Collectiblog

The day after Thanksgiving is a big day for a lot of people. For me, it marks the day I dig through all my old Christmas albums and begin a month of holiday tunes. There are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of musical collections available each year with a yuletide theme, but I seem to always gravitate towards those related to TV.

To keep this specific blog from running from now until New Year's Day, I am limiting this to a list of my Top 5 Favorite Holiday Tracks:

5) The Littlest Angel Soundtrack

This 1969 Hallmark Hall of Fame TV special ran for years as a Holiday favorite, though it has sunk into obscurity with time. The all-star cast is head up by Johnny Whitaker of Family Affair fame as a young boy who enters heaven singing catchy pop tunes with Fred Gwynne of The Munsters, Tony Randal, Cab Calloway and E.G. Marshal as God. The special effects are primitive, but it has a retro charm that makes it a must see or must listen if you can find the original soundtrack LP. There are two versions out there of the LP; lucky collectors will get the original 1969 issue with the gatefold cover. The soundtrack is not available on CD, though it is on DVD and the original LP was a big enough seller to turn up in thrift stores and Ebay with some frequency.
 

4) A Charlie Brown Christmas

I can't imagine any citizen of TV Land not being a fan of A Charlie Brown Christmas. It has aired at least once a year since 1965 and has some really great, jazzy classics and originals from Vince Guaraldi. This soundtrack has sold millions upon millions over the years, making it hard to fathom that CBS executives in 1965 were afraid the music was inappropriate for a kid's special. As a kid, I loved this LP especially for the song "Linus & Lucy," that great piano instrumental that has come to be thought of as the theme song to Peanuts in general.

 3) "The Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth" -- Bing Crosby and David Bowie
Bing Crosby was a staple of TV specials for many years, remaining famous for his 1942 rendition of "White Christmas." Bing was a little out of my taste-zone in 1977, but I was a diehard David Bowie fan and tuned in for what seemed like a very unlikely pairing on the holiday special Bing Crosby's Merrie Old Christmas. Bing invited Bowie, who he had never heard of previously, to appear on his special when it was suggested that he get a young star to be on his show. Bowie was apparently a big fan of Crosby, and jumped at the chance to sing with Der Bingle. Bing picked "The Little Drummer Boy," and the show's writers added the newly penned "Peace on Earth" to showcase Bowie's voice better. The result was legendary and priceless. Bing died before the show aired, but it helped to bridge the generation gap that existed at the time. The record was not released as a single until 1982, but has been a bestseller ever since. For collectors, there are both 7" and 12" versions available.

2) Partridge Family "Christmas Card" B/W "Merry Christmas from The Brady Bunch"
OK, I know, I'm cheating here, but these two classic shows are mentioned together so often, it seems appropriate to promote their holiday offerings as a pair. The Brady Bunch Christmas album is more of a kitschy delight with some real ear-splitting moments, released in the second (of five) season of the show. Hard to believe, but Cindy Brady's very lispy "Frosty the Snowman" was released as a picture-sleeve single.

The Partridge Family Christmas album is very easy on the ears, and has some great classics sung by Shirley Jones and David Cassidy, as well as the original "My Christmas Card to You" written by Tony Romeo, who also authored the P-Fam's monster hit "I Think I Love You." Both original vinyl versions are fairly easy to find for your collection, though collectors will want the original issue of the Partridge Family with the removable Christmas card slipped into the cover (later issues had the card printed right on the cover.)

1) Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Soundtrack
This has to be the best made-for-TV soundtrack ever. It aired for the first time on Dec. 9, 1964 and has remained a favorite ever since. The soundtrack is comprised of original tunes by Johnny Marks, who wrote the song back in 1945. Most of the tracks are sung by the late, great folkie Burl Ives, who was immortalized in Animagic as Sam the Snowman. I'm not sure which I love more — the album or its original LP cover with Sam putting his arm around Rudolph.

Andy Williams, with his many Christmas specials and soundtracks, also deserves honorable mention, as do the soundtrack to How the Grinch Stole Christmas, "Christmas on the Ponderosa" (from the Bonanza cast) virtually any old compilation (as advertised on TV) from K-Tel. All of the above make for great tree-trimming and stocking stuffing, while instantly sending you back to Santa Claus Lane.