As I write this, Christmas is just 29 days away. Wow, it seems like I was just putting up an album in July!Seasonal sharity is in full swing so I figured I'd get my butt in gear and join in. My first album of Christmas '07 is the kiddie-centric record Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer and Rudolph's Second Christmas, featuring two stories narrated by Paul Wing, written by Robert May, with music by Norman Leyden. There are also four delightful renditions of "Suzy Snowflake" performed by Dale Evans, "The Night Before Christmas Song" performed by Gisele McKenzie with Ray Charles' orchestra and choir, "Frosty The Snowman" performed by Vaughn Monroe and "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" from The Voices of Walter Schumann. What a line-up -- it's the Yuletide version of Circus of The Stars!
This recording comes from the Pickwick re-issue, which is presented as stereo, albeit processed from mono. I actually have two versions of this album, the aforementioned Pickwick issue and one from RCA/Victor (which features a better cover, see above). According to a recent eBay auction, the Paul Wing stories were also released on two 45rpm records in the 1950s.
This is a little gem of an album. You have two wonky stories to entertain the kids and four brilliant arrangements of familiar favorites.
Please enjoy: Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
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7 comments:
I had no idea when I first looked at it that this album would feature such talent. Thanks for sharing it!
My parents bought "Rudolph" for us when we lived in Canada in 1966, my children now love the album even though it was scratched and skipped. I am now delighted to be the proud owner of a pristine copy which will enthrall my grandchildren, thank you very much.
Brendan Fegan
Belfast
Paul Wing was the narrator of the 1944 Max Fleischer cartoon based on the Montgomery Ward book. His version of "Rudy" was released in 1947, two years before the famous Johnny Marks-written hit for Gene Autry. The 2nd story is terrible, so just stick with Side 1!
My children wore out the album we had. My son could recite the whole thing. Now they are grown and we were talking about at christmas, so we got it out and there is a lot of bad spots in it. I thought I would try to see if anyone had it online. After A LOT OF SEARCHING I found this site, and thanks for the file! I downloaded it and sent it to my kids!!
thanks
The sound quality is not very good on the stories. I think the volume was turned up too high or something al the words have some sort of distortion. I wish these coud be done over because they are aso my childhood favs. Thanks so much for posting them though at least I have them now!!!
Thanks so much for this. My grandmother would play this for me on her big wooden cabinet stereo. She's now in a nursing home with Alzheimer's, and I terribly miss those wonderful Christmas Eves and Christmas dinners at her little house. Her tree was always so magical, with the big old-school frosted lights (we had mini-bulbs at my parents' place) and all of those antique ornaments from the 40s and 50s.
Thanks for enriching my memories of Christmas at my Nanna's with this album.
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