FaLaLaLaLa

Here we are in the throws of summer.  Actually, around my part of the world it’s been pretty mild for the past week or so (which I personally prefer).

While I’m not big on celebrating Christmas in July myself, my good friend Ernie does his best to grab some Christmas spirit and spread it around in the middle of the year.

As is his tradition, he is sharing Christmas songs that can be found on non-Christmas albums.

As is my tradition, I am linking to him.

Go see Ernie and enjoy!

So, according to the FaLaLaLaLa calendar, today is the day we like to call “Christmas-And-A-Half”.

It’s 6 months from last Christmas and 6 months until next Christmas.

So, how do we celebrate?  Staying inside with a cold drink and dreaming wistfully of the winter months to come.  (Though I’ve heard some blaspheme the day by going golfing….)

I have to say I don’t have any new music to post for the “celebration”.  So just go through the archives and find something appropriate.

Also, wish Happy Birthday to our good friend, Ernie (who I’m certain will have some treats for us all come Christmas-In-July!).

(Photo: perfect_hexagon)

While lots of people love to celebrate Christmas year round, we at FaLaLaLaLa feel that the season is more special since it’s only part of the year. The anticipation is part of the joy.

So there won’t be really any posts until November or so (except perhaps for Christmas In July and Christmas-And-A-Half).

But feel free to poke through the old posts or check out the forums to find lots of musical goodies. And then we’ll see you for the 2010 season.

The King of Jingaling

From our friend over at The Yule Ghoul:

Could it be that the rumored 1968 Christmas single by Walter Ghoul’s Lavender Brigade’s Oliver Crumb has finally surfaced?  Because I refuse to let reality stand in the way of a good thing, I believe that it has… and with jangly guitars aplenty. The B side Marshmallow World,  sadly, has been scratched beyond repair.

As promised, here is the final and complete 2009 ADVENTure In Carols.

If you’ve already download the individual tracks, you may download a ZIP file with all of the artwork (booklet, jewel case insert) plus a PDF of all of the blog posts (with links intact).

Or if you want you can download the entire package with MP3 files plus the artwork listed above.

I have to give extra special credit where it is due—to Mr. Jared Chapman whose artistic touch really enhances the whole collection!

01 – Deck The Halls – Tijuana Brass and Voices
02 – Do You Hear What I Hear – The Mike Sammes Singers
03 – Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer/Jingle Bells/Where Did My Snowman Go – Big Ben Banjo Band
04 – Red Cheeks and White Whiskers – Blue Barron and His Orchestra
05 – Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town – Arthur Treacher
06 – Sweet Nutcracker! – John Klein
07 – Song of Christmas – Jack de Mello
08 – Let It Snow – Buckingham Strings
09 – We Need A Little Christmas – Dinah Shore
10 – Winter Wonderland – MUZAK
11 – One Little Tree – The Longines Symphonette
12 – We Three Kings – The Jack Brokensha Quartet
13 – The Christmas Song – The Four Aces
14 – Christmas Is – The Harry Simeone Chorale
15 – Dancing Snowmen – The Blenders
16 – Here We Come A Caroling/Deck The Halls/We Wish You A Merry Christmas – The New Christy Minstrels
17 – Outer Space Santa – Lawrence Welk’s Little Band
18 – The Sound of Christmas – The Cricketones
19 – Jingle Bells – The Organ Orchestra
20 – Have A Merry Merry Christmas – Slim Boyd and his Rangehands
21 – The Christmas Waltz – David Rose
22 – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas – The Skipjack Choir
23 – A Holly Jolly Christmas – Living Voices
24 – Hamau! Na Anelá (Hark! The Herald Angels Sing) – Webley Edwards
25 – I Heard The Bells on Christmas Day – The London Sound 70 Orchestra and Chorus

Download Art ONLY.	Download Music & Art

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from FaLaLaLaLa.com!

Here we reach the end of the 2009 ADVENTure in Carols.  And so we hear the bells this Christmas Day.

