Does Scary Count?

It's a silly little put-on or take-off by a local TV personality.

01. We Wish You a Scary Christmas (2:58)

02. Jingle Bells (2:18)

CKLW (800 kHz) is a commercial AM radio station in Windsor, Ontario, serving Southwestern Ontario and Metro Detroit.  This promo single came out in 1984.  Count Scary was a nom de bat of Tom Ryan.  A fansite can be found at http://www.detroitkidshow.com/.  (Or, it USED to exist!)

THIS LINK GOOD FOR SEVEN DAYS.

PERMANENT LINK.

See you on Thursday to begin a New Year of silly fun!

  

Great, I Say!

I bought this 1968 LP around 1980 at the AMC store in OKC. Wow, what a fine, fun time!  I was thrilled later to find it on CD.

01. O Come, All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fideles) (3:19)

02. O Little Town of Bethlehem (3:03)

03. Jingle Bells (1:52)

04. We Three Kings of Orient Are (2:07)

05. Deck The Hall with Boughs of Holly (1:49)

06. It Came Upon the Midnight Clear (3:10)

07. O Tannenbaum (3:19)

08. The First Noel (3:37)

09. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (3:14)

10. Away in a Manger (2:30)

11. Joy To The World (1:54)

12. Little Drummer Boy (2:43)

13. O Holy Night (Cantique De Noel) (2:48)

14. Good King Wenceslas (3:21)

15. We Wish You a Merry Christmas (2:07)

16. Silent Night, Holy Night (3:17)

One thing I MUST mention.  At exactly 1:37 in Track 9, "Hark," when the arrangement has a little flute run and then the melody overtaken by a stampeding French horn, I can hear a ghostly Popeil-commercial voice saying, "And ... makes a GREAT Christmas gift!"

THIS LINK GOOD FOR SEVEN DAYS.

PERMANENT LINK.

See you Monday, fellow seekers, for some silly Yulish stuff.

  

Thanks Herb

It's a 1989 release of fine piano arrangements.

01. Good King Wenceslas (3:51)

02. O Come All Ye Faithful (5:09)

03. Born on Earth the Divine Christ Child (1:25)

04. Sans Day Carol (4:13)

05. Coventry Carol (2:25)

06. Greensleeves (2:44)

07. Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (2:20)

08. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen (3:25)

09. In the Manger (2:50)

10. O Come O Come, Emmanuel (4:14)

11. Here Is Joy for Every Age (4:05)

12. Prelude in C (8:14)

13. O Tannenbaum (1:57)

14. Hark, the Herald Angels Sing (4:37)

15. Whence Is That Goodly Fragrance (4:56)

16. Silent Night (3:34)

17. We Wish You a Merry Christmas (4:30)

There's nothing specifically New-Age-ish here.  These are "simply" piano instrumentals done with some originality and lots of craft.

THIS LINK GOOD FOR SEVEN DAYS.

PERMANENT LINK.

PS I say "thanks Herb" because pore ole Herb Avery, the pianist, isn't identified on the tape anywhere!

See you on Thursday, aka Christmas!

  

Christmas Greetings from Okie Land!

Yup, that's the message of this 1995 release.

That's because St Gregory's is a private Catholic college in Shawnee, OK.

01. Silent Night - Lindner (3:22)

02. Hodie Christus natus est - Sweelinck (3:48)

03. Hodie Christus natus est - Poulenc (2:07)

04. Ave Maria - Keating (2:41)

05. Ave Maria - Biebl (6:58)

06. Lo, How a Rose E'er blooming - Distler (7:16)

07. Singet frisch und wohlgemut - Distler (9:25)

08. Still, Still, Still - Luboff (3:13)

09. The Virgin's Slumber Song - Wagner (2:19)

10. Infant Holy, Infant Lowly - Traditional (2:33)

11. Wassail Song - Vaughan Williams (2:54)

12. Ding Dong! Merrily on High - Willcocks (2:32)

13. Suo-gan - Trant (4:06)

14. Jesus, Jesus, Rest Your Head - Terri (3:49)

15. I Wonder as I Wander - Wagner (2:58)

16. Deck the Hall - Rutter (2:04)

17. We Wish You a Merry Christmas - Rutter (1:54)

18. Silent Night - Sargent (3:18)

THIS LINK GOOD FOR SEVEN DAYS.

