Gus De Wert Trio (with Gay LaComb) - Space Age Santa Claus
Ross Records - WW1004-B (SJW-3524) - 196?

This one has floated around cyberspace for a long time with Jeannie Jay listed as the singer.

Jay was the credited singer on side two ("When Christmas Bells Are Ringing"), LaComb on side one. Hope this clears up any confusion.



Track 10 - Monica Lewis (with Ray Bloch & His Orchestra) - The Christmas Song
Signature Records - 15151-B (SRC-540) - 1947

This was the other 78 RPM I found (see track four above). The third 78 in this set was Ray Bloch & His Orchestra doing "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" and "Let It Snow x 3".

Artwork anyone?



Track 11 - Judy Storey - Christmas Cheer From Heaven
Breaking Records - IRDA 576-A - 1979

A Christmas song from a dead wife singing to her husband from heaven.

Who gave the green light to this one? Truly inexplicable.





Track 12 - Consuela & Luisa Valdez - This Xmas Day
Mosaic Records - 210419A - 1970

Mother/daughter duo who self-produced and wrote this tribute to a family member at Christmas.

Found at Wooden Nickel Records in Fort Wayne (thanks Tim!).





Track 13 - The De John Sisters - The Only Thing I Want For Christmas (Is To Keep The Things That I've Got)
Epic Records - 5-9133 (ZSP 37226) - 1955

The second 45 to feature a sister singing act. This is yet another song I'd nominate to get more radio airplay at this time of year.





Track 14 - Joel Grey - Santa's Little Sleigh Bells
Majar Records - 137-X45 - 1954

Recorded at the beginning of his career, Grey was primarily known as an comic actor/dancer. His comic sensibilities are showcased in this silly song about a rogue sleigh bell.






Track 15 - Mona Abboud - I Should Have Left The Light On For Santa
Mona Records (Phonograph Records) - 100180-B - 1980

The flipside (listen to audio, ignore video) of this song was considered for "The FPT Christmas Revue". Spoke to Ms. Abboud who gave me her blessing to use the song (theater rejected it). Her voice hasn't aged a day - thanks Mona!




Track 16 - Lois Lynn - Every Christmas We Know
Concept Records - 45-896 - 1956

Purchased at a record show, this is either a haunting Christmas song or a bizarre experiment gone wrong.

Think I'm kidding? Check out this Billboard ad...





Track 17 - Heavy Duck - A Wonderful Christmas
Derrick Records - 45-DRC-113A - 1976

Okay, so Rick Dees scores big with "Disco Duck" in late 1976 which obviously prompted this Christmas single trying to cash in on its popularity several months later...

Things can never be explained...




Track 18 - Prof. Anonymous & The Marshalls - Christmas Elf
Isabelle Records - IS 0003-A - 1986

On nights when I can't sleep, I'll surf eBay for hours. While half-asleep one night, I purchased this. It was the sleeve I tell ya...

Later included on a cassette-only Christmas compilation with lots of other Boston Christmas garage rock - wow!




Track 19 - Dick Haymes & The Song Spinners Choir (with Jesse Crawford at the Organ) - Joy To The World
Decca Records - 24120A (73992) - 1948

Frank Sinatra made it big after he left Tommy Dorsey's band in 1942. His replacement was Dick Haymes. Haymes tried mightily (radio, records, movies) but never gained Sinatra's popularity - great voice on this 78 RPM, just not "The Voice".





Track 20 - The De Castro Sisters - Snowbound For Christmas
Abbott Records - 3012-A - 1955

The third 45 to feature a sister act (new record).

Lush, beautiful, wintry ballad - the sisters De Castro do a very nice job with this one.





Track 21 - Ken Griffin (Sung by Karen Ford & Bill Snary) - Our Christmas Waltz
Rondo Records - R-206-A (UB-9-1142-R) - 1949

Say what? When I was handed this 78 and noticed Ken Griffin, the king of the roller rink organists, had VOCALS?

And nice vocals they are - thanks to my wife's family for this one!



Track 22 - Eddy Howard & His Orchestra - Dearest Santa
Majestic Records - 1173 (T-1289) - 1947

Another amazing 78 from Mr. Howard and his band.

Dedicated to Dian B. Brown of Scottsdale, AZ. Type in "Eddy Howard Dearest Santa" into Google and her Amazon.com request for this song is the first thing to come up. Glad I could help!



Track 23 - Joe Walega & His Happy Hearts - Request To Santa Claus
Chicago Polka - 512-B - 19??

The flipside ("Christmas Without Daddy") is everywhere to download on the Internet. But this B-side isn't...

Sweet mother of God, what evil have I just unleashed?




Track 24 - George Bowers - Lonely Christmas
Nashville Talking Machine - M-001 A (PRP 34272) - 1971

Ernie (not Bert) shared out side A of this song a few hundred shares ago - he's mad, MAD I tell ya! But in a good way...

Here's side B - recorded in MONO just as the label states!





Track 25 - Lucho Gatica (con Los Cuatro Soles y la Orquesta de Jose Sabre Marroquin) - Noche De Paz (Silent Night)
Capitol Records - F71060 (45-X41854) - 19??

