The Singing Dogs – Jingle Bells 1955

Christmas Records Party tonight! Costume is ready. Records are ready. This is going to be really stupid.

On a serious level this 1955 recording has some crazy early sampling on it. Cutting up tape (or was this pre tape?) for the chorus was clearly enough work so they used a guitar on the verses but its still impressive.

On a stupid level this is a really stupid record. I think it sold tons in America. It was reissued a bunch of times (the pictured one is 70s) and the picture sleeve 50s version is worth a handful of moneys.

Odd.

The Emotions – What Do The Lonely Do At Christmas 1973

The Emotions were a great Stax Soul group in the early 70s (The “Untouched” LP) and a pretty good Disco group in the late 70s (“Boogie Wonderland”, “You’ve Got The Best Of My Love”). They cut this heartbreaking soul side in 73 (the picture is of my reissue copy) and it may be my favourite Soul Christmas tune of all.

The “when I have nobody?” line and accompanying melody just pull the carpet out from under you. A proper sad Christmas song.

The Christmas Records Party is tomorrow! I’m getting excited now.

Can – Silent Night 1976

A lot of people seem surprised that old Krautrockers Can, aka everybody in the world’s retrospective favourite band of the 70s, actually released a Christmas single.

They are forgetting that Germans love Christmas even more than Jamaicans and gave the world most of our Christmas traditions. I should imagine the members of Can, being such big Christmas fans, gather together once a year to watch the He-Man & She Ra Christmas special and drink Snowballs.

Their silent night isn’t from their greatest period (no beats) but it’s still pretty entertaining.

Once again, if you like this Christmas music then I hope to see you down at the Mucky Pup on the Thursday night.

The Monday Morning Quarterback – Santa Claus is Coming To Town/Here Comes Santa Claus Medley 1972

Do I like Christmas records? Do I like Marching Bands? Do I like Christmas records by Marching Bands?

All these questions and more will be answered at our World Of Proper Christmas Records Party on Thursday.

This record is pretty nuts. I can accept that it exists (Courtesy of the Grossmont High School Pep Band) but why on earth did Waner Bros put it out? Happier times. Actually Christmas 1972 was a bit of a nightmare according to Wikipedia, especially if you were North Vietnamese. That’s not the point though.
The point is CHRISTMAS MARCHING BAND RECORD!!

Christmas records all this week!

The Maytals – Christmas Feelings 1964

Jamaica has produced more Christmas records than all the other countries in the world put together. This isn’t a fact but it’s not a lie.

Legendary Ska band The Maytals loved Christmas greetings, it made them have a happy feeling.

I too love Christmas greetings.

If you like your good Christmas music, or indeed your bad Christmas music make sure you get down to World Of Proper’s Christmas Records Party this Thursday.

Christmas records all this week!

St Augustin’s School Choir and Band – The Stuart Hall Song (Brand New Shirt and Tie) 1981

File under “Why was this made?”

Stuart Hall is now doing the voiceover for Ninja Warrior on challenge TV, but in 1981 he was a geniune superstar and school choirs up and down the United Kingdom sung songs about him.

Maybe.

The lyrics appear on the back of the single in the original Northern and also in English translation.

Tune.

Judging by the cover, St. Augustine’s School had more Clarinet players than any one school could ever use.

According to Wikipedia Stuart Hall “possesses an extensive collection of clocks including one that was once owned by Napoleon.”

Gabrielle – Going Nowhere (Portishead Mix) 1993

Not been around much but times is hard on the boulevard.

Yes, I do own Gabrielle records…

To give Portishead their proper due; they made some nice beats and had a good singer, if you’re into that sort of thing. Ay!
Back before “Dummy” took over the world and probably ruined their previously pleasant lives, Portishead weren’t above knocking out the odd remix. In 93 they did a couple for Depeche Mode and one for labelmate Gabrielle.

The “Going Nowhere” remix flips the same great Lou Donaldson “Pot Belly” sample that Tribe used on thier sufuckingblime “When The Papes Come” but the really special bit on here is the 90s strings and piano loop at the end. If only someone had done a chipmunked Hardcore remix…

I think it’s a rather excellent, don’t you? Especially towards the end. Yes, a rather excellent.

Anyone got genre requests?

Lady – Number One 1982

More early 80s disco here. Probably the music I buy most of at the moment. Anyways, is it just me or does this “Lady” sound exactly like Gwen Stefani?

She does.

She really does.

I like this song a lot. Its like a huge pop hit that never was. I would that when I someday play it to a packed house, they would all sing along. They won’t.
It’s hard to find anything on Lady since she/they had such a generic name. The 7″ I have came out on a Mega Records but I’m not convinced its the same Mega Records that put out licensed electro and rap a couple of years later.
The producer Jerry Marcellino has a number of early 70s Motown credits to his name but nothing spectacular.
The flip side, “Living For The Thought” is a little too stomping for my disco tastes. Stick with the A and pour some cherry wine out for dead disco.

The New Seekers – Buy The World A Coke 1971

The New Seekers – Little Bit Of Sunshine 1971

The New Seekers – It’s The Real Thing 1971

The mummies and daddies of adverts-turned-hit-singles, The New Seekers. If it wasn’t for The New Seekers we might never have had that “This must be underwater love” shit.

This is a great looking record if you ask me. It’s on Coca Cola Records and every track is exactly 60 seconds long. “This record is not to be played on the air” cos they had to pay for that. See it’s not REAL music.

I’m a Pepsi man, mainly because its the choice of a new generation.

I know what you’re thinking. Your’e thinking The Jackson Five are all well and good but imagine if there was a Pepsi ad featuring the late but apparently-not-murdered Pakistan cricket coach Bob Woolmer…

Huh?

Oh and while I’m at it, here’s another Michael one…

“Looking for me?”

Pepsi wins. (Must not make jokes about kids in Mike’s dressing room)

Cliff Adams – K Shoes Fit Better

Cliff Adams – K Skips Are Lighter

What’s better, this or “Spaceman” by Babylon Zoo?

This 60s advertising jingle 7″ failed to chart, but composer Cliff Adams did manage to break the UK top 40 with the “Lonely Man Theme” in 1960.

The record contains the two adverts plus extended versions of the instrumentals. A nice thing to put out. Apparently the advert was animated by the Bettiol brothers of Cineastes Associés in Paris. Hark at them.