Saturday, December 31, 2011

Stereo Gospel

Last post before the New Year, this may or may not be familiar to you.  Some years ago, I posted a mono version of one of the best Southern Gospel Christmas records ever, and tonight I'm giving you the stereo version.  But it wasn't an easy find.  It took me years, and what I found was actually a Camden budget reissue from 1969.  So I recorded it and was all set to share it with you.  Then I stumbled across an actual stereo copy of the original issue, that's what you see down at the bottom, and what you might recognize from my original share back in 2007.  Both records are the same music, just with different covers.  I included scans of both in the ZIP file for you.  I'm sure you'll enjoy this record as much as I did growing up with it.  This is James Blackwood And The Blackwood Brothers & Hovie Lister And The Statesmen-O Come, All Ye Faithful (RCA Camden CAS-2361, Stereo, 1969).

1. O Come, All Ye Faithful-The Blackwood Brothers & The Statesmen
2. Silver Bells-The Blackwood Brothers
3. Go Tell It On The Mountain-The Statesmen
4. Praises To Our King-The Blackwood Brothers
5. White Christmas-The Statesmen
6. Christmas Means Christ To Me-The Blackwood Brothers
7. Joy To The World!-The Blackwood Brothers & The Statesmen
8. Christmas Time Is Here-The Statesmen
9. O Little Town Of Bethlehem-The Blackwood Brothers
10. Away In A Manger-The Statesmen
11. O Holy Night!-The Blackwood Brothers
12. Silent Night! Holy Night!-The Statesmen

MediaFire

Not Done Yet

Nope, not done, not close to being done. But I am a little limited by what I've scanned already and what I haven't. I've got to spend a few hours in front of a scanner some time sooner to give me some more raw materials.  But I should be good for a little while longer.  When I flip through a stack of records, I'm always looking for something I haven't seen before.  It's a bit impractical to listen to records in the back of a dirty thrift store, so you have to depend on covers and names to find interesting items.  When I saw this one, I knew it was a cover I hadn't seen before, and a label I didn't know much about, so I took the chance and paid my dollar.  It's nothing special, but I'm hoping it's something that you haven't seen or heard, either.  The A side is by The Gabriel Singers and the B side is one really long medley credited only to Organ and Violin.  I'm not remembering any violin Christmas music I've shared recently, so this is a little off the beaten path.  Hopefully you'll enjoy Christmas Carols (Remington R-199-153, Mono).

1. O Come All Ye Faithful
2. The Holly And The Ivy
3. Oh Little Town Of Bethlehem
4. God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen
5. Joy To The World
6. It Came Upon A Midnight Clear
7. While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks
8. On Christmas Night
9. Christmas Medley: Oh Holy Night, We Three Kings Of Orient Are, Joy To The World, Good King Wenceslas, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, Jingle Bells

MediaFire
Wait, I think there's a violin song here.

Nash Ramblings


Another request, another reshare, this time from 2008. Johnny Nash is perhaps best known in these climes for his hit I Can See Clearly Now, but he enjoyed a longer career than that.  And during that career, he managed to squeeze out this virtually unknown Christmas album.  It's a nice selection of songs, including some rarely-heard items, though the whole thing is too short if you ask me.  But you can't look a gift horse in the mouth, can you?  For the (what is it now, the sixth?) sixth day of Christmas, this is Johnny Nash-Prince Of Peace (JAD JS/1001, Stereo, 1969).

1. We Wish You A Merry Christmas
2. Prince Of Peace
3. Away In A Manger
4. Mary's Little Boy Child
5. The Borning Day
6. The Christmas Song
7. Sweet Little Jesus Boy
8. Medley: Silent Night-Oh Holy Night
9. Go Tell It On The Mountain

MediaFire

Friday, December 30, 2011

A Long-Overdue 2010 Recap

Here's a little recap of all the shares from Christmas 2010, a list I should have posted at the beginning of this year's sharity season instead of the end, but I've been too busy to get around to it. The vast majority of these shares are still extant, at least through the MediaFire links.  I don't think any of the others are any good still.

