Editor's note: a few interesting tidbits can be found about Eddie "Piano" Miller here. I kind of enjoy listening to this at 33 RPM. It gives off a laissez-faire effect that most likely will be ruined by a speeding up to 78 RPM. I mean, they didn't call him "Piano" for his grunge-y and dirge-y spirit, I'm assuming. We'll see.
The Going Thing were a band manufactured by the Ford Motor Company for marketing purposes. This one-sided Christmas LP was given away to Ford employees for Christmas of 1968. John Naughton, a Ford executive at the time, delivers the spoken introduction that opens the album.
I suppose that's better than actually researching it for myself.
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing 2:34 Away In A Manger 2:15 What Child Is This 3:48 The Birthday Of A King 2:39 Star Carol 3:07 Gesu Bambino 4:35 O Little Town Of Bethlehem 3:18
Editor's note: a big big big voice for a record collector if only due to his disfigurement from a plane crash that Mr. Womach survived. Yeah, that's his big claim to fame with most vinyl enthusiasts and I'd be lying if I didn't keep a watchful eye out for him as well. It's a curious story made better by the fact that his faith was not borne of his tragedy. Not that I'm a religious person but it's nice to see that he wasn't converted by circumstance. A nice record either way.
Editor's note: something Steve Peregrin Took might have recorded had he not met Syd Barrett or dabbled in 'shrooms. A sound Xmas organ and chimes billet-doux to all ye Yuletide cherubs.
Do You Hear What I Hear
carol of the Bells
The Boar's Head Carol
Here We Come A-Caroling
Jingle Bells
The Sleigh
Deck the Hall
We Wish You A Merry Christmas
Editor's note: one of the better records of the season. About what you'd expect from an university choir: professional enough to fool a tone deaf dolt like myself. Not that anyone was listening for faults in the performance.
Editor's note: the booming bass of Dylan Thomas' voice is as omnipresent in the poetry world as the voice of poetry is mostly silent in the real world. It's relegated to the circles of intellectuals, professors and dandies and this isn't always a prudent tact since some is rather relevant to time and place. Thomas fits perfectly with the moderns and bridges the giant gap between his contemporaries and the post-modernists and the end of classical writing in the genre. Now, everybody is a comedian and confessional in the worst possible way: cutesy and boring. Imagine Bukowski in a clown suit dancing a jig and everybody in the crowd whooping it up because they think that Allen Ginsberg is in their midst and entertaining them. Yeah, it's that bad. This album, however, is a rememberance of good poetry. Remind me to post more in the coming new year.
Editor's note: my, oh, my has Detroit changed these past 50 years or so. Seeing it nowadays it's hard to believe that beautiful music was ever possible in the city. Not exactly my taste in Christmas spirit but a very professionally done and pleasant sounding record.
"Adeste Fidelis" continued and "Ave Verum" Concluding Rite--Prayer and Communion Solemn Blessing and Dismissal Final Hymn--"Laetentur Coeli" (recorded December 25, 1978 in St. Peter's Square) Hymn to the Pontiff (Gounod) Christmas Greetings in Various Languages Final Blessing--"Urbi et Orbi" Hymn to the Pontiff (Gounod) Italian National Anthem & Final Greeting
Editor's note: there is far too much clapping in this recording. Especially since this is a mass and you're not really supposed to clap in church are you? I mean maybe after a sermon or something but during a choral work? What do I know about church? Listen up halo-carriers and heathens alike and maybe you'll find yourself some religion. Though nothing to knock a pope over for!
'TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS
CHRISTMAS HYMN
GOOD KING WENCESLAS
GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN
GATHER AROUND THE CHRISTMAS TREE
NOW LIGHT ONE THOUSAND CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS
MARCH OF THE KINGS
SING WE NOW OF CHRISTMAS
THE SHEPHERDS' CAROL
I WONDER AS I WANDER
RISE UP SHEPHERD AND FOLLOW
AWAY IN A MANGER
CHRIST WAS BORN ON CHRISTMAS DAY
SOFTLY THE NIGHT IS SLEEPING
CANTIQUE DE NOEL
LET OUR GLADNESS KNOW NO END
RING OUT WILD BELLS
Editor's note: a bit crackle-y, 'tis it not? All the better say the old-timers who used to sit by the voice box and listen to the crackle of war, wine-worn music and reality by the fireplace when there was nothing left of the day. Imagine that while you warm yourself with a space heater, a Snuggie and a spicy can of Red Bull.
Editor's note: if you came to hear the Canadian Brass then you'll have to come back next year because I found this one yesterday at a thrift store and it trumps any damned brass band from the north. By today's standards this is a pretty tame effort but considering that this beast was put out in 1968 it is a monumental recording. Not electronica like we know it and mostly that's a good thing. Not so fortuitous is the newspaper clipping glued to the front sleeve, interesting as it may be.