I discovered this album thanks to my friend, Randy (PDMan in the FaLaLaLaLa forums).  It’s a collection of three LP’s that are just fantastic with 1970’s Now Sound Christmas joy!  I shared it out last year, so go get it.

And then also use the image below to download this 25th track from the 2009 ADVENTure In Carols.

I would also like to take this opportunity to officially unveil the cover for the 2009 collection.  This year’s artist is the oh-so talented Jared Chapman.

I think you’ll agree that he managed to capture some of the magic and wonder of the Christmas season.

So give me a few days and I’ll have the full CD booklet and tray insert artwork.  Then I’ll put all the tracks and the artwork in one file to download.  (I’ll also include a file with just the artwork for those who have downloaded all the tracks.)

If you’re looking for some festive ambience for your Christmas Day celebration, look no further than the original classic WPIX Yule Log.

Sure, there are many imitations, but this is the real deal, and the soundtrack is just the kind of classic holiday fare we love here at FaLaLaLaLa!  I’ve got my TiVo all set to record it to watch tomorrow.

Directly from TheYuleLog.com, here’s where and when you can see The Yule Log in your area:

New York/WPIX ~ 4am-6am & 9am-1pm
Philadelphia/WPHL ~ 9am-12pm
Washington, D.C./WDCW ~ 8am-10am
Seattle/KCPQ ~ 5am-10am
Miami/WSFL ~ 9am-11am
Denver/KWGN ~ 5am-9am
Denver/KDVR ~ 5am-7am
Sacramento/KTXL ~ 4:30am-9am
St. Louis/KPLR ~ 8am-12pm  
Portland/KRCW ~ 5am-9:30am
Indianapolis/WXIN ~ 4:30am-9am
Bloomington/WTTV ~ 4:30am-6am
Hartford/WTIC ~ 9am-11am
Grand Rapids/WXMI ~ 3:30am-4:30am
Harrisburg/WPMT ~ 5am-10am
New Orleans/WGNO ~ 5am-7am
Chicago/WGN-9 ~ 2:30am-7am

National coverage on Cable and Satellite TV:
WGN America ~ 8am-11am (EST)

And we all owe Chip Arcuri much thanks for keeping the Yule Log spirit alive!

The voice of Paul Buchanan (of The Blue Nile) is magic to me. It is about yearning and disappointment and regret and hope. It’s sophisticated yet raw.

Hearing him sing Silent Night is just a sublime experience. I hope that on listening you will agree.

The album that this comes from, Seasons of Light, is still available on CD (though it’s pricey). The only place I’ve found it for download is Napster. It’s a really eclectic and interesting mix.

Listen to this track on Napster:

Christmas Eve tends to make me thoughtful and reflective.  It is a reminder that at each moment the world is about to change and that a miraculous moment is always at hand.  We just have to look for it where we least expect it—in a manger in Bethlehem, in a brilliant star, in an excited child, in ourselves.

Take this day, this moment, this celebration of light in the darkness to see the miracles all around you.  And if you don’t see any, then it’s up to you to make them.

Then you, too, can hear the angels sing….

And tomorrow, Christmas Day, we’ll post the final song of the ADVENTure In Carols.

The full 25-song download with CD booklet, etc. probably won’t get finished until the weekend so that I can enjoy Christmas Day with family and friends.

I’m a sucker for vocal harmonies, from doo-wop to Queen to Beach Boys to choral works.  Human voices that blend seamlessly are just magic.

Anita Kerr knew how to get voices to blend.  She and her singers were constantly busy providing their signature sound to records throughout the 60’s and 70’s.  That group produced two Christmas albums—Spend This Holiday With Me and Anita Kerr’s Christmas Story: The Angel in The Faded Blue Jeans (both now sadly out of print after being available at Anita Kerr’s website).

Anita Kerr also arranged and conducted the singers on most of this great collection from 1965 (which you can download here at FaLaLaLaLa).  On this one she conducted while Cameron L. Mullins did the arranging.  Take a listen.

And be sure to come back each day between now and Christmas to get a new free song download.  And then show up on Christmas for the full CD booklet/artwork.