PERMANENT LINK.

Hope you like this fine album of good performances.  See you Monday!

  

It's a Treasure

This is a treasure of an album.  It's a 1988 release I originally bought on cassette, and was thrilled years later to purchase on CD.

01. The Ukranian Bell Carol (4:02)

02. O Magnum Mysterium (5:05)

03. Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming (3:39)

04. Universe Rejoice / A New Joy Has Come (2:28)

05. Overture & Finale from The Christmas Cantata #142 (5:11)

06. New Spirit (6:21)

07. O Come, O Come Emmanuel (4:17)

08. O Little Town of Bethlehem (4:09)

09. Hodie Christus Natus Est (3:20)

10. The Star Carol (2:45)

11. Tree of Life (6:16)

12. Silent Night (6:01)

THIS LINK GOOD FOR SEVEN DAYS.

PERMANENT LINK.

It’s an absolutely enchanting album.  Originally I heard selections on HEARTS OF SPACE.  I confess that for years I thought “Teja” was a girl because it sounds like a girl’s name to me.  Sorry to assume, MISTER Bell!

See you Thursday.

  

Christmas Plucking

"May the message of the music touch your heart this holiday season."  So sayeth some of the liner notes.

01. Angels We Have Heard on High (3:01)

02. Away in a Manger (5:42)

03. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (4:19)

04. Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming (2:35)

05. Lady Laiton's Almain (2:30)

06. We Three Kings (4:31)

07. Joy to the World (2:11)

08. Do Na Nobis Pachem (3:37)

09. Fortune (2:24)

10. The First Noel (7:56)

11. Still, Still, Still (3:00)

12. It Came Upon the Midnight Clear (6:15)

13. Pachelbel's Canon (5:27)

All that is just fine, but just between you and me, I think the title of Track 8 should be “Dona Nobis Pacem.” 

THIS LINK GOOD FOR SEVEN DAYS.

PERMANENT LINK.

A few of the tracks bring in some other instruments to give the harp some help.  I disagree that a sexy sax should be part of “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear.”

What do YOU think?

  

Volume 1!

From those cute Galliard Boys in 1980 ...

This is another fine release from Musical heritage Society.

01. Angels We Have Heard on High - Edward Shippen Barnes (1:47)

02. Good King Wenceslas - Anonymous - 16th Century (1:29)

03. Greensleeves - Anonymous - 16th Century (1:18)

04. I Saw Three Ships - Anonymous - 19th Century (0:55)

05. Tantum Ergo / Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence - Anonymous - 17th Century (3:50)

06. O Tannenbaum - Ernst Anschütz (2:50)

07. Silent Night - Franz Gruber (2:05)

08. Sing We Now of Christmas - Anonymous - 15th Century (1:24)

09. O Come, O Come Emmanuel - Anonymous - 15th Century (2:15)

10. The Holly and the Ivy - Anonymous - 19th Century (1:07)

11. Carol of the Bells - Mykola Leontovych (1:09)

12. The First Noel - Anonymous - 19th Century (4:11)

13. We Three Kings - John Henry Hopkins, Jr (1:02)

14. Away in a Manger - James R Murray (2:12)

15. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen - Anonymous - 16th Century (1:17)

16. Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming - Anonymous - 16th Century (2:38)

17. We Wish You a Merry Christmas - Anonymous - 16th Century (1:03)

18. Coventry Carol - Anonymous - 16th Century (1:47)

19. Gloucestershire Wassail - Anonymous - Middle Ages (1:58)

20. O Maria, Diana Stella - Giovanni Razzi (2:13)

THIS LINK GOOD FOR SEVEN DAYS.

