FaLaLaLaLa

Album & artwork in 1 ZIP file.

Christmas Sing-In
The Gunter Kallmann Choir
Polydor 2731 100
1971 (?)

SIDE ONE

01-1 We Wish You A Merry Christmas/Jingle Bells/Where Did My Snowman Go? 3:37
02-1 Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer/Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas 2:52
03-1 The First Noel/Silent Night/Ding Dong Merrily On High 3:28
04-1 The Little Drummer Boy/December Dream 3:41
05-1 Winter Wonderland/The Season Of Winter 3:23
06-1 Once In Royal David’s City/The Holly And The Ivy 3:16

SIDE TWO

07-2 While The Shepherds Watched Their Flocks By Night/Away In A Manger/Good King Wenceslas 3:57
08-2 Happy Holiday/I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus 2:38
09-2 Little Donkey/Do You Hear What I Hear? 3:26
10-2 Mistletoe And Holy/Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! 2:50
11-2 Christmas Alphabet/White Christmas 3:02
12-2 Oh Come All Ye Faithful/God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/Hark The Herald Angels Sing 4:27

THOUGHTS FROM THE KING:

If you were around last Christmas then you have heard at least one track from this album. Track 1 of this album ended up on the 2005 ADVENTure In Carols. If that track didn’t give you enough Teutonic holiday goodness, then you’ll go gaga for this!. The arrangements are appropriately cheery, with a little bit of “funk” (broadly defined–awesome walking basslines and groovin’ drumming) thrown into the mix. And I think it’s great. The singing is top-notch, the arrangements move, etc. But the German accents just make everything feel a little strange. Certain words and phrases just don’t quite work because the singers just don’t wrap their voices around the phonemes. Maybe that’s being picky. Maybe it’s the warm summer weather that makes it hard for me to feel the full effect of the Christmas spirit (you all know by now I’m not much of one for Christmas in summer). So hopefully this little gem will get you in the spirit and looking forward to the Christmas season here at FaLaLaLaLa. June 25, 2006 P.S. I wouldn’t expect much for “Christmas In July” around here. Me, the missus, and the wee bairn are moving to a new house in July and I can’t guarantee access to my vinyl collection…. I’m sure some of my friends here (Cap’n, orb1234, etc.) will have some stuff to throw your way.

So here it is, June 25th, and around here we celebrate Christmas-and-a-Half.

I know that lots of people think about "Christmas In July" but we don’t go in for any of that commercial nonsense around here. What’s CIJ except an excuse for furniture and appliance stores to lure hot and sweaty shoppers into their overly air-conditioned stores for lame sales? They don’t celebrate the TRUE meaning of Christmas in July which is…which is…. Oh, that’s right! There is no meaning of Christmas in July. Not so, Christmas-and-a-Half!

On this day, last Christmas is six months behind us and this Christmas is six months in the future. We begin counting the days until Christmas comes round again. With each day the holiday gets closer. The anticipation can begin. It will continue to grow throughout the year, until the season kicks of at Thanksgiving and then really gets into gear for Advent. So much to look forward to!

And let us not forget the connection to the solar year. Christmas has long been connected to the winter solstice and the Christian tradition borrowed heavily from pagan practices celebrating midwinter. In the same vein, Christmas-and-a-Half is connected to the summer solstice. Take that, Christmas in July!

So, pour yourself a hot toddy and spin the wonderful sounds of The Gunter Kallmann Choir. Get into the spirit and think about that day six months from now and all the joy that awaits us there….