Countdown to Christmas 2018

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Christmas With Ed Ames RCA LSP-3838

Christmas With Ed Ames Released in 1967 is one of my "All-Time" Favorite Christmas Albums


Track listing is as follows:

Side One:
Deck The Halls
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
O Come, All Ye Faitjful (Adeste Fideles)
Away In A Manger
Do You Hear What I Hear?
Joy To The World
Side Two:
The Ballad Of The Christmas Donkey
Sweet Little Jesus Boy
I Wonder As I Wander
I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day
The First Noel

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Robert Rheims - Merry Christmas in Carols

In my opinion, "Merry Christmas in Carols" by Robert Rheims has to be one of the most beautiful Christmas Record Albums ever released. I am posting 2 different album jacket fronts. the first image is from a re-release of the same album as it is more Christmasy than the original. Probably from sometime in the early 1960's I haven't been able to find an exact year.
The second and third image are from the original 1958 release. LP 6006.



Robert Rheims "Merry Christmas In Carols" Rheims Records LP 6006 (1958)
Track Listing
Side One
Adeste Fideles - O Come All Ye Faithful
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen - From Every Spire On Christmas Eve
The First Noel - Joy To The World
Deck The Halls - The Christmas Chimes Are Pealing
Away In A Manger - I Saw Three Ships
Side Two
Silent Night
O Little Town Of Bethlehem
Good King Wenceslas - Angles We Have Heard On High
It Came Upon A Midnight Clear - O Christmas Tree
We Three Kings Of Orient Are - I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day
O Holy Night

Saturday, February 9, 2008

Bing Crosby A Time To be Jolly

This is one of my favorite Christmas albums by Bing Crosby
A Time To Be Jolly Daybreak Records DR2006 released in 1971
JACK HALLORAN and the Voices of Christmas with Orchestra conducted by LES BROWN
I'm only posting the artwork for this album as it has been released on CD under the title "Bing Cosby Christmas Album" on PSM/Polygram. All the songs are there, just not in the same order as they are on the record album.
I love the picture on the back of the album jacket of Bing and his family. It brings back memories of watching his Christmas Specials on television.



The track listing for this album is as follows:
Side One
A Time To Be Jolly
Intro. "Some Children See Him" I Sing Noel
Intro. "Come Dear Children" 'Round and 'Round The Christmas Tree
Intro. "All On A Christmas Morning" The First Family Of Christmas
The Song Of Christmas
Side Two
A Christmas Toast
Intro. "Caroling, Caroling" And The Bells Rang
Intro. "Bright, Bright The Holly Berries" Christmas Is
Intro. "We'll Dress The House" When You Trim Your Christmas Tree
Christmas Is Here To Stay!

Friday, February 8, 2008

The Glorious Organ And Chimes Of London Cathedral

I have always loved organ music and chimes. This album is just one of my favorites that has an organ and carillon. I've searched online, but can not find a year for this album being released, but would guess sometime during the 1960's .
The Glorious Organ and Chimes Of London Cathedral - Norman Ward, Organ & John Lloyd, Carillon. Buckingham Records X-960


Track listing is as follows:
Side One
O Come All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fidelis)
It Came Upon A Midnight Clear - I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day
O Little Town Of Bethlehem - Joy to The World
Silent Night
The Christmas Chimes Are Pealing - I Saw Three Ships
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing - While Shepherds Watched
Side Two
Deck The Halls - We Three Kings Of Orient Are
The First Noel - O Christmas Tree (Tannenbaum)
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - From Every Spire On Xmas Eve
Away n A Manger - What Child Is This? (Greensleeves)
Good King Wenceslas - Angels We Have Heard On High
O Holy Night

Thursday, February 7, 2008

Christmas Greetings

Christmas Greetings was another of my Thrift Store finds in Mint condition. Once again, I scanned the album jacket with the shrink wrap still on before I opened the album to copy it to my computer.
Christmas Greetings Columbia Records CSS 1433 (1970)



Track listing is as follows:
Side One
Robert Goulet - O Come All Ye Faithful
Eddie Layton - Hark The Herald Angels Sing
The New Christy Minstrels - Here We Come A-Caroling
Ken Griffin - Away In A Manger (Luther's Carol)
The Philadelphia Brass Ensemble - Medley: Good Christian Men Rejoice. O Holy Night
Side Two
Andre Kostelanetz - Medley: March Of The Toys, Toyland
Burl Ives - Jingle Bells
Charlie Byrd - Good King Wenceslas
Ray Conniff - Joy To The World
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir - Hallelujah Chorus from "Messiah"
Richard P. Condie, Director
The Philadelphia Orchestra
Eugene Ormandy, Conductor

The Christmas Music I Listen To

Most of the Christmas Music I listen to is prior to 1972. The artist's we had back then were the greatest and the music style was much better than it is today. This is just my opinion. I am sure other people may feel differently.

