It's Snowing!

Time for some more late-night listening. What can I dig up for you this fine evening? Here's a nice remaster from back in the day, 2008 to be exact. I'm sure I've brought it back a few times since then, but I don't think I've ever remastered it for you and that's exactly what I've done for you tonight. It's a brand new rip and a brand new scan for 2025. About the only think I remember about this release from back in 2008 is that I had to do some work to get that big red W on the front cover. For some reason, it was obscured on my copy and I had to scan a different release and drop it in on the cover. This year, I initially scanned the same copy with plans to do the same sort of cut-and-paste job as back then, but a second copy showed up in the archives later and I was able to get a good scan after all. Not that my scans are the greatest this year anyway. I think my scanner is getting old. Everything is coming out too dark and I'm screwing up the colors a bit when I lighten the image. It's not the worst year of scans I've ever had, but it's not the best. I'm also doing far to many records to spend a lot of time on each scan. That's not to say I haven't spent multiple hours on some of them, but not many. Some of them were just unpresentable in their initial state, usually because the record had ben drawn on or taped up somehow. There's always something to clean up. The scanning process seems to highlight every single flaw in a cover, even if you thought it was pristine when you put it on the glass. Maybe I'm just too picky. Anyhow, this is The Henry Snow Singers-The Little Drummer Boy And Other Christmas Favorites (Whitehall (Westminster) WH 20023, Mono, 1959).

1. The Little Drummer Boy
2. Adeste Fidelis
3. Away In A Manger
4. Joy To The World!
5. The First Noel
6. It Came Upon The Midnight Clear
7. Silent Night
8. Deck The Halls
9. O! Little Town Of Bethlehem
10. God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen
11. Angels We Have Heard On High
12. Good King Wenceslas
13. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
14. Holly Green (And Cotton Candy White)

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Missed One

Uh oh, I just noticed that I didn't have a share ready to pop up in the 8 pm time slot this evening. You probably wouldn't notice, but I did. Let me see what I can throw up here real fast. It'll just be a few minutes late. I have so much stuff here, surely I can find something to post real quick. Here's a fundraising album for a children's home somewhere around here local, though I'm not quite sure where. I need to go back and read the liner notes but I'm in a bit of a hurry to get this up. Take a look at the scans in the download and you'll know more about this than I do. I remember there being some fun stuff on here. It's a combination of kids singing and some adults associated with the home as well, so don't be afraid to give it a listen. This is Dr. Lindy A. McGowan & Lighthouse Childrens' Home-His Children At Christmas (Land O' Roses ALG 68-35, Stereo). I feel like this is a double stock cover. We've seen this overall design before, as well as the ornament picture inside the main design being used as the entire cover. Weird.

1. O Come All Ye Faithful
2. Away In A Manger
3. Consider The Lilies
4. He Loves Me
5. If That Isn't Love
6. Heavenly Father I Appreciate You
7. Alleliuah-Silent Night (Medley)
8. Jesus Christ Is Coming Again
9. Silver Bells
10. Jingle Bells
11. Rudolph
12. White Christmas
13. It's Bubbling
14. We Wish You A Merry Christmas

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Agway

I've got another record here for you that I picked up just for the cover. It's a great example of that Seventies design aesthetic that used weird earthy colors. I think this is exactly the sort of color palette that Miami Vice came along and destroyed in the early Eighties with all their pastel pinks. But it's a nice design even if the colors are odd by today's standards. This is The Hamilton College Male Choir, Brass Choir, Woodwinds, Strings And Organ-An American Christmas (A Lexington Productions Recording/Agway Holiday Heritage Series LS1607, Stereo, 1967). Agway appears to have been a local store of some sort, I think they still exist today. And even though this is listed as part of a special holiday series, there is only this one entry as far as I can tell.