A foreign 45 in scratchy condition that I paid peanuts for at a thrift store - I can't find a thing about this one anywhere.

Pretty version in Spanish - a testament to the new turntable and computer how this one cleaned up.



Track 26 - Franklin MacCormack - My New Year's Wish For You
Chicago Federal Savings Promo - ZTSC-9043-1B - 19??

We come full circle with Side B from Mr. MacCormack.

What he wishes for New Year for you goes for me too.






Two not-so-secret Bonus Tracks

You knew these were coming... don't play coy!











Don't forget - the 2008 Yuleblog Sampler and the 2009 Yuleblog Sampler are still available to download. Lots of great rare tracks!

Oh, by the way, did you know about these sharity items?


Next month will mark the fifth anniversary of this blog. The occasion will not be marked by a retrospective, a self-congratulatory pat on the back, or anything else special. In the five years we've been online, I've probably have two years' worth of material.

I started this as a way for me to keep track of the new additions to my Christmas music collection. It mushroomed into a Christmas review blog, a sharity site, and home to Christmas videos and advertisements. It's been fun, harrowing, time-consuming, and one of the best things I've done in my life.

There's so much that I want to upgrade here. I want to continue to post Christmas ads, videos, and Christmas music reviews. I want to remaster all of the shares I have here - I finally have the equipment and the understanding of that equipment to do that.

Sitting down in front of the computer to do anything is, for me, a challenge.


Every school day for the past year, I drop the kids off at school and then head to the gym. I like this routine and it has served me well - I've lost weight and kept it off. My cholesterol is low, my back is finally pain free, and I'm eating healthy and sensibly.

An unfortunate by-product of this lifestyle change is the fact that I can seldom sit longer for one hour behind the computer. I'm too active to allow myself to do more than that - I take walks, run errands, volunteer my time with my best buddy Joel and his theater activities, anything to stay away from the desk where I used to sit for hours on end; snacking, typing, drinking soda after soda, typing, eating...

As my children have grown from day-care tots to the precocious kids they are now, school activities like scouting, cheerleading, and basketball stretch my time tighter and harder than Joan Rivers' face.

I re-read my notes from last year's Sampler:

I realize I'm in a Catch-22 situation: I can continue to lose weight by being away from the computer but can only work on all these projects if I'm in front of the computer. I have to to find a balance inbetween somehow...

When I find the balance in 2011, I will post an entry here. It won't be as bad as the drought this year - 2010 was a learning year. I'm hoping to put some of that knowledge into practice with the aforementioned projects I want to complete for the blog.

The big finish:





Rob Martinez aka Capt

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KFUO Presents Christmas Hymns



Last December, I shared an album entitled "KFUO Presents Christmas Hymns And Carols", an album from a St. Louis Christian radio station featuring two different Lutheran choirs.

This December, I'm sharing yet another album from KFUO. This one features two choirs from St. Louis - straightforward hymns and carols.

KFUO is a Christian St. Louis radio station that's been spreading the gospel since 1924. Its sister station, KFUO-FM, has been doing the same since 1948.

Strictly for the KFUO completist...


KFUO Presents Christmas Hymns


Happy listening...


Capt

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Christmas Favorites EP (Mercury Records)


This EP was given to me by my in-laws when they were cleaning out their closets. According to my father-in-law, this was one of his mother's Christmas favorites on the old Philco.

There's exactly four tracks on this EP - one by Frankie Laine, one by Eddy Howard, and two songs by a young up & comer named Vic Damone.

I could have cleaned up the back cover with PhotoShop but I decided against it - I wanted you to see the original price tag from 1950 - $1.49 plus tax!

This is vintage Christmas at its best. I hope you'll enjoy it as much as my in-laws did...


Christmas Favorites EP (Mercury Records)


Happy listening...


Capt

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Verve Remixed Christmas


With eight days left before Christmas, I wanted to spend today looking at several new Christmas albums on the shelves this season - perhaps a last minute gift guide for those who love Christmas music.

This is review number six today and the second that arrived at my P.O. Box. This one came from someone within the music industry who is a faithful reader and wished to remain anonymous. Thanks for thinking of me.

Verve Records was founded in 1956 by Norman Granz as a jazz label. Over the years it has been the home for jazz legends and young up-and-comers who became legends.

However, by the early 1970s, the label nearly folded completely, reduced to re-releasing older jazz albums and being sold off to one musical conglomerate to the next.

That changed in the mid-1980s when Verve was revived and began reissuing its back catalogue. The "Verve By Request" label began to reissue many original Verve bossa nova titles on CD in the late 1990s, and the Elite series revived many obscure albums which had languished for many years.

In 2002, we were introduced to the "Verve Remixed" compilation discs. Classic tracks by Verve artists are remixed by contemporary electronic music DJs. Seven releases later, they decided to put the "Verve Remixed" treatment to their Christmas catalog.

The end result is a mix of both good and bad. Hearing artists like Ella Fitzgerald made to sound like a pop princess, Louis Armstrong with a thumping bass behind him, and the legendary Billie Holiday to sound like a reggae queen is just plain wrong.