Editor's note: the Di Mara sisters were Italian immigrants to Detroit and busted out an album or two. Or so said an account I read on the internet. Everything on the internet is true, right? Of course it is. Lalalala.
with the Bielefelder Kinderchor Directed by Friedrich Oberschelp
CAPITOL RECORDS SM-10308 STEREO
SIDE A:
VON HIMMEL HOCH (From Heaven High) IHR HIRTEN, ERWACHT (Watch, You Shepherds) ES IST EIN ROS' ENTSPRUNGEN ('Lo How A Rose Ere Blooming) VON HIMMEL HOCH, IHR ENGLIEIN KOMMT (Come, You Angels, From Heaven Above) JOSEF, LIEBER JOSEF MEIN (Joseph, My Sweet Joseph) STILL, STILL, STILL, WEIL'S KINDLEIN SCHLAFEN WILL (Quiet, Quiet, Quiet, As The Child Is Sleeping) GELOBET, SEIST DU, JESU CHRIST (Praise Ye, Jesus Christ) HERBEI, O IHR GLA|UBIGEN (Come, All Ye faithful) STILLE NACHT, HEILIFE NACHT (Silent Night, Holy Night)
SUSSER DIE GLOCKEN NIE KLINGEN (The Bells Never Sounded Sweeter) IHR KINDERLEIN KOMMET (Come, You Little Children) O TANNEBAUM HEILIGE NACHT, NACHT DER UNDENDLICHEN LIEBE (Holy Night, Night Of Everlasting Love) DER CHRISTBAUM IST DER SCHONSTE BAUM (The Christmas Tree Os The Most Beautiful Tree) O FREUDE, UBER FREUDE (O Joy Of Joys) LASST UNS DAS KINDLEIN WIEGEN (Let Us Rock The Child) AUF DEM BERGE, DA WEHET DER WIND (The Wind Is Blowing On The Mountain) ALLE JAHR WEIDER (Every Year Again) O DU FROHLICHE (O Joyful Christmastime)
Editor's note: these guys are more than just two guys with Pee Wee Herman haircuts inside a Christmas ornament and a third guy with that third guy look about him. They are a party band and they bring you this Xmas festivity from a half century ago with enough vigor to rock you for another half century or two.
Editor's note: kids singing Hawaiian Xmas songs. Quite pleasantly I might add. Not enough to make me want to go to the islands though. In fact, I think I've gotten the ocean and nice weather out of my system for this lifetime.
WSROD NOCNEJ CISNY (In The Still Of The Night) 1:28
DZISIAJ W BETLEJEM (Today In Bethlehem) 1:37
PRZYLECIELI ANIOLKOWIE (The Angels Came) 1:30
W ZLOBIE LEZY (Away In The Manger) 2:15
MY TEZ PASTUSZKOWIE (We Too Are Shepherds) 2:20
POJDZMY WSZYSCY DO STAJENKI (To The Manger) 2:30
SLICZNA PANIENKA (Beautiful Lady) 2:59
MEDRCY SWIATA (Kings Of The World) 1:52
LULALAJZE JEZUNIU (Sleep Little Jesus) 2:01
Pasterze Mili (Shepherds Mild) 2:08
TRYUMFY KROLA NIEBIESIEGO (Triumphant King Of Heaven) 1:59
HEJ W DZIEN NARODZENIA (Hail! The Day Of His Birth) 1:47
NOWY ROK BIEZY (New Year Begins) 1:17
Editor's note: this is the long route to an hour's worth of polka Christmas music but I like it. 4 records shows dedication. Anything more or less would just be a record. This is a season upon itself. Polka Christmas welcomes thee and pulls you into her warm waltzing bosom o' love.
TINKERBELL/AMBASSADOR RECORDS
SX 1727
1960s
STEREO
SIDE A:
RUDOLPH, THE RED-NOSE REINDEER
SANTA'S COMING DOWN THE CHIMNEY [WHEN HE COMES]
FIRST SKATER'S WALTZ
DOWN THE HOLIDAY TRAIL
THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS SONG
Editor's note: despite the generic cartoon cover this is actually a great Christmas record! A breezy, well-played and sung carol spectacular. The only real problem is that it's actually too short! Imagine that!
Editor's note: you're probably not going to be very excited about this record unless you're a music box junkie. Then again if you're a music box junie you're probably not much in the habit of getting very excited, period.
Love To Infinity - Classic Paradise (1998)
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Volume Eleven-Ten Years On
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SAP Music Christmas 2017
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Rufus Thomas - I Want To Get Married
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Ma Fou Fou
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I came across this record on a few blogs and managed to track down some audio from WFMU's site. I would love to hear more from this honky-tonkin' caterwaulin' queen. Listen to the tracks below and I think you will too!
