SNOOPY'S CHRISTMAS  -  THE PETER PAN SINGERS

YEAR:  1968
LABEL:  Diplomat/Tinkerbell
TRACK LISTING:  Snoopy's Christmas,  The Little Shepherd,  Christmas Candy,  Mary Christmas,  The Snowflake Song,  Jingle the Christmas Mouse,  The Christmas Tree,  Mr. Reindeer,  Donner and Blitzen,  Jack Frost's Christmas
IMPRESSIONS:  This is the other children's Christmas record my grandmother bought me while we were food shopping at the Holiday supermarket in the mid-1970s.  The first one I talked about in yesterday's post.  I don't have much to add to what I mentioned in the other "SNOOPY'S CHRISTMAS" post other than that this album is perhaps more lively than the other one and also features a wider variety of song styles; the Peppermint Kandy Kids album has many songs which sounds similar to one another while this album is musically more distinct with each song and features many memorable characters.  My favourite of these is "Jingle the Christmas Mouse" but there's also "Mary Christmas" and the delightfully bonkers "Donner and Blitzen" song which sounds like Carmen Miranda fell into a jazz improv group!
MY FAVOURITE TRACKS:  Snoopy's Christmas,  Christmas Candy,  Mary Christmas,  The Snowflake Song,  Jingle the Christmas Mouse,  Donner and Blitzen
FACT SHEET:  SNOOPY'S CHRISTMAS is a children's Christmas record which most sources site as being released on Diplomat Records in 1968; my copy of the LP was on Tinkerbell Records released sometime in the early to mid-1970s.  Both of these labels, however, were subsidiaries of Peter Pan Records and the studio musicians/singers can most properly be called "The Peter Pan Singers".  The cover art on my copy of the LP (pictured above) was by Howie Post.

SNOOPY'S CHRISTMAS  -  THE PEPPERMINT KANDY KIDS

YEAR:  1972
LABEL:  Peter Pan Records
TRACK LISTING:  Snoopy's Christmas,  Santa Claus For President (And Christmas All Year Round),  Children of the World Unite Tonight,  Who Stole the Mistletoe? (The Nose Knows),  We Wish You A Merry Christmas,  Jingle Bell Rock,  Travelin' Man,  Christmas Eve In Sloopyville,  Superstar,  The Happiest Time of the Year
IMPRESSIONS:  Once again we delve into the Christmas kiddie wayback machine and look at one of those Peter Pan Christmas records I had as a kid.  Just like "The Bunny Hoppers" Christmas LP "THE CHIPMUNK SONG" I posted about a couple years ago, this and another "SNOOPY'S CHRISTMAS" children's record were purchased by my grandmother when we were food shopping at the surely long-defunct Holiday supermarket.  Clocking in at under 24 minutes, this is a shorty but a goody which I played endlessly when I was growing up.  The Peppermint Kandy Kids, of course, were whatever studio musicians and singers Peter Pan Records were using that week and they cover the Royal Guardsmen's earlier hit single "Snoopy's Christmas" which gave it's name to this album.  However, it appears Peter Pan Records were only allowed to use the Peanuts character names in the eponymous title track as, wherever else they appear, the names are changed. F'rinstance, in "Who Stole the Mistletoe", Charlie Brown's name is changed to "Harley" and Schroeder's to "Roeder" - and the very title of "Christmas Eve In Sloopyville" shows Snoopy's name change as well.
I always liked the hushed, almost-spooky atmosphere of "Children of the World, Unite Tonight"; the picture I always got in my mind's eye was of a Currier & Ives frosted window pane in the dark of night with a lone candle burning as a child's face looks out hoping to catch a glimpse of Santa's sleigh. Hilariously, this rather subdued version of "Children of the World, Unite Tonight" has a raucous, faster counterpart on the aforementioned "Bunny Hoppers" Christmas record; the song title is exactly the same but the song itself is totally different.  Then there's, what to me always sounded like, the faux-Peggy Lee style vocal on "Travelin' Man" with the added lounge-singer whistling bridge!  "Superstar" obviously mirrors the time of the record's release (1972) when "JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR" was very popular; just substitute Santa as the eponymous superstar of the song and you have a hippy idea transformed by the extremely straight, white-bread style of the Peppermint Kandy Kids singers!  The album also includes a version of "JINGLE BELL ROCK" which is a cover of the exact song you think it is but then there's the inclusion of "WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS" which is definitely not the song you think it is at all!
MY FAVOURITE TRACKS:  Snoopy's Christmas,  Children of the World Unite Tonight,  Who Stole the Mistletoe? (The Nose Knows),  We Wish You A Merry Christmas,  Travelin' Man
FACT SHEET:  SNOOPY'S CHRISTMAS is a children's Christmas record released by Peter Pan Records in 1972.  The "Santa/Snoopy/Red Baron/Whatever It Is" figure seen on the cover is actually a gatefold cutout Christmas decoration which had a perforated edge so kiddies could tear it off and hang it on the wall; once you did this, however, the image still appeared underneath so the album cover looks identical with or without it.  The album cover art was drawn by the legendary kid's records cover artist George Peed.  In 1977, Peter Pan Records re-recorded the entire album with different versions of each of the songs linked together as a story; this version is actually available on iTunes and is godawful!