PERMANENT LINK:

I think YULE like it.  See you Thursday!

  

Warsh That Neck!

If you're gonna have a Redneck Christmas, at least get it clean!

01. Feliz Navidad in Laredo (2:59)

02. Under the Mistletoe (3:34)

03. Hooterville Christmas Day Parade (4:38)

04. Jingle Bell Pickin' (2:35)

05. Santa's Big Sleigh (3:01)

06. 'Twas the Night Before Christmas (4:33)

07. Deck the Halls Dangit (2:42)

08. Jolly Ole St. Nickel Less (1:36)

09. I Saw Mommy Kissing Uncle Claude (2:28)

10. Joy to Moody Holler (2:05)

11. The First Noel For Leon (3:04)

12. Irresistable Santa (3:14)

THIS LINK GOOD FOR SEVEN DAYS.

Overall this thing is purty cute, even if some of the selections run a little long.  And for listeners who’ve already had their hormones come in, if ya know what I mean.

PERMANENT LINK.

See you Monday!

 

Welcome to SPOCKY CHRISTMAS 2025!

As with every other year, we'll have some fine Christmas music, a few stinkers, and a lot of mediocrity.  Every selection might not be YOUR cup o' cheer, but people are different ... someone else might be charmed.

This 2002 release is interesting because the track listing on the CD rear is wrong.  “God Rest Ye” does not appear at all.

The track listing on the disc itself is wrong too.  Track 4 does not contain “God Rest Ye,” either.

CORRECT TRACK LISTING:

MTL - Christmas Classics (27:43)

01. Jingle Bells (2:40)  – Perfectly cheesy Muzaklike, upbeat arrangement

02. Good King Wenceslas (2:19) – Churchlike choir and soloists with organ and orchestral background

03. I'll Be Home for Christmas (2:10)  – Earnest ensemble vocals with swaying background

04. We Wish You a Merry Christmas (1:54) – Instrumental that sounds like the Tijuana Brass 

05. The Twelve Days of Christmas (3:46)  – Hep women-vs-men arrangement

06. Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow (2:05)  – Hep vocal arrangement

07. Winter Wonderland (2:36)

08. White Christmas (2:12)

09. Silver Bells (2:07)

10. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (2:46)

11. Tavern in the Town / For He's a Jolly Good Fellow / Auld Lang Syne (2:16) –  strung together - vocals

12. For He's a Jolly Good Fellow (0:51) – sounds like a circus organ but played by orchestra

THIS LINK GOOD FOR SEVEN DAYS.

PERMANENT LINK.

You don't have to let this commercial dog spoil your Christmas.  You can be one of those youngsters who takes everything ironically.

Come back Thursday for something sardonic!  See you then.

  

Might Make You Gigue-le

It's a 1994 release.

01. Rage Over O Come All Ye Faithfull (3:38)

02. Gigue on What Child Is This? (3:06)

03. Bouree on Hark the Herald Angels Sing (3:01)

04. Three-Part Sinfonia on Away in a Manger (2:46)

05. Prelude on Angels We Have Heard on High (2:46)

06. Two-Part Invention on O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (4:28)

07. Nocturne on O Little Town of Bethlehem (3:12)

08. three-Part Invention on Joy to the World (2:18)

09. Bouree on While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks (3:28)

10. Sonata on It Came Upon a Midnight Clear (2:25)

11. Three-Part Invention on We Three Kings (3:07)

12. Barouque Impressions on Slient Night, Holy Night (5:12)

It's a whole lotta fun.  Don't cry foul about the title -- these Christmas arrangements are not solely Bach-based.  For example, Track 1 emulates Beethoven's "Rage Over a Lost Penny."

THIS LINK GOOD FOR THREE DAYS.

