Christmas Music CDs & LPs, etc...What Are You Playing This 2019 Season?

it is not officially the holidays until I have heard Bruce Springsteen sing Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town

 

i rarely hear this, but it is sooooooo good. one of the best rock and roll christmas carols ever

 

yea, that's a good one!

 

These classics:



PLAYER'S BALL (ORIGINAL CHRISTMAS VERSION)- OUTKAST

 

I've purchased six Real Gone Christmas titles this year (they've had a great sale going on the last few weeks). I've gotta say that Real Gone reissues their stuff with care. From content to sound quality to informative illustrated booklets to reasonable pricing, these guys lead the way in holiday reissues.

 

I play this endlessly every year. I think it may be my favourite Christmas song ever. Give it a listen!

 

The Monkees Christmas Party
The Beatles Christmas Records
The Beach Boys Christmas Album
Ringo Starr - I Wanna Be Santa Claus
Elvis Presley Christmas Album
Rat Pack Christmas
Phil Spector - A Christmas Gift For You
The Fab Four - Hark!

 

I agree. His version is already an all time classic. I've been lucky enough to hear him play it live several times in November/December concerts, and it always sent the crowd into a frenzy, especially when Clarence was alive, wearing the Santa stocking cap etc. Nothing like that communal singalong Christmas spirit atmosphere.

 

This year and last I've bought a bunch also, some still on the way. They are stellar releases with great attention to detail.

 

Still have my mum's copy of the Elvis Christmas album from 1957 (LOC 1035) in the box ,insert is missing tho..in mono ...sounds really good.
Made in Montreal by RCA Lenoir St.

 

I saw him play it live in Manchester. In June. With some eccentric fellow dressed as santa from the crowd. Who was possibly the worst singer the world has ever seen.

 

Just listened to the new Josh Rouse Holiday record, then Nick Lowe's Quality Street. Taking a break with the new Who then back into some Christmas later today for tree trimming and cooking. Probably Diana Krall, Ella, Elvis and some compilations with Bing, Dean and Perry etc.

 

To follow up, these are the ones Ive bought or ordered, headlined by the incredible John Klein Christmas Sound Spectacular (which I bought more of this year to give as presents)

Real Gone releases

Mantovani Christmas Carols
Christmas Sound Spectacular--John Klein
Leroy Anderson Complete Christmas Collection
Chet Atkins Complete Christmas Recordings
Jim Reeves 12 Songs of Christmas expanded
Christmas Hymns and Carols V 1--Robert Shaw
Christmas Joy--Melachrino

I'm a sucker for these late 50/early 60s wide stereo classics. Great sound, very nostalgic, since I was a little kid in the 60s.

 

This is what I play. It's a self-made
playlist from a few years ago that I
update from time to time. This is the
most recent. I just let it play.

 

So far just Llego Navidad by Los Lobos but I have sort of a rule not to play Christmas music until after 8 December. I have Brave Combo, The Mavericks, The Monkees, Shawn Colvin, Carole King Bruce Cockburn and Mary Chapin Carpenter (amongst others) lined up for then.

 

First off, albums: Mario Lanza Sings Christmas Carols. dad bought this one for xmas 1959 just after we got our first (stereo) record player, this gets played every year. Then the Phil Spector Christmas Album I have a stereo vinyl copy from around 1983. Also the John Klein album that R Steven put me onto earlier this year (thanks Steve). After those it's down to a long I Tunes playlist of Xmas songs Rock & Roll, instrumentals, carols etc. Oh & the Elvis Christmas Album (I nearly forgot that one).

 

Just picked up a NM '79 West German Light in the Stable by Emmylou Harris. Never heard it before. Sublime and ravishing...

 

Buchanan and Goodman prod. with Paul Sherman
Santa and thae Satellite Prt 1 & 2
Luniverse 107
7" 45

 

You have really made my holiday with this post. It took me several years to push to get the John Klein Living Stereo version of A Christmas Spectacular remastered and released by Real Gone Music. It would not have happened without the strong support of Chip Arcuri over at his great YuleLog.com. John Klein was a musical genius of sorts, but a little under the radar, but once Gordon Anderson, the President of RGM, read the iconic history of the album from my proposed liner notes, he was enthusiastic and fully on board. RCA Victor was so excited about the unusual nature of the album that it featured the record industry's first written guarantee banner wrapped around the original vinyl album. I mention this in the liner lines, along with a quote from Time Magazine. The Carillon Americana itself housed almost 1500 bronze caste bells and was so large that RCA Victor had to bring their equipment to Pennsylvanian where it was stored. A truly great group of New York studio musicians fill out the rhythm section and full orchestra. It really is a one of a kind album to say the least. I too hand many out as presents. I cannot thank you enough for doing the same as projects like this one really make a difference to the overall success of a dedicated independent label like Real Gone Music.

 

Pulled the first Very Special Christmas CD off the shelf. Also the Christmas disc from the Phil Spector Back to Mono set. Gave Mariah Carey's Christmas album its first couple of spins of the season. Will have to put on the new Ormandy CD and my Time Life Christmas LPs later.

 

Spun the green vinyl of Cyndi Lauper's Christmas album. Fun, but musically very uneven. And the inner groove distortion on my copy is fierce.

 

The Ormandy Complete Christmas Albums CD is fantastic.

 

Current play...

 

I've seen your (many, lol) posts on these Christmas threads and thank you for your role in that release, it's truly a unique album and a fascinating instrument. In fact I think I read about the release here last year and bought it because I was intrigued by the descriptions.
Since you were involved, do you know of other albums featuring the prominent use of the Carillon instrument by Klein or anyone else, Christmas or otherwise?

 

It has been a thrill to be involved in getting these John Klein Christmas albums remastered properly for release on CD. I did find a very rare CD of John Klein's very first holiday collection for Columbia Records in 1957, Caroling On The Carillon. It is a much less lavishly produced holiday album and basically it features just Mr. Klein with a slightly more modest sounding carillon, but it is quite beautiful. I sometimes speculate that someone at RCA Victor or Mr. Klein himself said, "Hey, we could really go big with this idea, if we added a full orchestra and some great rhythm players to the sound of the carillon." I think that is how A Christmas Sound Spectacular came to fruition.