11-16-09 @ 17:33:09 PM
Follow-up to above message:

Incidentally, one thing I feel I must point out about Gleason's Merry Christmas on CD is that the Razor & Tie reissue of the album (with the "wrong" cover) has *much* better sound quality than the original Capitol version.

My advice, if you love this album, is to purchase both CD versions, and put the Razor & Tie disc in the jewel box with the Capitol artwork.



 *Message edited by the Yule Log.com Message Board Administrator on 11/16/09 to combine two consecutive reply posts by the same member. Also, double-post was deleted.

**Click here to review my post regarding same-day double-posting.

How ironic is this.?  I just wanted to see what the new post was and just as I clicked on it, I wass listening to "Christmas Vinyl" that Genoman shared a link to earlier, they were playing "Blue Christmas" by Jackie Gleason.

I had just finished rearranging my livingroom so I would have more room and easier access to some of my Christmas albums and of course I had do disconnect my computer and everything and move the albums out of my computer desk and cabinet and then I get everthing put away and load WinAmp to play Christmas Vinyl and see the new post for mentioning Jackie Gleason and they were playing the song.

Of course, by the time I've typed this, a couple more songs have played already.

I have 3 of the Jackie Gleason Christmas albums which I mentioned in a previous thread but I can't believe the irony of that just as I clicked the link one of his Christmas songs was playing.

The mention of Mannheim Steamroller in another thread prompted me to see where they stand in Chip's Top 300 list.  I think the first two albums were the best.  In fact, some of my all-time favorite Christmas songs include "Stille Nacht (Silent Night)" and "Bring A Torch, Jeannette, Isabella" from the first album and "Still Still Still" and "The Holly and The Ivy" from the second.  I haven't liked the later material from recent years as much.  It seems too over-produced or something.

Anyway, I see three Mannheim Steamroller albums are on Chip's Bubbling Under the Top 300 list.  Since these are three of the very few contemporary albums on Chip's list, I was wondering what Chip thinks of the Christmas albums by The Carpenters and Anne Murray.  They seem to get a fair amount of airplay on the radio.

Dan,

Christmas on the Rhine is a wonderful album.  Also I like all of Elvis' Christmas Albums.  I have an anniversary edition of one of his Christmas albums that also had several pictures in it.  I don't have the album in front of me to check it, but if my memory is correct, I think the original was done or red or green vinyl and I think the Anniversary edition is also done on red or green vinyl, but i have seen regular vinyl too.  Then I have Elvis' Christmas Album, with the blue cover.  Again, I don't have immediate access to it, but I'm sure everyone is familiar with it.  It was reissued a few time.

As for the sites that are selling CDR's of Goodyear and some of the other's.  Technically, you are supposed to own the vinyl in order to get them on CDR's from these companies.   I also have seen this done with The Value/True Value Hardware Store Series.  I have all 25 Volumes that were released on Vinyl, and then 26 - 40 were released on CD and Cassette, but not sure if Volume 40 is available on Cassette and I have most of the Volumes from 26 to 40 on Cassette, but do have a couple CD's though I don't care for them o nCD, it is the only way to have the complete series.

I have a blog that I don't do anything with anymore, and because the music was long out of print and the record companies had no desires to release them again, and all pre-February 1972.  Someone downloaded all my files and posted them on their own sites claiming it was from their own personal collection, and some were also selling CDR's of these albums and I was the one getting DMCA Complaints, so I don't do much with the blog anymore and it is just for informational purposes now.  I spent days removing the files so if I missed editing out a link, it won't work.

But yet, there are blog's out there that are pre-sharing unofficially released CD's by today's artists and also sharing other currently available CD's on their blog's and the DMCA people don't bother them, but the music that is out of print and copyright has basically expired, they go after us.

I do have a rather extensive collection of Vinyl records and maybe 3,000 Christmas albums and a few thousand other Genre.  And though my collection is probably larger than an average person's collection, it is just a drop in the bucket compared the what "Chip" has, and I strive to make sure I have the original release and not a reissue.  But often when I find that what I do have is a reissue I wil look all over until I find the original release either online or at thrift stores.  Being a collector, even though the music is the same on a reissue, the original release is what really counts.

{EDITED by Christmas Always to give Dan a "Heads Up"}

Dan,

You're welcome.

If nobody has responded to the post you did after mine that I have just edited, the you should just go in and "Edit" you post to add what you were going to but didn't have time to do now.  Otherwise, that would be considered "Double Posting" and then Chip would have to go in and edit you post to combine them into one, being you are continuing your topic and there isn't anything from anyone else.

But if someone has responded, then I believe you could continue what you wanted to say earlier, after whomever responded to your post.  Chip, if I am out of line, I apologize.  I'm just trying to help out where I can.

Chip:I surmise that you didn't read my preface notes introducing my Top 300 where, among other things, I discus the great collector's series compilation albums.

I DID read your preface and introduction.  I know you didn't include the Goodyear series in your top 300 and I understand the reason why.

But I'm sure you own those records and I was just wondering about your opinion of them.  The selection, arrangement, pacing, artwork, etc...  Is there another thread on the board where you (and others on this board) have discussed these albums in detail?  I did a search for Goodyear but didn't come up with much.

As for the three albums you mentioned which are not in my Top 300, the second Elvis Christmas album bubbles under my Top 300, coming in at #301

I also saw that.  You are perhaps the only person I have ever talked to who preferred the 1971 Elvis Album to the 1957 one.  Personally, I love both of them.  I was just interested in your opinion on the three albums I mentioned.

Susan:

I'm glad you like the Christmas On The Rhine LP.  I grew up on that album around Christmastime.  I also really like the cover artwork.  I purchased a CD from the same folks from whom I acquired my Goodyear CDs.

As for the sites that are selling CDR's of Goodyear and some of the other's. Technically, you are supposed to own the vinyl in order to get them on CDR's from these companies. 

Yep - I knew that.  The site I linked to states as much, and if you tell them you do not own the Album, they will sell you a copy along with your CD. (I happened to own all of the albums already - but wanted cleaned up CD versions.  They did a great job cleaning up the recordings)