Album of the day, 12/10!

[SAT-I need more room!!]

Another Christmas review. And I guess this one would be in honor of Laura, as it isn't a standard "rock" album.



A Classic Cartoon Christmas

Nick at Nite Records

1996


I actually own this on cassette, not disc. Sony Wonder Records put out a CD in 1992 featuring only songs from the Rankin Bass specials. This Classic Cartoon album has some of those selections, but adds songs from A Charlie Brown Christmas, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and A Muppet Family Christmas. So since there was overlap, I just decided to get this one on tape.

Most of these tracks, especially the Rankin-Bass ones, have dialogue straight from the specials leading into each track.

The tracks:

Side 1
Welcome Christmas-From How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
This is the opening theme from the Dr. Suess classic. You may also remember the non-English line, "Zsa-room-voorhies"! LOL! A great way to begin the tape.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer-Burl Ives
Of course, this is a different version than the one that was played on the radio, a bit more upbeat. Burl's is the definitive version, no matter which way you slice it. Probably the most popular (and first) Rankin-Bass special.

We're a Couple of Misfits-From Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
This was sort of Rudolph and Hermie's theme from the show. "Who decides the test, of what is really best?" I'd like to know myself!

Frosty the Snowman-Jimmy Durante
Frosty is one of the lesser of the Rankin-Bass classics, it seems, for several reasons. (1) Only a half hour long. (2) Only 1 song on the show. (3) It was a standard cartoon instead of their trademark stop motion. Didn't stop my daughter from loving it and watching it 5 times a day!

Put One Foot in Front of the Other-Mickey Rooney from Santa Claus is Comin' to Town
Mickey, as Santa, is teaching the Winter Warlock how to change and become a better person. Actually, not Christmasy at all, but could you picture this at any other time of the year?

Christmas Time is Here-Vince Guaraldi from Charlie Brown Christmas
This has become a standard at Christmas. Jazzy piano and a children's chorus makes this a classic.

Hark, the Herald Angels Sing-Vince Guaraldi From Charlie Brown Christmas
The last song almost goes right into this one. Not as classic as the previous song, but a nice addition. Sung in the special after the gang wishes Chuck a Merry Christmas.

Medley: Jingle Bells/Jingle Bell Rock-The Muppets
This starts off slow with Kermit's nephew singing the first part. Then the Electric Mayhem kicks in, and Dr. Teeth and the gang all trade lines on the Bobby Helms classic.


Side 2
You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch-From How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Who doesn't know this one? Some metal band covered this a few years back. And if the voice on this version sounds GRRRRRRRRRRREAT, it's because it IS Tony the Tiger!

Santa Claus is Comin' to Town-Fred Astaire
I don't know why this isn't held in higher regard. As much as I love Rudolph, I love this special even more, since it is the whole story of how Santa came to be. Great songs too.

O Tannenbaum-Vince Guaraldie from Charlie Brown Christmas
Another standard for Christmas song from this jazz pro.

The Little Drummer Boy-Vienna Boys Choir from The Little Drummer Boy
Just a straight forward version of this Christmas standard. Not one of the funner Rankin-Bass specials.

A Holly Jolly Christmas-Burl Ives from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
Again, different than the single Burl had on the radio. And again, this version is sped up quite a bit. One of my faves from the Rankin-Bass specials.

We Need a Little Christmas-From Muppet Family Christmas
This is a fun one from the beginning of the Muppet special, and a great way to end this collection.


The following year, they came out with A Classic Cartoon Christmas, Too. They threw in 4 more Rankin-Bass songs that had been on the Sony Wonder CD. But the real incentive of buying that Too disc was the inclusion of Heat Miser and Snow Miser, which even Sony didn't have on theirs!

Two glaring ommisions from both Nick at Nite albums that WERE on the Sony disc were Jingle, Jingle, Jingle by Burl Ives from Rudolph and The Most Wonderful Day of the Year also from Rudolph.

This was a funner album to review, as I had a lot more to say about each cut!



Hope you enjoyed it!

[Ken]

Hey Adam I made a Xmas CD up last week and included two of these tracks - You're a Mean One Mr Grinch and Frosty The Snowman .

I always like to add on the inside cover of the CD where the songs originate from so I check the all music guide website and that's how I found out about the album.


They mentioned in the write up what a great idea it was to compile a CD like this and why somebody hadn't thought of it sooner. I guess since many of the songs had not appeared on disc before.