THE 25TH DAY OF DECEMBER  -  THE STAPLE SINGERS

YEAR:  1962
LABEL:  Riverside
TRACK LISTING:  The Last Month of the Year,  The Virgin Mary Had One Son,  Go Tell It On the Mountain,  Joy To the World,  Holy Unto the Lord,  The Savior Is Born,  Sweet Little Jesus Boy,  No Room At the Inn,  There Was A Star,  O Little Town of Bethlehem,  Wasn't That A Mighty Day,  Silent Night
IMPRESSIONS:  Hey, you know it's Christmas time?  You'd never know it from this blog recently.  However, I thought I should post at least a couple Christmas albums this time of year.  And I frankly can't think of many better ones than this 1962 Staple Singers outting.  You may or may not know that I consider Mavis Staples one of the greatest voices of the 20th century (and beyond) and this album is a spectacular example of the lady at her prime.  In fact, Pops, Yvonne and Pervis are also at the top of their form as the simple, unfussy song arrangements don't get in the way of the Staples' performance making this one of the most enjoyable Christmas albums you're likely to hear.  The organ playing of Maceo Woods is placed far enough back in the mix as not to overpower the vocals while Al Duncan's drumming is sympathetic as well.  Pops Staple's trademark "spooky" reverb guitar playing is the perfect counterpoint to Mavis' glorious voice and the whole thing ends up a classic album.
MY FAVOURITE TRACKS:  Oh come on!  All of 'em!
GUEST ARTISTS:  Maceo Woods (organ), Al Duncan (drums)
FACT SHEET:  It's difficult to number the Staple Singers albums so I won't attempt it.  The album was recorded at Chicago's Universal Studios in 1962. 

MERRY CHRISTMAS - Johnny Mathis

YEAR: 1958

LABEL: Columbia

TRACK LISTING: Winter Wonderland, The Christmas Song, Sleigh Ride, Blue Christmas, I'll Be Home For Christmas, White Christmas, O Holy Night, What Child Is This?, The First Noel, Silver Bells, It Came Upon A Midnight Clear, Silent Night

IMPRESSIONS: This has to be one of the greatest Christmas albums of all time. A perennial listen every December I've been alive, this was Mathis' first and best Christmas album (and he's made a few, let me tell you). This is one of those handful of albums which I can't go a Christmas season without listening to.

MY FAVOURITE TRACKS: Every single one of them.

FACT SHEET: MERRY CHRISTMAS was Johnny Mathis' sixth album (not counting a "greatest hits" as well as his very first Christmas album. It was produced by Columbia mogul Mitch Miller and features Percy Faith and his Orchestra. The album repeatedly made the top of the charts hitting #3 in 1959, #10 in 1960 and #12 in 1962.

SINGS MERRY CHRISTMAS MUSIC - Perry Como

YEAR: 1956

LABEL: RCA/Camden

TRACK LISTING: Twas the Night Before Christmas, The Twelve Days of Christmas, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S, Joy To the World, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, The Christmas Song, That Christmas Feeling, I'll Be Home For Christmas, Silent Night, O Come All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fideles), Jingle Bells, White Christmas, Winter Wonderland

