Christmas Music 2007, Part 3--"Randi the Handi Elf," "My First Christmas Tree," "Kringle's Jingle," "Peppermint Lane;" more!

Wow. I just googled "Randi the Handi Elf," and three entire matches came up--all by me. I must be the only person who knows about this thing. Or, more likely, the only person who's ever commented on-line about it.

This is a track with "MY(P)WHAE" written all over it. (Took me months to remove it.) I featured this last year, but not (oddly enough) the year before. Yet, I had it in 2005. Why didn't I put it up?

This question will echo forever in the vast, dusty halls of Things That Don't Matter.

And we've got some great stuff from the Royale Concert Orch., including two versions of Jingle Bells (from the same side of the same LP, no less). I'd intended to label them as 1 and 2, but I forgot. However, I accidentally labeled the first as by the "RCCO," so there's your clue as to which is which.

1975's Silver Spurs is the story of Santa's smallest elf--we get to hear the story and the song. I don't have the book that came with the record, but you can buy it at eBay for, respectively, $69.99 or $120.00. The latter is signed.

Best bet: ABE Books, where there are presently 32 copies, most a lot cheaper than the above. No doubt, a lot of folks will be rushing to the site to buy one, so act now.

It's Christmas Again, Peppermint Lane, and If I Were Santa Claus were penned by Mary Peacock (that's her on the piano) for an annual Moorestown, NJ holiday celebration. Mary died in 2003 at the age of 98. Her obit notes that she "worked in radio in its early days and went on to be listed in the International Who's Who in Music." Cool. The performers are The Music Department of the Woman's Club of Moorestown, as directed by Jill Boswell.I found this cool 45 rpm EP in a Columbus, Ohio thrift and first featured it last year.

All these, plus six more titles. What a deal, no?

To the zip file: Christmas Music 2007, Part 3.

SLEIGHLIST

JINGLE BELLS 1--Royale Concert Orchestra
TOYLAND--RCO
MARCH OF TOYS (sic)--RCO
JINGLE BELLS 2--RCO
SILVER SPURS: A CHRISTMAS STORY (Robert Knigge)--Narr. by Dr. Dwayne Jorgenson, 1975.
SILVER SPURS: A CHRISTMAS SONG (Betty Knigge)--Vocal: Keith Lester, 1975.
RANDI THE HANDI ELF (Dan Marshall)--Dan Marshall and Tommy's Chorus.
IT'S CHRISTMAS AGAIN--PEPPERMINT LANE--IF I WERE SANTA CLAUS (Peacock)--Music Department of the Woman's Club of Moorestown, directed by Jill Boswell. Mary Peacock on piano.
SANTA CLAUS IS HERE AGAIN--Lennon Sisters w. Lawrence Welk, 1956.
THE STINGIEST MAN IN TOWN--The Four Lads, 1956.
MY FIRST CHRISTMAS TREE--From Merry Christmas! (Treasure TLP 824).
CHRISTMAS (a.k.a. C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S) (Carson-Arnold), The Lewis Family, 1981.
KRINGLE'S JINGLE (Griffin)--Ken Griffin, organ, 1955.
PARADE OF THE WOODEN SOLDIERS--Ray Bohr, organ, 1956.



Lee