Christmas singles, 2019--Part 2: Merv, Sister Cecilia, The Carolers, The "Let Me" Song

Singles.  Sometimes, they have an A and B side, and sometimes they have four, or even six, tracks--if they're EPs.  But they all have one thing in common.  They're not albums.  That's the thing all singles share.  Well, except when they're part of a larger set, in which case they're like album portions.  We won't worry about those, if any show up.  We'll just call them singles and not worry about it.  It's their problem, not ours.

We start with two very well-produced 1956 numbers by Irene Carroll on the Arrow Records label, which has a Columbia look, with a Columbia-style matrix no. (ZTSP 25343/44).  And I believe that the arranger/conductor, Joe Sherman, was a Columbia guy.  It's the flip that's special here--a catchy, slightly odd ditty called The 'Let Me' Song, which almost sounds like an early comment on "gendered" toys, but which is really just another girl-chasing-a-guy song.  Singer Irene plays a girl who insists that the toys on her Christmas list, including boxing gloves and a toy rocket, went to a boy instead.  So, will he let her play with them?  Please?  Can both of them play together?  I think she likes him.  Irene is both writer and singer on this one.

Then, the three Merv Griffin sides I present every Christmas, the first two--Sleigh Ride and Christmas Time--dating from his time as vocalist for the Freddy Martin Orchestra.  The third-1962's Christmas City--was recorded by Merv for the annual Christmas City of the North Parade in Duluth, Minnesota.  Nice song, well arranged, well recorded, and Merv is fine, my only issue being his pronunciation of "youth"--"Come this Christmas, and you'll suddenly find your youth," which initially sounded to my ears like, "...and you'll suddenly find you're you."  I don't hear the th.  "Find your you"?? I eventually figured out that Merv had dropped the th--or else the mic didn't pick it up.  This didn't keep me awake for weeks or anything.  Days, maybe, but not weeks.

I first thought "The Carolers" (last scan) were "The Caroleers," because I'm so used to seeing the latter fake name on SPC LPs (Diplomat label, etc.).  But this group is a folkie outfit, and the flip, True Christmas Love, is pretty brittle and glum--a Yuletide protest song.  Some of its lyrics don't exactly slip off the tongue--"Soon Christmas Day passes by, Its message of love we deny.  And then we pretend that we never offend, While our acts spell out a lie." Yeah, Merry Christmas to you, too.

Tom and Ann and the Family are back, in case you were worried they wouldn't be.  Six selections on a Discount Disc single, and the label says Christmas Family Album, so this was probably part of a boxed set.  Or one of three discs shoved into a single sleeve.  We may never know.  The first side is cute-kid stuff, and the second features... the dad, I guess.  Then two standard-issue choral selections.  Discount Disc was Pickwick, one of the premiere use-whatever-tracks-happen-to-be-lying-around labels.

Both Frank La Spina sides were produced by Tommy De Vito, though I forgot to put that credit on both files.  His One Solitary Life has been recorded under various titles by a good number of folks, including Johnny Cash and Robert Goulet, and I once found a history of the text--I recall it goes back to a sermon given in the 1920s.  It's a simplified version thereof.  Since its dissemination has been mainly though the media, I'd assume, it's an example of "poplore," as opposed to ordinary folklore.

I once found a great site devoted to the Christmas Tree Story House Museum, but either it's gone or I simply can't find it.  It was a huge collection of artificial Xmas trees, the brainchild of Bonnie M. Gulan.  We'll be hearing two 1980 numbers by Bonnie, performed by the Do-Gooders--Christmas Yodel and Christmas in Our Town.  Meanwhile, a return visit from Sister Cecilia, an Ursuline nun--OSU=Order of St. Ursula--who sings Joey The Christmas Choir Boy and I Want Christ Back in Christmas, both issued on WAM Records (WAM Records??) in 1962.  Though WAM is/was a label in Youngstown, Ohio, I'm guessing Sister Cecilia was this person, who died this year at 102.  Sad news, but she certainly had a long life.  UPDATE: Please see comment section entry.

Larry Noble's Season's Greetings (A Cheerful Hello) is a nice side, and it's nicely sung, though the cool label is the real star.  My 45 rpm single of the Santa Claus Polka by the Eddie Wojcik Orch., with vocal by Syl Wojcik, is listed at Discogs as a 78 on the Royal Records label.  My label is Chicago Polka.  I'm assuring it's the same recording....

The red-nosed reindeer on track 13 is Rudolph, not Rudoph, as I mistyped on the file, though "Rudoph" does sound cool....





DOWNLOAD: Christmas Singles 2019, Part 2



It's Christmas Time (Gazso-Griz)--Irene Carroll w. Joe Sherman Orch and Chorus (Arrow Records 712; 1956)
The "Let Me" Song (Irene Carroll)--Same
Sleigh Ride (Leroy Anderson)--Merv Griffin and the Martin Men w. Freddy Martin and His Orch., 1950
Christmas Time (Benjamin-Weiss)--Same
Christmas City (Don Peterson)--Merv Griffin, 1962
The Ballad of an Old Fashioned Christmas--The Carolers
True Christmas Love--Same
Christmas Yodel (Bonnie M. Gulan)--The Do-Gooders (The Christmas Tree Story House 100; 1980)
Christmas in Our Town (Bonnie M. Gulan)--Same
Joey, the Christmas Choir Boy (Sister Cecilia--OSU)--Sister Cecilia w. Ursuline Sisters (Chorus), 1962
I Want Christ Back in Christmas--Same
The Drummer Boy--Tom and Ann and the Family (Christmas Family Album--Discount Disc Set K 1)
Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer--Same
We Wish You a Merry Christmas--Same
Christmas is for the Family--Same
White Christmas--Same
Away in a Manger--Same
Season's Greetings (A Cheerful Hello)--Larry Noble w. Pete Pontrelli and His Orch., 1959
Christmas Dreams (Allen J. Wilder)--Frank La Spina, 1983
One Solitary Life (Unknown)--Same
Santa Claus Polka (E. Wojcik)--Eddie Wojcik Orch,, vocal: Syl Wojcik



Lee