The sound of Nat King Cole's The Magic of Christmas & The Christmas Song ALBUMS

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by dale 88, Dec 14, 2012.

Page 10 of 16
  1. DLant

    DLant The Upstate Gort Staff

    Location:
    Albany, NY
    So, I was at my local and the owner asked if I had Nat Cole's Christmas Story on CD or LP and I said "No" he hands me a Capitol reissue from years ago, and it looks NM. Only charged me $5 for it. I'll have some photos soon. Not sure how it will sound, but figured it was a good place to start for a 5 spot.
     
    DLant, Nov 28, 2015
    #226
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  2. MLutthans

    MLutthans That's my spaghetti, Chewbacca! Staff

    Location:
    Marysville, WA, Salina, KS, Los Angeles, CA
    FYI, I picked up a 1996 Capitol "Special Markets" Nat King Cole CD called "Christmas Favorites," on the off chance that it may use different tapes, mixes, etc. (realistically expecting that it would not). As it turns out, it's the 1986 CD, resequenced and abridged to ten tracks. (I see that @dale 88 mentioned this version waaaaaaaaay back on page two. Had I spotted that, I'd have save my $3!)

    If it's the yellow or blue label ("SM" or "SMX" series), it probably sounds pretty nice.
     
    Last edited: Dec 1, 2015
    MLutthans, Dec 1, 2015
    #227
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  3. Clark V Kauffman

    Clark V Kauffman Forum Resident

    Location:
    Des Moines, Iowa
    Too bad -- but, as you say, to be expected.
    Do we know which mastering the Nordstrom's-exclusive CD uses? I like that track line-up the best, as it's basically the complete "Magic of Christmas" album, including "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," but with "The Christmas Song" tacked onto the front. It sounds passable to me. Not great, by any means, but acceptable.
     
    Clark V Kauffman, Dec 1, 2015
    #228
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  4. MLutthans

    MLutthans That's my spaghetti, Chewbacca! Staff

    Location:
    Marysville, WA, Salina, KS, Los Angeles, CA
    Hmmm....six years later, I just gave this a listen, and it's not bad, but there's something funny/funky with the reverb, like it's delayed reverb a la Columbia Records NYC 1962, but with an extra dose of warm low-end EQ. Subtly weird (IMO).
     
    MLutthans, Dec 1, 2015
    #229
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  5. DLant

    DLant The Upstate Gort Staff

    Location:
    Albany, NY
    It's a light-ish blue label. I'll take a pic of it next time I play it (soon).
     
    DLant, Dec 1, 2015
    #230
  6. MLutthans

    MLutthans That's my spaghetti, Chewbacca! Staff

    Location:
    Marysville, WA, Salina, KS, Los Angeles, CA
    @DLant - Should be like this one that @dale 88 posted:
    [​IMG]
    or the one that I posted (color's a little off -- it's blueish, not greenish):
    [​IMG]
     
    MLutthans, Dec 1, 2015
    #231
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  7. DLant

    DLant The Upstate Gort Staff

    Location:
    Albany, NY
    It's the bottom one. It sounded very nice when I played it.
     
    DLant, Dec 1, 2015
    #232
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  8. ShawnMcCann

    ShawnMcCann A Still Tongue Makes A Happy Life

    Location:
    The Village
    I have that same pressing of The Christmas Song. Exact same deadwax info.
     
    ShawnMcCann, Dec 3, 2015
    #233
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  9. MLutthans

    MLutthans That's my spaghetti, Chewbacca! Staff

    Location:
    Marysville, WA, Salina, KS, Los Angeles, CA
    It dawned on me just now: The A5 indicates that this was actually using USA-cut lacquers from Capitol/NYC, no?
    R-2143501-1387224335-4021.jpeg.jpg R-2143501-1387224396-2176.jpeg.jpg
     
    MLutthans, Dec 7, 2015
    #234
  10. MLutthans

    MLutthans That's my spaghetti, Chewbacca! Staff

    Location:
    Marysville, WA, Salina, KS, Los Angeles, CA
    Tonight, my wife and I finally got around to decorating the Christmas tree that we bought last weekend, and we always play a bunch of Christmas recordings in the background while we work on that. This year, I just grabbed a little crate of Christmas CDs that my wife had stuck in a closet last year, and one of the CDs in that crate was the 1986 CD of The Christmas Song, and as I put that disc into the player, I looked at her and said, "I cannot believe that I bought this CD twenty-nine years ago!" (IIRC, it was over Thanksgiving weekend at Tower Records on Mercer in Seattle.) Seems like yesterday.

    Time goes by, don't it?! Unbelievable, sometimes.....
     
    MLutthans, Dec 19, 2015
    #235
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  11. jtaylor

    jtaylor Senior Member

    Location:
    RVA
    I think the truly astonishing thing as that only marginal improvements have been made on this title in nearly 3 decades.
     
    jtaylor, Dec 19, 2015
    #236
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  12. MLutthans

    MLutthans That's my spaghetti, Chewbacca! Staff

    Location:
    Marysville, WA, Salina, KS, Los Angeles, CA
    Or five, for that matter.

    To me, the missed opportunity was the remix, since this album really needs to be remixed. Yes, a remix of the entire album was released (and is still available), but it caused as many problems as it solved. Ron Furmanek, or somebody of his ilk (and skills and tastes), should have been in the loop on that one.
     
