Jack Jones at Christmas

Many listeners  - me included - enjoyed the Jack Jones albums I posted recently. So let's start off the Christmas season with a survey of Jack's holiday records. The post will encompass four sets, as follows:

• The Jack Jones Christmas Album - The singer's 1964 Christmas album, the first of two he recorded.

• Sing a Song for Christmas - A promotional program issued by the US Air Force in 1966 with Jones and the Air Force band.

• Firestone Presents Your Favorite Christmas Music - This 1967 promotional LP featured him on three songs.

• A Jack Jones Christmas - Jack's second solo holiday LP, made for RCA Victor in 1969, plus a bonus track.

These all come from my collection, except for the Air Force LP, which I sourced from Internet Archive. 

The Jack Jones Christmas Album

Jack's made his first Christmas album for his then label Kapp, backed by fluid and tasteful charts by Marty Manning.

The selections were about evenly divided between the usual carols and the usual secular songs. Jack seemed to adopt "Mistletoe and Holly" for his own - he used it to open and close the Air Force show below, even though it was co-written by The Voice back in 1957 and featured on my own favorite seasonal record, A Jolly Christmas from Frank Sinatra.

But then, Jack was certainly from the school of Sinatra, and his version is just as genial as you might expect.

Lullaby for Christmas Eve picture sleeve

There is one original on the LP, "Lullaby for Christmas Eve," written by Jones' producer and frequent arranger Pete King, with lyrics by Paul Francis Webster. It's an agreeable song that was released as a single, although it did not become a standard and has seldom if ever been recorded again.

Jack also was an early adopter of "My Favorite Things" as a holiday song. His (and Marty Manning's) jazzy rendition was a forerunner of many versions to come while being nothing like John Coltrane's famous 1961 jazz workout on the tune.

Arranger and conductor Marty Manning

The other unusual item for a Christmas album is "The Village of St. Bernadette," written by Eula Parker after a visit to Lourdes and made into a hit by Andy Williams in 1960. Jack's rendition is akin to Andy's - not unexpectedly, considering that both were warm singers with pleasant voices.

The record was deservedly popular. Kapp sent it to market with at least three covers. The one above is the second - it's from my copy of the LP. Below are the other two.

First and third covers

LINK to The Jack Jones Christmas Album

Sing a Song for Christmas

Jones was an Airman in the U.S. Air Force Reserve in 1966, when he recorded this excellent record that was sent to radio stations to be used as a recruiting tool.

He shares the stage with the Air Force Band (called the "Symphony in Blue") and its dance band contingent, the Airmen of Note. Also heard are the vocal group the Singing Sergeants.

Jack's material is entirely selected from his first Christmas LP. He uses the same arrangements, but these are new recordings specially made for this production. The vocalist is in prime form - you may prefer these versions to the Kapp LP.

As you may have noticed on the cover above, the LP also includes a program with actor Edward G. Robinson. I didn't include it in the download, but if you are interested, my friend Ernie offered it a number of years ago on his blog, and it's still available. Ernie has already embarked on a full month and probably more of Christmas sharity, so head on over to his place.

LINK to Jack's Sing a Song of Christmas program

Addendum (December 11) - Ernie has now shared his stereo copy of this record. You can find it here.

Firestone Presents Your Favorite Christmas Music

Firestone's cover might lead you to think that Jones is featured throughout the album. But no, he is on just three songs, which I've excerpted for this post. The record comes from 1967 (not 1963, as I had asserted wrongly in the first version of this post).

He is heard on two carols: "O Little Town of Bethlehem," which he would re-record in 1969; and "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing," where he is joined by the skillful Roberta Peters.

Roberta Peters

There is one secular song, and it is something of a buried gem. The LP introduced "This Is That Time of the Year" by Edward Thomas and Martin Charnin. Thomas is apparently still an active composer, both in pop and classical realms. Lyricist Charnin, who died in 2019, was a most interesting fellow. He was in the original cast of West Side Story, then wrote for cabaret and off-Broadway before moving to Broadway as the lyricist of Mary Rodgers' Hot Spot. He was subsequently to work with Mary's father Richard on Two by Two, but had his greatest success with Annie (music by Charles Strouse), a hit on Broadway in 1978 and thereafter.

