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.
New Link — 11/11/13 — Please enjoy: Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
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I had no idea when I first looked at it that this album would feature such talent. Thanks for sharing it!
ReplyDeleteMy 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.
ReplyDeleteBrendan 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!
ReplyDeleteMy 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!!
ReplyDeleteThe 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!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks 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.
ReplyDeleteThanks for enriching my memories of Christmas at my Nanna's with this album.
My mom has been looking for this record for YEARS! My aunts have been looking. They called "The town Tiwinkle Twankle" but my aunt called it the "double souble Twank Twank" I helped her look it up today and you should have sen her face. I'm making CDs for my aunt, and her son, and her grandaughters. This will be the best christmas ever, and this makes us so happy. You are forever in debt! TWENTY PLUS YEARS! Oh thank you so much!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThe funny part is this record is always in Goodwill....
My mum grew up in Canada, in Montreal, the youngest of six, and im the youngest in our family.
THANK YOU SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH!!!!
i can't thank you engough!
Merci!
Joux Noel!
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!
~ The youngest
Thank you so much. My sister and I listened to this on an 8 track. We actually wore it out. Listening to it now brings tears to my eyes! You made my Christmas!
ReplyDeleteI grew up listening to this on vinyl. It's one of two things from Christmas that I missed when my parents house burned down. We had a giant pop-up version of "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" and this record. Every Christmas Eve was capped off with this record and Mom or Dad reading the book by the light of the tree while my sister and I sat either on our parent's laps or squished in beside them in their favorite chairs.
ReplyDeleteI grew up listening to these on an 8 track with a lavender or green label. What Joy i had when i was able to find it here. I looked for years. But it seems part of it is missing I remember listening to another story told by a woman who dreamt she was inside santa's workshop. There was an elf who kept getting into trouble named Dancel.
ReplyDeleteThis would bring back a lot of memories for me. Would you please upload this one again? That would truly be appreciated. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteOh, you're awesome! Thank you so much!
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! I've been looking for this for ages.
ReplyDelete