What Are Your Top Five Christmas Albums From The Golden Age (1950's to the 1960's) ?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by RSteven, Nov 3, 2018.

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  1. jmobrien68

    jmobrien68 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Toms River, NJ
    Y'all are getting me excited...

    Johnny Mathis - Merry Christmas
    Robert Goulet - This Christmas I Spend With You
    Buck Owens - Christmas With Buck Owens & His Buckaroos
    Dean Martin - A Winter Romance
    Elvis Presley - Elvis' Christmas Album

    Hard to limit it to 5... missing so much.
     
  2. Pierino

    Pierino Forum Resident

    Location:
    Canonsburg
    Not to be a downer on such a positive thread, but I'll be thinking about Steve Lawrence this Christmas season as I listen to That Holiday Feeling and hoping he has a happy holiday season with his family and friends.
     
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  3. RSteven

    RSteven Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Brookings, Oregon
    Oh yeah, it really is difficult to limit it to five, so feel free to add another five as I did at the start. I think I should have stated Top Ten in the thread headline really. Here is another great release from the Golden Age of Christmas from 1963 that Real Gone Music is set to release on November 8th. I had the honor and great privilege of writing the liner notes for Jim Reeves Twelve Songs Of Christmas Expanded Edition CD that includes two fine bonus songs. The most exciting part of all is Sony Battery Studios placed this masterpiece in the very talented hands of Vic Anesini, well known for his stupendous remastering of Elvis Presley's entire mainstream catalogue. Here are the details of this legacy project:

    [​IMG]

    Description
    Has there ever been a warmer voice than that wielded by Gentleman Jim Reeves? That light, warm baritone helped change the face of country music, helping to usher in The Nashville Sound with a series of albums and singles produced by Chet Atkins. He is without a doubt the greatest country crooner of all time…--and of all his releases (and there are a lot of them--the Bear Family label's collection of complete commercial recordings spanned 16 CDs!), his 1963 holiday album 12 Songs of Christmas just might be his most enduring. Now, this record—--which features such holiday evergreens as "An Old Christmas Card" and "C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S"--—has never gone out of print in the CD era, or any other era, for that matter; but the CD that is currently available is a full 20 years old, and, to be kind, the sound on that release is showing its age. So, we have given it a fresh remastering by Vic Anesini at Sony's Battery Studios, and added two holiday-themed songs ("Snowflake" and "Scarlet Ribbons") to this Expanded Edition to make it, er, "14 Songs of Christmas!" Steve Harmon contributes brand-new liner notes to accompany vintage photos. A Christmas classic, sounding bigger, better, and even warmer than before!

    Tracklist
    1. Jingle Bells
    2. Blue Christmas
    3. Senor Santa Claus
    4. An Old Christmas Card
    5. The Merry Christmas Polka
    6. White Christmas
    7. Silver Bells
    8. C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S
    9. O Little Town of Bethlehem
    10. Mary's Little Boy Child
    11. O Come, All Ye Faithful
    12. Silent Night
    Bonus Tracks:
    13. Snowflake
    14. Scarlet Ribbons
     
    Last edited: Oct 16, 2019
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  4. kozy814

    kozy814 Forum Resident

    Goes right in the 5-disk changer every Christmas morning!
     
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  5. jmobrien68

    jmobrien68 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Toms River, NJ
    Ummm... OK...
    Johnny Mathis - Sounds Of Christmas
    Glen Campbell - The Christmas Feeling
    The Chipmunks - Christmas With The Chipmunks Vol I & II (I cheated)
    Burl Ives - Have A Holly Jolly Christmas
    Andy Williams - The Andy Williams Christmas Album
     
  6. Simon A

    Simon A Arrr!

    That's what's been announced so far. Volumes 2 and 3 are ready to go but will only be released in November 2020 if Volume 1 does well.
     
