Saturday, December 19, 2020

The Macy Singers: Songs of Christmas (1954)

 


A cool and unusual cover, and I submit that it's impossible to admire the cool Santa sextet (as it rotates the oblong title section, tooting away) AND notice the song-title typos at the same time.  But I seem primed to find mistakes on album covers, and so I immediately noticed that Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is incorrectly listed as Rudolf the Red-Nose Reindeer.  I also noticed the misplaced comma in God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen, which the Benida label calls God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen.  Nope--sorry.  To reference the Oxford English Dictionary via Wikipedia, "the phrase 'God rest you merry' means 'may God grant you peace and happiness.'"  In short, God is not instructing a group of merry gentlemen to get to sleep because Santa's on the way.

The cover does get Adeste Fideles right, I should note.  It's often misspelled Adeste Fidelis.

With those vitally important issues out of the way, let me predict that you'll be a regular Macy's customer after hearing this talented and energetic semi-amateur choir.  Though no one would mistake these singers for the Robert Shaw Chorale, they do themselves and their company proud.  I got this 10-inch LP on eBay three years or so ago, and I only paid a buck.  I think the $1 price was because of condition, which is not so good in spots.  The most needle-dug track is Rudolph, which almost gives up the ghost halfway through--I made things much better by re-recording the second half with my 1.2 mil needle, then combining the two track sections (in my usual seamless fashion).  Result: acceptable sound quality. 

The mono sound (apart from the condition issues) is terrific, and maybe I'll find a VG/VG+ copy some day.  Or maybe not--this doesn't seem to be an item that shows up very often.  Just delightful arrangements all the way through, courtesy of Jimmy Leyden, a name we see on the Bell label's fake-hit sides, and at Decca and RCA.  The choir is directed by Dick (Harlem Nocturne) Rogers, so we can be sure that Macy's did a Line Material here.  By which I mean, they laid out a good amount of dough to produce an excellent company Christmas give-away (assuming it was, in fact, a give-away).

"This is the first industrial choral group to be signed to a major label for international distribution," according to the notes, though I'm not sure Benida was a major label.  Discog's multiple listings for Benida have me dizzy--I wish I could understand why there wouldn't be a single Benida Records entry, but... anyway, it doesn't look like the outfit put out a ton of stuff.  Some interesting-looking jazz singles, and some other stuff, but it appears Benida didn't make a huge showing in the vinyl market.

The Macy Singers are "the new Miracle on 34th street," say the notes.  Clever, clever.  A delightful LP, making its second appearance (the first file has gone to the Great Expired Zippyfile Section in the Sky), and in a higher bitrate!  Enjoy.


DOWNLOAD:  The Macy Singers--Songs of Christmas (Benida LP 1021; 1954)


The First Noel
Silent Night
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Adeste Fideles
Rudloph, the Red-Nose (sic) Reindeer (Johnny Marks)
White Christmas (Bing Crosby--er, Irving Berlin)
Jingle Bells
Reprise--White Christmas


Songs of Christmas--The Macy Singers, Directed by Dick Rogers (Benida LP 1021; 1954)


Lee

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Lee, Had to take a break from an "Are You Being Served" marathon of viewing. Checked your blog and was happy to see this posted. I once was a manager in the California May Dept. Stores, later after I left they were bought by Macy's. Anyway, I am enjoying listening to this LP. Brings back good memories, the only good memories, in working Christmas retail. Have a Happy Holiday Season. Make a big fuss Christmas morning for your kids. I always did, I wanted my girls to have a Merry Christmas too. Cat toys and treats. Call me crazy, but they were more than happy that Santa Cat did not forget them. Yes Santa Cat, I made a big production out of that morning. Bryan

Anonymous said...

Hi Lee, by the way...
I retitled my numbered 07 track as:
07 Jingle Bells and Reprise-White Christmas. This track should have these two names attached to it. Well, I think it should as per the label information and the track itself. Well again, Happy Christmas and oh, I forgot to say have a GREAT New Year to come too. Bryan

Buster said...

I remember this item from the first time around. It's a good one!

I agree that Benida was not a "major label." I've only seen a few of its releases. Posted one several years back - Cy Coleman's first album.

Lee Hartsfeld said...

Bryan,

Thanks for noting the omission. I noticed that, too--just after I put it up. I was relieved to find I'd left the reprise in place, even though I hadn't labeled it. I suppose I should fix that. This will be my third revision, having goofed up the zip twice already! First, I left off some of the labeling, and the second time, I had to change a comma back to a period. This has been what is known as "one of those days." (-:

Buster,

I hadn't recalled that the condition was so challenged toward the end. That was my big surprise during this re-rip. Maybe it's that phenomenon where the brain erases painful memories, such as the memories of needle-trashed grooves. Someone must have pushed down on their tonearm a few times--that, or some pic mistracking was happening. People don't know what we bloggers go through. Sometimes, it's not pretty. There are a million needle dings in the Naked Blogosphere. (Theme music, fade) Seriously, hope you enjoy this new rip.

Lee Hartsfeld said...

I mean, "or some epic mistracking was happening." Yup, one of those daze. I mean, days.

Buster said...

Lee - Yeah, I had one of those periods where everything was giving me problems. I had to patch one of the chant records several times to fix skips - only to recall I had transferred a better copy of the same record 10 years before.

Lee Hartsfeld said...

Oops!

George Glass said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Lee Hartsfeld said...

Ricky,

That's awesome. Thanks!

Ernie said...

Such a cool record! Never seen one, only heard yours! Sorry it presented such a challenge, but some things are worth the effort! :)

Diane said...

I have never heard so much as a peep of this existing! What a find! Thanks.