Though a lot of today's artist's sing some of the "Christmas Standards", they just don't compare to artists such as Ray Conniff, Burl Ives, Robert Goulet, Andy Williams, Patti Page, Frank Sinatra, Doris Day, Andre Kostelanetz, Bert Kaempfert, The Ray Charles Singers, Hugo Winterhalter, James Last, Percy Faith, Pete Fountain, The Pete King Chorale, Bing Crosby, Ken Griffin, Eddie Dunstedter, Julie Andrews, Peggy Lee, Johnny Mathis, Frank DeVol, David Rose, Robert Rheims, Eugene Ormandy... and there are so many others I could mention.

Please don't get me wrong, there are a lot of new artists out there too that have done their own renditions of the "Christmas Standards" as well as new songs they have done.

Christmas' prior to 1972 was much simpler time. Now-a-days it seems that there isn't enough time in one year to get ready for next year's Christmas. There is so much turmoil in the world today and it is as if people have forgotten what Christmas use to be like. There is just so much violence these days here and abroad. It seems every time you turn on the news that something bad has happened.

I know that times have changed, but it is my feelings that they have changed for the worse. Once again, I need to state that these comments are my feelings and not meant to offend anyone. I truly believe that if people today would understand what Christmas is all about that we could be living in a much better and safer place.

Thankfully, the Christmas music I listen too takes me back to better times. Happier times spent with loved ones. Enjoying the festivities of the Christmas season. I hope it will also help others remember better times too.

Monday, February 4, 2008

Found Three Christmas Albums in Mint Conditon

I was out at one of our local Thrift Stores today and found three Christmas Albums in Mint condition. One was "'Tis The Season" Columbia Records C 10874, which I posted last night. The other two were "Christmas Greetings" Columbia Records CSS 1433 and "Sweet Sounds Of Christmas" Columbia Records C 10875
I was hoping to post another album today, but spent most of my time rescanning the artwork and putting the music from "Tis The Season onto my computer from the new factory sealed album I found today.
I deleted the original ZipFile on Rapidshare and changed the link for the new file. There is just the slight hint of a pip or pop or two during some of the songs, but it 100% better than what I posted last night. I scanned the album jacket before I opened the shrink wrap and it is a much better picture than the first one.
Hopefully, tomorrow, I will be able to post another album or two.

Sunday, February 3, 2008

My First Record Album Post

Here is my first record album post. This album is 'Tis The Season on Columbia records from 1972. Album # C 10874.

This is the front of the album jacket. This was scanned in 4 passes and stitched together using ArcSoft Panorama Maker 4. All future album images will be done the same way.

Track Listing for "Tis The Season:
Side One
Robert Goulet - Do You Hear What I Hear?
Ray Conniff And The Singers - Silver Bells
Bobby Vinton - Christmas Angel

Jerry Vale - I'll Be home For Christmas
Doris Day - Toyland
Side Two
The Brothers Four - What Child Is This?
Mahalia Jackson - Sweet Little Boy Jesus
Rita Ford Music Boxes - Nazareth
Percy Faith, His Orchestra And Chorus - Little Drummer Boy
Charlie Byrd - We Three Kings

My First Blog

I finally decided to start a BLOG. I love anything and everything about Christmas. If I could I would have my apartment decorated for Christmas all the year around.

I've been collecting Vinyl Records for over 40 years since I was a child. I basically have every record that I received from when I was about 4 or 5 years old and in my early teens decided that I should start taking better care of my records. Most of my childhood records are scratchy and in poor shape, but they still play. Some are 78's and currently I don't have a turntable that would play them, but I do have a program that would up-convert it to 78 RPM's if I play it at 33 or 45 and copy it to the computer.

I also have a lot of 8-Track Tapes and Cassette Tapes That I am trying to find the vinyl for. Several of my tapes are stuff that I taped off the radio.

Recently, I've been adding to my Christmas Record collection as well as other genre, but my main interest is Christmas. I have a lot of Christmas CD's and if they were originally released on Vinyl I will try my hardest to find them and get rid of the CD. To me, VINYL IS FINAL!!!

Once I figure out how to add things here I will be posting some of my records here.