The Canterbury Choir-While Shepherds Watched
Ethel Smith-Christmas Music
The Lundstroms-Colorado Christmas
The Lundstroms-Christmas With The Lundstroms
Dora Hall-Two Singles
Muriel Smith With The Peter Knight Orchestra And Chorus-The Glory Of Christmas
The Peter Christianson Choraleers Sing Holiday Favorites
Cantares De Navidad (Gay Songs For Christmas)
Noche Buena Bailable Cubana (Christmas Dance Date In Cuba) 
Christmas In Cuba
'Twas The Night Before Christmas
Dick Leibert-Christmas At Radio City With Dick Leibert
Christmastime Stories As Written By Marie White And Told By Santa Claus Featuring The Michelle Scott Singers 
John Klein With Orchestra And Chorus Arranged And Conducted By Leo Addeo-Bells In Toyland-John Klein At The Sun Life Centenary Carillon
The Holiday Bells-Ring The Bells On Christmas Day 
Heidi-The Night Before Christmas   
Tammy-Merry Christmas With Tammy
The Deutschmeister Band, Conducted By Julius Herrmann-Christmas Carols
Mr. Jack Daniel's Original Silver Cornet Band-Homegrown Christmas
Milton Cross-Nutcracker Suite For Children
The Voices Of Christmas With Les Brown And His Band Of Renown-Hark, The Stars Of Hollywood Sing
The Berkshire Bell Ringers-Berkshire Bell Ringers
The Klokken Ringers-I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day
Ernie (Not Bert)'s The Very Best From Christmas In July 2009-Life's A Beach
Ace Cannon-Christmas Cheers From Ace Cannon, His Alto Sax And Chorus
Stories For Christmas-The Christmas Donkey b/w Peter And The Hermit
Hal Greene-Christmas ExtraORGANary With Hal Greene At The Hammond Spinet?
The Lighthouse Singers-Christmas Carols By The Lighthouse Singers
The Edward Carrington Chorale-Christmas Chorale
Songs To Sing At Christmas Time 
When Christmas Comes To Our House 
Virgil Fox-Christmas Carols On The Organ 
Virgil Fox-The Christmas Album 
Merry Christmas From The Command Family Of Recording Stars
The Story Of Jesus-The Nativity
Wally Stott, His Orchestra And Chorus-Happy Holiday-Christmas In Stereo
The Rock-Afire Explosion-Disco Christmas
Charlie Byrd-The Christmas Album
The Jack Halloran Singers-The Little Drummer Boy
The Children's Choir Of All Nations-Some Children See Him
The Gene Lowell Chorus-Caroling, Caroling
We Wish You A Merry Christmas-15 Great Christmas Favorites Sung By Warner Bros. Stars
George Greeley With The Warner Bros. Symphony Orchestra Conducted By Ted Dale-The Twenty-Two Best Loved Christmas Piano Concertos
The Sounds Of Christmas-The Wonderful World Of The Music Box, Bells And Chimes
The Jimmy Joyce Singers With Orchestra Conducted By Billy May-A Christmas To Remember
Dr. Charles Kendall-Christmas Chimes
Dr. Norman S. Wright & Dr. Charles S. Kendall-Christmas Encore
Dr. Norman S. Wright & Dr. Charles S. Kendall-Ave Maria
Dr. Norman S. Wright & Dr. Charles S. Kendall-Christmas Organ And Chimes
José Melis And His Orchestra-Christmas With Melis
The Henry Snow Singers-The Little Drummer Boy And Other Christmas Favorites  
Domenico Savino And His Orchestra-Hi-Fi Christmas Party 
Kenny Baker-Carols For Christmas From Kenny Baker 
The Best From Ernie (Not Bert)'s Christmas In July 2008-Because It's Hot Out There 
Lynn Anderson-The Christmas Album 
Westminster Choraleers-Christmas At Home-Let's All Sing Carols 
Charles R. Cronham-Ring Out Christmas Bells-Hymns Of Faith, Hope And Joy
Hank Sylvern-Christmas In Hi-Fi: Chimes, Bells And Organ
Ramona Gerhard-Christmas In Hi-Fi With Ramona Gerhard On The World's Largest Theater Organ
The Joy Strings-Well Seasoned 
The Going Thing-Christmas 1968 With The Going Thing
An Axe, An Apple And A Buckskin Jacket
The Norman Luboff Choir-The Night Before Christmas
The Norman Luboff Choir-Christmas Carols By The Norman Luboff Choir
Lester Lanin And His Orchestra-Christmas Dance Party
Frank Chacksfield And His Orchestra-Music For A Merry Christmas
Cyril Stapleton And His Orchestra With Children's Chorus-Children's Christmas Album 
Chorus And Orchestra-Christmas In America Sing-Along 
Al Goodman-Christmas Sing-A-Long With Al Goodman
The Ralph Hunter Choir-Christmas Surprises From The Ralph Hunter Choir
Christmas With Grandma Moses
The Rainbow Sound Of Bianco, His Harp And Orchestra-Joy To The World-Everybody's Favorite Christmas Music
Bob Braun, Orchestra Conducted By Leroy Holmes-Christmas In Your Heart
Crash's Christmas Album To Benefit University Children's Hospital At Hermann
Christmas In Cleveland
Christmas In Detroit-A Collection Of Seasonal Music By Outstanding Detroit Choral Groups
Songs Of The Season 1960
Roger Williams With The Concert Grand Orchestra Directed by Frank Hunter & Marty Gold-Christmas Time
Christmas Music From The Stars
Eddie Layton-Organ Music For Christmas With Chimes And Brass Choir
Eddie Dunstedter-Two LPs
Owen Bradley-Organ And Chimes Played By Owen Bradley
The Ramsey Lewis Trio-More Sounds Of Christmas
Tell Me About Chanukah-Story Of Chanukah and Chanukah Melodies
The Shepherd's Children's Chorus-I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
Johnny Mathis-The Little Drummer Boy/Have Reindeer, Will Travel
25 Days Of Christmas
Fred Waring And His Pennsylvanians-Nutcracker Suite
Claire Bloom With Orchestra Conducted By Jonel Perlea-Story Of The Nutcracker
Ogden Nash-Christmas With Ogden Nash
David Randolph Singers-1961-A Special Christmas Music Medley
The Don Les Harmonicats-Christmas With The Don Les Harmonicats
The Mulcays And Their Electric Harmonicas-Merry Christmas And A Happy New Year
Temple B'Nai Abraham Of Essex County School Choir-Vivienne K. Bender, Director With Dr. Joachim Prinz-Children Sing On Hanukah
Natal no Brasil
Marco Antonio Muñiz, Orquesta De Luis Cardenas-Navidad En Puerto Rico
The Absolute Best Tracks From Ernie (Not Bert)'s Christmas In July 2007 Edition
Christmas At Quito
Bruce Woodman Presents Christmas Carols With A Latin Lilt
The Madrid Concert Orchestra And Chorus-Victorino Echevarria, Arranger-Conductor-Christmas In Spain
Mimi Hines With Ray Martin's Orchestra-I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
The Moog Machine-Christmas Becomes Electric
The Fantastic Strings Of Felix Slatkin-Season's Greetings
Santa Claus (Walt Jacobs)-Santa's Own Christmas
The Medallion Orchestra And Chorus, Directed By John Paul Krance-The Sound Of Christmas-Deck The Halls
The Pete King Chorale And Orchestra-Christmas Time
Richard Keys Biggs-Christmas Bells-Cathedral Organ and Chimes Featuring Richard Keys Biggs
The Randolph Singers-David Randolph, Director-Christmas Carols Vol. 1
The Randolph Singers, David Randolph, Director-Christmas Carols-Volume 2
Ruth Welcome-Christmas In Zitherland
The World's Greatest Jazzband Of Yank Lawson & Bob Haggart-Hark The Herald Angels Swing
Vaughn Monroe And His Orchestra With The Moon Maids-A Marshmallow World b/w Snowy White Snow And Jingle Bells
Shimon & Ilana With Aviva And Shira, Featuring Sally Speer And Dave Tilman-Chanukah Songs For Children
Gary Mann-Blues For Baby Jesus
An English Country Church Choir With Organ-Christmas In England-Carol Service In A Country Church
The King Karoleers And Bob Kames-16 Traditional Christmas Carols 
Bob Kames-Merry Christmas From Bob Kames And The New Hammond Organ X-66
Bob Kames-Organ And Chimes #3-Happy Holidays
Bob Kames-Organ And Chimes #2-It's Christmas Time
Bob Kames-Organ And Chimes-15 Songs Of Christmas
Ernie Berger-A Variety Of Christmas Songs
Hugo Winterhalter And His Orchestra And Chorus-Christmas Magic (10")
Happy Holiday With The Best Of The Mummers 
Andy Williams, Orchestra Conducted By Archie Bleyer-Christmas Is A Feeling In Your Heart b/w The Wind, The Sand And The Star
Jimmy Sturr And His Orchestra With The Jimmy Sturr Singers & The Matusz Singers-Polka Christmas In My Hometown 
Frankie Yankovic-Christmas Party
The Men's Choir Of St. Hedwig's-Polish Christmas Carols
Ken Stanley And The Pubsters-Christmas At The Red Lion And A Happy New Year Too...
Homer & Jethro-Seasoned Greetings
Dartmouth Glee Club-Paul R. Zeller, Director-White Christmas On The Campus
Yuletide Favorites-Barbershop Style
David Rose-Little Drummer Boy
David Rose And His Orchestra-A Merry Christmas To You From David Rose And His Orchestra
Richard Ellsasser-Michael Carr's Wintertime Suite
Pete Fountain-Candy Clarinet
Spencer Ross-Thanksgiving Day Parade, Etc
Squanto And The First Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving For King
Lollipop Dragon Helps Santa/Thanksgiving In Tum Tum
Christmas Around The World
James A. Linen-Time For Christmas
Fred Waring-Twas The Night Before Christmas
Fred Waring-Christmas Time
Raymond Lefevre-Merry Christmas
Paul Mauriat-The Christmas Album
Paul Mauriat-Joyeux Noel
Les Djinns Singers-Joyeaux Noel
Mireille Mathieu-Mireille Mathieu's Christmas
The Merriest Time!
Skitch Henderson-Winter Holiday
Elliot Lawrence-Christmas Just A Minute
Holiday Greetings From The Epic, Portrait And CBS Associated Family
The Best For '89 From The Entire Capitol Family
Holiday Greetings Voice Tracks
Saint Patrick's Cathedral Choir Sings Christmas Carols
Saint Patrick's Cathedral Choir Sings Christmas Songs
Fontanna-Christmas At Home
Carols Of Christmas And The Stories Behind Them
The Best Of Christmas In July 2006 From Ernie (Not Bert)
Dino Martinelli-Plays Music For Christmas
John Donnelly & Sons-Sing It Outdoors
Sammy Kaye-I Want To Wish You A Merry Christmas
Sammy Kaye-Christmas Day With Sammy Kaye
Sammy Kaye-Christmas Serenade
Sammy Kaye-Year 'Round Favorites
The Gregory Orchestra And Chorus-David Frost Introduces A Christmas Record For Oxfam
Sing Along With Santa's Pixie Helpers-The Animals' Christmas Song b/w The Christmas Song Cha Cha Cha?
When Singers Meet, Inc., Mass Choir-Joy To The World
Santa's Snowmen-Swing Along With Santa's Snowmen
Big Tiny Little-Christmas With Big Tiny Little