But back to the song at hand. Let me call on loyal reader luckymike for his eloquent view, offered in the comments to my recent Jones post:

My humble addition to this tribute is a special hats-off to his delightful recording of a Christmas song that (IMO) should have become a standard: "This Is That Time Of The Year". Known and loved (by me) from Vol. 6 of the wonderful Firestone "Your Favorite Christmas Music" promo record series, this recording has pedigree to spare. Memorable, hook-y waltz melody by composer Edward Thomas. Lovely, warm, and unmistakable arrangement by Irwin Kostal. And especially clever, evocative lyrics by Broadway's Martin Charnin. 

Captured in the smart, internally-rhyming wordplay are several memorably fresh, affectionate images of pop Christmas that are under-represented by many other holiday tunes. (Things like holding out a little money from the paycheck for holiday shopping, kids who should be in bed, and "presents that you'll never use." A favorite of mine is "...windows are dressed in ribbons of silk / and Junior drinks all of his milk...") 

Best of all is a peerless, comfy performance by Jones, for whom all of this rolls of his tongue with a smile and a twinkle. It simply will never be Christmas without this song, and now that I think of it, perhaps I love that it never caught on as a standard, so that it lives frozen in time as a singularly perfect recording, and a nostalgic snapshot of American Christmases of a very different era.

Thanks, Mike! You'll note when listening to these numbers that Jones sings in a higher key for this song (and in general does so on his pop records) that for the two carols.

Irwin Kostal

As Mike mentioned, he arrangements for this LP were by the distinguished Irwin Kostal, who would receive an Oscar in 1965 for his work on The Sound of Music. I recently featured Kostal on my other blog with his recording of music from West Side Story. He shared the credit for that EP with Sid Ramin, his co-orchestrator for the Broadway show.

LINK to Jack's songs from Firestone Presents Your Favorite Christmas Music

A Jack Jones Christmas

From the looks of the cover, you wouldn't know this is a Christmas record if it wasn't for the title, but then it came out in 1969, when orange, yellow and high-key images were the fashion.

Regardless, it's a good record, although the Scrooges at RCA limited the song quotient to 10 rather than the standard 12.

The arranger for all but one song on this record was old stalwart Pete King. The sound is good.

Pete King at his ease

Jack or Pete had the good taste to include one of Alfred Burt's most beloved songs, "Some Children See Him." (The original recording can be found here.)

They also included the pietistic "Little Altar Boy" in an unexpected gospel version with the singer adopting phrasing reminiscent of Lou Rawls. In a similar vein is Jack's recording of "Oh Happy Day," which had been a hit the year before for the Edwin Hawkins Singers. Neither song is strictly speaking a Christmas number.

The LP also included another recent hit, Percy Faith's "Christmas Is ...", with lyrics by Spence Maxwell. Also new was "Christmas Day" by the brilliant team of Burt Bacharach and Hal David, written for the musical Promises, Promises. Jack picks his way carefully through Burt's tricky rhythms and unexpected modulations.

The only song on the album that Jones had recorded before is "O Little Town of Bethlehem," which was on the Firestone LP.

LINK to A Jack Jones Christmas

One More Track

In 1968, Jack shared a Christmas promotional EP for the retailer Radio Shack with Vic Damone, Marian Anderson and Julie Andrews. His selection is "Joy to the World," with an unidentified orchestra. 

I have the record and will transfer it if and when I find it. Until then, I've cleaned up an mp3 version of Jack's song, which I've appended to the RCA Victor LP above, since it was an RCA recording.

Remembering Jack Jones

Considering that Jack Jones has long been one of my favorite singers, his neglect on this blog is a bit odd - just one post devoted to him, four years ago.