But... I listen nonetheless. I admire the new takes on the old classics. Anything that takes the same songs you've heard 50,000 times and gives it a new spin is worth a listen (although several remixes go on far too long).

Try to get your 10 or 15 year old to listen to the originals and you probably won't get far. Let them listen to this album and they just might get into it. Maybe they'll discover Ella, Louis, and the rest down the road like we did.

If that's what Verve's intentions were with this series, then I applaud them for trying to introduce the younger generations to the past. Then I flip the coin and think Verve is just recycling the catalog to squeeze more money out their cash cow - two years ago this December, they laid off 85% of their staff in a cost-cutting move.

In any case, you might want to listen to see if you want to buy this first. There is not one but two videos at YouTube to give you a feel for this album.


Capt

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A Christmas Greeting (L.A. Unit of Recording For The Blind)


I've had this album in my collection since 2000 - when I bought it off eBay, I thought I was getting an album of Christmas greetings - hence the title.

Instead, I got an album from the Los Angeles Unit of Recording For The Blind with celebs like Danny Kaye, Agnes Moorehead, and Yul Brynner reading Christmas stories for those visually impaired.

After pulling this out of mothballs last year to share a track for the 2007 Yuleblog Sampler, I decided why not share the rest?

It's a kick to hear Edward G. Robinson read "Yes, Virginia" among all the stories. "See, here kids... nyahh!"


A Christmas Greeting (L.A Unit of Recording For The Blind)


Happy listening (no pun intended)...


Capt

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Christmas In Italy (Capitol Records)


It's Capitol Saturday today! This is the first of four and 1/2 albums I'm posting today from the famous (or infamous) "Christmas In" series that Capitol issued back in the day.

When I found three of these LPs in the middle of last year, I asked "Just how many of these "Christmas In" albums are out there? Which ones was I missing and when were they released?"

The Goldmine Christmas Record Price Guide had several listed but couldn't pin down the date. So I featured one track from each of the albums last year for the 2007 Yuleblog Sampler and transferred each of the albums figuring there will be something for everybody.

"Christmas In Italy" was a logistical nightmare. It took me nearly an hour to transfer the vinyl and digitally restore it, no problems. However, it took me nearly an entire day to encode the MP3s! Study the back cover carefully to see what I mean.

This album probably has the penultimate version of "White Christmas" sung in Italian - this one's has the intro and damn if it doesn't sound great!

I had to abbreviate the titles of most of the songs - for some strange reason, RapidShare has a problem playing MP3s with more than 72 characters in its title.

After completing the transfer of all three albums, I was doing some research at my local library for my appreciation of Stan Freberg's "Green Chri$tma$" (another Capitol product - coincidence?) when I came across an advertisement in the December 9th, 1957 edition of TIME magazine for Capitol Records:

(Click on image to enlarge)

The ad showcased many of their 1957 Christmas releases (Sinatra's "Jolly Christmas From", Jackie Gleason's "Merry Christmas" to name two). At the bottom was a listing of EIGHT "Christmas Around The World" albums:

Christmas In England
Christmas In Germany
Christmas In Spain
Christmas In Sweden
Christmas In Mexico
Christmas In France
Christmas In Holland
Christmas In Italy

To double check, I Googled label numbers (Capitol T10091, 92, 93, etc) to see if I would get a hit on something and I got lucky. Another Capitol foreign release entitled "Modern Motion Picture Music of India" (Capitol T-10090) was released in 1957.

So I had the answer to my questions - eight albums total initially, all released in 1957.


Christmas In Italy


Happy listening paisans...


Capt

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We Three Bings: Vital Music's N.Y. Trash Xmas Comp


I first encountered this album at a record show back in 2003 - the asking price was $75 and it featured some great artwork on its insert and covers. Some time in the last two years, I found this album at another blog along the sharity network who offered this album. When I opened the zip file, I had the music but very little artwork.

I found this on eBay earlier this year and overpaid for a copy (ouch!). But I had copy number 671 of 1000 and I'm proud to present the entire album with all artwork included.

There's some amazing raw punk and garage Christmas music in this comp - some of which is definitely NSFW. The raw power on this album is truly something no other Christmas album has - try some of this when you want to break up the holiday party at 3 AM!


We Three Bings - Vital Music's N.Y. Trash Xmas Comp


Happy listening...


Capt

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Selections from "Nashville Christmas Party" (RCA Victor)


I'm a sucker for old school country music - add Christmas to the mix and I'm off the charts.

So when I saw this at my local Salvation Army, I gave it a looksee and discovered about 1/2 of the songs on this compilation are easily accessible elsewhere.

However... the other five songs aren't available anywhere. And there's some great long lost stuff here from lesser known artists such as Hank Lochlin, John D. Loudermilk, The Browns, and Porter Wagoner!

I was considering holding this one back for possible use on the 2008 Yuleblog Sampler. However, if you want to add the missing songs to complete the LP, you'll have a cut about the rest old school Christmas country comp!


Selections from "Nashville Christmas Party" (RCA Victor)


Happy editing...


Capt

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Christmas Greetings (U.S. Navy)


This album has been bandied about on eBay many times in the past but when a copy found its way to my local thrift store, I picked it up.