IMPRESSIONS: From the dim, dark mists of the past, this Perry Como Christmas LP (with the cover shown above) was in my mother's record collection and I heard it at a very young age. Then somehow it disappeared! Then one day around 1979, I was shopping at Two Guys department store with my grandfather and what to my wondering eye should appear but this long-lost and dimly-recalled album (this time with the white background album cover). I snapped it up with fiendish glee (as well as the Bing Crosby "MERRY CHRISTMAS" album mentioned further down) and brought it home. Dropping the needle down on the outer groove, the saccharine-sweet sounds of the violin on the opening track flooded me with memories as I listened to "Twas the Night Before Christmas"; this is still my favourite rendition. Como's "The Twelve Days of Christmas" is also probably my ultimate version of the "traditional" version of this song. As I listened to the whole album, all these previously forgotten songs immediately sprang from the back of my cranium in instant recognition. Rarely can you buy this feeling. And that's why I've got this album posted here. It's another which brings back that nostalgic old Christmas on Linwood Avenue with the wood-panelled walls and the Lionel trains.

MY FAVOURITE TRACKS: Twas the Night Before Christmas, The Twelve Days of Christmas, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S, Joy To the World, Frosty the Snowman, I'll Be Home For Christmas, Silent Night, O Come All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fideles), Winter Wonderland

FACT SHEET: PERRY COMO SINGS MERRY CHRISTMAS MUSIC is the slightly unwieldy title of Como's first Christmas album which went through several editions in the early days of the LP. First in 1956, Como's previously released Christmas recordings were gathered together by RCA Victor in a 10" LP using this title in 1951. RCA then released the current version of the album as a 12" LP (with a couple additional songs) in 1956. The version of the album released on the Camden label (an RCA subsidiary) with the above album cover is the one I remember and was released in 1961. The album features Ted Weems and his Orchestra.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS: I LOVE THE WINTER WEATHER - Jo Stafford

YEAR: 1955/1956

LABEL: Hanover Music Corp.

TRACK LISTING: Happy Holiday, Winter Weather, Sleigh Ride, By the Fireside, I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm, Jingle Bells/Winter Wonderland, Toyland, 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, March of the Toys, The Christmas Song, I Wonder As I Wander, O Little Town of Bethlehem, Silent Night, Hanover Winter Song, It Happened in Sun Valley, June In January, Whiffenpoof Song, Baby It's Cold Outside, The Nearness of You, Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!, Moonlight In Vermont, Happy Holiday (Reprise)

IMPRESSIONS: There's just something about Christmas in the 1950s! One of the best voices to evoke this fifties yuletide feeling is Jo Stafford; her smooth croon is so incredibly warm when singing the slow romantic ballads designed to snuggle up in front of a ski lodge fireplace with such songs as "Moonlight In Vermont", "The Nearness of You" and "June In January". However, Stafford also excels at the up-tempo swing contained in "Winter Weather", "It Happened In Sun Valley" and "Let It Snow!". This album (or should I say "albums") makes a perfect listening companion with Dean Martin's "A WINTER ROMANCE".

MY FAVOURITE TRACKS: Winter Weather, Sleigh Ride, By the Fireside, I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm, Jingle Bells/Winter Wonderland, The Christmas Song, I Wonder As I Wander, It Happened In Sun Valley, June In January, The Nearness of You, Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!, Moonlight In Vermont

GUEST ARTISTS: The Starlighters (vocals), The Norman Luboff Choir (vocals)

FACT SHEET: HAPPY HOLIDAYS collects two of Jo Stafford's albums: "HAPPY HOLIDAY" (1955) and "SKI TRAILS" (1956). The album features Paul Weston and His Orchestra; Paul Weston was Jo Stafford's husband.

MERRY CHRISTMAS - Bing Crosby

YEAR: 1955

LABEL: Decca/MCA

TRACK LISTING: Silent Night, Adeste Fideles, White Christmas, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, Faith of Our Fathers, I'll Be Home For Christmas, Jingle Bells, Santa Claus Is Coming To Town, Silver Bells, It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas, Christmas in Killarney, Mele Kalikimaka

IMPRESSIONS: Maybe the number one venerable Christmas warhorse, this collection of Bing Crosby's Christmas 78's probably signifies Christmas more than any other. Bing stumbles the most with his overly dour and deadly heavy version of "Faith of Our Fathers"; however his equally serious renditions of "Silent Night" and "Adeste Fideles" come across with a great deal of warmth. Bing is more at home with the lighter material like "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" and his pairings with the Andrews Sisters are so classic that Barry Manilow did a note for note recreation of "Jingle Bells" with girl group Expose and Frank Sinatra did a similar "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" with Cyndi Lauper. The "ethnic" Christmas novelty songs "Christmas In Killarney" and "Mele Kalikimaka" are both great fun as well. And all this, of course, is wrapped around the biggest selling Christmas single of all time; even though this version is NOT Bing's original recording it IS the better one. Bing's Christmas album is also the perfect soundtrack to play while you're giving your children a Christmas beating.

