Merry Shellacmas 2011!

Shellac holiday sides from my overflowing 78 collection, save for the last title, which is from a 7-inch vinyl 78 rpm disc. Three Nutcracker selections, a Jingle Bells Galop, and two Prince's Orch. titles, plus four more, make for a happy, scratchy Christmas. Sing it, Burl!

Burl: "Have a happy, scratchy Christma.... (Click) Christma.... (Click) Christma.... (Click)...."

Click here to hear: Merry Shellacmas 2011!


PLAYLIST

OVERTURE MINIATURE (Tchaikovsky)--Arthur Pryor's Band, 1912.
NUT CRACKER BALLET (DANCE CHARACTERISTIQUE)--A. Pryor's Band, 1911.
AROUND THE CHRISTMAS TREE (Chas. A. Prince)--Prince's Orch., 1913.
CHRISTMAS CHIMES--Salon Orch., w. Vocal Refrain, c. 1931.
MEMORIES OF CHRISTMAS (Bowers)--Prince's O. w. Contralto solo and Male Qt., 1918.
CHRISTMAS TIME IN MERRIE ENGLAND--Regimental Band of H.M. Grenadier Guards, 1922.
DECORATING THE CHRISTMAS TREE--Bowmar Records 1554.
MARCH FROM NUTCRACKER SUITE--Victor Orch., 1925.
JINGLE BELLS GALOP--Bowmar Records 1554.
SLEIGH RIDE--Laura Leslie w. Peter Pan Orch. (Peter Pan X-10)


Lee

Carol of the Drum-athon

Carol of the Drum/The Little Drummer Boy. One song, two titles. Here's my 2006 post which explains it all, or at least tries to: Carol of the Little Drummer Boy.

Basically, before it was semi-stolen by Harry Simeone, The Little Drummer Boy was Carol of the Drum. The earliest Drum recording I know of is the Trapp Family Singers' marvelous 1952 performance. (Yes, the Sound of Music people, in real life.) The next-earliest version I'm aware of is the Moody Chorale's on the Word label, which is probably a 1956 recording. I say "probably," because the Moody LP is mentioned in the Jan. 12, 1957 Billboard as a new release, making late 1956 the likely studio date. It appears to predate the 1957 Testor Chorus, Jack Halloran, and St. Patrick's Cathedral Choir sides.

These sides are in today's zip file. Also included is the surprisingly outstanding Peter Pan label knock-off, which we have in both mono (its original 45 rpm issue) and stereo (an LP reissue on the Tiara label). Two more versions complete the playlist.

Notice the three-part harmony on the Trapp Family side, along with the very brisk tempo. Second-fastest is the Peter Pan/Tiara version. The Harry Simeone 1958 recording (not included here) proceeds pretty quickly, too--the Halloran, less so. Finding a pattern here? I'm not!

I believe I have a Tops label knock-off, as well, but the question is where. And the answer is, somewhere in the vastness of the Media Room....

To the drum-athon: Carol of the Drum-athon


CAROL OF THE DRUM (Katherine K. Davis)--Trapp Family Singers, 1952.
CAROL OF THE DRUM--Jack Halloran Singers, 1957.
CAROL OF THE DRUM--St. Patrick's Cathedral Choir, 1957.
CAROL OF THE DRUM--The Testor Chorus, 1957.
CAROL OF THE DRUM--The Moody Chorale, Dir. by Don Hustad, prob. 1956.
THE LITTLE DRUMMER BOY--Peter Pan Caroleers, prob. 1958.
THE LITTLE DRUMMER BOY--Same, in stereo.
CAROL OF THE DRUM--Seeburg Background Music Systems, year unknown.
CAROL OF THE DRUM--Capital Chapel Choir, 1968. (Capital Univ., Bexley OH)


Lee

The One Horse Open Sleigh (J. Pierpont)

Greetings. I'm repeating this Jan. 23 post for Christmas 2011. To date, my file has been downloaded 1,081 times! Look at me, Ma, I'm a star.

So, I received my eBay copy of the William B. Bradbury tunebook, The Victory (1872 edition), and there on page 74 is James Pierpont's The One Horse Open Sleigh, a.k.a. Jingle Bells. Only with its original melody, which is different in spots from the one we know.

So I put together a recording, with me at the Casio WK-3800 (Patch 071). This is tricky to play, because the tenor part is up top on its own line (and notated an octave up in the treble clef), which makes putting all four voices together a royal pain, since the tenor has to be added to the bass, alto, and soprano, and played an octave lower than written. Therefore, I recorded this four bars at a time and joined the results together. Which is actually less of a hassle than renotating the thing for easier reading.

Except for a couple rushed measures, this came out nicely, I think.

The One Horse Open Sleigh (James Pierpont)


Now you say you've heard Jingle Bells in its original form. Unless you've heard it before, in which case you can say you've heard it again.


Lee

A new Beginning

In a new rip, here is my copy of Gee Whiz, It's Christmas by the fabulous Bahamian band, The Beginning of the End. Recorded in 1970, it was the flip side of the original issue of Funky Nassau. It was left off the U.S. version of the single.

As I wrote last year, "Happiness is: 1) Discovering that the Beginning of the End recorded a Christmas side, then 2) winning that side. Sometimes Santa works through eBay."

Gee Whiz, It's Christmas--Beginning of the End, 1970.



Lee

Jack Owens and Sam Cowling: The Mistletoe Song (1947)

The Mistletoe Song--Jack Owens, Sam Cowling w. Eddie Ballantine O. (Tower 1261, 1947)
White Christmas--Jack Owens w. Eddie Ballantine O. (Same)

Spike Jones meets Freddy Martin in this strange Christmas novelty from 1947. More interesting than funny, but at least I wasn't bored. The flip side is an exceptionally good version of White Christmas. This Chicago record label is not related to the Capitol subsidiary which featured the Sunrays, Standells, and Ian Whitcomb.




Lee

Not THE "Little Drummer Boy"

Little Drummer Boy, a number written in 1938 by Art Noel and Don Pelosi, in a recording made the same year. This is not the famous Katherine K. Davis Christmas song.

This, however, is MY(P)WHAE.

Click here to hear: Little Drummer Boy--Horace Heidt and His Brigadiers; voc: Larry Cotton, 1938.


Lee

Sunday morning gospel: Christ Back into Christmas

Three Christ-back-in-Christmas songs, one Mom-at-Christmas title, and four country gospel numbers. You'll be glad you stopped by. All but one were ripped from 78s.

Click here to hear: Christ Back Into Christmas.zip

I'M GONNA LIVE IN A BRAND NEW MANSION--J.C. Hollie (Gospel Record 307)
WHAT SHALL I DO WITH JESUS-Same.
PUT CHRIST BACK INTO CHRISTMAS (Eddie Unger)--Organta Trio (Unger Music E1-KB-2381)
PUT CHRIST BACK INTO CHRISTMAS--Red Foley, Anita Kerr Singers (Decca 28940; 1953)
I WANT CHRIST BACK IN CHRISTMAS--Sister Cecilia w. Ursuline Sisters, 1962.
I'D LIKE TO SEE MY MOM FOR CHRISTMAS (E. Unger)--Bob Jones w. the Williams Sextette (Unger Music)
I BELIEVE IN THE GOOD OLD BIBLE--Armond, Caroll, and Robert Forseth (Favorite Gospel Recording H-21)
I'M LONGING FOR JESUS TO COME BACK--Same.

Lee