The 12 Songs Of Christmas: Links, Commentary, Rambling, etc...

[guitarfool2002]

Firing up the ol' Classic Studio Sessions site/blog for the holiday season...

I'm inviting everyone to read a series of my ramblings, musings, and opinions in the form of twelve reviews and commentaries on classic Christmas songs, found at this link. I hope to have a new song commentary posted every day, leading up to December 25th, featuring historical background, photos, some personal thoughts and opinions about the songs, and links to read and (hopefully) enjoy.

Song #12 features a man who produced Billie Holiday and "Rock Around The Clock", a Nashville studio legend, a songwriter credited with several Christmas standards, and perhaps the only animated character to carry a banjo, an umbrella, a pocket watch, and wear a bowler hat...

http://classicstudiosessions.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-twelve-songs-of-christmas-series.html


Comments, questions, opinions, suggestions are welcome and encouraged. 

[guitarfool2002]

Which Christmas classic recording never features the musical instrument which is both the title and subject of the song...and was written by a composer and music teacher who had studied at Wellesley and the New England Conservatory?

Song #11 in my Twelve Songs Of Christmas series, featured here:

http://www.classicstudiosessions.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-twelve-songs-of-christmas-series_13.html

[Rocker]

Hey, thanks for the links guitarfool! Very nice!

[Sheriff John Stone]

Great, great topic and thread. I am a huge fan of older Christmas music, and I have a feeling you are going to be perfectly targeting that "golden era" of Christmas music.

While so many of the great singers recorded multiple Christmas albums -  Crosby, Sinatra, Como, Mathis, Andy Williams, Ella Fitzgerald, Nat "King" Cole, and Tony Bennett come to mind - there is an underwhelming amount of footage out there to enjoy. Oh, it's somewhere. If you search YouTube enough, you'll stumble across some selections. And, some of it has leaked out. One of Dean Martin's Christmas specials is now available on DVD, as is The Best Of The Andy Williams' Christmas Specials (I believe David Leaf was involved in that), and just last month the 1974 Perry Como Christmas special (with The Carpenters) was released on DVD. I would love to see a Bing Crosby comp, or Johnny Mathis.

There were also several instrumental classics recorded in the 1950's and 1960's including Percy Faith, Mantovani, Andre Kostelanetz, David Rose, Henry Mancini, Bert Kaempfert, and, of course, The Boston Pops. Some of those albums are being reissued in very good remastered sound.

Wow, I'm really enjoying reading the details of the first two selections. There hasn't been a lot written about those old recordings and it's hard to find. You come across those quickly compiled "greatest Christmas songs/albums" lists every December by magazines and newspapers, but there are never any articles of substance. I don't know if the record companies (and artists?) took those recordings as seriously as their "other" recordings. Did they view them as novelty songs? Were they hastily done? I often wonder what those artists - take Nat "King" Cole, or Burl Ives or even Sinatra - would think if they knew that every December in this 21st century, several radio stations around the country would stop playing the currently popular music - to make room for their Christmas music. I mean, those stations don't play "Mona Lisa" but they play "The Christmas Song", they don't play "A Little Bitty Tear" but they play "A Holly Jolly Christmas", and they don't play "I've Got You Under My Skin" but they play "Let It Snow". Or Perry Como. You NEVER hear a Perry Como song, but come December - there's no place like home for the holidays!

I can't wait to read the next ten selections. Can you make it the 25 Songs Of Christmas?

[guitarfool2002]

Wow...thank you Rocker and Sheriff Stone for the kind words! I really appreciate that. I'm pushing to get a new song essay posted every day until the 24th, keeping with the "12 Days" theme, so check in when you can, and feel free to share or link to the posts as well, Facebook or otherwise, if you know any other fans of Christmas music who would be interested.

I agree, Sheriff, there is such a lack of actual history and commentary about some of these classic recordings whenever they do any lists or "best of" sets, it's mostly just the basic info and that's it. Even tracking down some of the details I wanted to capture for this can lead to a dead end - it's simply not out there or hasn't been listed for reference. But some of these songs and recordings are absolute classics that deserve more, I think, and that's what i had in mind deciding to do something like this.

