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Thread: most memorable Christmas album/tape from your childhood?

  1. #1
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    most memorable Christmas album/tape from your childhood?

    When I was small, my parents had Perry Como's "Perry Como Sings Merry Christmas Music" album. Scratches and all, it would play all during the holidays in our home.

    perrycomo.jpg

    In the early 70's, my dad had changed over from albums to 8-tracks. We always had music on in the house and in the cars, but my parents didn't buy a lot of tapes or albums. The Christmas 8-track tape that I remember most was "The Little Drummer Boy" by Living Voices. This was the track list:

    Medley - Jingle Bells/Sleigh Ride
    A Holly Jolly Christmas
    Medley - Silver Bells/Little Christmas Tree Waltz
    Be A Santa
    Medley - Pine Cones and Holly Berries (with It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas)/We Wish You A Merry Christmas
    The Little Drummer Boy
    Do You Hear What I Hear
    I Heard The Bells Of Christmas Day
    Blue Christmas
    What Are You Doing New Year's Eve

    ldb living voices.jpg

    If you're old enough to remember 8-track tapes, you probably remember that sometimes a song would start on one track then finish on the next track. That clicking sound, signifying the change of tracks, would always annoy me because it would interrupt the song. But the songs of this tape would fill our house throughout the Christmas season. My dad, who always had a great tenor voice, would sing along with the tape as he did things in the house. The memories that created are priceless.

    About 8 years ago, I decided to buy the CD version of this tape for my Dad as a Christmas present. When I started looking for it, I didn't realize how much of a collector's item the CD had become. I found the CD on eBay and put in a bid. I told myself I'd go as high as $25 and I stuck to it. I watched the price increase for 3 days, and it ended up selling for $230. I couldn't believe it! However, thanks to yahoo search I was able to find the album from a record store in Canada. They even included a copy of the album on CD. The total cost was something like $35. Dad was so excited to get it that Christmas, and I remember him saying "I've missed this music so much!"

    The following year, a couple of days after Thanksgiving, I was sitting at my desk one morning and Dad called me from his car. He was on his way to work and he wanted to let me know that he was listening to his his Living Voices CD that morning. He said, "I can't believe all the memories that this brings back. It makes me think about all those Christmases when you and your sisters were little!"

    What was your favorite Christmas album growing up?

  2. #2
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    Growing up, I would have to say that the very same Perry Como album was my favorite Christmas record. My parents always had a lot of instrumental Christmas albums, but I always preferred vocals!
    I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas

  3. #3
    My Bing Crosby White Christmas album. I love his style and arrangement of Santa Claus is coming to town with the Andrew Sisters. And of course no one sings White Christmas like Bing.

  4. #4
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    Gosh, it's too hard to just pick one, I loved them all. Maybe a toss up between the Roger Wagner Chorale album 'Joy to the World' and 'A Music Box Christmas' from the collection of Rita Ford.

  5. #5
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    These are actually 3 albums, but were my favorites then and still are. The Columbia/Goodyear Great Songs of Christmas, albums 3, 4 and 5, released in 1963, '64 and '65 respectively.

    Sometime in July of this year, I found out that something had chewed up many of the LP jackets and sleeves, leaving a really tough residue on the records themselves. Naturally, those 3 were among the worst. But after a lot of reading, experimentation and time, I was able to get virtually all of it cleaned off. Amazingly, they actually sound better than they did before! Then I got curious about really thorough record-cleaning techniques, and ended up making a sort of do-it-yourself record cleaning machine. Amazing how much dirt gets embedded in old LPs, and how great they can still sound after cleaning. They're better than the CDs I put them on 10 years ago.

    The main point of all this is that, while the albums are easily replaceable, the sentimental value can't be. Every year for those 3 years, my dad would bring one home and they'd play virtually nonstop around Christmass. Sort of a long-winded reply, I know!

  6. #6
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    Bing Crosby is the best!
    I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas

  7. #7
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    That's great that your Dads enjoyed Christmas music that much!

    Gene Autry was my favorite growing up. Johnny Mathis was probably my second.
    The holly's up, the house is all bright, The tree is ready, the candles alight; Rejoice and be glad, all children tonight.

  8. #8
    Actually...I need help remembering my favorite Christmas album as a kid in the mid 1960's! My parents had some wonderful Xmas albums...The Ray Conniff Singers, Nat King Cole, Big Crosby...and my favorite: it was an all-boys choir and they had a "guest" singer on some of the songs, a woman who sang opera. The cover was green, and there were 3 or 4 boys in winter clothes in the snow on the front, with one of the boys by himself on the back. I can see it as plain as if it were yesterday (I'm 52 now)...even google imaged "boys choir xmas albums of the 1960"...couldn't find it! Are my parents the ONLY ones who bought this album??? I hope one of you out there can help me...I'd really like to get the CD (if there is one)! Thanks!

  9. #9
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    Oregongirl. I will check with my Mom. We also had a boy's choir Christmas album in the 1960's and I think the cover was green. Maye she'll remember
    I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by ornamentmaven View Post
    Oregongirl. I will check with my Mom. We also had a boy's choir Christmas album in the 1960's and I think the cover was green. Maye she'll remember
    FABOO! You ROCK, ornamentmaven! I put in a call to my parents last night...in hopes they MAY have saved their collection of xmas albums...but if not, and you come through...you'll be talking to one happy little elf here!

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