MY FAVOURITE TRACKS: Silent Night, Adeste Fideles, White Christmas, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, I'll Be Home For Christmas, Jingle Bells, Santa Claus Is Coming to Town, Silver Bells, It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas, Christmas In Killarney, Mele Kalikimaka

GUEST ARTISTS: The Andrews Sisters (vocals on "Jingle Bells", "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" and "Mele Kalikimaka"), Carol Richards (vocals on "Silver Bells"), The Ken Darby Singers (vocals on "Silent Night"), The John Scott Trotter Orchestra (on "Silent Night", "Faith of Our Fathers" and "I'll Be Home For Christmas")

FACT SHEET: The original version of Bing Crosby's "MERRY CHRISTMAS" album was released by Decca Records in 1945; it was a collection of individual 78 rpm records collected together in a sleeved album. In 1949, after the introduction of the LP, Decca released "MERRY CHRISTMAS" as a 10 inch LP containing 8 songs. In 1950, the album was then released as a 45 rpm box set. Finally, the complete album as we now know it was released as a proper 12 inch LP in 1955 and the current cover featuring Bing in his Santa cap. In 1986, the album was issued on compact disc by MCA Records (Decca's parent company) and in 1992 Universal Music Group (MCA's successor) changed the name of the album to "WHITE CHRISTMAS" and that is the version available today. The PROPER title for the album though is "MERRY CHRISTMAS" and no Johnny-come-lately record label is going to change that in my mind; especially since the current version has much worse sound quality than the earlier 80s MCA cd; this probably owes to the fact that the original 1940s acetates and glass masters and the 1950s tapes were probably destroyed in the 2008 fire on the Universal Studios lot. "Adeste Fideles", "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" and "Faith of Our Fathers" were recorded on June 8, 1942. "Jingle Bells" and "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" were recorded on September 29, 1943. "I'll Be Home For Christmas" was recorded October 1, 1943. "Silent Night" and "White Christmas" were recorded March 19, 1947. "Mele Kalikimaka" was recorded September 7, 1950 and "Silver Bells" was recorded September 8, 1950. "It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas" and "Christmas in Killarney" were recorded on October 1, 1951.

THE CHRISTMAS SONG - The Bunny Hoppers

YEAR: c. 1975

LABEL: Rocking Horse Records

TRACK LISTING: The Chipmunk Song, Santa Claus Rudolph & Us, The Childrens' Party, Trains & Boats & Candy & Drums, The Candy Kids Christmas Caper, Sing A Song of Christmas, The Reindeer Rocks, Sitting On Top of Christmas, That's How It All Began, A Christmas Package Wrapped In Love

IMPRESSIONS: This is one of those children's Christmas records you picked up at the supermarket in the 70s. And that's what I did. Staying at my grandparents' house in Pennsauken, I went to the Holiday supermarket with my grandmother and picked up this Chipmunks "homage". Although obviously one of the countless Chipmunks ripoffs out there, this one actually was pretty good and got frequent play from this 10 year old. The usual "sped up" Chipmunks voices served for the three "Bunny Hoppers" while a deep-voiced baritone voiced Santa. This was not the first nor last Christmas record I would pick up at the Holiday supermarket in my 70s youth. So watch out!

MY FAVOURITE TRACKS: Is there any way not to choose ALL of them? Oh well then . . . . Santa Claus Rudolph and Us, The Childrens' Party, Trains and Boats and Candy and Drums, The Candy Kids Christmas Caper, Sitting On Top of Christmas, That's How It All Began, A Christmas Package Wrapped In Love

FACT SHEET: Are you kidding? Well actually, this album is one of the rarest "unknown band" recordings done in the 70s. The Chipmunk-like sped-up vocals actually belong to John Lennon, Elton John and Neil Sedaka! As something of a lark, these three (owing to Elton's friendship with Lennon as well as his championing of Sedaka's 70's comeback through his own Rocket Records) decided to record a children's Christmas album in such a way that their voices would not be recognized. Enter: chipmunk voices. This bit of trivia is not generally known other than a small mention in Philip Norman's biography of Elton John under a monumental listing of Elton John's complete recordings. It has also been rumoured that the album features drumming by Ringo Starr.