Good Grief, that's a long list! It's a wonder I got any sleep last year!  No wonder it's felt like I was barely sharing anything at all this year.  Some of the items on this list got replaced with remasters this year, but I didn't mark them off, sorry.  Sometimes I think you could have a pretty Merry Christmas just listening to the stuff I share.  OK, that might be a stretch, but maybe.

Conservative

Hmmmm, why did I buy and record this one again? I don't think it was for the amateurish cover.  No, it was because it's on the Fleetwood label, and the last Christmas record I found on this label was really, really great.  This one, not so much.  But I've got it, and I'm going to share it with you.  Like it says on the cover, "Your publisher brings you Christmas carols!".  This is The Conservatory Caroleers Of New England, Arranged And Conducted By Theodore Casher-Merry Christmas (Fleetwood FCLP3017, Stereo).

1. Deck The Halls
2. It Came Upon The Midnight Clear
3. While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks
4. Christmas Is Coming
5. The First Noel
6. We Three Kings Of Orient Are
7. Joy To The World
8. Silent Night
9. Jingle Bells
10. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
11. We Wish You A Merry Christmas
12. O Little Town Of Bethlehem
13. Hark The Herald Angels Sing
14. O Come All Ye Faithful

MediaFire
Whoops, found a typo in my track titles.  Gotta go fix it, delete the ZIP file I just uploaded, and try it again.  I try to do a good job on these things.  I screw them up more than I would like, but I try...

They Ain't Heavy

What can I say, I just love Christmas music! So I'm continuing to share and share and share, and I still seem to be less than halfway through the material I recorded for sharing this year. I guess that says more about the pace at which I've been sharing than it does about how much I've shared. I didn't record any more than usual, I've just been sharing it out slightly more slowly.  But we're still inside the Twelve Days of Christmas, so it's cool.  Tonight's share is from a group that add an interesting twist to gospel vocal sounds, nothing too out of the ordinary, but not the same thing you've heard a million times, either.  Download it, and you'll see.  This is The Jacobs Brothers-'Tis The Season (Hymntone HPS 7887, Stereo, 1973).

1. Winter Wonderland
2. White Christmas
3. Christmas Song
4. Silver Bells
5. I Heard The Bells
6. Birthday Of A King
7. Angels We Have Heard On High
8. The Little Drummer Boy
9. Angels From The Realms Of Glory
10. Oh Come All Ye Faithful

MediaFire

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Old Westminster


I just mentioned a label sampler from Westminster, and it occurred to me that it's been out of circulation for a while.  This is another of those records that I first shared out waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back in 2005, so it's badly in need of a remaster, and I suspect I recorded it in stereo even though it's in mono.  Oopsie!  But it's better than nothing, I suppose.  I see quite a few songs on here that I've since shared from their original album, but not all of them.  Gotta keep digging!  This is A Christmas Sampler (Westminster WP S-2, Mono).

