October 27th, 2008
Dan, over at Big Balls of Holly has a great new share from the Leroy Holmes Singers.
It’s not strictly a Christmas release. All the songs are really about wintertime and snow. But, hey, Jingle Bells isn’t strictly a Christmas song either, so we’ll let this go.
This is some sweet loungy vocal work. A must for Ray Conniff fans.
October 13th, 2008
Well, this seems to be THE year for digital releases of great Christmas albums. This will be my fifth Christmas at FaLaLaLaLa and it’s amazing to see that the music industry is coming around and seeing that there is a market for these albums.
I found this one while scouting around at Amazon for new Christmas releases. Ernie turned me onto this one with the mono version of this album. I eventually found the stereo version which I recorded last year. And here it is on Amazon. Definitely worth a purchase.
And here’s a win-win for you. Purchasing this download again reinforces to the record companies that they can make money from these releases. And second, since these links go through my Amazon Associates account, you can support the humble King of Jingaling as well (if you so desire…).
October 13th, 2008
In browsing Emusic I found that this album (which Ernie has previously shared) has been released digitally. I decided to look around and see if anyplace else had it and sure enough I found it on Amazon. (I don’t use iTunes, so I can’t vouch for its being there, but I imagine it is.).
I haven’t downloaded it yet, and I have to note that the previews sound to me like the mono version of the album.
Still, it’s good to see that these albums are finding their way to general release.
September 21st, 2008
Our long national nightmare is over!
The powers that be have finally realized that the greatest Christmas album of all time has been languishing in a vault in California.
Collector’s Choice Music is releasing Stu Phillips’ holiday masterpiece this year. I’ve seen various reports regarding a release date, from October to November. But the listing is live on their site now and seems to be ready to ship.
You can bet that we’ll be talking about and promoting this CD all season. This is one of my absolute favorite Christmas records and I’m really psyched that it may finally find the wider audience it deserves.
Stay tuned for more info….
UPDATE (9/22/08: Just got an email from Stu Phillips. We may be doing some promotion of the CD here. Maybe a contest. Maybe an interview. Maybe more….
August 20th, 2008
I’m definitely behind the curve. I just found out that the great singer Jo Stafford passed away last month.
She put out a bunch of great Christmas songs that will make her immortal in the minds of folks at FaLaLaLaLa.
There have been a number of noted passings in the Christmas music world. We may have to do a tribute this December.
August 12th, 2008
The Meaning of Christmas
The Meaning of Christmas (Medley):
Christmas Magic (The Meaning of Christmas) /
Holiday /
A Musical Christmas Card /
Christmas Tree /
Mistletoe /
Carol of the Bells /
Snow, Snow, Beautiful Snow /
The Sleigh /
Echo Carol /
Kentucky Wassail Song /
Toyland /
March of the Toys /
Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer
Twas the Night Before Christmas
The Song of Christmas
AND
The Sounds of Christmas
Ring Those Christmas Bells
Caroling, Caroling
Carol, Brothers, Carol
O Hearken Ye
Christmas
The Star Carol
Rise Up Shepherd an’ Foller
Go Where I Send Thee
Jesu Parvule
Gesu Bambino
O Come All Ye Faithful / Come Dear Children
Bright, Bright the Holly Berries
Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town
While By Our Sleeping Flock We Lay
Jingle Bells/Caroling, Caroling (Reprise)
I Wonder as I Wander
Silent Night
O Holy Night
Finale (Chorus and Orchestra)
We Wish You a Merry Christmas / Closing
July 8th, 2008
We’ve finished up our Christmas-and-a-Half celebration. However, lots of our friends in the blogosphere are deep in the heart of their Christmas In July festivities.
There’s plenty of great Christmas music to be had. So go on over and sample the goodies!
June 25th, 2008
It’s that time of year again–the time when my brain chemistry decides to ignore the cultural norms of the day and invent my own Christmas holiday!
With six months since last Christmas and six months until next Christmas, FaLaLaLaLa celebrates Christmas-And-A-Half!
Now I know you’re rolling your eyes (my wife certainly is) because you don’t get it. Aren’t Christmas and Christmas In July enough?
Well, no. As the Christmas celebration itself has its roots in ancient celebrations of the Winter solstice, I see it as more appropriate to have a celebration near the Summer solstice–in June as opposed to July. It’s much more appropriate than celebrating appliance sales during Christmas in July. So we don’t really do Christmas in July at FaLaLaLaLa (though I will be spinning tunes for my wife’s CIJ party–she is the queen, after all!).
So, my annual harrang now being through, I give you my Christmas-And-A-Half present: one and a half Tijuana Christmas albums. So pour yourself a shandy and let the trumpets take you away….
Now you might look at the info below and see what you think are two Tijuana Christmas albums. However, due to the bizarre and fickle workings of the record industry, side two of the second album below is 100% Tijuana Free. You won’t find any Herb Alpert lite jazz numbers here. Just some relatively standard (though well orchestrated) Christmas carols performed by chorus and orchestra. So you’ll have to put down your margaritas during these songs or just skip them, even though they have far more Christmas content than some of the rest of the tracks. The only yule flavor you’ll find in songs like Mrs. Claus Says–Ole! is a bit of sleighbell percussion. Pretty cheap of Mr. Garabedian and the folks at Phillips 66. Big oil has its way with us once again!
The albums were produced by the king of Herb Alpert clones, George Garabedian. Apparently he put out quite a few of these little gems (and I suspect some of these tracks are recycled from other albums). There isn’t really info about release dates, players, orchestrators, etc.
|  |
SIDE ONE
1. Jingle Bells 1:54
2. Parade of the Wooden Soldiers 2:36
3. Christmas Sleigh Bells 3:04
4. Let It Snow Let It Snow 1:36
5. Tijuana Christmas 2:55
6. White Christmas 2:50
SIDE TWO
1. Santa Claus, Santa Claus 2:15
2. Sleigh Ride 2:41
3. Winter Wonderland 2:02
4. Oh Little Town Of Bethlehem/It Came Upon A Midnight Clear 2:55
5. Adeste Fidelis/Silent Night 2:26
| |
Phillips 66 Presents Tijuana Christmas Volume 2
Mark 56 Records
196?
SIDE ONE
1. Tijuana Taxi 3:28
2. Christmas In Paris 3:14
3. The Star 3:12
4. March of The Reindeer 4:01
5. Mexican Pine Cones 2:55
6. Mrs. Claus Says–Ole! 3:28
SIDE TWO
1. Happy Holiday 2:54
2. Christmas Waltz 3:25
3. Snowfall 3:14
4. Good King Wenceslas 3:02
5. Silent Night 4:42
6. Christmas Sleigh Bells 3:40
See you in about 6 months….
April 22nd, 2008
Our friend Mitch Kezin posted some footage for his Jingle Bell Rocks documentary.
In it he talks with the inimitable Bob Dorough (whom most folks of my generation will recognize as the voice behind so many classic Schoolhouse Rock songs). Dorough discusses how he got together to work on the only Christmas song that Miles Davis ever recorded.
Take a look (and listen).
March 26th, 2008
Well, I haven’t been around Emusic for a while but just couldn’t turn down their latest "come back" offer of 75 free downloads. As I’m poking around the holiday music section, I happen to find that Dave’s True Story have a Christmas album!
