The Great Songs of Christmas from Goodyear: Goodyear or not Goodyear?

Friday, November 20, 2009

Goodyear or not Goodyear?

When is a Goodyear Christmas album not a Goodyear Christmas album? Some copies of the first album did not list Goodyear on the album cover, although it did say "Created Exclusively"; you can also find copies of Albums Two through Seven with the Goodyear reference blotted out on the cover (although it's still sometimes mentioned in the liner notes). I'm figuring that either Columbia tried to market these through other businesses besides Goodyear, or maybe these were versions you got when you ordered a prior edition using one of the order forms. The first album has the most variations of all. The initial release was on the 'Columbia Record Productions' label, and while the cover had the Goodyear mentioned on the front and back covers, the labels on the disc itself themselves did not mention Goodyear. Then came the unbranded version, with no mention of Goodyear on the front or back covers and the record company name on the disc label now saying 'Columbia Special Products'. The next part of the mystery I'm not sure about: I have found disc labels with the 'Columbia Special Products' name that have no Goodyear mention, and others that do! Still not sure how all that can be, but there it is.