Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Album Four





The Great Songs of Christmas - Album Four
Columbia Special Products CSP 155S (Stereo) / CSP155 (Mono)
1964


The first of three editions that were available in stereo and mono versions





Silent Night - Mary Martin

O Little Town of Bethlehem - New York Philharmonic/Leonard Bernstein

O Come All Ye Faithful - Robert Goulet

Joy to the World - Phildelphia Orchestra/Eugene Ormandy

Good King Wenceslas - Percy Faith

What Child Is This - Brothers Four

Holy, Holy, Holy / Abide With Me - Mahalia Jackson

Ave Maria - Isaac Stern

Toyland - Doris Day

The Shepherd Boy - New Christy Minstrels

Deck the Halls - New York Philharmonic/Leonard Bernstein

The First Noel - Mitch Miller

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing - Andre Previn

God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen - Brothers Four

Coventry Carol - Mitch Miller

O Come Little Children - Phildelphia Orchestra/Eugene Ormandy

Go Tell It On the Mountain - Brothers Four

Sing Hosanna, Hallelujah - New Christy Minstrels


Sample print ad for the album:

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.













Album Two:






Album Three:






Album Four (mono and stereo):




Album Five (mono and stereo):




Album Six (mono and stereo):




Album Seven (stereo only):


Thursday, November 19, 2009

Album Three






The Great Songs of Christmas - Album Three
Columbia Special Products XTV 88656/88657 - Mono
1963




O Little Town of Bethlehem - Philadelphia Orchestra/Eugene Ormandy

Silent Night - Julie Andrews

O Come All Ye Faithful - Mormon Tabernacle Choir

I Saw Three Ships / Here We Go A-Caroling - Percy Faith

It Came Upon the Midnight Clear / Away in the Manger - Mitch Miller

Ave Maria - Isaac Stern

Panis Angelicus - Robert Goulet

Joy to the World - Mormon Tabernacle Choir

O Tannenbaum - Percy Faith

Snow in the Street / Joseph Dearest Joseph Mine - New Christy Minstrels

Carol of the Bells - New York Philharmonic/Leonard Bernstein

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing / A La Nanita Nana - The Norman Luboff Choir

The Holly and the Ivy / We Wish You a Merry Christmas - Andre Previn

We Three Kings - Mormon Tabernacle Choir

Wassail Wassail - New Christy Minstrels



Envelope insert for ordering back editions:



Sample print ad for the album:



TV Commercial:


Album Two





The Great Songs of Christmas
Album Two
Columbia Special Products XTV 86100
- Mono
1962




Hark! The Herald Angels Sing - Percy Faith

O Little Town of Bethlehem - Mormon Tabernacle Choir

It Came Upon the Midnight Clear / Coventry Carol - Eileen Farrell

Away in a Manger - Andre Kostelanetz

Joy to the World - Percy Faith

The First Noel - Nelson Eddy

Sleep Holy Babe - Eileen Farrell

The Holly and the Ivy - The Norman Luboff Choir

O Come All Ye Faithful / Silent Night - Earl Wrightson

Deck the Halls - Philadelphia Orchestra/Eugene Ormandy

God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen - Andre Previn

Angels We Have Heard on High / Good King Wenceslas - Mormon Tabernacle Choir

Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy / Waltz of the Flowers - New York Philharmonic/Leonard Bernstein

Toyland & March of the Toys - Andre Kostelanetz

O Tannenbaum / Here We Come A-Caroling - The Norman Luboff Choir

Jingle Bells - Nelson Eddy


Sample print ad for the LP:

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

The Great Songs of Christmas




The Great Songs of Christmas
By Ten Great Artists of Our Time
Columbia Record Productions XTV 69406/69407
- Mono
1961




Silent Night - Mormon Tabernacle Choir

O Little Town of Bethlehem - Eileen Farrell

O Come All Ye Faithful/ Gesu Bambino - Percy Faith
- edited down from longer version on the original album

What Child Is This (Greensleeves) - Mitch Miller and the Gang

O Holy Night - Earl Wrightson
- originally released on an Andre Kostelanetz album with Wrightson as soloist

For Unto Us a Child is Born (from 'Messiah') - Leonard Bernstein/New York Philharmonic
- uncredited: Westminster Choir

Ring Christmas Bells/The First Noel/We Wish You a Merry Christmas - Frank DeVol & the Rainbow Strings
- special edit made from separate medleys on the original album

The Twelve Days of Christmas - Burl Ives
- uncredited: Percy Faith Orchestra & Singers

Carol of the Bells - Mormon Tabernacle Choir

God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen/ We Three Kings/ Deck the Halls -
The Norman Luboff Choir

Sleigh Ride - Andre Kostelanetz

Bonus feature! Here's a couple of vintage print ads for the LP:




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