[78-L] Gene Autry Christmas records

[Michael Biel]

On 1/2/2011 1:00 AM, DAVID BURNHAM wrote:
> Every copy I had of the Gene Autry records was on the red microphone label,
> although I've seen pictures of the yellow labels.
>

Every copy of the Gene Autry christmas records I've had were on the 
yellow kids label.  You haven't mentioned if you have U.S. pressings or 
only Canadian.
>
> A couple of years ago I bought a CD which claimed to be the "Complete Columbia
> Christmas Recordings", by Gene Autry.


Oh no!!!!  Not another mystery CD!!
>   On this CD, "Frosty the Snowman" always
> bothered me - it just didn't sound right.  When you hear a song like this
> umpteen times every Christmas throughout your childhood every nuance - the
> rhythm of the words, the balance between the piccolo and the clarinet in the
> opening, etc. - become etched in your brain.  All of the other selections on
> this CD with which I was familiar sounded the same as I'd always heard them,
> (except I find "Here Comes Santa Claus" a bit duller than on the 78).  I just
> now listened to "Frosty" on the CD

So prey tell, what is the discographical data of this CD.  Please.
> and the 78 side-by-side to see if there was
> something which described the difference.

Is there a take number?
> They're obviously from the same
> recording session on June 12, 1950, the same musicians, arrangement and pickup
> but I finally found something which ensures that these are two different
> recordings:

Why should you think that alternate takes weren't unusual?



> on the 78 he sings "Weren't they surprised when before their
> eyes.....", and on the CD he sings "Were they surprised, before their
> eyes.....".

This is a good way of determining the two takes.  In my memory the first 
version sounds closer to the proper rhythm.
>
> Does anyone know if this version was ever released on 78 or did something happen
> to the master of the original version or did the crew who compiled the CD just
> grab the wrong tape off the shelf?
>
> db

It's not unusual that alternate takes are issued.  Since this side has 
probably been issued a dozen times, this might not be its debut.

Mike Biel  mbiel at mbiel.com