Glad I did. These are two different U.S. Navy Christmas shows hosted by Danny Thomas. We get to hear varied naval base bands such as the Port Authority of the U.S. Navy Band, the U.S. Naval Academy Glee Club, and The Dixieland Group of the U.S. Navy Band playing their favorite Christmas tunes in many different styles.

The year was 1973 and the draft had officially ended. The Navy was in the midst of becoming an all-volunteer Navy and were actively looking for new recruits. Inbetween the songs, Danny reminds you to check out your local recruiter to "be all that you can be".

I used one of the tracks on my annual Christmas CD - there's something for everyone on this album. I think you're gonna like this one!


Christmas Greetings (U.S. Navy)


Happy listening...


Capt

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Seasonal Favorites V2 (Double Crown Records)


All this week, I've been writing reviews for CDs that were sent to me at the P.O. Box. This one was sent last Christmas and I'm just finding time to write it up now.

This is a crime because the good folks at Double Crown Records were kind enough to send me a copy of "Seasonal Favorites V1" which I reviewed in January, 2007.

What hurts even more is that both volumes are of choice (and I mean CHOICE) surf and garage Christmas tunes. I'm a sucker for surf guitar. Add Christmas and I could spontaneously combust.

I have no explanation other than a brain tumor that made me pass on this CD for review. Time to make amends.

TRACK REVIEWS:

1.) Pollo Del Mar - Carol Of The Bells
The first half of this song is light rock then finishes fast with surf guitar... smooth intro into the CD.

2.) The Pete Curry Orchestra - Drums For Christmas
Curry is the bassist for Los Straitjackets and his orchestra is just him playing all the instruments - virtuoso stuff!

3.) The Neptunes - Sleigh Ride In Fresno
Think "Sleigh Ride" done by The Ventures and Dick Dale combined. It'll sound like this phenomenal track.

4.) The Icicles - Snowman
This group from Grand Rapids, MI should know something about snow (can you say "lake effect?"). Surprisingly good power pop original! Hear this one at their MySpace page...

5.) The Incredible Mr. Smith - Leise Rieselt Der Schnee
Using a German christmas carol allows this group for lots of great improvisation on the guitars... Ja!

6.) Surfin' Santa w Meshugga Beach Party - Jingle Bell Rock
Straightforward instrumental cover from "The World's Premiere Jewish Surf Band!" (their own billing!).

7.) The Dusty Watson Complex - Little Drummer Boy
WOW! Set at surf speed, this rendition will blow you away with its excellent guitar and drum work!

8.) The Barbary Coasters - I Want A Monkey For Christmas
Gayla Peevey wanted a hippopotamus... these guys re-work "Roll Over Beethoven" to ask Santa for a monkey. Roll over Chuck Berry!

9.) The Surfites - Saint Nick's AA Fueler
Santa intros this song, and we're off on a screamin' cruise down the main drag. Add sleigh bells, and it's just Christmas-ey enough.

10.) Glasgow Tiki Shakers - Deck The Halls
Well done version of the Christmas classic - loved the bridge in a minor key and all that fab reverb!

11.) Big Boy Pete - Silent Night
If Johnny Cash did this song in up-tempo rockabilly, it might have sounded close to this... amazing!

12.) Speedball Jr. - Rudolph's Secret
You're gonna have to listen to this one yourself to find out the answer to the secret. Interesting.

13.) The Pyronauts - O Come All Ye FaithfulPulsating rendition of this one - the surf guitars just bring it to life in a way no other instrument can.

14.) Full Load Of King - It's Christmas In The IslandsLush exotica? Oooooooo... Martin Denny and Les Baxter, eat your heart out!

15.) Frankie & The Poolboys - Happy X-Mas (War Is Over)
The standout track of the album. This one starts slow, nice mix of guitars (acoustic & surf), add some soulful organ where Yoko and the kids sing, and continue to add on the layers a la Phil Spector (minus the guns). Great cover from start to finish.

16.) Urban Surf Kings - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Very good rendition - no frills, no fuss, all surf guitar and they play it good here.

17.) Joe's Ocean - Deck The Halls
You're gonna feel like you've been on the ocean with this one - Joe switches styles between orchestral and soulful rock here... then there... then here... reminiscent of Substance W in many ways.

18.) Surfin' Santa With Meshugga Beach Party - Sleigh Ride
A good cover of The Ventures' great Christmas instrumental. Check their MySpace page to hear some surf music with a Jewish flavor!

19.) The Daytonas - Christmas Time For Fun
Wonderful original surf/garage track... I couldn't find anything about these lads... Can anyone give me a clue?

20.) Frankie & The Poolboys - Auld Lang Syne
A slow start can mean only one thing - a fast finish. Which we get to the delight of the audience on the track that ends this with a countdown! Perfect way to end the CD.


According to the Double Crown website where you can order this CD for yourself, they have about 100 copies left on their shelves for the 2008 Christmas season. You'd be foolish if you were to pass this up like I did. It's a rock solid Christmas CD suitable for playing any time of the year.

Double Crown doesn't have a "Seasonal Favorites V3" for this Christmas (think 2009). However, a band on their label named King of Hawaii released a Christmas EP just in time for 2008. At $6, this might be the bargain of the season.

