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
25 comments:
Another link that seems to have expired.
You have some nice records here. Thanks.
I've updated the link in more recent posts, but also updated the link in this particular post today.
Hello Susan!
We were searching Robert Rheims and came across your page...
Was wondering if there might be any contact info on the backs of the records you have as we are trying to contact the copyright owner of these Christmas records. They are so old, the contact info we have is no longer valid. Any help you could offer would be greatly appreciated. My email is tammy@leroi.com. By the way we love your page & collection of music! Tammy :)
The rights to this beautiful recording now reside with the Rheims family, who are not interested (for whatever reason) in allowing the album to be released as a CD. In 2002 I contacted all the reissue record companies that I thought might be interested in a recording of this type. The Good Music Company was the one who took the ball and ran with it. They traced the rights to EMI, who owns Capitol Records and the smaller Liberty Records, the label that originally released the album. EMI's lawyers realized at the last minute that they no longer owned the rights and that the family wouldn't agree to a new release. Maybe they thought there was no longer a market for organ and chimes recordings (they're probably right) and/or may have decided that the legal costs to them weren't worth it. Anyway, may I suggest that you get or download a fresh copy of the album and have it transferred to CD. I used an internet service for this and am pleased with the results, even though I know an officially made CD would sound better.
Though I prefer Vinyl over CD, there are a few Christmas Albums that are next to impossible to find that a lot of people would love to see released on CD. But record labels don't seem to think there is a market for this. The same is with Classic TV. The companies don't want to take a chance on spending money to release them and not have anyone buy. Fortunately, "Merry Christmas in Carols" is still readily available on vinyl on eBay and other online vendors as well as Thrift Stores. Though they are usually reissues. The things I don't like about these albums being released on CD is (1) they don't always use the original artwork. (2) they often change the order of the tracks or don't include all of them from the vinyl. (3) a lot of times they add reverb and it just doesn't sound the same. (4) they don't have the same frequency response range as analog recordings. Though most people wouldn't notice this on portable audio devices, etc. Even MP3 files being digital, have the same problem with frequency response. Fortunately, blogs such as mine help bring these albums to people who otherwise might not be able to hear these beautiful recordings.
I used to have this album, but my abusive ex threw away all of my albums. I have not been able to find this one again. I was so excited when I saw this and the Shell albums. I had all of those!! I cannot download this one though, it's a .rar file and for some reason I can't seem to open it. Is there anyway to convert to .mp3? Thank you! Trish
e-mail:
trishious@comcast.net
Hi Trish,
Thanks for visiting my blog. I did add a ZIP file that is the exactly the same as the RAR file so you shouldn't have any problem.
Susan
Thank you not only for sharing these albums, but also for taking the time to write proper ID3 tags to them. So many sharity sites overlook this one detail and it results in hundreds (thousands?) of people like me who have to go in and set the release year, track numbers, etc.
Anyway, thank you :)
You're welcome. Where possible, I try to include the year the album was released, the composer, arranger, etc. but it isn't always indicated as a lot of albums don't include that information.
Fortunately, I have a few friends who also have a very large collections of vinyl records and they have been helpful when I can't find information.
susan
Last year, I found your site while conducting my perennial search for Robert Rheims on CD, or any format. I was born in 1956, and my parents apparently bought the red and the green vinyls when first released, because I cannot remember a Christmas without listening to these cherisheed recordings. Unfortunately, my last remaining recording of it was a 25 year old cassette dub from the same records I had obtained from my parents, and they were virtually unplayable and no less listenable - until I happened by profound luck on to your site. In another stroke of luck, I recently found a stereo copy of what appears to me to be an original release, and in good condition I might add. I now have the stereo version ripped, as well as yours and am temporarily satisfied. I wish to plead with whomever controls the rights to these masterpieces from my childhood to somehow arrange for them to be restored and released on CD, iTunes, or something. I for one would easily pay a premium price anytime, anywhere, anyhow... Belated thank you for "saving" me last year from having to endure a Christmas without my Robert Rheims - it would have been the first time in my living memory, and it really is not Christmas to me unless I listen to these treasures. Bless you!
Hi Mike,
Thanks for visiting my blog and for your comments.
I can't remember for sure, but I believe I read somewhere online that the Rheims family is who would have the rights to release this album on CD and for some reason, they have no desire to do so.
I don't know if they feel that there wouldn't be enough interest to make it cost effective.