1. Dick Leibert-White Christmas
2. Cathedral Bellringers-Birthday Of A King
3. Collegium Musicam-Adeste Fideles
4. Ferrante & Teicher-Sleigh Ride
5. Deutschmeister Band-God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
6. Robert Locksmith & Robert Owen-O Holy Night
7. Dick Leibert-What Child Is This (Greensleeves)
8. Randolph Singers-The First Noel
9. Brooklyn Museum Children's Chorus-Joy To The World
10. Randolph Singers-We Three Kings Of Orient Are
11. Gordon Myers-O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
12. Basil Rathbone-Isaiah 40, 1-5
13. Carl Weinrich-Lord, Through Thy Goodness (Bach)
14. Vienna Akademie Kammerchor-Silent Night

MediaFire

Carillon!

I don't think I've brought you near enough Christmas music performed on a carillon this year, and as the web's leading purveyor of such music, that just can't abide.  So here's a good one that's sure to be a favorite, if for nothing more than the great cover.  Dollars to donuts, you're going to see that cover used on somebody's mix CD next year.  Wait and see!  And if you use it, you'd better send me a copy!  And it's on a great label for Christmas music, too.  Westminster put out some great stuff in the early years of the LP, most of which has not seen the digital light of day.  I'm doing my best to change that, but these things take time.  I can think of at least two Christmas LPs on the label that I've only seen on the back of other sleeves, or sampled on label comps.  So I've got my work cut out for me yet.  (Now that I think of it, I've got an empty sleeve for one of them, and a record for the other with no sleeve.  And no, they didn't come together like that!).  Anyhow, this is Robert Locksmith & Robert Owen-Carillon For Christmas (Westminster WP 6020, Mono, 1956).  What fun those recording sessions must have been.  Robert, do this, Robert, you're a little flat, no, not you Robert...

1. O Holy Night
2. Good King Wenceslas
3. We Three Kings Of Orient Are
4. Joy To The World
5. Deck The Halls
6. Silent Night
7. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
8. O Come All Ye Faithful
9. What Child Is This
10. It Came Upon The Midnight Clear
11. Away In A Manger
12. The First Nowell
13. Jingle Bells
14. Lo, How A Rose E'er Blooming
15. O Little Town Of Bethlehem
16. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

MediaFire

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Shhhhh!

I'm far, far away from my home computer tonight, enjoying the hospitality of a hotel room in Daytona Beach!  Unfortunately, it's dark out, and cold, so I'm staying indoors.  The beach will still be there when it's warm and light out.  I've got a super secret share for you tonight, a little something I shouldn't share at all, but it's too nice not to share, and I've never seen another copy.  This is from 1957, was recorded by someone named Tutti, and released by someone named Walt.  Beyond that, I'm not going to put in anything that will let the search engines hunt me down.  But you can take a look at the pictures and see for yourselves, trust me, it's worth your download time.  Enjoy!

MediaFire 

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Snappy Dressers

The season is over for the most part, but I'm trying to keep the spirit going. At least at this point, I can be pretty sure that I'm the only person who's going to be sharing this out. Of course, when it comes to this record, I was pretty sure I was going to be the only one, anyway.  Anybody ever heard of The DECA Blazers?  Me neither.  Which of course meant I had to buy it and share it.  I think it was a sort of club for young people who wanted to grow up to work in the clothing industry.  I don't have the LP in front of me, and I'm too lazy to pull up my own scans and read them, but that's what I remember about this.  Distributive Education Clubs of America, that's what the DECA stands for.  So maybe it's geared towards future salesmen of any sort, not just clothes.  Eventually, someone will stop by the blog and explain it for all of us, but until then, I know you want to download and listen to The DECA Blazers, Arranged And Conducted By Bob Lowden-Merry Christmas (Distributive Education Clubs Of America/Melrose DBX, Stereo, 1968).

1. Joy To The World
2. While By My Sheep
3. Carol Of The Bells
4. Angels We Have Heard On High
5. I Wonder As I Wander
6. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
7. What Child Is This?
8. Carol Of The Drum
9. Silent Night
10. O Come All Ye Faithful
11. The Holly And The Ivy
12. Stars Of Ice
13. Go Tell It On The Mountain
14. Carol Noel
15. O Tannenbaum
16. Bring A Torch, Jeanette, Isabella
17. Lo, How A Rose E'er Blooming
18. First Noel

MediaFire

Monday, December 26, 2011

Mel

This is a little 45 that I got for free a few months ago.  I ordered it from an online record dealer, and when she went to pack it up, she refunded my money and told me it was in horrible shape, she couldn't in all sincerity sell it to me.  But she threw it in the box and gave it to me for free.  I was glad she did because it seems to be a unique little bit of radio history featuring Mel Tormé.  He appears to have recorded a special version of his 1966 holiday song One Little Snowflake with some lyrics about Philadelphia instead of Cleveland as in the original song.  The sound is horrible, but you will get the idea.  There are a couple of greetings on the flip side that will sound good on your mixtapes next year, if you can get past the surface noise.  This is Mel Tormé-One Little Snowflake (For WCAU)-(WCAU Radio 7" 33 RPM 37M-89821/-89822, Mono).

MediaFire
A track from this was my contribution as the very last track on the ADVENTure in Carols 2011 collection I told you about back at the beginning of December.  If you've forgotten about it, you can go here to read all about it.  I'm trying now to get all the tracks together and make one big download of the whole thing, but it's harder than it sounds.

I Lettered In Christmas

I'm going deep into the archives again with something I recorded last year but never shared.  I had planned to do a series of shares featuring records from your local military recruiters, but it never came to fruition.  But I need to get some of these shares out before the season well and truly ends, so here you go.  This time it's The Lettermen joining the US Navy Band for a series of Christmas songs spread out into two 15 minute shows, perfect for radio programming.  Please download The US Navy Band & The Lettermen-A Bicentennial Christmas (The Recruiting Advertising Department Of The Navy Recruiting Command, Stereo, 1975).

