'Tis the season

When I was a kid in the 60's/70's my Dad worked for the Kelly-Springfield Tire Company (a subsidiary of Goodyear Tires) which meant that nearly every Christmas we'd get one of the Goodyear "Great Songs of Christmas" albums. While Goodyear and Firestone were by far the largest producers of these albums, there were other smaller-run issues. Today we have one from W.T Grant Department Store chain.

Although there was quite a bit of overlap with the mainstream easy listening Christmas music on the Goodyear/Firestone records, the Grants albums also featured some unique tracks.

Today's album is A Very Merry Christmas Volume 3.

Amongst the typical MOR/easy listening stuff is a really nice reading of Silver Bells by Mahalia Jackson that I had not previously heard before obtaining this record, and I definitely hadn't hear the Cary Grant track, either.

SIDE ONE

01 Robert Goulet - Do You Hear What I Hear?

02 Leslie Uggams - It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas

03 Percy Faith Orchestra - Angels We Have Heard On High

04 Johnny Mathis - I'll Be Home for Christmas

05 Ray Conniff Singers - The Real Meaning of Christmas

06 Jim Nabors - Three Wise Men, Wise Men Three

07 Andre Kostelanetz Orchestra - Christmas Chimes

SIDE TWO

01 Cary Grant - Christmas Lullaby

02 The Philadelphia Orchestra and Choir - For Unto Us A Child Is Born

03 Burl Ives - The Christmas Story (reading from Luke 2)

04 Mahalia Jackson - Silver Bells

05 Ed Sullivan Orchestra - I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus

06 Diahann Carroll - Some Children See Him

07 Mitch Miller and the Gang - What Child Is This?

08 Bobby Vinton - Christmas Chopsticks