Maybe if anyone interested were to contact Collectors Choice Music
http://www.ccmusic.com/ and let them know that they would be interested in this album being released on CD would help.
CCM has released a lot of older Christmas Albums and most recently, Mantovani's 1958 "Christmas Carols" on CD
On a humorous note, regarding the Red & Green records, I can remember being about 3 or 4 years old and my older sister and I rolling these records down the stairs or spinning them around on the floor.
I wish I still had some of them but they probably wouldn't be playable anymore.
Oh well, we live and learn.
Susan
i have copy of this lp in front of me right now. It's ruby red, and we always played it at my grandmother's house on christmas eve. I made a cassette copy a few years ago, but they are all long gone. I'm thinking about converting it to cd and giving a copy to my mother for christmas.
I always loved the different colored vinyl records. I remember there were red, green and yellow ones, then there were the heavier opaque ones that were a different shade of red and yellow. These were the 6 or 7 inch 78 RPM childrens records.
I've seen this particular LP in several different Thrift Stores, but it's usually a reissue and on the regular vinyl and not red or green ones. I think too that Harmony or Mistletoe may have done a reissue of this but I might be confusing it with another title.
Susan
THANK you for posting the link to the Rheims album! You have no idea how many memories it brings back! Our family always played "The Red Record" at Christmas and the original album become so worn that it could no longer be played. You can't imagine what a joy it is to hear it again!
You're most welcome. I' glad it brings back good memories for you. This it the music that makes Christmas extra special.
Susan
Hi, I have been looking for this for so long. My grandparents used to have this album and play it every Christmas. We can't find the album anymore, which doesn't really matter because I don't have a record player, but I have been wanting this either on cd or in mp3 format, but I can't find it anywhere to download. I can find it on the U.K. itunes, but I can't buy from there being I'm from the United States. Do you know anywhere where I could download this album in mp3 format? I'm almost to the point where I am willing to pay what ever it costs to get it. Haha, I'm feeling desperate. I just want these songs!
Thanks! :)
Hi, this album does occasionally show up on eBay, but being you don't have a record player it wont' help. if you can email me at chrstmsforever@gmail.com I can try and help point you in the right direction.
Susan
I've owned this album since my parents bought it in the early 1960s. So sad to learn that the Rheims family won't get up off the rights. I had this converted to CD by CVC Productions in FL. This guy does wonderful work and it sounds like it was remastered for the new medium. Near-perfect! Sadly, it's likely that this album will never be available on CD. Robert Rheims' technique is genius. I can't imagine a Christmas without it. While some folks chide that it sounds like church, I pity those people who never experienced the mighty Wurlitzers of Radio City Music Hall or the calming, peaceful chimes of a church steeple mid-day or early evening. Peace on earth, y'all! Merry Christmas in Carols.
Hi duspin,
Thanks for visiting my blog. Yes, there is truly a lot of beautiful organ and chimes music. It can be so soothing. And even the organ from The London Cathedral is another beautiful organ to listen to.
Susan
I posted a while back about converting the red record to cd. I bought a usb turntable about a month ago, and the red record was my first project. It came out great. I'm going to get the album cover art work and put that into the cd case for my mother this christmas eve. the only thing missing is that my cd's are silver, not red. But, the sound quality is ok, and it brings back lots of good memories.
Glad you were able to get good results in copying the album to be able to burn it to a CD for your mom.
It would be nice if they made blank CD's in different colors like the thin Jewel Cases.
Susan
I absolutely cannot believe that there is a forum on these records. Thank you! I do have a question: Does anybody know what organ exactly is on these records? I play a 1957 Hammond M3-- I am naturally very curious. threespeednerd@gmail.com
Hi Skid,
Thanks for visiting my blog. I don't have a lot of information about this, but did send you an email.
Susan
Skip, according to the record back, it is a "Mighty Wurlitzer Pipe Organ" in CBS's studios in Hollywood.
Thanks teacherdan,
The scan was done at low resolution at the time, but I think I mentioned the information about the organ in an email to skid, but that was a long time ago, so I don't remember.
I can barely make it out on my scan, but even though I am not sharing anymore, because of the problems with other people and the DMCA, I still scan album jackets for my own personal use, but now at a much higher DPI and after they are stitched together, they are over a MB large and much clearer to read the fine print.
I thank you for your comment though.
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