    MLutthans, Dec 19, 2015
    #237
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  13. dale 88

    dale 88 Errand Boy for Rhythm Thread Starter

    Location:
    west of sun valley
    True. What I wonder is -- who last saw the original master tapes from 1960? With so many reissues and Capitol's filing system you wonder - did Jay have them in the seventies? Did Norberg have them in 1999?
     
    dale 88, Dec 19, 2015
    #238
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  14. jtaylor

    jtaylor Senior Member

    Location:
    RVA
    Very true. How many in-house remixes of Cole and Sinatra albums couldn't you say that about?
     
    jtaylor, Dec 19, 2015
    #239
  15. MLutthans

    MLutthans That's my spaghetti, Chewbacca! Staff

    Location:
    Marysville, WA, Salina, KS, Los Angeles, CA
    Oh, it's a mixed bag, that's for sure, and not great on the whole. I think, though, that Larry Walsh did some very nice remixes on things like Where Are You, Come Fly with Me, and No One Cares. (Probably to your point: I think that any of the reissue projects that involved remixes could have benefitted from a guiding force, and Ron Furmanek certainly would be my nominee from that timeframe.)
     
    MLutthans, Dec 19, 2015
    #240
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  16. MLutthans

    MLutthans That's my spaghetti, Chewbacca! Staff

    Location:
    Marysville, WA, Salina, KS, Los Angeles, CA
    This is probably common knowledge, but I had no idea that the cover art for the original release of Nat's Christmas album
    [​IMG]
    was re-used for a "various artists" Capitol Special Markets release in the 1970s:
    R-1519092-1466217069-7783.jpeg.jpg
    o_O
     
    MLutthans, Oct 17, 2016
    #241
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  17. MLutthans

    MLutthans That's my spaghetti, Chewbacca! Staff

    Location:
    Marysville, WA, Salina, KS, Los Angeles, CA
    [​IMG]
    Nearly 3 years later.....anybody?
     
    MLutthans, Oct 17, 2016
    #242
  18. coleman

    coleman Forum Resident

    Location:
    Florida
    I know for certain that I've seen that logo on a cd and immediately thought, "What the...?" It was definitely hand drawn. I don't have the original issue if this cd, so it must have been on another. Can't check them now, unfortunately. I just packed up all my discs a few nights ago as we are in the process of moving. Won't be able to check until sometime in December.
     
    coleman, Oct 19, 2016
    #243
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  19. AppleCorp3

    AppleCorp3 Forum Resident

    Our local shop had all their Christmas vinyl out so, like a kid in a candy shop, I started my pile. I grabbed a Bing Crosby album with two of his radio broadcast Christmas specials on it, the popular Perry Como Sings Merry Christmas Music (mono) and The Magic of Christmas (mono). I had no idea it was the same as The Christmas Song of which I already had a blue label reissue. Oh well. Nice to have anyway for $3. Pretty clean too for how old it is. Some problem spots but overall playable. His voice sounds great!
     
    AppleCorp3, Nov 26, 2016
    #244
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  20. Clark V Kauffman

    Clark V Kauffman Forum Resident

    Location:
    Des Moines, Iowa
    Not quite the same album. You now have Nat's "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" on vinyl!
     
    Clark V Kauffman, Nov 26, 2016
    #245
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  21. AppleCorp3

    AppleCorp3 Forum Resident

    Well then, the $3 was a bargain!!!!
     
    AppleCorp3, Nov 26, 2016
    #246
  22. Clark V Kauffman

    Clark V Kauffman Forum Resident

    Location:
    Des Moines, Iowa
    Just compiled a CD-R of all of Nat's available stereo Christmas recordings from the 1960-62 era, using what I think are the best sources... Am I missing anything here?

    1. The Christmas Song (from "The Christmas Song" SACD)
    2. Deck The Halls (from "The Christmas Song" SACD)
    3. Adeste Fideles (from "The Christmas Song" SACD)
    4. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (from the "Cole, Christmas & Kids" CD)
    5. O Tannenbaum (from "The Christmas Song" SACD)
    6. O Little Town Of Bethlehem (from "The Christmas Song" SACD)
    7. I Saw Three Ships (from "The Christmas Song" SACD)
    8. O Holy Night (from "The Christmas Song" SACD)
    9. Hark, The Herald Angels Sing (from "The Christmas Song" SACD)
    10. A Cradle In Bethlehem (from "The Christmas Song" SACD)
    11. Away In A Manger (from "The Christmas Song" SACD)
    12. Joy To The World (from "The Christmas Song" SACD)
    13. The First Noel (from "The Christmas Song" SACD)
    14. Caroling, Caroling (from "The Christmas Song" SACD)
    15. O Come All Ye Faithful (from the "Cole, Christmas & Kids" CD)
    16. Silent Night (from "The Christmas Song" SACD)
    Bonus Tracks:
    17. The Christmas Song (alternate take from "The Extraordinary Nat King Cole")
    18. The Christmas Song (duet with Frank Sinatra, from "Sinatra 80th: All The Best")
    19. The Christmas Song (duet with Natalie Cole, from Natalie's "The Magic Of Christmas")
     
    Clark V Kauffman, Nov 27, 2016
    #247
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  23. Clark V Kauffman

    Clark V Kauffman Forum Resident

    Location:
    Des Moines, Iowa
    Got the Seeburg jukebox loaded up with Christmas 45s today, and the display header now features Nat's "Magic Of Christmas."

    [​IMG]
     
    Clark V Kauffman, Nov 27, 2016
    #248
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  24. Pelvis Ressley

    Pelvis Ressley Down in the Jungle Room

    Location:
    Capac, Michigan
    Kevin Gray?
     
    Pelvis Ressley, Nov 27, 2016
    #249
  25. dale 88

    dale 88 Errand Boy for Rhythm Thread Starter

    Location:
    west of sun valley
    I haven't seen any information on whether he had access to the original master tape from 1960.
     
    dale 88, Nov 27, 2016
    #250
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