FaLaLaLaLa

I am happy to finally let the cat out of the bag regarding a project I’ve been involved in for the past several years.

Mitchell Kezin, a documentary filmmaker and crazy Christmas music fan, has been working on a documentary about the wild and crazy world of Christmas music and people like those of us at FaLaLaLaLa.  Several years ago now, Mitchell contacted me for help with the film and he and I have had long discussions and brainstorming sessions about this bizarre hobby of ours.  I have helped him connect to some of the luminaries of the Christmas music world (Andy Cirzan, Jon Solomon, etc.) and have listened to concepts and treatments of the film.  It’s been really stimulating and fascinating.

Well, the time has come when Mitchell is in production on this true labor of love.  As you can imagine, it’s a time-consuming process….

We could use your help.

We’re looking for members of the FaLaLaLaLa community who are interested in this project to help out by contributing to Mitchell’s costs for the film.  That’s right, you too can be a big time movie producer!  While you can’t hire and fire Angelina Jolie and Tom Cruise, you can participate in making this film a reality and spreading the word about great Christmas music.  Plus, you can get some groovy swag to make your donation all the more worthwhile, including a special-edition DVD of the film, screen credit (!), an invite to a festival screening and more!  (That’s better than any ol’ PBS totebag!)

Here’s what the man himself has to say:

Season’s
greetings! And thanks for checking out my documentary film in
progress. I am gearing up for a guerilla-style shoot this Christmas
season where I’ll be spending time with Xmas music maniac Andy
Cirzan, bebop legend Bob Dorough, and radio host & marathon man,
Jon Solomon.

Your support will
help me reach the next stage of my Xmess music pilgrimage. And in
the spirit of giving I am offering some spirited incentives to all
those interested in contributing to the development of my film
project.

I’m really excited about this film.  Go on over to the film’s website and find out more.  Mitchell is starting a blog where he’ll be posting some initial footage, conversations, music, ideas and more.  Check it out and support the film.

http://www.jinglebellrocks.com

http://www.jinglebellrocks.blogspot.com

[UPDATE: Here's the corrected track order (which is not reflected in the download yet.]

1. A Good, Good Boy
2. Christmas Card
3. The Twelve Days of Christmas
4. Christmas Is A Time
5. Kuklapolitan Carol Medley

[This is a special Featured Album submitted by the webmaster of The Unofficial Kuklapolitan website.  Enjoy.  -- The King]

"Merry Christmas from Kukla, Fran and Ollie" began as an experiment in
multi-tracking by the popular TV puppet show’s creator, Burr Tillstrom,
shortly after Les Paul pioneered such recordings. As the only puppeteer
on the show, Burr had obviously never been able to do any choral work
with the troupe, but instead used a skillful blend of movement and
phrasing to distract viewers from the fact that only one character
spoke at a time (many viewers were convinced they heard duets during
the show’s musical numbers).

So, to finally hear all of the
“Kuklapolitan Strolling Carollers” performing at once, Burr recorded
"Yuletide Greetings" (most likely in 1953), backed up by a small combo
that included the show’s music director and composer-in-residence, Jack
Fascinato.  A handful of copies of a 12" single-sided 78 rpm disc
(XPC-7109) were pressed under the Columbia label – surprising, since
RCA Victor had always been his main sponsor.

It was clearly
intended as a private gift for Fran Allison, the show’s only onscreen
human performer. Ollie can be heard saying, "C’mon, Doloras, sing for
Frannie," and the entire troupe warmly shouts Christmas greetings to
her.  Kukla, Burr’s alter-ego and the leader of the troupe, patiently
waits until everyone has finished and poignantnly adds, "Merry
Christmas, Frannie" at the very end of the recording.

Apparently
it was felt to be a success and the medley was soon released
commercially, as the last track on side one of an LP, under the title
"Kuklapolitan Christmas Carol Medley."  It features several well-known
carols and begins with one written by Fascinato, known alternately as
"Yuletide Greetings" or "The Kuklapolitan Christmas Song."

To
fill out the album, Burr and Fran basically performed one of KFO’s
popular Christmas shows.  Since the troupe had appeared on radio in ’52
and ’53, doing an audio version of the show was nothing new.  All the
elements of a typical KFO Christmas show are there: writing a letter to
Santa Claus ("A Good, Good Boy"), opening cards ("Christmas Card"),
Buelah Witch flying in with a Christmas tree and everyone debating what
kind of tree it is, and of course, rehearsing Christmas carols (The
Twelve Days of Christmas).  The first two songs were written by
Fascinato and David MacAneny respectively, and "Christmas Is A Time"
was written Carolyn Gilbert, who became the show’s second music
director when it moved to ABC in the fall of 1954.

The LP was
released by Decca (DL 8192), probably in late 1954.  (By this time,
Burr had been dropped by NBC, so RCA Victor, which had released his
earlier recordings, was apparently not on his list of "good boys and
girls.")  The LP version was backed by a recording of a performance
Burr had first done on radio in April of 1954, James Thurber’s
children’s story, "Many Moons" (which did not feature the
Kuklapolitans).  This piece later aired on ABC television on Christmas
Day, 1954. The Christmas songs were also released, sans "Many Moons,"
as an extended play 45 (ED-764) and as a 78 (88205).