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  7. David*M

    David*M Forum Resident

    Buy in bulk, everybody! Would love to see Volumes 2 & 3 next year.
     
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  8. jmobrien68

    jmobrien68 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Toms River, NJ
    Definitely grabbing it!
     
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  9. RSteven

    RSteven Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Brookings, Oregon
    Another stellar group of five holiday albums. I really think Johnny Mathis's second Christmas album under the Mercury label banner is quite underestimated. Johnny' version of Little Drummer Boy is just fantastic to my ears and Glen Campbell's album is quite terrific as well. For years, while I was growing up in the 60's, my parents only played two holiday albums in regular rotation around the season; Johnny Mathis's Merry Christmas and John Klein's A Christmas Sound Spectacular. In 1968, they finally added Glen Campbell's splendid The Christmas Feeling to their rotation.
     
  10. RSteven

    RSteven Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Brookings, Oregon
    I too will be buying at least a four or five copies of the first volume of The Great Songs Of Christmas. My daughter is a huge fan of Johnny Mathis's version of O Holy Night and I have already told her how much I like Gary Puckett's stupendous version of that beauty from that great compilation. I also need a few extra copies for friends and an additional back-up safety copy for myself. I could see the possibility of this CD fetching a high price on the secondary market, once it goes out of print on CD in a few years. I cannot take a chance on that scenario happening.
     
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  11. geo50000

    geo50000 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Canon City, CO.
    Tough to narrow it down to 5, so I'll take some liberties and add on a 'runner-up' list:

    V/A - A Christmas Gift For You from Phil Spector
    Elvis - (1957 LP)
    The Ventures' Christmas
    Three Suns - A Ding Dong Dandy Christmas!
    Dean Martin - A Winter Romance

    Runners-up:
    Beach Boys Christmas
    Frank Sinatra - A Jolly Christmas
    Vince Guaraldi - A Charlie Brown Christmas
    V/A (Atlantic/Atco/Stax) - Soul Christmas
    Tony Bennett - Snowfall
     
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  12. spencer1

    spencer1 Great Western Forum Resident

    Sinatra,
    Elvis,
    Ella,
    The Beach Boys,
    Nat King Cole and good lord
    Vince Guaraldi's "Charlie Brown Christmas" of course!

    I love Wynton Marsalis' "Crescent City Christmas Card" if only because my wife hates it.
    "They sound drunk and like they're all playing different songs."
     
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  13. Big Jack Brass

    Big Jack Brass Two Separate Gorillas

    Location:
    Leeds
    Of course the real tragedy in choosing Christmas albums from the 50s and 60s is that Mel Tormé (inexplicably) didn't record one until 1992.

    [​IMG]
     
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  14. Pierino

    Pierino Forum Resident

    Location:
    Canonsburg
    OK, I'll happily add five more. Here was my first entry:

    - Andy Williams - The Andy Williams Christmas Album (1963)
    - Johnny Mathis - Merry Christmas (1958)
    - Perry Como - Sings Merry Christmas Music (1956)
    - Mario Lanza - Lanza Sings Christmas Carols (1956)
    - Don Janse & His Children's Chorus - The Little Drummer Boy (1962)

    and I'll add five more to that: :tiphat:

    [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG]
     
  15. Simon A

    Simon A Arrr!


    For Steve and Eydie's album, I've always preferred the Harmony cover which feels warmer and more natural looking than the drab Columbia cover with the ultra fake white background and bad cut-out feel. The characters (lettering) chosen for the Harmony are also easier on the eye. I don't mind that they've changed the title and cut a few tracks. It's still a splendid album.


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  16. Pierino

    Pierino Forum Resident

    Location:
    Canonsburg
    Good points, Simon A, and I agree with you. It is a splendid album. But now discussing other possible bonus tracks, reverting to the original album cover/artwork , and maybe even using the original tracklist order, well, it kind of makes me yearn for a Real Gone Music special reissue!
     