1. Joy To The World
2. Silent Night
3. Gloria In Excelsis Deo
4. Sir Christemas
5. Three Carols For Brass: In Thee Is Gladness; All My Heart This Christmas Rejoices; Unto Us A Child Is Born
6. Schlaf Mein Kindelein (Sleep, Little Child)
7. Brothers, Lift Your Voices
8. In Dulci Jubilo (Good Christian Men, Rejoice)
9. Adeste Fideles
10. The Kings Fanfare
11. Angels We Have Heard On High
12. Hark, The Herald Angels Sing
13. In The Bleak Midwinter
14. What Child Is This
15. Hodie Aparuit (Today He Appeared)
16. The Heavens Are Telling
17. Of The Father's Love Begotten
18. Schlaf Wohl (Sleep Well)
19. Sing We Noel
20. La Serafina (The Angel)
21. Coventry Carol
22. Three Kings

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US 27

Here's another record that features Christmas music from a roadside attraction, only we're on the other end of the country this time and I believe it's still there. I wonder if they have a gift shop where you can buy CDs of music from the chapel. I love souvenir records like this from out-of-the-way places. I have a few albums of music recorded at Disneyland in the early years of the park, but Christmas music is harder to find, especially from such a small, regional place. I hope you can appreciate it as much as I do. This is Mrs. Alvin Davis-Music Of Christmas From The Ida Cason Callaway Memorial Chapel (Callaway Gardens PRP 34921/34922, Stereo, 1971).

1. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
2. It Came Upon The Midnight Clear
3. There's A Song In The Air
4. O Little Town Of Bethlehem
5. O Holy Night
6. Away In A Manger
7. O Come, All Ye Faithful
8. What Child Is This
9. Silent Night, Holy Night
10. Angels We Have Heard On High
11. Joy To The World
12. Silver Bells
13. Jingle Bells
14. White Christmas
15. Do You Hear What I Hear
16. Rudolph, The Red Nosed Reindeer
17. The Christmas Song
18. I'll Be Home For Christmas

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Grape Juice

Here's a souvenir LP from a long-lost attraction in California called Welch's Mountain Fantasy. There's not a whole lot of info floating around out there on the internet about it, but it appears to have been a sort of time capsule located in the California mountains. Best date I could find for the theme park/ghost town attraction was post-1979, but it certainly feels a bit older. The music here is nothing special, just a collection of music boxes playing some of the usual Christmas tunes. But the idea of a release from a short-lived attraction on the other side of the country is pretty appealing to me. If that sort of thing appeal to you as well, download it and give it a listen. If anyone can fill in the details of this place, please do. No artist is listed, as is typical of these music box releases, so I think I listed Welch's as the artist. There's a good chance this is a reissue of a music box collection recorded and released elsewhere, but maybe they really did record their own collection for this release. This is Welch's Mountain Fantasy Presents The Christmas Music Box (Custom Fidelity for Welch's Mountain Fantasy CFS-3031, Stereo).

1. Jingle Bells  

2. White Christmas  

3. Silent Night, Holy Night  

4. Oh Come All Ye Faithful  

5. Hark, The Herald Angels Sing  

6. The Monastery Bells  

7. Skater's Waltz  

8. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town  

9. Song From "The Tyrolean"  

10. Silver Bell Song  

11. Wiener Blut  

12. Ave Maria (Prayer)  

13. The Holy City Song  

14. On Sonetissima (Christmas Song) 

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A Bank Is Its People

Time for an early morning share. Is anyone awake out there? I thought this was going to be another religious release, but it turned out to be a little better then that. I think it's a local community group that somehow got a big sponsor in a local savings bank. You never know what you're going to get with something like this and I think this one is better than average.  Add it to your collection today!  This is The Concert Singers-A Program Of Christmas Music (Fleetwood  Recording Co, BMC5162 For The Lynn Five Cents Savings Bank, Stereo). There was an entire concert program stuffed in the sleeve of this one. I scanned the whole thing and put it in the download for you. Enjoy!

1. Torches
2. Behold A Star
3. Tryste Noel
4. Still, Still, Still
5. Jesus Child
6. In Excelsis Gloria
7. Christmas Day
8. From "The Messiah": And The Glory Of The Lord
9. From "The Messiah": Glory To God
10. From "The Messiah": For Unto Us A Child Is Born
11. From "The Messiah": Hallelujah Chorus

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Angel Eyes

Here's another spoken word Christmas record for you. I used to try to share these all out at once but I've been spacing them out this year for some reason. I'm sure there are more in the big bucket o' shares that I will get to in due time, but this one rose to the top as I was perusing the list just now. Every time I think I have all the Christmas related records on the great spoken-word label Caedmon, another one comes along and surprises me. This one held an even bigger surprise when I saw who provided the background music. None other than Enoch Light's buddy Dick Hyman! This guy must have released close to a hundred (maybe more) records across every label Enoch Light ever owned, and when all those were done he just kept going for a whole host of independents. I believe he's still alive and living not too far from me, but I don't know if he's still recording. It wouldn't surprise me, to tell you the truth. So show him a little love and download Dame Judith Anderson-Music Composed And Performed By Dick Hyman-The Littlest Angel (Caedmon TC 1384, Stereo, 1973). This one is really long but the stories are enjoyable. You've probably heard the story about The Little Angel a million times, but the b-side was a new one on me.