It’s
surprising that Burr waited so long to release a Christmas album, as
holidays, particularly Christmas, were a big part of the show’s appeal
right from its premiere in 1947.  Viewers, along with the cast and crew
of the show, eagerly awaited this yearly tradition.

Carolyn
Gilbert’s daughter says that "Christmas Is A Time" had a life beyond
this release, and I have found one recording, by Johnny Desmond.  If
anyone has a recording by someone else, I’d love to hear it – I think
it’s one of the great under-performed Christmas songs.
If anyone wants to see what the characters in the recording look like, please visit my extensive KFO site, kukla.tv.

Mark, Webmaster of The Unofficial Kuklapolitan Website

UPDATED 12/3/07 with new info contributed by FaLaLaLaLa readers.
 

Antsy McClain & the Trailer Park Troubadours
Merry Christmas From The Trailer Park

Now, when I first hear something about Christmas in a trailer park I have to admit that the first thing that comes to my mind is Elmo & Patsy’s annoying contribution to the Christmas music canon–Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer.  And then I gag a bit because I can’t stand that song.  I hope that Elmo & Patsy get nothing but coal every Christmas for the rest of their days.

Thankfully, Antsy McClain and pals have come forward to rescue a down-home Christmas from dangerous reindeer and radio overplay (though they certainly deserve the latter).

That being said, fans of Elmo and Patsy’s little ditty would also find much to like here.  The same sort of humor that made that song a hit is on display here.  There are some of the same unsavory characters, indulging their love of whiskey and Nascar during the holidays.  It’s a world that’s been painted in popular culture by the likes of Jeff Foxworthy and Larry The Cable Guy.  But McClain draws his characters with greater subtlety and affection.  His humor is far less caricatured than theirs.  When you listen to these songs it’s not as an outsider, pittying the poor folk that populate these stories.  You are McClain’s invited guest, looking though snapshots of family Christmases long ago.  And in those snapshots you can see your own ghosts of Christmas past staring back at you, whether or not your home ever had wheels or a pink flamingo out front.

The music is expertly arranged, played and recorded.  It’s a bit of down home country, with some folk and pop thrown in.  It would not be out of place on Lake Wobegon (McClain spins some yarns with Garrison Keilor’s ear for language and dialog).  I hear echoes of Chris Isaac’s twang in McClains velvety voice.  The music is certainly fun.  But then the band will take a quick turn and serve up a reverent "I Heard The Bells on Christmas Day" or "O Little Town of Bethlehem" that evoke a genuine sense of Christmas wonder.  There’s lots to love here.

Take a listen at one my favorites (naturally), The King of Christmas:

[audio:http://www.falalalala.com/music/mcclainkoc.mp3]

We even have permission to let you download an MP3 of the song: DOWNLOAD 

You can pick up a CD or MP3 download of the album at Antsy’s site: http://www.unhitched.com. (You can also hear some more samples.)

I have to say that a lot of newer Christmas albums just don’t have the real spirit.  This one does.  So go and pick it up.

O.K.  Here’s some more incentive.  Antsy and his friends have offered us three personally autographed copies of the CD for FaLaLaLaLa readers.  So here’s how you can get a chance to nab one:

Post a comment to this thread that includes a haiku about Christmas in the trailer park.  We’ll pick the best three who will get each get a CD.  The deadline will be Friday, Nov. 30th.

UPDATE: Antsy himself will judge the haiku and send out the discs personally.  So hop to it!

UPDATE: The submissions are closed and we’ll move on to the judging.  Stay tuned…. 

Have fun and be creative….

The folks over at Yestermusic are having a 4-day sale.  You get 15% off everything on their website.

Unfortunately, they no longer seem to have Christmas at the Fireside by The Longines Symphonette, but they’ve got some excellent Christmas CDs:

Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass Christmas Album
Elvis Christmas (his only 2 original Christmas albums on 1 CD)
Dr. Demento Presents The Greatest Christmas Novelty Songs
Billy Vaughn Christmas Songs
Jo Stafford Joyful Season
Guy Lombardo Songs of Christmas
Songs of the Season (this is a great little compilation for $3.75 that includes Carol Burnette singing a wonderful rendition of The Christmas Song) 

and probably the best of the lot, Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians Christmas Magic (which includes two original albums, The Sounds of Christmas and The Meaning of Christmas).

Again, I urge all my FaLaLaLaLa friends to go and buy these releases.  Every purchase we make tells these companies that classic Christmas music is profitable and can encourage them to release more of this great music.

Go on over and pick up a few great CDs.  Use the code HOLIDAY2007 when you check out to get the discount.