PERMANENT LINK.

See you on Thursday.  Until then, don;t forget to rejoice!

  

Go State!

This is a fine 1980 cassette from Musical Heritage Society.

01 - Fantasia - Adriano Banchieri  (1:07)

02 - Magnificat - Dietrich Buxtehude  (9:58)

03 - Meine Seele erhebet den Herrn - JS Bach  (3:22)

04 - Make We Joy Now in This Fest - William Walton  (2:29)

05 - Dance of the Ishmaelites - Hector Berlioz  (4:13)

06 - When Christ Was Born – Reginald Jacques  (1:21)

07 - Noël de Saintonge - Jean-François Dandrieu  (2:06)

08 - Joy to the World - GF Handel  (0:57

09 - Coventry Carol - Traditional  (2:52)

10 - In Dulce Jubilo - JS Bach  (1:33)

11 - Ideo Gloria – Gerhard M Cartford  (3:04)

12 - Magnificat - Jean-François Dandrieu  (7:18)

13 - How unto Bethlehem – Traditional  (1:24)

14 - Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming -M Praetorius  (1:12)

15 - Once in Royal David’s City – JH Gauntlett  (3:21)

16 - Carol – Prelude on Greensleeves – Searle Wright  (2:07)

I ain't come across the (I presume) earlier two volumes, but I hope they're this varied and well done.

THIS LINK GOOD FOR THREE DAYS.

PERMANENT LINK.

Merry Christmas, one and all!  See you on Monday for the wrap-up of this year's SPOCKY CHRISTMAS!

  

Yer Gonna Luv This One

Or my name isn't Rumpelstiltskin!

If you love the Beatles, and you love Christmas, then you're going to double-love these Beatlesque arrangements of Christmas songs.  Not EVERY LITTLE THING is perfect, but ... YULE LOVE IT.

01. Jingle Bell Rock (2:13)

02. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town (2:31)

03. Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree (2:31)

04. Last Christmas (3:04)

05. Feliz Navidad (3:08)

06. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus (2:08)

07. Jingle Bells (2:36)

08. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (2:28)

09. Mary's Boy Child (2:50)

10. White Christmas (3:25)

11. Silent Night (2:55)

12. A Bairn Is Born in Beatlehome (1:20)

And you'll be able to tell which song (or songs) are being emulated.

THIS LINK GOOD FOR THREE DAYS.

PERMANENT LINK.

See you Thursday for some Christmas wrapping-up!  Still two more entries to go!

  

Fun Cheese!

As you might expect from our postmodern survey, atop the heights of jaded culture, this stuff is CHEESY.

But it's still FUN!

01. Winter Wonderland (2:37)

02. Jingle Bells (2:50)

03. The Christmas Song (2:50)

04. Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town (2:18)

05. Santa's Got a Brand New Bag (2:21)

06. Jingle Bell Rock (2:34)

07. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (2:58)

08. White Christmas (2:34)

09. I'll Be Home for Christmas (2:36)

10. Little Saint Nick (2:15)

11. Do You Hear What I Hear? (2:13)

THIS LINK GOOD FOR THREE DAYS.

PERMANENT LINK.

PS:  Yes, the conductor is THAT Stu Phillips, later of Battlestar Galactica and Buck Rogers in the 25th Century fame.

See you on Monday.  Have fun with this most glistening and manically cheerful album!

  

Fashion: Old. Message: Eternal

This 1987 release is a nice mix of peppy and reverent.