Thanks for mailing this to me last year Sean... I'm sorry it took a year. My $6 is on its way to you for the EP.


Capt

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Merry X-mas Dammit From The Double Down Saloon (Wood Shampoo Records)


This was another CD that was sent to my P.O. Box last Christmas that I never found the time to review and as a result, I probably will never get into "the Happiest Place On Earth" in my lifetime. With Christmas, 2008 five weeks off, this is good a time as any to review it for people on the lookout for overlooked Christmas CDs.

The Double Down Saloon in Las Vegas has been voted one of America's top "dive bars" by Playboy Magazine and has been featured on televisions shows like Dave Attell's "Insomniac" and Anthony Bourdain's "No Reservations". Last year, they teamed up with Wood Shampoo Records (also of Las Vegas) to release this comp at Christmas time.

According to the accompanying notes that came with this CD:

"On any given hour at the Double Down, you are as likely to find business types unwinding as you are jaded hipsters downing shots. 'Merry X-Mas Dammit' is much like the saloon itself, a genre blending a mix of punk, lounge, honky-tonk, noise, and more."

As Casey Kasem would say... "On with the countdown!"

TRACK REVIEWS:

1.) Murphy's Law - Sock It To Me Santa
Shades of Fishbone! A funky throwback song that grabs your attention right out of the gate!

2.) The Objex - Pastramikah
The band keeps it foot on the throttle and never lets up - all about a new end of the year holiday.

3.) Lonesome Spurs - Jingle Bells
A simple yet hardly plain rockabilly version - great singing and amazing guitar work throughout!

4.) Richard Cheese - Christmas In Las Vegas
"Rudolph sold the sled, now he's betting on red..." Loungey, Christmasey original from RC. Check out my review of his "Silent Nightclub" album!

5.) The Dirty Panties - Santa Baby
A punk version of Eartha Kitt's famous Christmas song? With an all-girl punk/garage band, it not only works but it plain kicks ass. Early vote for favorite song on the album.

6.) The Las Vegas All-Stars - X-Mess Medley
Hard-rocking garage medley of "Deck The Halls", "Jingle Bells", "Joy To The World", "O Christmas Tree", "O Come All Ye Faithful", "Silent Night", a snippet of "The Twelve Days of Christmas", and "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" - this is epic!

7.) Peccadilloes - Nuttin' For Christmas
Forget Smash Mouth - this is the meanest, gnarliest, and most savage version of this song out there! Wow!

8.) Evil Beaver - Blue Christmas
Originally from Chicago, IL (now based in L.A.), this hip version soon turns edgy and rockin'... Be sure to check out their excellent 2001 Christmas album.

9.) Bomboras - The Little Drummer Boy
GREAT JUMPIN' ICEBERGS! This instrumental ranks up there with Dick Dale and The Ventures! Man, o man!

10.) The Vermin - Santa Was A Cross Dressing Nazi
That's the beautiful thing about punk - you can't match its attitude! This is angry at 100 MPH and I loved every second of it!

11.) 1/2 Ast - Gay Christmas
The spirit of The Descendents is alive and well with this band. Exactly 1 minute and 1 second long, it's a musical rant from start to finish.

12.) The Clydesdale - Imo Shoot Me A Reindeer
"Hey look, up there in the sky! It's Santa Claus!" "WHERE?" =gunshot= This semi-rockabilly song had me chortling from that opening line until the ending... what a tune!

13.) Sparkler Dims - Xmas Time At The Double Down
Celebrating the holidays at "The Happiest Place On Earth"... good rocking song with lots of DD references!

14.) 2 Cents Worth - I'll Be Home For Christmas
A good garage version of this one. This was the only band I couldn't find a MySpace page for... are they still together?

15.) Suite 666 - Santa Blow Me
Another great Christmas punk original showcasing their displeasure with Santa. Fabulous punk sound.

16.) The Real Shames - Santa Claus
A great garage cover of The Sonics' great garage Christmas song.

17.) Thee Swank Bastards - Carol Of The Bells / God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Another great instrumental - heavy on the mood with the right touch of guitars!


After hearing this again, I must make an appointment with my family doctor to have my head examined. I must have a brain tumor or something that forced me not to listen to this last year. This is one damn good comp!

Fear not, this comp is still available to download at Amazon.com. Or you can get an actual CD copy from CDBaby. This collection of Christmas tunes will make any Christmas music lover sit up and take notice.

There's not one song that I didn't like in the entire bunch and I can listen to this repeatedly without getting bored - the true mark of a great Christmas CD. Thanks for sending it to us and I hope I won't get shanked if I ever visit the Double Down.


Capt

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Warner Brothers Stars - We Wish You A Merry Christmas

(Click on image to enlarge)


If you take a blood sample from our friend Ernie (Not Bert), you'll find 80% red blood cells, 10% white blood cells, and 10% vinyl. This was downloaded on November 29, 2006 at 1:54 PM from his blog and nearly two years later, I'm getting around to reviewing it - sheesh!

Back in the late 1940s, MGM - the movie studio with the roaring lion - created their own record label. For a time, they were the only movie studio with its own record label. By the mid-1950s, television had so badly eroded the box office that other movie studios needed new streams of revenue.