1. Intro (Sleigh Ride)
2. Rudolph The Rednosed Reindeer
3. Carol Of The Bells
4. Christmas All Alone
5. I'll Be Home For Christmas
6. White Christmas
7. Parade Of The Wooden Soldiers/We Wish You A Merry Christmas
8. Intro (Sleigh Ride)
9. The Christmas Song
10. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
11. White Christmas
12. I Sing Noel
13. Parade Of The Wooden Soldiers/We Wish You A Merry Christmas

MediaFire
For what it's worth, the Bicentennial in question wasn't the US, it was for the US Navy. I guess we had a Navy before we had a country.

The Vocal Bunny

I told you I was going to give you a track from Buddy & Bunny that actually features Bunny singing, and here it is.  That may be one of the only things about this super low-budget LP from Modern Sound.  In fact, I can't think of much to say about that I didn't cover back when I first shared it in 2006.  So without further ado, or talking, here is A Family Christmas Album-Something For Everybody (Halo 1007, Stereo).

1. Bobby Russell-The Christmas Song
2. The Singleton Singers-12 Days Of Christmas
3. Buddy & Bunny Burden-Christmas Card
4. J.T. Adams And The Jordanaires-It's Christmas Time
5. Bill Purcell-Silent Night
6. Bobby Russell And The Music City Boys Chorus-Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
7. Prissy Reed, Margie Singleton And Ray Walker With The Jordanaires-Jingle Bells
8. Buddy & Bunny Burden-Christmas Polka
9. The Music City Choir-Deck The Halls
10. Don Les' Harmonicats-Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

MediaFire

The Unique Buddy & Bunny


I know it's after Christmas, but that doesn't mean I get to stop just yet.  This one if from the way-back-there file, 2005 to be exact, but someone brought it up, and I thought I'd throw it back up.  I guess the unique part of it's sound is that even though she's billed right there on the top of the record, and there's a picture of her on the front cover, she's nowhere to be heard on this LP.  That's just wrong.  You've got to download another of my shares from the cheap Modern Sound label to hear a song with her vocals.  I'll have to put that one up, too, I guess.  In the meantime, this is Buddy & Bunny Burden-Christmas Favorites (Modern Sound Christmas Album #5, Stereo).

1. White Christmas
2. Frosty The Snowman
3. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
4. Jingle Bells Rock
5. Sleigh Ride
6. Silver Bells
7. Christmas Polka
8. The Christmas Song
9. Rudolph The Red Nose (sic) Reindeer
10. I'll Be Home For Christmas
11. Jingle Bells

MediaFire

Boxing Day With Melis

It may be Boxing Day, but that doesn't mean I can't share out more Christmas music.  I've still got a huge folder filled with goodness that I haven't shared out yet, so I need to empty some of it out.  This was a great share back in 2006, and it's still a great share today, especially in newly remastered form.  I didn't rescan the artwork, though, but even a rescan won't help poor Mr. Melis look any better.  Sorry...  But the music is sweet, there's no doubt about that.  Grab this now, or wait until next year, if you dare.  Hopefully I'll still be here to share this great music with you, but you never know.  This is  José Melis And His Orchestra-Christmas With Melis (Seeco CELP 4230, 1958, Stereo).

1. Sleigh Bells
2. Winter Wonderland
3. The Story Of Christmas
4. Jingle Bells
5. Toy Piano
6. Merry Christmas Music
7. Silent Night
8. Adeste Fidelis
9. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
10. It Came Upon A Midnight Clear
11. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
12. Oh! Little Town Of Bethlehem; Noel, Noel; Silent Night

MediaFire

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Double Disco

The last disco share of the night, I promise.  Last share of the night, too, I've got to go finish my Christmas doings.  A single by Walter Murphy, he of 'Fifth of Beethoven" fame, among other disco classics.  This one seems to have dropped off the face of the Earth, but that's the sort of thing I like to find.  I'm sure I'll see this one pop up in dozens of collections next year, but remember, you got it from me.  This is the Walter Murphy Orchestra-Disco Bells b/w Deck The Halls (Major 7" 45 RPM (No Number), Stereo, 1975).

MediaFire
Goodnight, and Merry Christmas!

Disco Down On Christmas Eve

Yes, I am as surprised as you that there are still disco Christmas albums out there that I don't have. Singles, yes, lots, but full albums, that's a shock.  As usually happens with these things though, someone will do a comparison with some other disco Christmas record and determine it's been released 14 times on 13 different labels as 4 different groups.  But maybe not.  It's Christmas Eve, and this could be a minor Christmas miracle.  Like me getting my Christmas shopping done.  It could still happen.  I found this in a stack of dirty records in a dirty store up in Tampa.  I think they wanted $2 for it and I talked them down to $1.  I'm cheap, what can I say.  But no one should have to pay $2 for crummy old disco.  OK, that's enough trash talk, it's really not that bad, even though it's geared towards kids.  I guess that means they leave off the bump and grind noises you might get on a Giorgio Moroder song.  For the kiddies, this is The Kid Stuff Repertory Company-A Disco Christmas (Kid Stuff KSD 024, Stereo, 1979).

1. Rudolf The Red-Nosed Reindeer
2. Jingle Bells
3. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
4. Frosty The Snowman
5. Sleigh Ride
6. Jingle Bells Rock
7. White Christmas
8. The Twelve Days Of Christmas

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Better Lester


How about a remaster that isn't from 2005?  Here's one from 2008, which was itself a stereo re-recording of something first shared in mono back in 2006.  But it's still not from 2005, so we're good.  This is bandleader Lester Lanin, who was getting on up there at this point, but perhaps not so up-there as Sammy Kaye.  But he still had plenty of chops, as you'll hear if you download this 2011 remaster of  Lester Lanin And His Orchestra-Christmas Dance Party (Epic BN 547, Stereo, 1959).