Now I will make amends with two more of his LPs, sadly presented in remembrance of this talented artist, who died a few days ago at age 86. (His New York Times obituary is here.)

My post in 2020 was focused on Jack's LP Lollipops and Roses, named for his first big hit, back in 1962. But as I mentioned back then, he had recorded previously for Capitol, and even had released an earlier album for Kapp records.

To quote myself from four years ago: "Capitol had him record the LP This Love of Mine in 1959. But that was it. A few years later, producer-arranger Pete King heard one of his personal appearances, and brought him to Kapp.

"That label issued a blizzard of Jones LPs during his six years with the organization - there are 20 or so." The first was Shall We Dance?, which is where we start this post.

Shall We Dance?

Although producer-arranger Pete King brought Jones to the Kapp label, the formidable Billy May was in charge of the Shall We Dance? sessions.

May is highly regarded, although I have to admit he has never been one of my favorites. Too many gimmicks, too many mannerisms for my taste.

Even so, he makes a good partner for Jones on this fine 1961 LP, most of which consists of songs oriented to the album title.

The Rodgers and Hammerstein title song is dispatched neatly, with Jack concluding the proceedings with a Sinatra-like "C'mon, let's dance!"

"The Spin I'm In" is an enjoyable contemporary song by Richard and Robert Sherman along with Dave Cavanaugh and May himself. This type of light material is suited to Jones' voice and approach.

Jack is in Astaire territory with Irving Berlin's "Change Partners," which he handles with the polish of Astaire, but without his yearning quality. Jack continues on the standards track with Cole Porter's "At Long Last Love."

Billy May

May pays homage to the Glenn Miller band in his chart for Jerry Gray's "A String of Pearls." (May played trumpet on the 1940 recording.) The arranger incorporates some of Bobby Hackett's famous cornet solo in his orchestrations, and even includes some of Chummy MacGregor's piano figures.

Jack sings the lyrics that Eddie DeLange later added to the tune. The lyricist put great stress on the word "Woolworth's" ("A string of pearls out of Woolworth's"), undermining the song's elegant feel.

"Takes Two to Tango" is a fun Al Hoffman-Dick Manning song first recorded, I believe, by the incomparable Pearl Bailey. Jack does not have Pearl's personality, but he does well.

The second side begins with "Dancing on the Ceiling," one of the best Rodgers and Hart songs, which had been memorably recorded by Sinatra and by Ella Fitzgerald a few years earlier. Jones was unafraid of comparisons.

We're back in Astaire territory with "Carioca," which comes from 1933's Flying Down to Rio. Next, "Ballerina," which Bob Russell and Carl Sigman wrote in 1947. The most popular version was by Vaughn Monroe. Jack is lighter toned that Monroe, helpful in this number.

Bronislaw Kaper's "Invitation" is a superior piece, with lyrics added by Paul Francis Webster. Its haunting quality (and complexity) has made it a favorite of jazz musicians. The first vocal version may have been by Jo Ann Greer with Les Brown in 1953, which I somehow missed in my post devoted to them. Jones makes light work of the melody. The song doesn't fit the "shall we dance" theme, but is welcome even so.

Bernie Hanighen and Johnny Mercer wrote "The Dixieland Band" for Benny Goodman back in 1935. It's a clever novelty, with lyrics typical of Mercer.

I mentioned that Jones was unafraid of comparisons. His final song is "The Last Dance," which Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen wrote for Sinatra in 1959. It appeared on Frank's LP Come Dance with Me, also arranged by Billy May.

First cover

The image at top is actually the second cover for this LP. The first had Jack against a backdrop of Reynolds Wrap, as seen above. I transferred the LP from its second incarnation because my copy of that one was in stereo. The sound is vivid, although it features the exaggerated stereo separation that was in vogue back then.

LINK to Shall We Dance?

I've Got a Lot of Livin' to Do!

The title song comes from the musical Bye Bye Birdie, where it was an ode to Conrad Birdie's id, at least in the 1960 stage production. But the film and vocalists of the time treated it as one of the positive-thinking marches that became popular in the 60s.