1. The Littlest Angel
2. The Bells Of Christmas

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Ruby Red

How could you possibly pass up a great cover like that one? You may not care about carolers and an organ, but the music is really secondary when you come across a great looking album you've never seen before. And did I mention it comes on beautiful transparent red vinyl? I guess a lot of these small-label records came on colored vinyl as a way to set them apart from the majors. People see them these days and think they are rare items, but they're really much more common than you might think. Plus they only ever got pressed once, so there's no such thing as a second pressing on plain black vinyl. I had a record store guy try to charge me a premium price for some obscure religious 10" Christmas record that happened to be on clear red vinyl. He wouldn't listen when I tried to tell him that didn't make it worth one dime more, but he told me in no uncertain terms to go away. Oh well, I didn't need yet another obscure religious Christmas record, I already have more than anyone needs. And you can have one more too if you just download Jack Rains Carolers & Lorin Whitney, Organ-Christmas Carols (Sacred Records LP 9048, Transparent Red Vinyl, Mono).

1. Star Of The East
2. Joy To The World; Come All Ye Faithful
3. Angels We Have Heard On High; Oh Little Town Of Bethlehem
4. It Came Upon A Midnight Clear; Angels From The Realms Of Glory
5. Silent Night
6. Shepherds Shake Off Your Drowsy Sleep
7. Hark The Herald Angels Sing
8. The March Of Three Kings; The Golden Carol
9. Luther's Cradle Hymn
10. Away In A Manger
11. O Come All Ye Faithful; It Came Upon A Midnight Clear

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The Friendly Skies

Here's a new one for you, a Christmas album put out by an airline! Never seen such a thing, but now we'll see it together. This is Frohe Weihnachten (Lufthansa (Germany) F 667.599, Stereo). It's an interesting collection of Christmas music, including at least one track on the zither, one on a music box and whole lot of other things that make this an eclectic listen. Enjoy!

1. Little Bells-Glöckchen
2. Der Bielefelder Kinderchor-Ltg.: Friedrich Oberschelp-O Du Fröhliche
3. Münchner Bürger Sänger Zunft-Dir.: Gottfried Huber mit Hackbrett und Gitarre-O Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum
4. Stuttgarter Hymnus-Chorknaben-Kommet Ihr Hirten
5. Hermann Prey, Bariton-Tölzer Knabenchor, Das Symphonie-Orchester Graunke-Leise Rieselt Der Schnee
6. Sängerkreis Solingen-Meigen; Dir.: Arnold Kempkens mit Streoichquartett und Celesta-Alle Jahre Wieder
7. Alfons Bauer, Zither; Lisl Fanderl, Hackbrett-Weihnachtliche Saitenmusik
8. Music Box With Percussion-Musikdose Mit Schlagwerk
9. Der Bielefelder Kinderchor; Ltg.: Friedrich Oberschlep-Ihr Kinderlein Kommet
10. Die Sonntagskinder;Dir.: Dr. Rudolf Becher; Gesamtzeit Des Medley's-Es Ist Für Uns Eine Zeit Angekommen; Kling Glöckchen; Morgen Kinder Wird's Was Geben
11. Heinz Schachtner Und Sein Orchester-Süßer Die Glocken Nie Klingen
12. Berlin-Spandauer Männergesangverein; Dir.: Otto Ruthenberg mit Orgel-Am Weihnachtsbaume Die Lichter Brennen
13. Chor Vom Bergischen Land; Dir.: Hans Lonberg mit Streichorchester-Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht
14. Little Bells-Glöckengeläute