THE LAST MONTH OF THE YEAR - The Kingston Trio

YEAR: 1960

LABEL: Capitol

TRACK LISTING: Bye Bye Thou Little Tiny Child, The White Snows of Winter, We Wish You A Merry Christmas, All Through the Night, Good Night My Baby, Go Where I Send Thee, Follow Now Oh Shepherds, Somerset Gloucestershire Wassail, Mary Mild, A Round About Christmas, Sing We Noel, The Last Month of the Year

IMPRESSIONS: Here is another of those priceless Christmas records from my childhood; very few mean more to me than this album. In first or second grade I took the record into school because I loved it so much and we were supposed to bring in our favourite Christmas records to play in class. While waiting outside for the bell to head into the building, the record slid out of the sleeve and whacked edge-on on the sidewalk; resulting in a chip out of the record's edge which took out the first few seconds of the first song on each side of the record. In 1992, Capitol Records finally re-issued the album on cd. I secretly bought it (this was in the summer) and popped it into the cd player. I then told my mother to come into the living room and listen to this new cd I got. When the first few notes of "Bye Bye Thou Little Tiny Child" began playing, she literally burst into tears of joy. THAT'S how much this album means to my mother and to myself.

MY FAVOURITE TRACKS: Bye Bye Thou Little Tiny Child, The White Snows of Winter, We Wish You A Merry Christmas, All Through the Night, Go Where I Send Thee, Follow Now Oh Shepherds, Somerset Gloucestershire Wassail, A Round About Christmas, Sing We Noel, The Last Month of the Year

GUEST ARTISTS: David "Buck" Wheat (bass, guitar)

FACT SHEET: THE LAST MONTH OF THE YEAR is the Kingston Trio's eighth album. This is the original trio consisting of Dave Guard, Bob Shane and Nick Reynolds. Besides doing vocals, Dave Guard plays banjo, guitar and bouzouki, Bob Shane plays guitar and banjo and Nick Reynolds plays tenor guitar and bongos. And like all the others, this album was produced by Voyle Gilmour. The album is generally considered the trio's most ambitious musically and, perhaps for that reason and the fact that it doesn't consist of the usual run of the mill Christmas songs, it was the first Trio album to fall below expected sales projections. In the words of Nick Reynolds: "It wasn't your standard Christmas album. That's why we called it 'The Last Month of the Year'. It was a pretty complicated little album, some very intricate stuff. Dave (Guard) brought in a lot of the arrangements with stuff like bouzouki instrumentation; Buckwheat (David Wheat, the Trio's bassist) played some wonderful gut-string guitar. We really worked hard on that one, laying down a lot of the instrumental tracks before we did the vocals, working on harmonies over and over. David (Guard) was responsible for a lot of that album, but we all brought things in... Musically, it came off very well; it just didn't sell." Allmusic critic David A. Milberg calls the album "An essential part of any Christmas album collection, these are true Christmas folk songs, from spirituals to Old English rounds."

SINGS SONGS OF CHRISTMAS - Mahalia Jackson

YEAR: 1995

LABEL: Sony

TRACK LISTING: O Holy Night, What Child Is This?, Silver Bells, No Room at the Inn, O Come All Ye Faithful, O Little Town of Bethlehem, A Star Stood Still (Song of the Nativity), Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, The Holy Babe, Sweet Little Jesus Boy, The First Noel, What Can I Give, Silent Night Holy Night, Go Tell It On the Mountain, Joy To the World, I Wonder As I Wander, Mary's Little Boy Child, White Christmas

IMPRESSIONS: The true "Voice of an Angel" is Mahalia Jackson; not some precocious British bitch who blew her voice out years ago by singing improperly! Ahem. Y'ain't have to be religious to appreciate gospel music; that's like having to be French to eat pizza! That's silly! All you have to do is listen to the beautiful voice of Mahalia Jackson singing both gospel Christmas carols as well as more traditional Christmas songs and your Christmas is complete. As said when discussing the Grant's A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS VOLUME 3, Mahalia's version of "Silver Bells" is my favourite version of the song. Now, I usually don't like to put up recent compilation cds of "greatest hits" etc. but this one features the highlights of Mahalia's past Christmas albums so I erred on the side of inclusion; this cd features a pretty equal mix between less familiar gospel tunes and the usual suspects of Christmas songs.