In 1957, Paramount began its record label and Warner Bros. were undecided as to start its own label. That changed when Dot Records signed then-WB star Tab Hunter to its label. Even though Hunter had an iron-clad exclusive movie contract with WB, without a record label, Tab was free to sign with Dot.

Sure enough, plans for Warner Bros. Records went into high gear and in March, 1958 - the first record on the new label came out. WB had reclaimed Tab hunter and his new single "Jealous Heart" (ironic, huh?) was released - the only charting record for the entire year!

Another mistake from the get go was ignoring rock n' roll. WB decided to go with pop, jazz, classical, spoken word, folk and gospel (see Clint Walker below).

Christmas releases for Warner Bros. in 1959 included George Greeley's "22 Best Loved Christmas Piano Concertos", the Guitar's Inc. "Guitars At Christmas", Ira Ironstring's "Ira Ironstrings Orchestra Plays Santa Claus", and the album you're looking at now.

To quote Ernie:

"This LP came out in 1959, and features the stars from then-current TV shows produced by Warner Brothers. The Warner Bros. record label was brand new at the time, and they were putting out all sorts of interesting stuff. (After you've downloaded it, look closely at the back label. They had so little product out at the time, they were recommending other companies records on their jackets!)"


BIO LINKS / TRACK REVIEWS:

1.) Efrem Zimbalist Jr. - Adeste Fideles
Zimbalist's voice is astoundingly good (that led to other non-Christmas recordings). Majestic.

2.) Warner Bros. Stars - Deck The Halls
All the assembled stars on the cover merge as one to sing a few choruses.

3.) Connie Stevens - Away In A Manger
Breathy rendition from cutie Connie. She and Edd Byrnes had a HUGE hit the same year with "Kookie, Lend Me Your Comb"!

4.) Edward Byrnes - Yulesville
This song still has enough charm to give me a smile. That charm is almost used up. Next...

5.) Peter Brown - Winter Wonderland
Great voice and a snappy version of this song! He later starred with Pam Grier in "Foxy Brown"!

6.) Ray Danton - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
This guy could give Thurl Ravenscroft a run for his money. Another majestic song!

7.) Poncie Ponce - Mele Kalikimaka
Kazuo Kim sings again! Poncie got his start on "77 Sunset Strip", then moved over to "Hawaiian Eye".

8.) Eddie Cole - Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
The older brother of Nat (listen and feel the similarities), this was recorded near the end of Eddie's career - it swings, baby!

9.) Bob Conrad - White Christmas
I dare you to knock the battery off his shoulder... Robert Conrad sings marvelously - too bad we didn't get to hear more of that in "Wild Wild West" or "Baa Baa Black Sheep"!

10.) Dorothy Provine - Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!
From 1958 to 1968, Dorothy starred in many films and a great singing voice to match - then she got married and retired. This is a gem - she sounds a little like Dusty Towne from "SCTV"!

11.) Clint Walker - Silver Bells
A bonafide member of "The Dirty Dozen" singing a Bob Hope Christmas song! Remarkable! This was after Clint's walkout from Warner Bros. (see Ty Harden below) and his first album for WB - a gospel album entitled "Inspiration".

12.) Roger Moore - Once In Royal David's City
With his lordly British voice, Sir Roger narrates this song to great effect. The name is Templar... Simon Templar.

13.) Warner Bros. Male Chorus - Star Carol
I'm not sure if Clint, Roger, Bob Conrad, or Edd Byrnes sung on this - but whoever did does a nice job.

14.) Ty Hardin - It Came Upon A Midnight Clear
This guy's Wiki entry is a trip - as for his singing... you gotta read this guy's Wiki entry. It's a trip!

15.) Warner Bros. Stars - We Wish You A Merry Christmas
Several choruses of this ol' favorite from everyone on the cover and presto! End of album!



Ernie said in his initial review "If you don't find something in here to love, you may as well quit looking." I agree. I especially liked hearing 007 recite his story, Dorothy Provine, and Eddie Cole.

Most of the artists on this album sing well and the arrangements don't subtract or detract from their singing. And then there's Ty Hardin...

It's hard to imagine from these beginnings came the colossus known as Warner Music Group. As for MGM and Paramount record labels, they're long gone but the WB survived.


Capt

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A Family Christmas Album - Something For Everybody


Continuing with my list of Christmas albums I've downloaded since 2006, this was left mouse clicked on November 26, 2006 at 5:20 PM from Ernie (Not Bert).

After reposting a fun Christmas album from Buddy & Bunny Burden (in which Bunny appeared on the cover and little else), Ernie read the fantastic blog of Lee Hartsfield called Music You (Possibly) Won't Hear Anyplace Else. It seems Lee posted several Christmas tracks where Bunny actually sung.

So Ernie searched deep into his stacks and stacks of untracked Christmas vinyl and whaddya know? He actually had the entire album that Lee's tracks came from. Ernie's got the fastest turntable in the west and transferred the album you are looking at.

Ummm... :-)

There's nothing out there online (with the exception of Ernie's original post) about this album. I Googled "Halo Records Nashville" but came up empty there.