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FDR

How do you follow up a really good share? Maybe something that's not so good? I feel like there is going to be a lot of up and down this season. I was pretty indiscriminate about what I grabbed and record, I just wanted to grab as much as I could early in the year and commit the vinyl to digital. I wanted to spread out the load instead of trying to do everything in the month before the season started, and I think it worked out well. I've got a lot of good records and a lot of bad records in the pile to share, and sometimes you and I will differ as to which is which. Let's take this one for instance. I'm sure I grabbed it because of that cover. (Now I have to try and remember where I've seen it before. Pretty sure I shared it here at the blog... Found it!!) It's just kids singing, which some people love and some people won't even take a chance on. I always say you should take a chance on anything, so here's your opportunity to give something different a try. This is Roosevelt Elementary School-Mrs. Marjorie B. Seavey, Director-Holiday Memories (Roosevelt School 0320, Stereo). Interesting song selection on here, that's always a good sign. The kids get to have a little fun instead of singing the same old hymns.

1. Holiday Of Love
2. Silver Bells
3. Over The River (And Through The Woods)
4. Lowly Birth
5. Joy To The World
6. Angels We Have Heard On High
7. Hark Ye What Angel Voices
8. Jingle Bell Rock!
9. The Ballad Of The Donkey
10. I'm Getting Nuttin' For Christmas
11. Oh Little Boy Jesus
12. I Heard The Bells
13. White Christmas
14. O Bambino
15. O Tannenbaum
16. Are My Ears On Straight?
17. Jingle Bells
18. Have A Holly Jolly Christmas

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Frenchy

Another in a long parade of local color I'm bringing you this year is this LP from Frenchy Boutan and his friends, hailing from Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. I have no idea when or where I found the album, it just sort of turned up in the collection one day when I was looking for something to record. I'm glad it turned up though because it's better than it really has any right to be. There's nothing super original here, but it's all well done and very listenable. Looks like Frenchy was a DJ in Wisconsin and retired to Largo, Florida in later years. That's not too far from me, so it's easy to imagine this LP could have been brought down here by the man himself, or perhaps one of his fans. Always a pleasure to find something this enjoyable that you've never heard before. Give a listen to Frenchy Boutan And Friends-A Merry Christmas With Frenchy Boutan And Friends (Claremont Records 21069, Stereo).

1. Frenchy Boutan-Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas  

2. Jan Castle-The Christmas Song  

3. Frenchy Boutan And Jan Castle-Blue Christmas  

4. Frenchy Boutan-C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S  

5. Frenchy Boutan And Jan Castle, Wendy And Carrie Travis-Holiday On Ice  

6. Frenchy Boutan And Jan Castle, Wendy And Carrie Travis-Winter Wonderland  

7. Frenchy Boutan-Will Santy Come To Old Shanty Town?  

8. Frenchy Boutan-Christmas In Killarney  

9. Frenchy Boutan, Wendy And Carrie Travis-Bless You Little Sleepy Head  

10. Jimmy Merrick-Organ Medley: Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer; Santa Claus Is Coming To Town  

11. Frenchy Boutan-What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?  

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Little Christmas On The Prairie

So many records to share this year, I don't know how I'll fit them all in. But I'm giving it the old college try. This time it's a neat album that touts it's midwest roots, which I love. Who wouldn't enjoy a Christmas on the prairie? Certainly these folks enjoy it and so will you. This is Prairie Choristers-Christmas On The Prairie (Crusade Enterprises SPC...1012, Stereo). If you enjoy this record, stay tuned, I've got some Christmas goodies from some people who once liked in a little house out on the prairie, if you get my drift...

1. Christmas Carol
2. Glory To God
3. Joy To The World
4. Star Of The East
5. Once In Royal David's City
6. Away In A Manger
7. Glory To God In The Highest
8. Christians, Awake!
9. The Star And The Wise Men
10. Lo, How A Rose E'er Blooming
11. O Come, Little Children
12. Far, Far Away On Judea's Plains
13. The Babe Of Bethlehem
14. Silent Night

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Bock Bock

I was a little surprised to find out that the artist behind this record is the same as that last one. Sure, he hides behind a few pseudonyms, but he's not too hidden. I believe each of the made-up artists on this record also released a full-length LP of music appropriate to whatever instrument they're hyping with the name, but none of those are Christmas albums. Only this pseudo-various artists record is of the holiday variety. And it's an interesting mix of stuff. Give it a listen and see what you think. From the mixed-up world of Fred Bock, this is The Sunday Series-A Tribute To Christmas (Image VII VII-7739, Stereo, 1976).

