A Ding Dong Dandy Christmas
RCA VICTOR LPM/LSP-2054, 1959
File under: Happy Christmas Music
Produced by Al Nevins
Arranged by Charles Albertine
Recorded in RCA Victor's Studio A
Recording Engineer: Ernest Oelrich
Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town (1:59)
Skaters Waltz (2:52)
The Chipmunk Song (2:00)
White Christmas (3:15)
Ding Dong Dandy Christmas (2:52)
The Christmas Song (2:26)
Russian Sleigh Song (2:35)
Jingle Bells (2:40)
Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow! (2:14)
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1:56)
Jingle Bell Rock (2:12)
Sleigh Ride (2:54)
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus (2:17)
Winter Wonderland (2:42)
Is there one person you like? Not just like, but really like? Is he a pretty swingin' guy? A gal who gets a kick out of things? A kid who spends a lot of time learning that life, after all, is for fun? This album is for those people. It's a gone album, gang, with the kind of melodic surprises we've come to expect from The Three Suns.
The Suns have remained the same over the years. But, as on other of their recent hits, they've added instruments. They've got some novel ones here: chimes, bells, an oboe and two tubas.
The result of this lineup is a collection of melodic Christmas songs with a real crazy rhythm. The beat is Cha-Cha, Merengue and Rock 'n' Roll, all wrapped up in one. These are not carols, mind you, just songs. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer hangs out here, and so does Alvin, star of The Chipmunk Song. Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town in this album, going through a Winter Wonderland to the tune of Jingle Bells as he takes his Sleigh Ride -- all to the fun arrangements of Charles Albertine.
If, after listening to these, you think you've heard everything, hold still a minute as the Suns and their helpers bring a weird, exotic sound to White Christmas and such other lovely tunes as Skaters Waltz and The Christmas Song.
Santa Claus has been pushing his staff at the North Pole hard all year with only one thing in mind: fun. If you want to lend him a helping hand, give this album to someone you really like this Christmas. If he's spirited, if he's swingin', if he's a ding-dong dandy guy, he'll love it.
ART WHITMAN