Ha ha. (<--- nervous laugh) Hey! How about a niceeeee back cover shot? Yeah, that's it! Let's put that back cover shot up here... that'll fill some space!




What a great back cover, huh? Ain't it somethin'? The way the black and the white blend into... umm... black and white... Yep, that's a beaut of a back cover.


What now?


Oh, the music?


TRACK REVIEWS:

1.) Bobby Russell - The Christmas Song
Straight up rendition with touches of countrypolitan. Russell's got good pipes.

2.) The Singleton Singers - 12 Days Of Christmas
A pretty bland version with a solo piano and lots and lots of voices. Something to fill out the album maybe.

3.) Buddy & Bunny Burden - Christmas Card (Organ Instrumental)
The back cover says its an instrumental but there's Bunny (in a breathy voice - g-r-r-r) reciting. Now Buddy's lounge singing... who wrote this back cover?

4.) J.T. Adams & The Jordanaires - It's Christmas Time
J.T. does a fine job with this song but Elvis' backing group really makes the song. Gots to remember this one!

5.) Bill Purcell - Silent Night
Hey, back cover writer! That's Bill PURSELL! Organ and chimes version... yep, like we haven't heard THAT before... check out his Top Ten hit that Ernie also featured at his blog!

6.) Bobby Russell & The Music City Boys Chorus - Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
Like song number one, this one's got moments. The kids are a nice touch.

7.) Prissy Reed / Margie Singleton / Ray Walker & The Jordanaires - Jingle Bells
I knew Margie could sing but how about Mrs. Jerry Reed? Sounds like they're having fun (I think I am too...?)

8.) Buddy & Bunny Burden - Christmas Polka
OPA! Nothing like a polka played on the Kimball organ with a great duet from B & B! My favorite track on the album!

9.)The Music City Choir - Deck The Halls
I never knew "Deck The Halls" could be played to a funeral organ beat. Man, this is horrible!

10.) The Don Les' Harmonicats (featuring The Marine Band "Blues Harp") - Hark The Herald Angels Sing
What a way to go out on! Nothing like some mouth organ and blues harp to get you in the Christmas mood! These guys released a FULL Christmas album and son-of-a-gun, whaddya know? Ernie featured that one too!



I just re-read the title again and it clearly states "Something For Everybody". A truer statement was never spoken. There are some hits and some clear misses with this album but I still had a fun time listening.

This won't be the first album I'll pull out at Christmas. Nor the second. Or third. Fourth?

This will be the 853rd album I'll listen to at Christmas, guaranteed!


Capt

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De 20 mest önskade julsångera (EMI-Sweden)


Of all the CDs I received as Christmas presents last year, the one you see here is the most special for many different reasons.

My friend Scott McMeen was travelling on business through Sweden shortly before Christmas last year. While shopping at a Swedish version of Target, he discovered this CD and thought it would fit in perfectly with my Christmas music collection.

Scott's family and I have been close since my first encounter with First Presbyterian Theater nearly four years ago. His wife Deb was one of my first co-stars in 2004 and took me under her wing immediately. Deb and I played two at-odds married Cub fans in the play "Bleacher Bums":


Then in 2006, I decided to act again in a play and discovered Deb and I were co-stars again. I played an Italian tenor (think Pavarotti) while she played a rich dowager (think Margaret Dumont) in the play "Lend Me A Tenor":


Scott and Deb's daughters (Courtney and Kelly) have babysat my children, helped me out at the theater as stage managers and light board operators, and even travelled with me last year to the Chicago version of "The Fest For Beatles' Fans".

In late 2006, Deb was diagnosed with leukemia and began chemotherapy. With her endless optimism, we all knew it was a matter of time before Deb would be released and auditioning for another play.

However, the playwright in the sky had other ideas and we lost Deb on March 19, 2007. At the funeral, I was named an honorary pallbearer and was the last speaker at her memorial service. I asked the assembled congregation to give my fellow co-star one final standing ovation with shouts of "bravo" - a fitting sendoff to a fellow thespian.




"De 20 mest önskade julsångera" is yet another addition to the growing number of Swedish Christmas songs in my collection. Some of these Christmas songs have come from Anna-Lena Lodenius' amazing comps, others have come from new album finds from the vinyl bins, and now this.

Sung in Swedish by well established Swedish artists (Ingmar Wixell, Ung Ton, Rolf Björling), many of these beautiful Christmas melodies take on a whole new life. "Nu så kommer julen", "En dörr på glänt", "Tomtarnas vaktparad" and especially "Sjömansjul på Hawaii" (a Swedish Christmas song about Hawaii?) are extremely catchy and the tunes will rattle around in your head after hearing them.

The standout tracks are "O, helga natt", "Bjällerklang", or "Stilla natt". To hear "O Holy Night", "Jingle Bells", and "Silent Night" in Swedish is priceless. It's amazing how much more wonderful these songs sound when sung in a foreign language.

EMI issued this compilation and it's available through their Swedish website (look at the top row middle to find this one).

Tack så mycket for the CD Scott! Looking forward to some of that award-winning guacamole at your Super Bowl party this weekend!