MY FAVOURITE TRACKS: O Holy Night, Silver Bells, No Room At the Inn, O Come All Ye Faithful, A Star Stood Still (Song of the Nativity), The Holy Babe, The First Noel, What Can I Give, Silent Night Holy Night, Joy To the World, I Wonder As I Wander, Mary's Little Boy Child, White Christmas

FACT SHEET: MAHALIA JACKSON SINGS SONGS OF CHRISTMAS is a compilation album which draws together material from her previous Christmas albums. The cd features recordings from 1955, 1956, 1962 and 1968. "The Holy Babe" is a version of "Go Where I Send Thee" which can be heard on the Kingston Trio's classic "THE LAST MONTH OF THE YEAR" album.

A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS VOLUME 3 - Various Artists

YEAR: 1969

LABEL: Columbia

TRACK LISTING: Do You Hear What I Hear? - Robert Goulet, It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas - Leslie Uggams, Angels We Have Heard On High - Percy Faith Orchestra, I'll Be Home For Christmas - Johnny Mathis, The Real Meaning of Christmas - Ray Conniff Singers, Three Wise Me Wise Me Three - Jim Nabors, Christmas Chimes - Andre Kostalanetz Orchestra, Christmas Lullaby - Cary Grant, Handel: For Unto Us A Child Is Born from The Messiah - Eugene Ormandy & the Philadelphia Orchestra & Temple University Choir, Christmas Story - Burl Ives, Silver Bells - Mahalia Jackson, I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus - Ed Sullivan Orchestra, Some Children See Him - Diahann Carroll, What Child Is This? - Mitch Miller & the Gang, Christmas Chopsticks - Bobby Vinton

IMPRESSIONS: This is one of my favourite Christmas albums of all time since I grew up with it. It's probably the one album which immediately floods my mind with memories of my childhood decorating the Christmas tree and setting up the Lionel trains. It contains my favourite versions of several Christmas carols: Robert Goulet's "Do You Hear What I Hear?", Andre Kostalanetz's "Christmas Chimes" (which is actually "Carol of the Bells") and Mahalia Jackson's "Silver Bells" as well as the best recording of Handel's "For Unto Us A Child Is Born" I've ever heard. There's the delightfully cheesy swinging 60's orchestrations of "It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas" and "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus". However the absolute treasure of the album is Cary Grant's "Christmas Lullaby" which often brings me to tears. Apparently this ultra-rare track was Cary Grant's one and only 45 rpm record made for Columbia for Christmas 1967; it was recorded by Cary after the birth of his daughter with Dyan Cannon as a special message to her.

MY FAVOURITE TRACKS: Every single one of 'em!

FACT SHEET: A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS VOLUME 3 is a compilation of previously released Christmas music that Columbia Records manufactured exclusively for Grants department store. In total, there were 8 volumes released and they could only be purchased at the long-defunct Grants store.

A WINTER ROMANCE - Dean Martin

YEAR: 1959

LABEL: Capitol

TRACK LISTING: A Winter Romance, Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!, The Things We Did Last Summer, I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm, June In January, Canadian Sunset, Winter Wonderland, Out In the Cold Again, Baby It's Cold Outside, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, White Christmas, It Won't Cool Off

IMPRESSIONS: I just love that cover; Dean Martin personified! Like I say down there, this isn't truly a Christmas album but an album featuring songs with a winter theme. The title track is actually one of my favourite Dean Martin songs of all-time and it was written by Sammy Cahn & Ken Lane specifically for this album. As far as the Christmas songs go, Dino offers seminal versions of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" (or "Rudy" as he calls him), "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" and even "White Christmas". Sadly, the tempo for "Baby, It's Cold Outside" is too rushed; even if the concept of replacing a single dueting partner with an entire chorus of women IS a riot!

MY FAVOURITE TRACKS: A Winter Romance, Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!, The Things We Did Last Summer, I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm, June In January, Canadian Sunset, Out In the Cold Again, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, White Christmas,

FACT SHEET: A WINTER ROMANCE is Dean Martin's sixth long-playing album and his first "Christmas album"; although itunes quite rightly points out that it's more a "seasonal" album of winter songs than a Christmas album. The orchestra is conducted by Gus Levene.