1. Jingle Bells
2. White Christmas; I'll Be Home For Christmas; Home For The Holidays; Happy Holiday
3. Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairies
4. Here Comes Santa Claus; Frosty The Snowman
5. Silver Bells; Oh, Christmas Tree (O Tannenbaum); We Wish You A Merry Christmas
6. Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer
7. Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town
8. Deck The Halls With Boughs Of Holly; The Wassail Song; Good King Wenceslas
9. Christmas Night In Harlem
10. The Christmas Song; I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day; Christmas In Killarney
11. Winter Wonderland
12. Sleigh Ride
13. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!; Auld Lang Syne; A Hot Time In The Old Time Tonight

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Yes, same deal as most of my other remasters this year, new music but old artwork.

Remastered Ruth

I'm on a roll here, this is the fourth remaster I've thrown up this morning!  Another of my shares from that great first year here, Ruth Welcome was a welcome surprise, playing Christmas music on the somewhat exotic zither.  It's very mellow, but it's nice relaxing background music.  I re-recorded a nice copy this year, and was pleasantly surprised to find that I had some scans I made last year after a failed remastering attempt.  So I dropped the scans from last year in with the music from this year, and here you go!  (That front cover image is still too dark compared to the original.  I've got a lot to learn when it comes to color matching and image manipulation).  This is the 2011 remastered edition of Ruth Welcome-Christmas In Zitherland (Capitol ST 1782, Stereo, 1962).

1. It Came Upon The Midnight Clear/Lo, How A Rose Is Blooming/Angels And Shepherds
2. O Little Town Of Bethlehem/What Child Is This?/O Come Little Children/Away In A Manger
3. O Holy Night/Coventry Carol/Angels From The Realms Of Glory/Silent Night
4. Jingle Bells/Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer
5. I'll Be Home For Christmas
6. Silver Bells
7. The Christmas Song
8. Winter Wonderland
9. White Christmas

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Those of you familiar with the old share might notice that I left the medleys in medley form this time. Six years ago I was of a different mindset, so I cut them into their individual songs. I'm more historical-minded now, and don't believe in such meddling. Unless it suites my purposes, of course, and then I don't mind so much.

Eddie's Better, Part Two


Where there's smoke, there's fire.  That means when I share out Eddie Dunstedter's first Bells Of Christmas LP, I've also got to share out his second.  And this one has also been re-recorded and remastered for 2011!.  Same old artwork, though, forgive me.  This one came out not long after JFK was assassinated,so it sorta sank like a stone.  I guess people just weren't in the mood for Christmas that year.  I first shared this in 2005 and it's been a big favorite both for me and for all of my visitors ever since.  This is Eddie Dunstedter-The Bells Of Christmas Chime Again (Capitol ST 1968, Stereo, 1963).

1. White Christmas
2. Silver Bells
3. Angels We Have Heard On High
4. Sweet Little Jesus Boy
5. Winter Wonderland
6. In The Clock Store
7. Ring, Christmas Bells
8. The Christmas Song
9. Beautiful Savior
10. I'll Be Home For Christmas
11. Happy Holiday

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Eddie's Better, Part One


I was on a remaster kick for a little while this fall, re-recording every old share of mine I could get my hands on, instead of concentrating on new music like I should have.  But some of these old shares of mine were just too poor to listen to anymore, and the music too good, so I felt it was a customer service to redo them.  This one dates back to the very beginning, 2005, and it's never sounded better.  So please download the 2011 remaster of  Eddie Dunstedter-The Bells Of Christmas (Capitol ST 1264, Stereo, 1959), you'll be glad you did.  Again, I didn't make any new scans, you'll have to make do with my original scans from 2005.  That also means they don't include scans of the labels, because I didn't start doing that until sometime after 2005.

1. The First Noel
2. March Of The Three Kings
3. Hark The Herald Angels Sing
4. Greensleeves
5. It Came Upon The Midnight Clear-O Little Town Of Bethlehem-Away In A Manger
6. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
7. Cantique De Noel (O Holy Night)
8. We Three Kings Of Orient Are-Bring Your Torches
9. Deck The Halls-Joy To The World
10. Adeste Fideles
11. O Tannenbaum
12. The Coventry Carol-Von Himmel Hoch
13. Silent Night

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Sammy's Back

This is another of the many remastered titles I'd hoped to bring you this year, but never got around to scanning the artwork.  So I'm giving you the music and dropping in the old scans, I hope you don't mind too much.  (My scans haven't been coming out too good this year, anyway, so you aren't missing much.)  But this is some great music, and I've been sharing my old rip with you since 2006.  Trust me, this sounds much better.  So please download and enjoy This is Sammy Kaye And His Orchestra-Christmas Day With Sammy Kaye (Decca DL 74070, Stereo, 1960).  I still don't know where that little girl is looking.  Perhaps she's a young Michele Bachmann.

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

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Friday, December 23, 2011

Three Random Singles

You might think I'm running out of Christmas music just because it's the eve of Christmas Eve, but you'd be wrong.  I've got enough stuff recorded to go a couple more months here, it's just a matter of getting it in some form where it's fit to share.  You don't want me to upload random MP3 files with no track tags or artwork, do you?  OK, some of you might, but not many.  I try to provide a quality product to my readers, and I don't always succeed 100% but I like to think I come close.  Tonight I grabbed three random singles I'd recorded earlier, scanned them, and I'm sharing five songs from them with you.  The first one came in a sleeve, but only the A side was a Christmas song.  It goes by many titles including A Merry, Merry Christmas or A Merry, Merry Christmas To You or even (Joyeux Noel, Buon Natale, Feliz Navidad) A Merry, Merry Christmas.  I guess they didn't know what exactly they wanted to call it.  This is the full version of the song with the spoken bit both at the beginning and the end.  I've heard it before without any of the spoken part, but I don't know if it was ever released that way or just edited by a DJ in a hurry to get to the good parts.  This is Art Mooney And His Orchestra-A Merry, Merry Christmas (MGM 7" 45 RPM K12847 (Special Disc Jockey Record-Not For Sale), Mono, 1959).
Next up is a cute little record by Philip Fox, performing as Dennis The Menace.  He's a little high-pitched, but I guess that's the way people thought Dennis The Menace should sound.  Poor Mr. Wilson, this explains why he's so high strung.  This is Dennis The Menace (Philip Fox)-When Christmas Comes Around Each Year b/w That's What I Want For Christmas (Golden Records FF649, Mono).  There was almost certainly a picture sleeve for this, but I don't have it.
Last, and perhaps most listenable (well, you'll listen to it at least once), is a later effort from The Korn Kobblers, late enough that it's actually credited to Stanley Fritts And The Korn Kobblers.  I'm not sure exactly when that happened, but this is the only record I've seen where they're listed as his sidemen.  The Korn Kobblers where similar to Spike Jones in many ways, but not nearly so popular.  You'll get all sorts of sounds in here, including a bit of Donald Duck.  And how can you go wrong with a polka?  This is Stanley Fritts And The Korn Kobblers-Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer b/w Santa Claus Polka (MGM 7" 45 RPM K60005, Mono, 1950). Enjoy!

