Monday, December 22, 2014

Playlist - 12/21/2014 - Christmas

Hi Folks.

In our tradition of really digging into the roots of our musical traditions, we presented our Christmas show consisting of an eclectic array of music across the span of the 20th century.

We drew heavily on two compilations -- one being The Spirit of Christmas Past that collects seasonal music from the UK that is clearly influenced by American trends, and Where Will You Be Christmas Day?, an astonishing collection of seasonal music from 1917 to 1959.

We also drew from some Christmas gems of Spike Jones, and some cowboy Christmas music from Michael Martin Murphey, Riders In The Sky, and the Bar-J Wranglers.




We couldn't let the season go by without The Christmas Guest, a popular recitation performed for us this year by Andy Griffith.


We hope you enjoyed this show and will tune in for more early 20th century music next Sunday.

Marti & Jim


Artist / Song / Album / Label / Year


  • Golden Gate Quartet / Cheer The Weary Traveler / Complete Recorded Works Volume 2  / Document / 1939
  • Bing Crosby acc. John Scott Trotter & His Orchestra / White Christmas / The Spirit of Christmas Past / Living Era / 1942
  • Dinah Shore with members of the American War Dept. Armed Forces Radio Service Orchestra dir. by Meredith Wilson / I'll Walk Alone (Thru Every Christmas) / The Spirit of Christmas Past / Living Era / 1944
  • Fats Waller & His Rhythm / Swingin' Them Jingle Bells / The Spirit of Christmas Past / Living Era / 1936
  • Max Miller with members of Mayfair D. O. dir. by Ronnie Munro / The Christmas Dinner / The Spirit of Christmas Past / Living Era / 1937
  • Judy Garland with George Stoll's Orchestra / Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas / The Spirit of Christmas Past / Living Era / 1944
  • Jack Teagarden & Johnny Mercer with Paul Whiteman's Orchestra / Christmas Night In Harlem / The Spirit of Christmas Past / Living Era / 1934
  • Paul Robeson With Lawrence Brown / Mary Had A Baby Boy, Yes Lord / The Spirit of Christmas Past / Living Era / 1931
  • Bing Crosby with Max Terr's Mixed Chorus accomp. by John Scott Trotter & His Orch. / Silent Night, Holy Night / The Spirit of Christmas Past / Living Era / 1942
  • Bransby Williams & Co. / A Charles Dickens Christmas... / The Spirit of Christmas Past / Living Era / 1933
  • BBC Dance Orch. Dir. by Henry Hall; The Three Sisters (vocal) / The Fairy On The Christmas Tree / The Spirit of Christmas Past / Living Era / 1936
  • BBC Dance Orch. dir. by Henry Hall; Dan Donovan & chorus (vocal) / The Santa Claus Express / The Spirit of Christmas Past / Living Era / 1935
  • London Church Carol Choir with bells & celeste; Berkeley Mason (organ) / Christmas Carols - Vocal Gems: Intro; Once In Royal David's City - Good King Wenceslas - It Came Upon The Midnight Clear / The Spirit of Christmas Past / Living Era / 1934
  • Spike Jones / Jingle Bells Medley: Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town, The Christmas Song, Jingle Bells / It's A Spike Jones Christmas / Rhino / 1956
  • Spike Jones / All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth / It's A Spike Jones Christmas / Rhino / 1948
  • Spike Jones / The Night Before Christmas Song / It's A Spike Jones Christmas / Rhino / 1956
  • Spike Jones / I'm Getting Nuttin for Christmas / It's A Spike Jones Christmas / Rhino / 1956
  • Fiddlin' John Carson / Christmas Time Will Soon Be Over / Complete Recorded Works Volume 5 / Document / 1927
  • Vera Hall Ward / The Last Month Of The Year / Where Will You Be Christmas Day? / Dust-to-Digital / 1959
  • Cotton Top Mountain Sanctified Singers / Christ Was Born On Christmas Day / Where Will You Be Christmas Day? / Dust-to-Digital / 1929
  • Lead Belly / Christmas Is A-Coming / Where Will You Be Christmas Day? / Dust-to-Digital / 1940s
  • Lord Executor / Christmas Is A Joyful Day / Where Will You Be Christmas Day? / Dust-to-Digital / 1937
  • Pawlo Humeniuk / Dance Under the Willows (Tanec Pid Werbamy) / Where Will You Be Christmas Day? / Dust-to-Digital / 1926
  • Buell Kazee / Lady Gay / Where Will You Be Christmas Day? / Dust-to-Digital / 1928
  • Alabama Sacred Harp Singers / Sherburne / Where Will You Be Christmas Day? / Dust-to-Digital / 1959
  • Kelly Pace, Aaron Brown, Joe Green, Paul Hayes, and Matthew Johnson / Holy Babe / Where Will You Be Christmas Day? / Dust-to-Digital / 1939 [Alabama prisoners performing]
  • Rev. J. M. Gates / He Was Born In a Manger / Where Will You Be Christmas Day? / Dust-to-Digital / 1927
  • Rev. Edward W. Clayborn (The Guitar Evangelist) / Wrong Way To Celebrate Christmas / Where Will You Be Christmas Day? / Dust-to-Digital / 1928
  • Walter Davis / Santa Claus / Where Will You Be Christmas Day? / Dust-to-Digital / 1935
  • McKinney's Cotton Pickers / Gee, Ain't I Good to You? / Where Will You Be Christmas Day? / Dust-to-Digital / 1929
  • Bessie Smith / At The Christmas Ball / Where Will You Be Christmas Day? / Dust-to-Digital / 1925
  • Butterbeans & Susie / Papa Ain't No Santa Claus (And Mama Ain't No Christmas Tree) / Where Will You Be Christmas Day? / Dust-to-Digital / 1930
  • Kansas City Kitty / Christmas Morning Blues / Where Will You Be Christmas Day? / Dust-to-Digital / 1934
  • Leroy Carr / Christmas In Jail, Ain't That a Pain / Where Will You Be Christmas Day? / Dust-to-Digital / 1929
  • Lord Beginner / Christmas Morning the Rum Had Me Yawning / Where Will You Be Christmas Day? / Dust-to-Digital / 1939
  • Fiddlin’ John Carson and His Virginia Reelers / Christmas Time Will Soon Be Over / Where Will You Be Christmas Day? / Dust-to-Digital / 1927
  • Norman Edmonds / Breaking Up Christmas / Where Will You Be Christmas Day? / Dust-to-Digital / 1959
  • Mary Harris / Happy New Year Blues / Where Will You Be Christmas Day? / Dust-to-Digital / 1935
  • Lightnin' Hopkins / Happy New Year / Where Will You Be Christmas Day? / Dust-to-Digital / 1953
  • Maddox Brothers and Rose / Jingle Bells / Where Will You Be Christmas Day? / Dust-to-Digital / 1951
  • Andy Griffith / The Christmas Guest / The Christmas Guest - Stories and Songs of Christmas / Sparrow Records / 2003
  • Riders In The Sky / Sidemeat's Christmas Stew / Christmas the Cowboy Way / Rounder / 1999
  • Riders In The Sky / The Twelve Days of Cowboy Christmas / Christmas the Cowboy Way / Rounder / 1999
  • Michael Martin Murphey / Line Rider's Christmas / Cowboy Christmas - Cowboy Songs II / Warner Bros. / 1991
  • Michael Martin Murphey / The Cowboy Christmas Ball / Cowboy Christmas - Cowboy Songs II / Warner Bros. / 1991
  • Bar-J Wranglers / Dueling Banjos - Sleighride / Christmas for Cowboys / Self-released / .

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