White Christmas

Living Strings & Living Voices

1977 (Previously Released on Camden Records 1968)

SIDE ONE

1. White Christmas 3:23

2. Happy Holiday 2:02

3. Here’s To You 2:58

4. My Favorite Things 2:46

5. Christmas Lullaby – Silent Night 5:35

SIDE TWO

1. Do You Hear What I Hear 2:35

2. Ring Christmas Bells – We Wish You A Merry Christmas 2:23

3. Little Drummer Boy 3:25

4. Buon Natale (Merry Christmas To You) – Jingo Jango – Jingle Bells – Bossa Nova Noel 6:23

5. A Merry Christmas Song 1:50

LINER NOTES:

The many ways of celebrating Christmas are as varied as the customs of the peoples of the world. All nations, ages and cultures, from the era of the Druids to the present day, have made contributions to the Christmas holly day. Yet, down through the centuries, though customs may differ from nation to nation, the music has remained universal. This universality is beautifully presented by the Living Strings and Living Voices under the inspired direction of arranger-conductor Johnny Douglas. In this collection you’ll find a tasteful blending of an opulence of instruments with a spirited vocal group. The Living Strings and Living Voices give exquisite renderings of old favorites. Songs like the timeless Silent Night have never sounded more moving than they do here. There’s also the lovely My Favorite Things, which, though not primarily a Christmas song, is ideally suited to the holiday spirit. As a sound matter of fact, in listening to this delightful recording one feels once again warmed by that holiday glow. The message conveyed by all concerned with this album’s production is conveyed by the title of one of the songs — We Wish You a Merry Christmas.

SIDNEY ASCHER

1968

Cover by Jack Zehrt, Alpha Photo

Previously Released on CAMDEN Records

Made from masters of RCA Corporation.

©1968, 1977, RCA Corporation

Arranged and Conducted by Johnny Douglas

Produced by Ethel Gabriel

THOUGHTS FROM THE KING:

Here we have the first release of the season….

If you’ve been around this site much over the past several years, you should know that my Christmas music tastes lean distinctly in the EZ Listening realm. C’mon folks, The Hollyridge Strings. Mike Sammes Singers. This is white bread music, no doubt about it. But even white bread has some nutritious value–especially with the new whole wheat white bread.

Well, the bottom line here is lush, right? The strings are crisp and clear, the voices tight and polished, the recording bright and clean. Some of that has to do with the superb production by the legendary Ethel Gabriel.

Who’s Ethel Gabriel, you ask? For shame! She’s only one of the first female record producers in the music biz. She produced (and earned gold records for) Henry Mancini, Perry Como, Chet Atkins, Al Caiola and more. She built the house of EZ Listening at RCA records. And you can hear that pedigree all over this record.

This is probably one of the original batch of records that I transfered from vinyl way back before there was such a place as FaLaLaLaLa. I’m not sure why I never shared it before. I suppose that other records would jump out and capture my attention, being new finds and generating greater excitement at the time. But this one has always been there, tried and true, like Christmas itself.

For some reason, Buon Natale has not left my head for the past several days. It’s irresistible. Grab the download and hear for yourself.

And leave some comments here on the blog or in the forums. There’s a whole community here that loves to share the spirit of the season.

UPDATE Sept. 2009: Three classic Living Strings/Living Voices are finally seeing digital release this year.

We at FaLaLaLaLa heartily encourage you to go on over to Dulicima Records’ Site to order The Spirit of Christmas on CD (which includes the above album).

The Voices of Walter Schumann
The Voices of Christmas

This classic album from 1955 is one that is oft requested here at FaLaLaLaLa.  It’s understandable why.  With the tight voices of Schumann’s chorus, this collection of songs has such a classic feel.  It still seems of the era of big band music of the 1940′s (not surprising as Schumann was the musical director of Armed Forces Radio during WWII) but moves forward into the TV/space-age.  It mixes traditional religious carols with some of the popular songs that were becoming popular at the time.

This year sees the first CD release of this classic album from the great folks at Collector’s Choice music (and thankfully they used the original cover art!).  Sometimes these releases from small labels go out of print quickly so get this while it’s hot (and once again show that this is music that can make money…).

BUY IT NOW (and get free shipping in the U.S. until Dec. 1, 2007)

(Be patient.  The site was very slow for me.)

Amazon has it too.

Friends: The One With The Holiday Armadillo

Wanna see a Christmas episode of Green Acres, Three’s Company or Dr. Who?

What about Little House on the Prairie, Seinfeld or The Office?

Well, the TV Zone at Newsday has posted the dates/times/stations when you can see your favorite characters around the Christmas Tree/Menorah/The Festivus Pole.

Find your favorites HERE.

Via Lee.

Our friend Steven King at Inspired has alerted me to some of the Caroleer albums and singles available now (or soon) on iTunes.  They are:

Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer

(This one includes the much remembered and sought after "Christmas Cookies and Holiday Hearts".

Twas The Night Before Christmas

The following singles/EP’s are also available now:

Jingle Bells
Favorite Christmas Hymns With Full Orchestra
Silent Night
Parade of the Wooden Soldiers
Snoopy’s Christmas

…with more coming in the near future.  Pick them up.

Come join! 

FaLaLaLaLa on LastFM

How about this little thingy….

It’s both a CD and a vinyl record.  Now why didn’t we think of that?

via MAKE.