1. Sunday Trombones-Arranged & Conducted By Fred Bock-Joy To The World
2. Sunday Pianos-Arranged & Conducted By Fred Bock-Away In A Manger
3. Sunday Singers-Arranged & Conducted By Fred Bock-While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks By Night
4. Sunday Strings-Arranged & Conducted By Fred Bock-Over In Bethlehem
5. Sunday Saxes-Arranged & Conducted By Fred Bock-Hark The Herald Angels Sing
6. Sunday Guitars-Arranged & Conducted By Fred Bock-We Three Kings
7. Sunday Organ-Arranged & Conducted By Fred Bock-Star Of The East
8. Sunday Pianos-Arranged & Conducted By Fred Bock-Deck The Halls
9. Sunday Strings-Arranged & Conducted By Fred Bock-Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne
10. Sunday Singers-Arranged & Conducted By Fred Bock-Do You Hear What I Hear
11. Sunday Trombones-Arranged & Conducted By Fred Bock-O Come All Ye Faithful
12. Sunday Guitars-Arranged & Conducted By Fred Bock-O Little Town Of Bethlehem
13. Sunday Saxes-Arranged & Conducted By Fred Bock-Silent Night

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Bock

If there's one style of record I have the most of for you this season, it's religious records. It seemed like two out of every three records I ripped were performed by some sort of religious organization. I don't think I finished processing all of those, so you're not going to get quite that many in the shares, but you're going to get a lot of them. And many of them are better than you think, even better than they have any right to be. I seem to recall hearing a Moog right in the middle of one recently, but for the life of me I can't remember which one it was. So if you're listening to a random record from me and you suddenly hear the electronic waverings of Robert Moog, don't say I didn't warn you. I don't think it's this record though, but you never know. This one is just organ music, so I won't claim it's anything special, but there's room for everything in my collection. This is Fred Bock-Upon A Midnight Clear (Impact R-3479, Stereo, 1977).

1. The First Noel
2. We Three Kings
3. It Came Upon A Midnight Clear
4. I Wonder As I Wander
5. Away In A Manger
6. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
7. Lo, How A Rose E'er Blooming
8. O Holy Night
9. O Little Town of Bethlehem
10. Joy to the World!
11. Some Children See Him
12. Angels, We Have Heard on High
13. While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks
14. O Come, All Ye Faithful
15. Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne
16. Silent Night

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What The Dickens 4

What's this? Yet another Christmas Carol? I didn't even realize this one was in the pile, but there it was when I was looking for something else. I've really got to start planning these things out better. This is Frank Pettingell-Directed By Arthur Luce Klein-Frank Pettingell Presents Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol (Westminster Spoken Arts-Great Artists Series 728, Mono). I love these old spoken word records. Well, I like the idea of them but I rarely listen to them. Sort of audio books before there was such a thing. I don't listen to those either, for what it's worth.

1. A Christmas Carol Part 1
2. A Christmas Carol Part 2

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What The Dickens 3

As promised, here's the third rendition of Dicken's Christmas Carol I've shared today and the one that I was the most excited to find. This one was recorded (mostly) at my alma mater, the University of Florida, by a longtime professor and dean. He was long gone by the time I got there, but it's still pretty neat to have a small piece of the history of my school. I don't remember any Christmas traditions like this from when I was there, but to be honest most of the student body emptied out at the end of the semester for winter break, and the days before that exodus occurred were filled with final exams and college football. Unlike the last double album Dickens, this version takes up all four sides, but it does pad things out with some songs. I tried to edit everything into it's own track so you can skip the music if you like, but there's still a little bit of overlap. Go Gators and listen to Lester L. Hale & Norwood Singers-Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" (Sterling Productions 2xLP SP 111075, Stereo, 1974). As far as I know, this concludes the Charles Dickens portion of this year's sharity. Hope you enjoyed the retelling of the only Christmas ghost story that I'm aware of.

1. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen (Vocal)  
2. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen (Organ)  
3. Stave I-Marley's Ghost  
4. Carol Of Christmas  
5. Oh Come, All Ye Faithful  
6. Stave II-The Ghost Of Christmas Past  
7. O Holy Night  
8. Stave III-The Ghost Of Christmas Present  
9. Introduction To Stave IV  
10. Stave IV-The Ghost Of Christmas Yet To Come  
11. Angels We Have Heard On High  
12. Stave V-The End Of It  
13. Silent Night 

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What The Dickens 2

Here's another of the double albums I mentioned earlier in the season, and another retelling of Dicken's immortal A Christmas Carol. This one is not oriented towards the kids, but it was recited to a bunch of college students in New England right at the end of the fifties (then released the following year). So maybe it's aimed at older kids. The performer is a professor of speech, so he's very eloquent. It's a double album, but the retelling only take up three of the four sides. The fourth side is various speeches and announcements that aren't all that exciting to anyone who wasn't there, so feel free to skip that bit. But don't skip the rest, I'm sure you'll enjoy it. This is Delbert G. Lean-A Christmas Carol By Charles Dickens [Abridged] (Jennins Recording Service/College Bookstore, Wooster, Ohio 2xLP KO8P-3790/3791/3792/3793, 1960).

1. Introduction  
2. A Christmas Carol-Part 1  
3. A Christmas Carol-Part 2  
4. A Christmas Carol-Part 3  
5. Introductions And Announcements  
6. Closing Remarks 

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What The Dickens 1

After that giant sharity of a Saturday yesterday, I'm slowing things down a little bit here with a few different versions of A Christmas Carol. I'm starting with a single-disc highly-abridged version that's aimed squarely at the kiddie market with a vaguely psychedelic cover image that doesn't seem to have anything to do with the story at hand. And it's part of the Adventure Hour Series (thus the Volume Seven in the title), I guess because of all the ghosts involved. How many ghosts? Four! I don't care what anyone says, there are four ghosts! Past, Present, Future and Marley! Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Let's give a listen to Professor Margaret C. Tyler-Volume Seven-A Christmas Carol (T.o.T. Productions 1813, 1973). More ghosts to come, I promise.

1. A Christmas Carol Part 1  
2. A Christmas Carol Part 2 

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A Cartoon Christmas 18

Almost bedtime after a long day of serious TV watching. Christmas is almost a month away, but I bet they're already showing some of those annual Christmas TV specials. Yep, sure enough, it's time for Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town. I've heard the song for years, I guess I should watch the special so that I know the true story behind the music. Fred Astaire, Keenan Wynn, Mickey Rooney, et. al.-Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town (MGM SE4732, Stereo, 1970). That's all I've got in the pile for you today, it'll be bedtime right after this show ends. I thought I had a copy of a Superman, Batman & Wonder Woman Christmas record, but I couldn't seem to find it when I wanted to record it. Maybe it'll turn up for next season. Don't forget to check back often, just in case it shows itself. :)

1. Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town-Side 1  
2. Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town-Side 2

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A Cartoon Christmas 17

The cartoons shows are long over for the day, time to sit down and watch some reruns. How about Lee Majors in The Six Million Dollar Man? Hmmm, I wonder... Sure enough, look what I found, yet another Christmas album for you! This is The Six Million Dollar Man-Hear 4 Exciting Christmas Adventures (Peter Pan/Universal City Studios 8208, Stereo, 1978). Who would have believed it?

1. The Toymaker  
2. The Kris Kringle Caper  
3. Christmas Lights  
4. Elves' Revolt 

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A Cartoon Christmas 16

Too late in the day to find any cartoons in TV, so I think I'll listen to some records. Here's a classic single from The Turtles. Sorta sounds familiar, I know I recognize those voices. Sure enough, looks like the main guys behind The Turtles, Flo & Eddie, are the same guys behind this Christmas record from The Care Bears, another set of characters owned and commercialized by American Greetings. I'm not going to speak ill of this one too much because it's actually kind of good, probably due to the involvement of Flo and Eddie (they were also members of Frank Zappa's Mothers Of Invention for a while, so these guys have some bona fides). You'll see what I'm talking about if you download and listen to The Care Bears-A Care Bears Christmas (Kid Stuff/American Greetings KS 5040, Stereo, 1983). Enjoy!