It's a tough call on the artists' and managers' feelings toward these Christmas albums and projects coming from all of the major artists. Your post was great, Sheriff, with asking that question. I do feel in some way the Christmas album in general may have been considered a "cash cow" for some folks, knowing the name and artist's popularity would guarantee sales, so maybe in some cases a lesser effort would be placed on the holiday project overall than would be on a major release. At the same time, you cannot deny some of the all-time classic songs themselves as they show the level of work and attention which went into the recording. However, with full albums, I can get the feeling of "fatigue" on some tracks versus others, like they needed x-amount of songs on an album and once they had what they knew were the keepers, they padded the album with the rest. That's not all Christmas albums, by any means, but a few that do contain the all-time performances also contain some lesser filler-type material, and you can hear it.

Thanks again for the kind words! Stay tuned for more. 

[guitarfool2002]

The Twelve Songs Of Christmas Series latest entry - Song #10

Which classic Christmas recording was written by an Army veteran who worked in military counterintelligence in two wars and was fluent in nine languages, features a band from Tacoma Washington who are mega-stars in Japan, several Los Angeles studio musicians from the famous 'Wrecking Crew', a pioneering female musician and former bandleader, a legendary pedal steel guitarist, and a producer who once renamed a legendary group without telling them? Find out by visiting this link:

http://classicstudiosessions.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-twelve-songs-of-christmas-series-10.html

[Sheriff John Stone]

The Twelve Songs Of Christmas Series latest entry - Song #10

Which classic Christmas recording was written by an Army veteran who worked in military counterintelligence in two wars and was fluent in nine languages, features a band from Tacoma Washington who are mega-stars in Japan, several Los Angeles studio musicians from the famous 'Wrecking Crew', a pioneering female musician and former bandleader, a legendary pedal steel guitarist, and a producer who once renamed a legendary group without telling them? Find out by visiting this link:

http://classicstudiosessions.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-twelve-songs-of-christmas-series-10.html

Another good choice and incredible research. Don't you wish you coulda been hangin' out at United/Western on September 25, 1965 for a coupla hours....Great stuff, can't wait for the next one!

[guitarfool2002]

The Twelve Songs Of Christmas Series: Song #9

Which Christmas classic recording was sung by a group who has had over 60 individual members since the 1950's, and covers a song which is regarded by many as the most successful single in popular music history, with over 100 million copies sold worldwide?

Find out here:
http://classicstudiosessions.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-twelve-songs-of-christmas-series-9.html

[Sheriff John Stone]

The Twelve Songs Of Christmas Series: Song #9

Which Christmas classic recording was sung by a group who has had over 60 individual members since the 1950's, and covers a song which is regarded by many as the most successful single in popular music history, with over 100 million copies sold worldwide?

Find out here:
http://classicstudiosessions.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-twelve-songs-of-christmas-series-9.html

"White Christmas"....The Drifters...another great one. I read an even funnier story when Irving Berlin wrote the song. Allegedly, he summoned his secretary and said, "Grab your pen and take down this song. I just wrote the best song I've ever written. No, I just wrote the best song that anybody's ever written."

Didn't realize the Drifters had over 60 members. And we complain about The Beach Boys diluting the brand! Can't help but think of Home Alone when I hear this song....

[guitarfool2002]

Two-for-Tuesday on Classic Studio Sessions, with the Twelve Songs Of Christmas series, song #8.

Which song that dates to the 1500’s was performed acapella by a band as part of their 1967 Christmas television episode, a band which had the number one single on Billboard for the entire month of December 1967?

Visit here to find out:

http://classicstudiosessions.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-twelve-songs-of-christmas-series-8.html

[Sheriff John Stone]

Two-for-Tuesday on Classic Studio Sessions, with the Twelve Songs Of Christmas series, song #8.

Which song that dates to the 1500’s was performed acapella by a band as part of their 1967 Christmas television episode, a band which had the number one single on Billboard for the entire month of December 1967?

Visit here to find out:

http://classicstudiosessions.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-twelve-songs-of-christmas-series-8.html

Having been a fan of The Monkees since the beginning, and seeing/hearing "Riu Chiu" when it originally aired in 1967 ....at the time it was a little over my head for me to appreciate. I was still rocking out to "I'm A Believer" and "Last Train To Clarksville. I don't think I was ready for The Monkees to be hippies with the hair and clothing - and candles! While "Riu Chiu" has never become a personal favorite, I can now better appreciate the vocal talents of the guys through the performance, although I think I always did know that they could all sing, even as a kid. 

[Rocker]

The Twelve Songs Of Christmas Series: Song #9

Which Christmas classic recording was sung by a group who has had over 60 individual members since the 1950's, and covers a song which is regarded by many as the most successful single in popular music history, with over 100 million copies sold worldwide?

