Holiday music on non-holiday albums

[crisp]

Christmas songs from two Spikes:

Spike Milligan does I'm Walking Backwards For Christmas, Good King Eccleslas and Silent Night on Spike.

Spike Jones does Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth and I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus on Greatest Hits.

[sidewinder]

The MJQ hat God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen and Variations on a Christmas Theme, probably more, slipped in on various albums. A whole album with Xmas music by them would have been a treat.

They refer to it as 'England's Carol' I think (I think that's how it is titled in the Mosaic box). One that I always wished that the MJQ would have done is the medieval 'Coventry Carol'.

[danasgoodstuff]

The MJQ hat God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen and Variations on a Christmas Theme, probably more, slipped in on various albums. A whole album with Xmas music by them would have been a treat.

They refer to it as 'England's Carol' I think (I think that's how it is titled in the Mosaic box). One that I always wished that the MJQ would have done is the medieval 'Coventry Carol'.

I thought the Coventry Carol was what they did under various other titles...?

[JazzLover451]

Ramsey Lewis playing Greensleeves on the album Down to Earth

[A Lark Ascending]

"Star of Bethlehem" on Neil Young's "American Stars 'n' Bars"

[Patrick]

In addition to various versions of "Greensleeves", I've tracked down "Jingle Jangle Jump" on the Dexter Gordon/Wardell Gray album Citizens Bop. While perhaps not technically holiday music, I also include MJQ's "Precious Joy" from Blues on Bach.

[Big Beat Steve]

Spike Jones does Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth and I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus on Greatest Hits.

Well, if you count Christmas songs that may originally have indeed been released for Christmas (in single form) and now appear on (reissue) compilations (as opposed to Christmas songs appearing in their original form on non-Christmas (concept) LP albums), then I'll nominate these:

- The Ravens singing White Christmas and Silent Night on the Savoy 2-LP set "The Greatest Group of Them All - Roots of Rock'n'Roll Vol. 3") (Savoy SJL 2227)

- Bob Wills doing When It's Christmas on the Range on "Papa's Jumpin'" (Bear Family)

Edited December 23, 2013 by Big Beat Steve

[crisp]

Yes, please do count compilations. For me the purpose of this thread is to uncover rogue Xmas songs that might be hidden in one's collection.

[jeffcrom]

I had totally forgotten this until I played Herb Geller Plays as a memorial to Mr. Geller a couple of nights ago, but there is a great version of "Sleigh Ride" on it.

Edited December 23, 2013 by jeffcrom

[Big Beat Steve]

Yes, please do count compilations. For me the purpose of this thread is to uncover rogue Xmas songs that might be hidden in one's collection.

Well, talking about "rogue Xmas songs" hidden in one's collection, would Ralph Burns' WINTER SEQUENCE tunes such as "Dancer", "Dancer", "Prancer", "Vixen", etc. be "rogue"-ish to count too?

http://falalalala.com/fireside/index.php?topic=1158.0

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

There's Clyde McPhatter & the Drifters doing 'White Christmas' on the Drifters first LP, of course.

And Charles Brown's 'Merry Christmas baby' on innumerable compilations (which I haven't got, 'cos I've got the 45).

MG

[GA Russell]

I don't think anyone has yet mentioned Charlie Parker's White Christmas on his Complete Live Performances on Savoy box.

http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Live-Performances-Savoy-1947-Oct/dp/B00000DC2I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1387908436&sr=8-1&keywords=Charlie+Parker+Savoy+live

[crisp]

One more for Christmas Eve: Away in a Manger, an instrumental on Top Drawer by Mel Torme and George Shearing.

[DIS]

For big band, I love "Waltz of the Flowers" on Wayne Bergeron's album, You Call This a Living? I think it's by Bill Liston.

Edited December 24, 2013 by DIS

[Shawn]

Winter Wonderland from the album All Kinds of Weather by Red Garland.

[crisp]

I've come across quite a few more of these while ripping my collection this year (warning: not just jazz).

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas by Judy Garland on Meet Me In St Louis Soundtrack

We Need A Little Christmas by Angela Lansbury on Mame Original Broadway Cast

Hail To Christmas by The Decca Chorus on Babes in Toyland/The Red Mill

Wonderful Christmastime by John Pizzarelli on Midnight McCartney

The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You) by Mel Torme on My Kind of Music

Jingle Bells by Bernard Peiffer on La Vie En Rose (Jazz in Paris)

Thank God It's Christmas by Queen on The Works (Deluxe Edition)

Shake Hands With Santa Claus by Louis Prima on Breakin' It Up

St. Bernie The Sno-Dog by Roger Nicholas Trio on Roger Nicholas and the Small Circle of Friends

Winter Wonderland by Laurie Johnson on With a Vengeance!

Sleigh Ride on Drum Suite by Slide Hampton

And Suddenly It's Christmas by Michael Feinstein on The Burton Lane Songbook Volume One

Winter Wonderland by Dennis Farnon on Caution! Men Swinging

Sleigh Ride by Werner Muller on Plays Leroy Anderson / Mozart: Favourite Classical Tops

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas by Dexter Gordon on Gotham City

Christmas Roses by Frankie Laine And Jo Stafford on I Believe (Bear Family box set)

Christmas Rose and Christmas Vacation by Bobby Vee on The Singles Collection

One Little Snowflake and The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You) by Mel Torme on That's All

Remember Bethlehem (The Intake School Carol) by Jake Thackeray on Jake in a Box

Phew!

[duaneiac]

"it Must Be Christmas" written by Gerry Mulligan and Judy Holliday and performed by them on the album Holliday With Mulligan

G

[crisp]

Good one -- thanks.

[Teasing the Korean]

If we count winter songs, which have become de facto Christmas standards, you will find them everywhere.  For example, Sinatra does "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm" on one of his early Reprise albums.  Claude Thornhill's "Snowfall" is on a zillion albums.  

In the 1950s, Jo Stafford did a non-Christmas album called "Ski Trails," which alternated tracks like "Baby It's Cold Outside" and "Let is Snow" with things like "Moonlight in Vermont" and "The Nearness of You."

Edited December 24, 2015 by Teasing

[duaneiac]

On his album, Sweet Revenge, John Prine sings "Christmas In Prison".

The Original Cast Album of Best Little Whorehouse In Texas includes "Hard Candy Christmas".

"Winter Wonderland" is performed by Chet Baker & the Lighthouse All Stars on the album Witch Doctor.

 

 

Edited December 24, 2015 by duaneiac

[HutchFan]

I'm now listening to Gene Ammon's tribute to Nat Cole Night Lights, and it includes one holiday tune, "The Christmas Song."

Edited August 8, 2016 by HutchFan

[crisp]

Two more:

Winter Wonderland by Harry Connick Jr on When Harry Met Sally.

The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late) by The Chipmunks on The London American Label Year By Year: 1958.

 

[duaneiac]

 

[danasgoodstuff]

Chuck Berry, Run Run Rudolf, any number of compilations.

Otis Redding, White Xmas (stunning rendition), ditto.