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I'd post more singles each year, but they take almost as long to process as a whole LP!  And you end up with only 3 minutes of music instead of almost half an hour.  Perhaps if I planned ahead a little better.  There's always next year...

PS-More Korn Kobblers on LP here or here, and more great polka here.

The Dregs

I was surprised to find that I still have a handful of shares alive at RapidShare.  RapidShare used to be my file host of choice, but they went downhill in a spectacular fashion in the past couple of years, so most of the files I had hosted over there went the way of the dinosaurs.  But I guess a few of them got enough downloads now and then that they haven't been deleted.  Looks like it's about half Christmas and half, umm, what's that other kind of music?  Oh, yeah, not-Christmas.  Anyhow, here's a list of what's available there.  Some of it may be old versions or non-remastered versions, so take it for what it's worth.

Randy Carlos-Makin' Whoopee Cha Cha Cha
Ronnie Ogden-Hits From Hollywood
Malcolm Lockyer-We're Having A Party
Don Swan-Hot Cha Cha
Malcolm Lockyer-A Lazy Afternoon
Don Amore-Latin Holiday
Jack Say-These Foolish Things
Ethel Smith-Christmas Music (2010 Remaster)
Hill Bowen-Love On Broadway
Jocelyn McNeil-Very Hi-Fi Organ
The Littlest Angel-Lullaby Of Christmas
Hill Bowen-I Married An Angel
George Wright-Merry Christmas
Jack Say-The Girl That I Marry
The Ray Charles Singers-Here We Come A-Caroling
Tony Osbourne-Hands Across The Table
The Pied Pipers (Et. Al.)-Favorite Christmas Carols
Marimba Chiapas-Cha Cha Cha Volume 4
Nelson Riddle-Avon Wishes You A Happy Holiday
Santa Claus Conquers The Martians
Hill Bowen-I Could Have Danced All Night
The Moog Machine-Christmas Becomes Electric
Tony Osbourne-A Trip To Romance

Wow, some of those things I haven't thought about for years, especially the non-Christmas stuff.  Quite a surprise to see that almost the entire Music For Hi-Fi Living series is still there.  Wait, I missed one, looks like the whole set of 12 is still there.  Cool!  I need to reshare those someday in a new post.  Anyhow, grab these things while they survive, RapidShare is sure to delete them before Christmas rolls around next year.

Christmas In Montana


I had someone comment on an old share of this disco Christmas LP, so I figured I'd throw it back up here in case anyone wanted to grab it.  I don't remember it being very good from when I posted it back in 2007, and I really don't feel like listening to it tonight.  Heard one side-long disco medley, and you've heard most of them.  But if you're trying to get the relatives to leave after the Christmas party, this might be just the ticket.  Please give a listen to Montana Orchestra-Merry Christmas (MJS 3302, Stereo) .

1. Montana Christmas Medley
2. Get Down New Year's Eve
3. New Year's Eve One More Time (Reprise)

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Thursday, December 22, 2011

Best Of, Finally

It's been a long time coming, but here, finally, is my collection of the best tracks from Christmas in July 2010.  I shared a whole lot of stuff out that year, and here are the very best of all those songs.  If you don't find something in here that you like, well, you aren't trying very hard.  What's in here?  Let's have a look...

01. Brook Benton-Go Tell It On The Mountain
02. Dickie Goodman-Santa And The Satellite, Part 1
03. Paul Whiteman & Orchestra With Jack Teagarden & Johnny Mercer-Christmas Night In Harlem
04. The Bellwethers-Ukranian Carol Of The Bells
05. Julius La Rosa-We Need A Little Christmas
06. Hal Mooney And His Orchestra-I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm
07. The Bill Shepherd Singers-Christmas In Killarney
08. The Daughters Of The Cross-Mary's Little Boy Child
09. Edmundo Ros And His Orchestra-My Favorite Things
10. Richard Robinson & William Reeve-Jingles, The Christmas Clown
11. Matt Dennis-White Christmas
12. Jo Ann Castle-Skater's Boogie
13. Johnny Winter-Please Come Home For Christmas
14. The Gooding Band Organ-A Little Boy's Christmas
15. The Dunster Dunces-Winter
16. Gaylord Carter-Jingle Bells
17. Dickie Goodman-Santa And The Satellite, Part 2
18. Dimitri Tiomkin-Toy Trumpet March; Christmas Morning
19. Sammy Davis, Jr. And Carmen McRae-Baby It's Cold Outside
20. Fred Karlin-Christmas
21. Doug Setterberg & Stan Boreson-Winter Wonderland
22. The Jackie Davis Trio-The Christmas Song
23. John Klein-Hanukkah Song
24. The Kennedy Space Center Chorus-We Can't Go Wrong
25. Richard Ellsasser-Sleigh Ride
26. Teresa Brewer-Jingle Bell Rock
27. The Paul Mauriat Orchestra-The Little Drummer Boy
28. Irving Fields And His Trio-Parade Of The Wooden Soldiers
29. Hugo Winterhalter-A Marshmallow World
30. Frank Sinatra-White, The Young In Heart
31. Fred Waring And His Pennsylvanians-Let Us All Sing Auld Lang Syne

There you go.  Now, I've got to go back and try to link all those tracks to the day I shared them, if the post is still there.  I know some of them have disappeared in the 18 months since I shared those tracks.  Nope, they all seem to be there, once I fixed the typos...  Anyhow, I'm pretty proud of this collection, so download it and enjoy it between now and the big day!

