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:
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
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
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.
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.
I mean, "or some epic mistracking was happening." Yup, one of those daze. I mean, days.
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.
Oops!
Ricky,
That's awesome. Thanks!
Such a cool record! Never seen one, only heard yours! Sorry it presented such a challenge, but some things are worth the effort! :)
I have never heard so much as a peep of this existing! What a find! Thanks.
Post a Comment