Capt

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Santa Claus Blues (Jass Records)


Since the beginning of the year, I've been spotlighting new CDs that were given to me as genuine Christmas gifts. Although this one isn't "new" as in "newly released" last Christmas, this rare compilation definitely qualifies as a true present!

It was found by my brother Rafael in a second hand store in the deep South (Cleveland, Tennessee). As is standard practice by members of my immediate family, he called me first to ask if I had this CD. I asked for the playlist (my standard practice) and heard many familiar names - Benny Goodman, Louis Prima, Lionel Hampton, and lots of Louis Armstrong. But on a "blues" Christmas album?

Upon opening it on Christmas morning, I was astounded to discover his CD was pressed in Canada from Jass Records in 1988. It's getting more scarce finding CDs pressed before 1998 these days, even more so for Christmas albums. So to find a 20 year old Christmas Canadian import is simply mindboggling and exciting!

The cover artwork was a thrill to look at (over and over). I didn't spot the 78s for sale at first, did you? I thought I spotted Mickey Mouse on another look. And what about those Christmas ornaments?

And yes, it did contain a lot of Louis Armstrong but the remaining tracklist more than made up for that:


A good 2/3 of this album I already own in my collection but it's the remaining 1/3 that counts! There are some amazing tracks from Ozie Ware, Ted Weems, Putney Dandridge, Dick Robertson, Al Bowfly, and Johnny Otis that I've never heard before and that was good enough for me!

Used copies of this CD at Amazon.com are fetching a pretty penny. I can only imagine the prices it's going for on eBay. This might be the steal of the year (both last year and this year). And it was a Christmas present to boot!

Thank you, oldest brother Rafael! Bet you didn't know any of this when you bought it!


Capt

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Joe Gibbs - Reggae Christmas


This was a Christmas gift from my about to turn four year old daughter Josie (purchased with her mom's help). I don't think she's ever heard any reggae before in her life but she's a HUGE fan of The Backyardigans and they've sampled every musical genre under the sun so...

By the way, this isn't THAT Joe Gibbs (Hall of Fame football coach, NASCAR car owner). This Joe Gibbs was working in a music store in Jamaica back in the late 1960s who decided to become a record producer. Working with groups in the back of his music store, he soon began signing artists to his successful label and became an authentic music mogul.

Throughout the 1970s, his empire expanded. He set up a new studio, started three new record labels (Jogib, Shock, and Pressure Beat), and was everywhere on the reggae scene and helped record many of the top artists of the day.

This album was originally recorded in 1979 under the title "The Joe Gibbs Family Wishes You A Merry Rockers Christmas". It features many of his family of artists on the lone eight tracks (barely 45 minutes total). However, there's more great sounds and reggae Christmas fun here to power two FULL reggae albums!

The first track is entitled "Medley: Joy To The World / We Wish You A Merry Christmas" that lasts nearly eleven minutes. I was pleased to find snatches of "Deck The Halls", "O Holy Night", "O Come All Ye Faithful", "Jingle Bells", "Hark! The Herald The Angels Sing", "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town", "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer", and "The First Noel" sung throughout! They never broke stride once... amazing!

Track two was a fun version of "The Twelve Days Of Christmas" followed by "We Three Kings" that has a great (dare I say it) funk feel to it. "Deck The Halls" is the fourth track and the shortest song on the album (it sounds like they upped the speed on the recorder!).

"Winter Wonderland" is track five and features Beres Hammond, whose voice cuts through the reggae beat and catches your attention. Not to be outdone is Horace Andy who is featured on "O Little Town Of Bethlehem" (track six) and does an amazing job.

The seventh track is "Let X-Mas Catch You On A Good Mood", the lone original song on the album and, by far, the standout track of the album. It's a great mix of reggae and Christmas. This song will rattle around in your head for quite some time and you won't mind one bit!

The album ends with another stellar Christmas medley called "Sleigh Bells Chant / Auld Lang Syne". Hidden inside this medley are great takes of "Jolly Old St. Nicholas", "The Little Drummer Boy", "O Holy Night", "The Christmas Song", "I Saw Three Ships" (WOW!), "Caroling, Caroling" (DOUBLE WOW!), and "Silent Night".

That's the amazing thing about reggae - its simplicity allows you to adapt and expand any song into its pulsing, bouncy beat. This is a Christmas album anyone can listen to anytime of the year that doesn't have the total sound of a Christmas album!

Years before this release, Joe Gibbs had J.C. Lodge record a cover of a Charley Pride tune called "Someone Loves You Honey" that became a HUGE international smash hit. Unfortunately, Gibbs never paid a single dime in royalties to Pride, who sued Gibbs and, after a lengthy legal fiasco, won a massive settlement.

Gibbs was unable to pay and called it a career. Shortly before he closed up shop, this album was re-released in 1982 as "Reggae Christmas". Many copies of this re-release LP have been floating around eBay - seldom have I seen a copy of the original 1979 version.

Back in 1993, Gibbs began reissuing much of his music catalog on the "Rocky One" label (started by his son Carl) and dabbling in new recordings. Teaming up with VP Reggae, Gibbs has launched a new label - 17 North Parade (the music store address) and is continuing to reissue more catalog releases.

Thanks for the Christmas present, Josie!


Capt

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