01. Fanfare - Gloria (0:55)

02. Once in Royal David's City (3:07)

03. Ding Dong! Merrily on High [Brass Instrumental] (2:28)

04. Ding Dong! Merrily on High [Vocal Version] (2:06)

05. The Holly and the Ivy (2:01)

06. Good King Wenceslas (2:52)

07. Here We Come a-Wassailing (2:30)

08. Silent Night (3:26)

09. Deck the Halls! (2:52)

10. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing [Vocal Version] (3:16)

11. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing [Brass Instrumental] (2:19)

12. We Wish You a Merry Christmas (2:23)

13. While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks (2:48)

14. Joy to the World (1:50)

15. In the Bleak Midwinter (2:08)

16. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (2:36)

17. Torches (1:28)

18. We Three Kings (2:02)

19. The First Noel (5:02)

20. O Come All Ye Faithful (3:47)

THIS LINK GOOD FOR THREE DAYS.

PERMANENT LINK.

Of course, our topic at hand is just about as peppy as can be!

Stay pepped, and I'll see ya on Thursday.

  

Don't Say It Doesn't Mater

Sorry, I couldn't resist!

It's a 1992 release.

01. Wsórd Nocnej Ciszy (0:46)

02. Hej w Dzien Boskiej (3:27)

03. Lulajze Jezuniu (1:40)

04. Wiwat Dzisiaj Boskiej Istnosci (3:31)

05. Cicha Noc (1:33)

06. Bóg Sie Rodzi (3:34)

07. Jezusa Narodzonego (1:19)

08. Gdy sie Chrystus Rodzi (3:27)

09. Wykrzyknijmy Wiwat! (1:45)

10. Przy Onej Górze (3:03)

11. Dzisiaj w Betlejem (1:50)

12. Gesu Bambino (3:56)

13. W Ziobie Lezy (2:54)

A few notes ... Track 3 is 1:40 in length.  However, the first 1:40 of Track 4 is Track 3 again.  Then a new song starts.

Track 5 “Cicha Noc” is “Silent Night.”  Track 12 is indeed the familiar “Gesu Bambino.”  Track13  is recognizable as “Infant Holy, Infant Lowly.”

It's at least partly charming, to this guy in the New World.

THIS LINK GOOD FOR THREE DAYS.

PERMANENT LINK.

See you Monday!

  

All Things Being Equitable

This is a cute little EP. Found at an OKC thrift store, of course.

01. O Holy Night (2:21)

02. It Came Upon the Midnight Clear (2:14)

03. Hark, the Herald Angels Sing (2:33)

04. The First Noel (2:04)

05. Joy to the World (2:01)

06. O Little Town of Bethlehem (2:13)

07. Away in a Manger (2:07)

08. O Come All Ye Faithful (2:26)

09. We Three Kings of Orient Are (2:27)

10. Silent Night (2:35)

There's something to be said for simplicity.  This was playing in the car yesterday and the beautiful wife actually complimented me on my musical taste.

This is basically the aforementioned chimes (sounding like big ole GONGS in my opinion), backed very lightly by organ chords.

And the copy I bought was a gift.  Maybe Milt Asfahl worked for Equitable?

THIS LINK GOOD FOR THREE DAYS.

PERMANENT LINK.

See you on Thursday for something from across the sea.

  

A Pablumated Christmas

It's a 2004 release.

01. Christmas Bells: Ding Dong Merrily on High / I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day (2:52)

02. I Wonder as I Wander (3:38)

03. Still, Still, Still (2:29)

04. How Great Our Joy (2:32)

05. Silent Night / Prelude in C (2:53)

06. Reflection on Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming (3:47)

07. Gigue on In Dulci Jubilo (2:43)

08. Advent Carols: Of the Father's Love Begotten / O Come, O Come Emmanuel (4:05)

09. The Birthday of a King (3:01)

10. Jesus, Jesus, Rest Your Head (3:23)

11. The Manger Song Medley: Away in a Manger / Coventry Carol / Infant Lowly, Infant Lowly (3:21)

12. Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne (4:06)

It’s a spoonfed Christmas.  So mushy you may prefer a real-life, sometimes colicky baby.  For those who prefer reverence in the easy-listening style.

THIS LINK GOOD FOR THREE DAYS.

PERMANENT LINK.

See you on Monday for a listen to some Christmas from across the pond!