1. Care Bear Theme; A Care Bear Christmas  
2. Here Comes Christmas  
3. Dialogue  
4. (Fafalala) Happy Christmas Time  
5. Dialogue  
6. Christmas Time In Care-A-Lot  
7. Christmas Theme (Reprise)  
8. Dialogue  
9. Christmas Without Santa  
10. Dialogue  
11. The Ten Bears Of Christmas  
12. Dialogue  
13. The Greatest Gift Of All  
14. Dialogue  
15. Christmas Is All Year; We Wish You A Merry Christmas  
16. Dialogue  
17. Christmas Theme (Reprise)

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A Cartoon Christmas 15

Awful late in the day to find any cartoons on TV, but maybe I'll get lucky if I flip around for a while. What's this, some commercial for a toy dog that I can adopt? What a great idea! I wonder if they made a Christmas album for it? Why yes they did, and here's a copy of Pound Puppies-Pound Puppies Sing And Bark Jingle Bells And Other Christmas Favorites (Peter Pan/Tonka GT-13, Stereo, 1985). Tonka, the toy truck people? Clearly anyone can and did make a Christmas record during this period. Though I think they were a little devoid of ideas by the time they got to this one. I think they listened to The Singing Dogs doing Jingle Bells, and sort of took all their inspiration from there. You'll see.

1. Jingle Bells  
2. Night Before Christmas  
3. Frosty The Snowman  
4. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town  
5. Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer  
6. We Wish You A Merry Christmas  
7. Deck The Halls  
8. My Favorite Things  
9. It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas  
10. Twelve Days Of Christmas 

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A Cartoon Christmas 14

Back home again and checking the channels for some more cartoons. Back up on the UHF station and they've got some old Popeye cartoons running. And wouldn't you know it, here's a Christmas album from one and the same! This is Popeye And Friends-Hear 4 Exciting Christmas Stories With Popeye And Friends (Peter Pan 8215, Stereo, 1977). This one says it features the original voice of Popeye, Jack Mercer. Sounds just like the guy on the TV, so I guess that's correct.

1. Christmas Pie  
2. Pearlburgers  
3. Deck The Halls  
4. Santa Popeye

MEGA

A Cartoon Christmas 13

Thought I could stay home and watch cartoons all day, but I guess I was wrong. Have to go with Mom out shopping, but at least we get to stop at the toy store. But wait, what's this at the toy store? It happens to be a Toys 'R Us and they've got a Christmas record featuring their mascot, Geoffrey the Giraffe. What luck! Who expected to find a Christmas record based on an animated character from TV commercials. This is Geoffrey Giraffe-A Merry Geoffrey Christmas (Wonderland Records for Toys 'R' Us WLP-302, Stereo, 1975). I believe the Jeff Wayne who did the music here is the same Jeff Wayne that did the War Of The Worlds album that was a staple of record stores when I was younger. I could be wrong though.

1. Geoffrey's Christmas Tree  
2. Geoffrey And His Christmas Snow Machine  
3. Geoffrey's Christmas Dream  
4. 'Twas The Night Before Christmas (According To Geoffrey)

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A Cartoon Christmas 12

 High noon on a Saturday morning, that's usually when the cartoons switch over to afternoon horror movies or Wide World Of Sports. Not here though. Around here, it's all Christmas all the time, and today it's all cartoons. Time now for everyone's favorite Belgian import. No, not Tintin, it's The Smurfs, and they're singing their usual happy little songs. I'm asking myself why there wasn't a record-collecting Smurf. There probably was, but he was way in the back of the group shots, hoping the picture would be over soon and he could go visit the nearby thrift store before they closed. Oh well. This is The Smurfs-Merry Christmas With The Smurfs (Starland Music S-1033, Stereo, 1983).

1. Smurfing Bells  
2. Winter Wonderland  
3. Santa Claus Is On His Way  
4. Let Us Sing Together  
5. Churchbells Are Singing (Church Bells Are Breaking The Silence)  
6. Oh, Christmas Tree  
7. Christmas Presents  
8. Little Drummerboy  
9. The Twelve Days Of Christmas  
10. Santa Claus Will Come Tonight  
11. Deck The Halls  
12. Bells Jingle  
13. Silent Night, Holy Night  
14. We Wish You A Merry Christmas  
15. Merry Christmas Little Smurfs Everywhere

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