Christmas Music from M-G-M

The M-G-M label issued quite a number of Christmas singles in the 1950s, and this 1958 LP on its budget Lion label presents a good selection.

We start with several items from 1950. One of the label's issues that year was a enjoyable double-78 set from the popular hillbilly-hokum band, the Korn Kobblers. Three of the four items on the 78 set are repackaged here. (The pianist-arranger for this group was Marty Gold, who later made many space-age pop LPs.)

Lionel Barrymore had made a famous recording of "A Christmas Carol" a few years earlier. He followed it in 1950 with a breathless dash through "'Twas the Night before Christmas." Finally from that year, we have delightful Jimmy Durante versions of "Frosty, the Snow Man" and "Christmas Comes But Once a Year." Roy Bargy conducts.

We skip ahead to 1953, and Little Rita Faye's twangy "I Fell Out of a Christmas Tree." Also from that year is "Tom and Jerry Meet Santa Claus," with music by Leroy Holmes. These are the narrated antics of the cartoon characters, who did not speak - seems a little strange.

Leslie Uggams began making Christmas records in 1953, as a 10-year-old. Here we have her 1954 entry, "The Fat, Fat Man," which is a little too show-bizzy for my taste.

More to my liking is a relatively big hit from 1955 (and a gigantic favorite with the young Buster), "Nuttin' for Christmas," an Art Mooney record with a wonderfully convincing vocal from the great Barry Gordon. For 1956, Gordon changed into a good kid, and came out with the cheery "I Like Christmas." I prefer the kid who "ain't been nuttin' but bad."

The final item is also from 1956, I believe. It is from Mary Mayo, a fine singer who mostly was a studio vocalist. Here she presents "God Bless You, Little Children."

Good sound on these.

Digression No. 18

There's a post of unusual interest over at a blog of unusual interest called Rand's Esoteric OTR. This post contains a transcription of a 1948 concert that originated in the Hollywood Bowl sponsored by M-G-M. The Hollywood Bowl Symphony was conducted by Miklós Rózsa, with vocal soloists Kathryn Grayson and Mario Lanza.

Pertinent to today, the major work on the program was a Halloween Suite, composed by Lionel Barrymore - a delightful work with Barrymore in characteristic form as narrator. I can't recommend this too highly. I had read that Barrymore liked to compose, but had never encountered his work before. This composition is certainly enjoyable. The only downside is a low bit-rate transfer, but the sound is listenable.

I've prepared a declicked and rebalanced version of this for my own use. If anyone is interested, leave a comment and I'll make it available. But please visit Rand's blog; he has many fascinating transcriptions there.