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Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Ring Those Christmas Bells

Tonight's share comes from the sometimes wild, sometimes wacky, sometimes weird, sometimes, well, fairly normal world of religious label Word.  This one covers all the bases quite nicely, I think, with some music that's never less than interesting, featuring organ by Del Roper and handbells by The Mason Swiss Bell Ringers.  You know how I'm a sucker for the handbells, and these are some good ones.  Nice selection of songs, too.  I like it, and I hope you like it, too.  This is Del Roper With The Mason Swiss Bell Ringers-I Heard The Bells (Word W 3067-LP, Mono, 1959).

1. Jingle Bells and White Christmas
2. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
3. Carol Of The Bells
4. We Three Kings
5. Gesu, Bambino
6. Joy To The World
7. I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day
8. O Holy Night (Cantique De Noel)
9. The First Noel
10. Silent Night
11. O Little Town Of Bethlehem
12. O Come, All ye Faithful (Adeste Fidelis)

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Famousness

I got a couple of mentions in the press today, which led a few extra people to the old blog site.  First up was a mention in The Guardian, a UK paper or magazine or website, or all three, perhaps.  I was in the online edition today, and I think the article is supposed to appear in the print version tomorrow.  I've gotten a few extra hits from the online mention, but I don't expect much from the print version.  Very few people type in URLs from the newspaper.

Also of note, one of my recent posts was mentioned over at PCL Linkdump, which generated a few extra hits as well.  I mention this mostly because it was a mention over there back in 2006 that really helped spread word of my Christmas shares around the internet and brought me to the attention of a lot of you folks who were looking for some great Christmas music.  So thanks to those folks!

Hmmm, this seems somehow familiar...

2009 Redux, Part 5

And, so it is, we reach the end of the Christmas In July reshares, both for 2009 and for the year, because I've basically shared out everything.  All the stuff from 2010 was shared out back at the beginning of August, and 2011 is still too new to be revisiting.  So download this last little bit of Christmas in July goodness while you can.  I think there's even a few Chanukah tracks in there for those of you celebrating the second night.

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Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Non-Christmas

I have long lamented the fact that the original Harmonicats did not release a Christmas album.  A splinter group recorded an album well after their prime on a budget label, and I've shared that one with you before.  I think there was also a single track recorded by the group in the sixties that showed up on a Goodyear Christmas LP (maybe...nope, it was a Columbia label Christmas collection).  But there isn't a Christmas album in all of their classic canon.  So I'm going to share this LP with a doll theme and pretend like it's a Christmas record.  There are plenty of tracks here that wouldn't be out of place on a Christmas record, so I don't think it's too much of a stretch.  I remember downloading a copy of this vinyl many, many years ago from a now defunct blog run by someone named Ben T.  Like so many excellent blogs through the years, that one eventually went belly up and was never heard from again.  I'm doing my best to keep that from happening around here, but you never know what tomorrow might bring.  Anyhow, I eventually found my own copy of the vinyl, and that's what I'm bringing you tonight.  This is Jerry Murad's Electronic Harmonicats-Dolls, Dolls, Dolls (Mercury SR60008, Stereo, 1959).  It's good stuff!

1. Waltzing Doll (Poupee Valsante)
2. The Toy Trumpet
3. Spanish Doll (Senorita Munequita)
4. Paper Doll
5. March Of The Toys
6. Wedding Of The Painted Doll
7. Oh! You Beautiful Doll
8. Dance Of The Dutch Doll
9. Parade Of The Wooden Soldiers
10. Pink Dresden Doll
11. The Wooden Soldier & The China Doll
12. Doll Dance

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This isn't the first time I've shared out a non-Christmas album during the holiday sharity season, mind you.  And something tells me it won't be the last.

And what would a Harmonicats Christmas LP really sound like?  Probably a lot like this EP from The Mulcays, another great, though lesser-known, harmonica group.

A Couple Kleins

A third (and fourth) reshare this evening, something that a certain someone from Chili keeps bugging me about, so here you go.  John Klein was a prolific and notable carillon artist in the late fifties and early sixties, releasing probably dozens of albums in his lifetime.  I've shared more than a few of the Christmas ones here, but many have lapsed into unavailability.  At least one of them is available on iTunes, so he's not entirely escaped the modern digital download world.  The two LPs here appear to be the same music, just released at different times and with different covers, and I didn't notice until after I'd ripped and shared them out.  So in the interest of completeness, here they both are.  The first one was originally shared here, and is John Klein-Noel Bells (Stone Mountain SM-201, Stereo).

1. Angels We Have Heard On High
2. O, Holy Night
3. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
4. Good Christian Men Rejoice
5. As Lately We Watched
6. The First Noel
7. We Three Kings Of Orient Are
8. While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks
9. Joy To The World
10. Away In A Manger
11. Deck The Halls With Boughs Of Holly
12. O, Little Town Of Bethlehem
13. Good King Wenceslas
14. It Came Upon The Midnight Clear
15. O, Come All Ye Faithful
16. Silent Night

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And here's the other one, John Klein-The Bells Of Christmas (Americana AR-6, Stereo). I also shared this one out in 2006 for the first time.

1. Angels We Have Heard On High
2. While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks
3. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
4. The First Noel
5. O, Little Town Of Bethlehem
6. Good King Wenceslas
7. As Lately We Watched
8. O, Come All Ye Faithful
9. O Holy Night
10. Deck The Halls With Boughs Of Holly
11. Away In A Manger
12. Good Christian Men Rejoice
13. It Came Upon The Midnight Clear
14. We Three Kings Of Orient Are
15. Silent Night
16. Joy To The World

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