Posted on 11/30/2010 20:23
I know you've spent hours and hours on your 300 top play list - I've enjoyed browsing it and in fact has given me a few more ideas of what new Christmas music I need to check out - but I was wondering after all that hard work, have you considering tackling other Christmas music lists?
Example: in the back of my head I know each Christmas carol (recording) that is my favorite. Like the song Skater's Waltz - Mantovani's recording is my favorite to all other recording of that song, or Silver Bells (Percy Faith's recording would have to be at the top) and so on. I'd wouldn't mind seeing a list of yours for many of the popular Christmas carols.
Another list would be your top 100 recorded Christmas songs of all time. I'm sure most of the songs from the first list would also be in this one, but there could also be 8 versions of Silent Night, 4 versions of Joy to the World, etc... in your top 100.
I know, a ton of more work, but maybe it can be done down the road at some point.
If you've already come up with those lists or have been asked this in the past for this website, I apologize. Just wanted your input.
Mike
Posted on 11/20/2009 21:32
Thanks for your help, but just found the song last night. It's Earl Grant - from his 1965 Winter Wonderland album. I knew I could find it if I just kept looking for many many many hours.
Posted on 11/16/2009 15:27
Growing up in the 70's, we would always audio tape Christmas morning. Later on, I remember listening to the songs in the background from those tapes. I remember hearing a rendition of "I've Got My Love to Keep me Warm" that I liked. This version was instrumental, but it was mainly 60's style cocktail jazz organ (no church organ). That is basically all I have - the name of the song and the main instrument. I've looked all over for jazz organ Christmas music, but cannot find one that has this song. I've even checked non-Christmas albums since this is not technically a Christmas song. Any ideas out there?
Posted on 11/12/2009 17:36
I agree. The artwork for the original release is much better than the mug of Gleason with the pink(ish) color around him that I see on Amazon. I tell ya, these re-released albums or fake albums out there have some crummy art work on the covers - one way to help differentiate them from those originals I am learning.
Posted on 11/12/2009 17:29
Well sadly, I was one of the naive purchasers of the Mantovani Orchestra Christmas Albums. It was the double-album that came out in the early 90's - and I purchased it then too. One CD had their Christmas Magic, and the other had songs from the Christmas Carols LP - or so I thought. With me already owning that Mantovani Christmas Carols classic on LP, I thought I'd get a better version of it on CD. Boy, was I disappointed. I could clearly tell that it wasn't the same conductor or sound. With me being very familiar with that album on vinyl, I could pick out parts of each songs that were done a different way - and not as well done.
With the Christmas Magic part of the album, I thought at least the CD quality would be an improvement over the cassette I purchased in the 80's (I know - whoops again). Again, wrong. If that album was recorded in 1980 (I think that's what was said), they sure didn't know what the heck they were doing. Although I think the arrangements are done well (for Mantovani Orchestra standards), the album sounds like it was recorded in a closet. I've been waiting for over 15 years for this original copy to be released on CD. Thanks for pushing for this.
Another thing I've noticed is that on iTunes there are a couple of "Ultimate Relaxation Christmas" albums out there. One has the Christmas Bells song on it, plus a bunch of titles which occur on the "Christmas Greetings" 2nd album. Does that in any way make the Christmas Bells entry (or any of the others) an original Mantovani recording? I thought you said that the imitation albums out there never included that song because Mantovani composed that song himself (maybe because of copyrights?). I just want to be clear on this because I want the original recordings of his second album, but don't want to be duped like I have in the past. I would love to just have his second album on CD without paying through the nose for it as an import.
Maybe next year, Chip?
Posted on 11/12/2009 12:36
I've been to that site before, but looks like they have made some updates to it. I see also that the store has been moved from its original location of 60 years. I had always wanted to go to that store in New York. Chip, have you ever been there? If so, what is it like?
I will try to see if I can find the other Rita Ford albums online. Thanks for your help.
Posted on 11/12/2009 12:26
Darn, I only have Volumes 2, 3 and 6 of The Great Songs of Christmas. I really enjoyed listening to those as a kid. Mainly for the variety. It was where I was first introduced to Percy Faith I might add. I've been thinking of collecting the others. There's some great artwork on some of these. In fact, there's a lot of fantastic artwork from the 50's and 60's Christmas albums. One of the reasons I find some of them so appealing.
Jackie Gleason's "Snowfall" album has a bunch of remastered songs on it. Am I better off just buying his two original albums on CD, or are these remastered versions something I should look into?
Posted on 11/11/2009 22:29
One of my favorite Christmas albums growing up was a Rita Ford "A Music Box Christmas." My mom bought the album while we were in a Christmas gift shop in the late 70's. The cover is red and has a few 19th Century music boxes displayed. The gift shop does not exist anymore, but I thought I remembered telling my mom that I wanted the second album because I thought I had seen it displayed in the store as well. This one had a cover that was "yellow" or "gold" or so I thought. Does anyone have an idea what I am talking about or could my youth been playing tricks on me? I see the red album all the time on the internet, but cannot find any "gold" album. Here is the red cover.
file:///Users/michaelyoungberg/Desktop/51e0vTQYw1L._SL500_AA240_.jpg
Posted on 11/11/2009 22:11
First post here at The Yule Log.com. Great site! I have many of the Top 50 albums you mention as your favorites. I never knew there were others that had the same respect and adoration for the great Percy Faith. From when I was 8 years old, he was an artist that stood out to me at Christmas time, and I didn't even know who he was until my teens. I am one of the few that owns his "Music of Christmas Vol 2" CD that I bought in 1997.
Chip, I was wondering where (if at all) you would rank The Harry Simeone Chorale's "Sing We Now of Christmas/The Little Drummer Boy" album? It definitely would be in my top 10. Also Jackie Gleason's "All I Want For Christmas" is another favorite of mine.