Find out here:
http://classicstudiosessions.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-twelve-songs-of-christmas-series-9.html

Note that Elvis Presley's (himself a big admirer of Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters) version of "White Christmas" was based on the Drifters' recording. He had Dudley Brooks playing the "Jingle bells" melody on the piano during the outro while at the same time let the Jordanaires (and probably Millie Kirkham) sing the "Joy to the world" melody. This makes for a far more reflective sound than in the Drifters' playful way. Although Presley did base his arrangement on the Drifters' and therefor it could've been known by the song's composer Irving Berlin, it was Elvis' version that Berlin begged radio stations not to play.

[guitarfool2002]

The Twelve Songs Of Christmas Series: Song #9

Which Christmas classic recording was sung by a group who has had over 60 individual members since the 1950's, and covers a song which is regarded by many as the most successful single in popular music history, with over 100 million copies sold worldwide?

Find out here:
http://classicstudiosessions.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-twelve-songs-of-christmas-series-9.html

Note that Elvis Presley's (himself a big admirer of Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters) version of "White Christmas" was based on the Drifters' recording. He had Dudley Brooks playing the "Jingle bells" melody on the piano during the outro while at the same time let the Jordanaires (and probably Millie Kirkham) sing the "Joy to the world" melody. This makes for a far more reflective sound than in the Drifters' playful way. Although Presley did base his arrangement on the Drifters' and therefor it could've been known by the song's composer Irving Berlin, it was Elvis' version that Berlin begged radio stations not to play.

Yet Ahmet Ertegun and Jerry Wexler scheduled a meeting with Irving Berlin to play him an acetate of the Drifters' version before its release to get his stamp of approval, and Berlin liked it!

[guitarfool2002]

Two-for-Tuesday on Classic Studio Sessions, with the Twelve Songs Of Christmas series, song #8.

Which song that dates to the 1500’s was performed acapella by a band as part of their 1967 Christmas television episode, a band which had the number one single on Billboard for the entire month of December 1967?

Visit here to find out:

http://classicstudiosessions.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-twelve-songs-of-christmas-series-8.html

Having been a fan of The Monkees since the beginning, and seeing/hearing "Riu Chiu" when it originally aired in 1967 ....at the time it was a little over my head for me to appreciate. I was still rocking out to "I'm A Believer" and "Last Train To Clarksville. I don't think I was ready for The Monkees to be hippies with the hair and clothing - and candles! While "Riu Chiu" has never become a personal favorite, I can now better appreciate the vocal talents of the guys through the performance, although I think I always did know that they could all sing, even as a kid. 

Sheriff, thanks for the comments, this is exactly what I had in mind as I wrote that piece about Riu Chiu, and it hit me the same way as a second-generation fan when I first saw it in the 80's on reruns. I wasn't sure what to make of it, but it always stuck with me as something unique, and that's why I put it on this collection.

Real life concerns have stepped into my schedule this week so I'm not posting on schedule, but hope to be back soon. 

[Ron]

I can't believe you stopped when Christmas passed!  Any good Christmas song is good all year round.  Continue on.

[guitarfool2002]

I can't believe you stopped when Christmas passed!  Any good Christmas song is good all year round.  Continue on.

   I agree! I think Christmas music can sound good any time of the year, it's just a case of getting back to the writing itself. I'll try to get something soon as I'm able. I tried to keep up in December but things just got too hectic to do a good enough job for each song.

[pixletwin]

How could I have missed this thread? 

I may have to book mark it in my browser for next Christmas.

[pixletwin]

I can't believe you stopped when Christmas passed!  Any good Christmas song is good all year round.  Continue on.

   I agree! I think Christmas music can sound good any time of the year, it's just a case of getting back to the writing itself. I'll try to get something soon as I'm able. I tried to keep up in December but things just got too hectic to do a good enough job for each song.

Now you know why Christmas albums are recorded in June. Perhaps Christmas blogs are as well? 

[Ron]

It'll give your Blog a unique twist too, nobody does a Christmas list in February.  You're writing a fucking BOOK for each track too so just take your time and maybe do 1 a month or something. 

[Sheriff John Stone]

I'm still listening to Christmas music. I got this great CD, The New Christy Minstrels: The Complete Columbia Christmas Recordings 1963 -1966, for Christmas. They sing these obscure Christmas folk songs with some other familiar ones, and the arrangements are really interesting. There's still a couple more weeks left for some good Christmas music listening, although I listen to it sporadically thoughout the entire year anyway.