Jones' version, with an idiosyncratic chart by Marty Paich, is a good example of the latter kind.

The next two items are associated with Sinatra, who had a remarkable ability to make songs his own: "It's a Lonesome Old Town" and "You Make Me Feel So Young." The second song comes from one of Frank's best LPs, Songs for Swingin' Lovers. but Jack acquits himself nicely. Paich conducted the former number, Pete King the latter.

Pete King

"Swingin' through the Park" sounds like something that Frank could have recorded, but no, this relatively early song by Alan and Marilyn Bergman and Lew Spence was first done by the Polka Dots with Wally Stott. The song is just what you'd think from hearing the title, and a pleasant stroll it is, too. King conducts.

"Bye Bye Baby" is associated with Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell, but it was first heard not in the film version of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, but from Carol Channing in the Broadway staging. Sinatra recorded the Styne-Robin song in 1949.

"The Donkey Serenade" is associated with an earlier singer - Jack's father Allan, who recorded the song the night before his son was born. The session was on January 13, 1938; Jack took his first bow on the 14.

Alternate album cover

"I Love Paris" comes from Cole Porter's Can-Can score. Much of the song is oddly dirge-like, I suppose to set off the soaring "I love Paris every moment" and what follows.

"When I Take My Sugar to Tea" is a 1931 pop song that has been revived periodically by such as Nat Cole and Bing, and just the year before by Sinatra.

Jack as a Cockney?

The West End yielded "Big Time," which Lionel Bart wrote for the musical dramedy Fings Ain't Wot They Used T'Be. There was a cast album that did not include this piece, but it did appear on a "songs from" LP with popular artists of the day. There it was alloted to Adam Faith, backed by John Barry. Jones' version (issued as a single as well) may have been the only other recording. The song was apparently supposed to be a climactic moment, and Jones' passionate reading, hugely abetted by a riff-happy Billy May chart, is most impressive. That said, Jones' nice-guy persona does undercut the menace implicit in the lyrics - "gonna use my wits, 'stead of just my mitts," etc. Visualizing Jack as a Teddy Boy takes some imagination.

Lew Spence returns with "Me and My Big Ideas," an obscure tune he wrote with lyricist Jerry Gladstone, I believe. It may be unknown, but it's accomplished, and it suits Jones beautifully. An effective Pete King chart, too.

Ollie Jones composed songs for many famed artists, including "Send for Me" for Nat Cole. "When a Man Cries" is less noted, but not unworthy of a listen in the version by Jones and Marty Paich.

Yip Harburg and Vernon Duke's "I Like the Likes of You" is certainly well known, and it brings this varied LP to a satisfying close. Pete King conducts.

LINK to I've Got a Lot of Livin' to Do!

Mitzi

When Verve issued her first LP in 1959, Mitzi Gaynor was so well known that the only name necessary on the cover was "Mitzi." (The striking cover photo helped identify her as well.) The famed entertainer died the other day at age 93.

Gaynor was acclaimed more as an actor and dancer, but she had demonstrated her singing ability - and her great personal appeal - in such films as South Pacific.

While Mitzi had a successful career in Hollywood, she enjoyed a much longer one via her elaborate stage act in Las Vegas and other resorts, and on television.

From her New York Times obituary: "One network appearance made a particularly strong impression: her performance of the Oscar-nominated song 'Georgy Girl' at the 1967 Academy Awards, complete with complex choreography, four male backup dancers in white suits, and a striptease costume change. That led to a decade-long series of Emmy Award-winning variety specials, with titles like 'Mitzi and a Hundred Guys' and 'Mitzi Zings Into Spring.'"

Gaynor produced only two record albums - this one and its Verve follow-up, Mitzi Gaynor Sings the Lyrics of Ira Gershwin. Her singing should be better remembered - it is persuasive.