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  17. Schu

    Schu But Mama, that's where the fun is . . .

    Location:
    LA
    I grew up listening to this album at Christmas. I'm pretty sure my parents still have it somewhere. They don't make them like this anymore!
    [​IMG]
     
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  18. RSteven

    RSteven Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Brookings, Oregon
    Here is another legendary set of albums being released on a twofer CD this November 8th by Real Gone Music. I think Eugene Ormandy's first Christmas album from 1962, The Glorious Sound Of Christmas, is one of the greatest instrumental Christmas albums ever. I find it to be very much in the great tradition of Percy Faith's iconic holiday albums from the late 1950's, with an even larger orchestra attached to some gorgeous arrangements. We also get his wonderful second holiday classic on CD for the first time and some fantastic remastering no doubt from Mike Piacentini at Sony's Battery Studios in New York. I am very familiar with his fantastic skills as a music engineer as he handled the remastering on Real Gone Music's historical twofer CD of John Klein's A Christmas Sound Spectacular from last year. I had the the distinct privilege of writing the liner notes for that beautiful package, and I cannot recommend that one highly enough as well. Here is the cover artwork for the Eugene Ormandy twofer CD and some of the details.

    [​IMG]

    Description
    Eugene Ormandy's 44-year tenure as music director of the world-renowned Philadelphia Orchestra remains the single longest affiliation of conductor and orchestra. Under the direction of Maestro Ormandy, the orchestra earned two Grammy Awards and three Gold records. Real Gone Music and Second Disc Records are thrilled to bring to CD both of Ormandy's original Columbia Records Christmas albums in one deluxe package. The Complete Columbia Christmas Albums presents The Glorious Sound of Christmas (1962) and A Christmas Festival (1964) on one CD. On The Glorious Sound of Christmas, Ormandy and The Philadelphia Orchestra welcomed The Temple University Concert Choir under the direction of Robert Page for a stirring set of traditional carols including "Joy to the World," "The First Noel," "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing," and "Silent Night." Two years later, Ormandy was back in the studio with the Orchestra and Choir, adding The St. Francis de Sales Boychoir led by Peter La Manna. A Christmas Festival (CD debut!) picked up where its predecessor left off, with the same lush grandeur in celebration of the season. It featured "The Little Drummer Boy" and "Jingle Bells" alongside stirring renditions of classics such as "Here We Go A-Caroling" and "We Wish You a Merry Christmas." Both albums were produced by Thomas Frost with arrangements by Arthur Harris. This new edition has been newly remastered by Mike Piacentini at Sony's Battery Studios and features new liner notes by Joe Marchese of The Second Disc. The Complete Columbia Albums captures some of the most magnificent Christmas music ever released in new sonic splendor.

    Tracklist
    1. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
    2. O Little Town of Bethlehem
    3. Joy to the World
    4. O Holy Night
    5. O Come, O Come Emanuel
    6. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
    7. Ave Maria
    8. O Come All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fideles)
    9. The First Noel
    10. Deck the Halls with Boughs of Holly
    11. O Sanctissima (O Du Frohliche)
    12. The Worship of God
    13. O Come, Little Children
    14. Silent Night, Holy Night
    15. Oh Tannenbaum
    16. It Came upon the Midnight Clear
    17. Little Drummer Boy
    18. I Wonder as I Wander
    19. For unto Us a Child Is Born
    20. Here We Go A-Caroling
    21. Good King Wenceslas
    22. Away in a Manger
    23. Jingle Bells
    24. We Three Kings of Orient Are
    25. Hallelujah Chorus
    26. We Wish You a Merry Christmas
     
  19. Nipper

    Nipper His Master's Voice

    Location:
    Wisconsin
    Christmas With Ed Ames
    Bing Crosby - Merry Christmas
    A Jolly Christmas From Frank Sinatra

