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richiedoo
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  • Register:09/12/2004 02:57:08

Date Posted:12/17/2006 08:10:48Copy HTML

I always wondered what would be considered the most collectable Christ mas record of all time be it an LP, a 78 or a 45. I never really thought of Christmas records to be so valuable just because they are out of print. So, monetary wise, does anyone know which X-mas record(s) fetches the biggest bucks...if any?
Christmas Music Guru Share to: Facebook Twitter MSN linkedin google yahoo #1
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  • Register:09/07/2005 11:04:22

Re:What's The Most Collectable Christmas Record

Date Posted:12/18/2006 04:57:13Copy HTML

I'll only reiterate what I said here on the board in a previous post:

The Jack Halloran Singers were the first to record the song "The Little Drummer Boy" in 1957 for Dot Records. It was originally released on the album "Christmas Is A-Comin'" with its original song title of "Carol Of The Drum." Then, the very next year, and much to the chagrin of Mr. Halloran and Dot Records, Harry Simeone took pretty much the same group of singers and recorded his own version. It was then quickly issued as a single with the new title of "The Little Drummer Boy," and as the saying goes -- the rest is history. Mr. Simeone was also able to negotiate co-writing credits to the song, along with the song's rightful composers, Katherine K. Davis and Henry Onorati. Other than the re-titling, Mr. Simeone had nothing else to do with the composing of this song, which was done earlier.

This forgotten history of the song's origins really sticks in the craw of Mr. Halloran's children, especially his daughter Dawn Halloran Charouhas, who I also know personally. In fact Dawn wrote an article on this that pretty much says it all. Take a look:

http://www.jerryosborne.com/12-10-01.htm

"Christmas Is A-Comin'" was only in print for two years before Dot reissued it in 1959 with the new title of "The Little Drummer Boy," in order to capitalize on the popularity that was generated by Mr. Simeone's hit single. Because it was only in print for two years, very few copies of "Christmas Is A-Comin'" were ever printed. After 34 years of collecting, it remains the most rare and hard to find album in my entire collection. It also the album I had to pay the most amount of money to obtain -- nearly double my next highest album. Other than the copy I have in my collection, I have literally never even seen another copy -- ever.

 

This excerpt is originally from my post of 12/11/06 @ 2:16 AM:

http://www.aimoo.com/forum/postview.cfm?id=670172&CategoryID=454528&startcat=1&ThreadID=2702899

Lawrence F. "Chip" Arcuri Owner/Webmaster | The Yule Log.com
PDMan Share to: Facebook Twitter MSN linkedin google yahoo #2
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  • Register:07/28/2007 02:13:11

Re:What's The Most Collectable Christmas Record

Date Posted:07/28/2007 02:49:47Copy HTML

Sorry to hash up an old thread, but I just found a mono copy of Halloran's "The Little Drummer Boy" on Dot and was wondering... is it a true reisuue of the "Christmas Is A-Comin" LP or rerecorded.  (I know Randy Wood did some of this in '59.)    Anybody heard the stereo version?  Is it rechanneled mono? 

Thanks and I am proud to be a new member!

Christmas Music Guru Share to: Facebook Twitter MSN linkedin google yahoo #3
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Re:What's The Most Collectable Christmas Record

Date Posted:07/28/2007 05:08:04Copy HTML

Welcome aboard PDMan!

"Christmas Is A-Comin'" was recorded in 1957 in true stereo, but was only initially released in mono. The reason for this was because at that time there was no way for the record companies to commercially get stereo to the consumer on vinyl disc. That is until 1958, when the first Westrex stereo cutting head became available, and stereo vinyl discs began to be commercially released for retail sale to the general public. However, for this album in particular, Dot Records didn't finally release the first stereo versions on disc until 1959, when they repackaged the album with the new title, "The Little Drummer Boy."

I can tell you unequivocally that this album sounds so much better in stereo. It is one of the albums that was in my father's collection that I grew up with as a child. Unfortunately, he purchased it in mono. It wasn't until years later when I became a collector that I purchased my first copy in stereo, and discovered how much better it sounded over the mono version.

This album has been a part of my Christmas tradition for over 40 years now. It's a terrific recording that I rate at 9 on my scale of 1-10, and it is in my 1st Tier (albums 1-125 in my collection).

  

Lawrence F. "Chip" Arcuri Owner/Webmaster | The Yule Log.com
PDMan Share to: Facebook Twitter MSN linkedin google yahoo #4
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Re:What's The Most Collectable Christmas Record

Date Posted:07/28/2007 06:23:33Copy HTML

Thanks for the info!  I've seen the reissue more often in mono than stereo, but I'll keep an eye out.  There is both a mono and stereo copy on EBay right now, but the stereo copy looks like it's been around the block a time or two.
Damfino Share to: Facebook Twitter MSN linkedin google yahoo #5
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Re:What's The Most Collectable Christmas Record

Date Posted:01/01/2018 06:04:00Copy HTML

Chip:
With the success of Percy Faith: Music Of Christmas (The definitive 1959 stereo re-recording, Expanded Edition) can we look forward in 2018 to a release of #27 on your All-time Top 50 Christmas Albums list, “Christmas Is A-Comin’ by the Jack Halloran Singers?

 I would love to have it in Stereo, but with the original mono artwork.

Christmas Music Guru Share to: Facebook Twitter MSN linkedin google yahoo #6
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Re:What's The Most Collectable Christmas Record

Date Posted:01/01/2018 07:55:35Copy HTML


I'd certainly like to get it released, Rodney, but it will be a tough one since it belongs to UMG.


Lawrence F. "Chip" Arcuri Owner/Webmaster | The Yule Log.com
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