The reality of Christmas songs compared with memory.

[oggbashan]

My daughters gave me a new record player that plays my old 78s.

I have been replaying some of the Christmas hits of long ago, before many AH members were born.

Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer by Bing Crosby has been re-recorded many times, including by Bing himself.

But...

My black 78rpm record of Bing with the Jud Conlon Rhythmaires and John Scott Trotter and his Orchestra is spoilt by the woman pretending to be Rudolf. She's so cute I need a sickbag and nothing like later Rudolfs.

Ronnie Hilton singing "The Yellow Rose of Texas" was and is awful.

Now Eartha Kitt is singing "I'm an old-fashioned girl". The record and the memory match. She still sounds great.

Og

 

[Antfarmer77]

My crazy sister ended up with all my Mom's 78's. But I still remember "Chocolate Ice Cream Cone" ( by the Maddox Brothers I believe), "The Man With The Weird Beard" and "Heap Big Smoke" by Arther Godfrey and several by The Mills Bros. Thanks for the nostalgia Ogg.

 

[glynndah]

"Good King Wentzel's car backed out
O'er the feet of heathens"

 

[R. Richard]

Og:
I collect 50's and 60s music. However, not Christmas songs and not on 78s or even 45s. Got to be remastered on CD.

 

[Jenny_Jackson]

All the Christmas music I have is nawty... Like Rudolph the Brown Nose Reindeer... Frosty the Pervert... etc....

 

[slyc_willie]

My daughters gave me a new record player that plays my old 78s.

I have been replaying some of the Christmas hits of long ago, before many AH members were born.

Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer by Bing Crosby has been re-recorded many times, including by Bing himself.

But...

My black 78rpm record of Bing with the Jud Conlon Rhythmaires and John Scott Trotter and his Orchestra is spoilt by the woman pretending to be Rudolf. She's so cute I need a sickbag and nothing like later Rudolfs.

Ronnie Hilton singing "The Yellow Rose of Texas" was and is awful.

Now Eartha Kitt is singing "I'm an old-fashioned girl". The record and the memory match. She still sounds great.

Og

Eartha and Ella both always sound good, no matter what.

Same for Satchmo.

 

[TE999]

I 'inherited' a bunch of 78's when my grandfather died.

No one else wanted them, so I took 'em.

The turntable too.

What a hoot!

The Mills Brothers, The Ink Spots, Phil Harris, Benny Goodman, Rudy Vallee, the list goes on.

Not a lot of Christmas music, tho.

Some of it isn't bad, but the sound quality is for shit.

Scratches and pops galore.

And try to find a phonograph needle.

Gimme a CD any day.

And whatever's comin' next.

Viva the 21st. Century.

Peace.

 

[kindasorta1]

My first (and only, now that I think of it) record was "Peter, Paul, and Mommy." The one with Puff the Magic Dragon. After that, we upgraded to the oh-so-cutting-edge technology of 8 tracks. The record is pretty scratchy. . .but I like the sound of it.

 

[slyc_willie]

The Ink Spots!

Man, my granfather used to listen to them all the time. Called them the best 'colored singing group in the world.'

Never realized till I was in college what a racist remark that was . . . or what a racist name for the group.

Still . . . good music. They had a great rendition of 'Silent Night,' if I recall. Magical voices.

 

[oggbashan]

The Ink Spots!

Man, my granfather used to listen to them all the time. Called them the best 'colored singing group in the world.'

Never realized till I was in college what a racist remark that was . . . or what a racist name for the group.

Still . . . good music. They had a great rendition of 'Silent Night,' if I recall. Magical voices.

I have some 78s by the Ink Spots.

When I was in the UK equivalent of grade school, I was blacked up as one of the 'Coon Singers' for the school concert. I still have a picture of me, blackface with white lips. At that school now, at least a third of the pupils are of Afro-Caribbean descent but ALL the pupils talk the same street slang and wouldn't recognise a 'Coon Song' if they heard it. "Mammy, my mammy..."

Og

PS. The Ink Spots still sound great.

 

[TE999]

I have some 78s by the Ink Spots.

When I was in the UK equivalent of grade school, I was blacked up as one of the 'Coon Singers' for the school concert. I still have a picture of me, blackface with white lips. At that school now, at least a third of the pupils are of Afro-Caribbean descent but ALL the pupils talk the same street slang and wouldn't recognise a 'Coon Song' if they heard it. "Mammy, my mammy..."

Og

PS. The Ink Spots still sound great.

That they do.

The Mills Brothers as well.

Fortunately, today's technology can 'de-tick' most of the noise from the old records and broadcast discs.

Then you can really appreciate the impressive harmonies.

I would have loved to hear them in person.

I think both 'groups' are still touring.

Probably it's their grandchildren singing now.

The good stuff never dies.

It just waits for another generation to discover it.

Peace (in 2007).

 

[oggbashan]

My brother told me today that he still has the 78rpm record of 'Rock around the Clock' that he bought when Bill Haley was onhis first tour of the UK.

It's been well-played.

Og

 

[R. Richard]

My brother told me today that he still has the 78rpm record of 'Rock around the Clock' that he bought when Bill Haley was onhis first tour of the UK.

It's been well-played.

Og

I have 'Rock Around The Clock' and 'Shake, Rattle and Roll,' both remastered to CD.