    Glen Campbell - That Christmas Feeling
    The Doris Day Christmas Album
     
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  20. RSteven

    RSteven Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Brookings, Oregon
    I just received my first official copy of the Jim Reeves Twelve Songs Of Christmas (Remastered & Expanded Edition) CD yesterday, and I have already played it three times all the way through. Holy cow, Vic Anesini's remastering of Jim's iconic holiday country-pop masterpiece just blew me away. Jim's velvety baritone is shown in all its richness, and the clarity and sparkle of the instruments just glisten on this version in a way that I have never heard before. It feels like this guy just keeps getting better at what he does. What a thrill it is for me to even be associated with Vic on this project. I really love the bonus songs, which we were really picky about on this Expanded Edition of the original album. Chet Atkins does a guitar solo on Scarlet Ribbons, so it is just that sweet guitar and Jim's honeyed baritone on that one song. It just gives me chills just talking about it. I cannot recommend the whole brand new Real Gone Music lineup enough, but the Jim Reeves CD is the only one I have actually heard so far. Christmas has come early for all of us music lovers of the Golden Age. The rest of my Real Gone lineup does not arrive until Wednesday, so I will have more to say about those babies near the end of next week. I cannot thank Chip Arcuri enough over at his Yulelog.com for helping to make it all happen. Once again, Real Gone Music label President Gordon Anderson gets it all done in a first class fashion.
     
  21. Pants Party

    Pants Party MOSTLY PEACEFUL

    Location:
    Washington, DC
    5? Impossible! More like 50!!

    In no particular order...
    • David Rose - The David Rose Christmas Album
    • Bing Crosby - Merry Christmas
    • Frank Sinatra - A Jolly Christmas
    • Jackie Gleason - Merry Christmas
    • Andy Williams - Merry Christmas
    ...and then there's...
    • Percy Faith - Music of Christmas
    • Beach Boys - Christmas Album
    • Arthur Fiedler - Pops Christmas Party
    • Andy Williams - Christmas Album
    • Dean Martin - A Winter Romance
    ...is that 5 yet??? Well, if not...
    • Elvis - Christmas Album
    • John Gary - Christmas Album
    • Mitch Miller - Holiday Sing-a-long
    • Ultra-Lounge - Christmas Cocktails
    • Ultra-Lounge - Christmas Cocktails, Part II
    ... did I mention Charlie Brown Christmas? Cuz that's at the top...
     
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  22. This has now dropped below $12 on Amazon. Good time to pick it up before the holidays get into swing.:righton:
     
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  23. RSteven

    RSteven Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Brookings, Oregon
    What a stupendous lineup of truly great Christmas albums. Yes indeed, it really is hard to whittle a list down to five or even ten top ones as I have over 300 holiday albums in my collection. I also think that you have two albums that are really underneath most people's radar that are just outstanding albums. The John Gary Christmas Album features one of the most respected and gifted singers of his generation. John Gary had a vocal range of about 3 1/2 octaves and his breath control was just phenomenal. It also features the glorious orchestral arrangements of conductor Peter Matz. The David Rose album is an instrumental delight, despite its brief length. Great picks all around, my friend!
     
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  24. Pants Party

    Pants Party MOSTLY PEACEFUL

    Location:
    Washington, DC
    Yeah, I definitely owe the great folks at Real Gone Music a HUGE debt of gratitude, that's for sure. They've been mining classic Christmas albums of this era for many years -- as I'm sure everyone on this thread is wise to. I would certainly join a "Real Gone Christmas Club" to get everything they release each holiday. Just send 'em as they release 'em!

    I've blind bought most of the stuff they've released, and it's all been great -- lovingly remastered/restored and all put together. Some of the easiest blind-buys and most anticipated releases each year for me!
     
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  25. Schu

    Schu But Mama, that's where the fun is . . .

    Location:
    LA
    This is some great stuff and really fits the Holiday mood even though it is not Holiday music. Unfortunately that Music for TV Dinners is out of print and pricey.
     
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