Mitzi is almost entirely comprised of standards, save for the first song, "Do What You Do," by the Gershwins and Gus Kahn. That number originated with the 1929 Broadway musical Show Girl, where it was introduced by Ruby Keeler and Frank McHugh. Since Gaynor's revival, its most notable appearance has been on Bobby Short's 1973 Gershwin album.

The album also includes "Lazy," which Mitzi sang with Marilyn Monroe and Donald O'Connor in There's No Business Like Show Business (but which dates back to 1924).

On the LP, Mitzi sings with a great deal of personality and involvement, showing that her allure was not solely due to elaborate staging and costuming and her good looks.

There is at least one suggestion that she was not fully aware of her appeal. From the Times obit: "Late in life, Ms. Gaynor talked good-naturedly about Marilyn Monroe ... and Monroe’s success compared with hers. 'I had more talent. I could do more things,' she told The Hollywood Reporter sweetly in a video interview in 2013. But, she acknowledged, 'I wasn’t - sexy.'" OK, sure.

The fine backings on this LP are by Pete King. The record was issued in stereo, but my copy is in excellent mono, which I've enhanced with ambient stereo.

Verve's Promo for Mitzi

As a bonus, I've included my transfer of the disc jockey promotional record for Mitzi. Verve sent this out with a script the DJ could read so he or she could have a quasi-dialogue with the singer. (I don't have the script.)

The tracks, which are quite short, are designed to lead into songs, and are generic, so they can be used with any of the cuts. Presumably, however, the DJs would have been asked to program the two songs from the LP that were released as a single - "I Won't Dance" and "Cheek to Cheek," both associated with another singer-dancer, Fred Astaire.

LINK to Mitzi and Verve Promo

Jack Jones, Plus Margaret Whiting and Bob Manning Reups

Jack Jones is one of my favorite singers, but he has never appeared here. Today I'll present his first real chart success, and add a vocal reup bonanza with collections from Margaret Whiting and Bob Manning.

Jack Jones - Lollipops and Roses

"Lollipops and Roses" was Jones' first big hit, both as a single and as an LP. Tony Velona's lyrics would not pass inspection today, containing such couplets as, "One day she'll smile, next day she'll cry / Minute to minute, you'll never know why!" But the tune is lovely, as is Jones' ultra-romantic singing. The song would go on to win a Grammy in 1962.

While the album may have lifted the singer to fame, it was not his first. Capitol had him record the LP This Love of Mine in 1959. But that was it. A few years later, producer-arranger Pete King heard one of his personal appearances, and brought him to Kapp.

That label issued a blizzard of Jones LPs during his six years with the organization - there are 20 or so. And actually, Lollipops and Roses was not the first for Kapp - Shall We Dance hit the market slightly before it.

Jones's lush singing on the album at hand has shaped his image ever since, although subsequent recordings would show him to be more versatile. I've been listening to Jack Jones Sings from 1966, where his work with the bossa nova "A Day in the Life of a Fool" is very convincing.

This transfer of Lollipops and Roses comes from many years ago, but I have refurbished it for this post.

Margaret Whiting Reups, Plus Two New Singles

Another favorite of mine is the wonderful singer Margaret Whiting. I have a large collection of her records that I began sharing here as long ago as 2011. Now I have remastered all these posts, comprising her first LP and three substantial sets of singles. I've also added a new post of four songs to my singles blog. All told there are 52 song.

Here the links to these posts:

Two Rare Margaret Whiting Singles (new)

Margaret Whiting Sings Rodgers and Hart

1949-51 Margaret Whiting Singles

1953-56 Margaret Whiting Singles

Early and Rare Capitol Singles from Margaret Whiting

Margaret Whiting Meets Hopalong Cassidy

Bob Manning Reups

       

Bob Manning's sonorous voice puts many people in mind of Dick Haymes, although Manning was nowhere near as successful as that popular singer. But in the 1950s, Manning did do a fair amount of work for Capitol and RCA Victor, among other companies. Many years ago I devoted two posts to his releases, and have now remastered both collections, which total 22 songs.

Bob Manning on Capitol

Bob Manning - M-G-M and RCA Singles