Four More Christmas Records: Bell Music/Comedy/Disco/Novelty

I bring you some more unique Records from the holiday section to share-from my family to yours this holiday season❤💚❤💚❤💚

The Berkshire Bell Ringers
"The Bells of Christmas"
1981

Now this is a good way to do Christmas music, just bells- so it has a certain moodiness to it. You aren't overburdened with melodies and words you have heard a million times before. Three parts copper and one part tine male up the bells, it says on the back of the record. The Berkshire Bell Ringers date back to 1951 and consist of six musicians and seventeen English handbells. It says they remove metal from the inside to "tune down" the bells and if they go too low, they have to discard the bell.

Christmas Disco Party
1979

"This record will be the HIT of every Christmas party," it says right on the back! Mostly original songs by Max Fagan on rhythm and vocals, but there are a few standards as well. A fairly refreshing take on Christmas music-I don't think there are that many Christmas disco albums out there.

Dickie Goodman
"Mr. Jaws and other Fables"
1975

This isn't a Christmas record per se, but it does have "Santa and the Satellite," a unique novelty record from 1957. Dickie Goodman pioneered early "cut up" or sound collage style, no doubt paving the way for later revolutionary groups like NEGATIVLAND. Done in a periodic style, his records were usually done in a back and forth question and answer style, with the answers being snippets of popular songs of the day...with the occasional awful stereotypical accents -which was not only just accepted during these times, but applauded.

Bob Rivers Comedy Group
"Twisted Christmas"
1987

This one is probably most well known for the "12 pains of Christmas" track, so I won't share that here (HANGOVERS, anyone?) but they actually have a whole LP worth of material. He even did a follow up album also-because everyone needs multiple Christmas albums in their discography. Hey, if it sells, it sells. On this song I share here, he has the task of mashing up a Christmas song with a grateful dead theme to it.

Thanks for reading, have a merry holiday and a happy new year!