Merry Christmas!

My dad had a couple dozen records meant just for this time of year. So I HAD to come back for a Christmas Day music show.

I talked a lot in yesterday's deep dive into the music of the seasonal favorite, The Nutcracker. So we're going to do a lot of listening in this one…and thinking about Christmas dinner pasts.

This four record box set is filled with lots of holiday hits and some songs I’ve never heard before. Its source is one of the most beloved TV hosts and orchestra conductors from my youth.

So get ready to hear that effervescent music from holidays past complete with a longed-for litany of my family’s favorite holiday food items in Volume 252 A Champagne Christmas.

For more information about this album, see the Discogs webpage for it.

Credits and copyrights

Lawrence Welk And His Champagne Music Makers – Merry Christmas From Lawrence Welk And His Champagne Music Makers Label: Reader's Digest – RDA-07-A Format: 4 x Vinyl, LP, Compilation Box Set Released:1970 Genre: Jazz, Pop, Folk, World, & Country Style: Polka, Easy Listening, Holiday

We will hear 12 songs from the first two records in the box.

Merry Christmas From Our House To Your House 'Twas The Night Before Christmas The Little Drummer Boy Carol Of The Bells The Christmas Song I Wanna Do More Than Whistle High On The Housetop Ho Ho Ho Record Santa Claus Is Coming To Town Here Comes Santa Claus Merry Christmas Day Sleigh Ride

I do not own the rights to this music. ASCAP, BMI licenses provided by third-party platforms for music that is not under Public Domain.

#merrychristmas #lawrencewelk #champagnemusic

The Nutcracker: Concert Suite vs. Ballet Welcome back and Merry Christmas Eve.

My girlfriend Karen and I partook in a Northcoast Christmas season tradition a week and a half ago for the very first time. And of course, my dad had a record for that.

It’s not a vinyl record, but a shellac album set recorded nearly 100 years ago that probably belonged to my dad’s dad. And it’s filled with music from a US holiday tradition. But if you’ve ever seen the ballet it’s connected to, you’ll notice plenty of music missing.

I’ll tell you why as we go along. In fact, this is going to be a lengthy dive into the difference between the suite and the dance.

So, get ready to hear the most notable themes from a fairytale ballet as Stokowski conducts Tschaikowsky in Volume 251: A Cleveland Ballet Christmas Tradition.

For more information about this album, see the Discogs webpage for it.

Credits and copyrights

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky - The Philadelphia Orchestra Conducted By Leopold Stokowski – Nutcracker Suite, Op. 71a Label: Victor Red Seal – DM 265 Series: Musical Masterpiece Series Format: 3 x Shellac, 12", 78 RPM, Album, Reissue, Camden Pressing Released: in the mid 1940s, I am not sure of the release of this version. There many of them Genre: Classical Style: Romantic, Ballet

We are listening to all 6 sides of this collection which includes 8 songs.

Overture Miniature Marche Dance Of The Sugar-plum Fairy Russian Dance Arab Dance Chinese Dance Dance Of The Flutes Waltz Of The Flowers

I do not own the rights to this music. ASCAP, BMI licenses provided by third-party platforms for music that is not under Public Domain.

#nutcracker #christmastradition #tchaikovsky

My Dad's Greatest Hits This will be my last regularly scheduled weekly episode. We’ll talk about that as we go along.

One of the last songs my dad heard in his hospital bed the day he died and the one we played as we wheeled his casket out of the church was the Frank Sinatra song, My Way. It’s how my dad lived his life. And it’s how I will bring this show to a close. I’ll use paraphrased lyrics from the song.

So Yes, the end is near. My friend, I'll say it clear.

Strap in. This is going to be a fun musical ride.

So, get ready to hear 20 songs that had meaning to my father, my family, and me in Volume 250: Fading Out My Way.

Credits and copyrights

Louis Armstrong When The Saints Go Marching In A traditional Tune Opens and Closes (almost) every episode

Lou Monte Pepino The Italian Mouse written by Ray Allen and Wandra Merrell Volume 9: Lou Monte and Pepino

Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass Whipped Cream Written By – Naomi Neville Volume 98: Whipped Alpert

Henry Mancini Peter Gunn Theme Written by Henry Mancini Volume 242: Mancini's Gunn

Ray Conniff This Is My Song Written By – Charlie Chaplin Volume 76: My Song

Willie Nelson Georgia On My Mind Written By Hoagy Carmichael and Stuart Gorrell Volume 225: The Standard Stoner

The Sons Of The Pioneers Cool Water written by Bob Nolan Volume 41: Tumbling Tumbleweeds Part 1

Luciano Pavarotti with The National Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Gian Carlo Chiaramello Torna A Surriento Composed By – Ernesto de Curtis Volume 86: Pavarotti's Greatest Part 1

unknown artist Oh Marie Adapted from Maria Marì written by Eduardo Di Capua, Alfredo Mazzucchi, and Vincenzo Russo Volume 127: Italian Favorites

Roy Meriwether Trio Zipadee Doo Dah composed by Allie Wrubel with lyrics by Ray Gilbert Volume 62: Popcorn and Soul

Kay Kyser And His Orchestra Woody Woodpecker, a Walter Lantz Cartoon With vocal chorus from Gloria Wood. Written by Ramey Idriss, George Tibbles Volume 74: 8 Sides from Columbia

Bing Crosby Running Around in Circles (Getting Nowhere) Written by Irving Berlin Volume 78: Berlin’s Blue Skies

Pete Fountain Farewell Blues written by Paul Mares, Leon Roppolo and Elmer Schoebel Volume 25: Pete Fountain a High Society Fathers Day

Glenn Miller Orchestra Bugle Call Rag Written By – Billy Meyers, Elmer Schoebel, and Jack Pettis Volume 122: Glenn Miller Collection Part 4

Jonah Jones Cherry Pink And Apple Blossom White Written By – Louiguy (real name Louis Guglielmi) Volume 210: Jonah Style

Harry James Two O'Clock Jump Written-By – Benny Goodman, Count Basie, and Harry James Volume 4: Harry James Greatest Hits

Al Hirt Holiday For Trumpet Written By – Mario Ruiz Armengol Volume 158: Hirt So Good

Dean Martin Your Other Love Written by Mort Shuman and Doc Pomus Volume 75: Everybody Loves Dean

Sammy Davis Jr. Mr. Bojangles written by Jerry Jeff Walker Volume 136: Sammy Record 1

Frank Sinatra My Way written by Jacques Revaux, Gilles Thibaut, and Claude François English lyrics by Paul Anka

I do not own the rights to this music. ASCAP, BMI licenses provided by third-party platforms for music that is not under Public Domain.

#dadsrecords #vinyl #musichistory #vinylcollecting #vinylrecords #musicalmemories #fyp