A great review:)

[lora]

Nice review. I'm familiar with just about all of these, I think, although I don't remember ever hearing the Mickey Rooney tune. I love Mickey Rooney though.

What's with the huge freaking pictures of Martina?

[SAT-I need more room!!]

Lora said:

Nice review. I'm familiar with just about all of these, I think, although I don't remember ever hearing the Mickey Rooney tune. I love Mickey Rooney though.

What's with the huge freaking pictures of Martina?

That's how big they appeared when I put them on here.

Something WRONG with that??

[lora]

SAT-Sissy's said:

That's how big they appeared when I put them on here.

Something WRONG with that??

It's A LOT of pictures!

[55dodger]

Good review. Know most of the songs from the shows. A real good collection of Christmas songs. I would add the 12 Days of Christmas with John Denver & the Muppetts as a possible omission as well.

[SAT-I need more room!!]

Lora said:

It's A LOT of pictures!

I honestly only meant to do the first one and the other one with the white lace sleeves. But those others were all attached to that one! LOL!

But, hey, you're free to put in as many as you can fit in!

[Dawn]

What a cool album - I'd like to get this one sometime! Grinch, Charlie Brown, and the Rankin-Bass specials are a yearly must for me at Christmastime. I agree with you about Santa Claus is Coming to Town - I like how it ties together all the holiday traditions, and the songs are great too, especially 'Put One Foot in Front of the Other' and 'My World is Beginning Today'. It's always been my favorite of the Rankin-Bass Christmas shows.

Very nice review!

[athompsen]

Good review! All these songs bring back many childhood memories. I wonder why they didn't put the "Mr. Heat Miser" and "Mr. Jack Frost" songs from A Year Without Santa Claus?

[beatles4ever]

What a great sounding collection!I must have it!

[SAT-I need more room!!]

55dodger said:

Good review. Know most of the songs from the shows. A real good collection of Christmas songs. I would add the 12 Days of Christmas with John Denver & the Muppetts as a possible omission as well.

That'd be a good one, but the Muppet songs on here are from Muppet Family Christmas, which is different than the one with Denver.

[Laura--I wuv u all :)]

SAT-Sissy's said:

Another Christmas review. And I guess this one would be in honor of Laura, as it isn't a standard "rock" album.

Awwwww geeeeeeee thanks! Sorry I haven't written a review in a while, but I often don't know when I'll get to the library (it has to be when I don't have my son with me--you know how 5-year-olds just luuuuuuv to sit still--NOT). Plus I've been reprimanded for surfing the 'net at work too much, so I've got to cut down on using it at work. But for right now--the hobbit is in the house! (Oh, OK, I'm in the _library_...)



SAT: Welcome Christmas-From How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
This is the opening theme from the Dr. Suess classic. You may also remember the non-English line, "Zsa-room-voorhies"! LOL! A great way to begin the tape.

L: One day my son put a bunch of his little cars in a circle and sang that--pretending that the cars were singing it! LOL!


SAT: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer-Burl Ives
Of course, this is a different version than the one that was played on the radio, a bit more upbeat. Burl's is the definitive version, no matter which way you slice it. Probably the most popular (and first) Rankin-Bass special.

L: Don McLean's version is really cute too. It's just his voice and guitar. And the second time that he does "Rudolph with your nose so bright..." he says it in a Santa voice! It's on the CD "Holiday from the Heart" which Helzberg Diamonds gave away free in their stores a few years ago.

SAT: You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch-From How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Who doesn't know this one? Some metal band covered this a few years back. And if the voice on this version sounds GRRRRRRRRRRREAT, it's because it IS Tony the Tiger!

L: If you want to hear another REALLY cute version of this, check out Deanna Kirk's version. This is also on the "Holiday from the Heart" compilation, but it's on one of her CD's also. She's a jazz/adult contemporary singer/pianist/club owner in NYC. To describe her version of this song: imagine an old-fashioned sexy torch-jazz rendition recorded in a toy factory! It's adorable! And her version also includes part of "Welcome Christmas" (the "fa-who-fo-rays" song from the "Grinch" cartoon).

Sat: A Holly Jolly Christmas-Burl Ives from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
Again, different than the single Burl had on the radio. And again, this version is sped up quite a bit. One of my faves from the Rankin-Bass specials.

L: Yeah, I noticed that the single version is different--he starts on a higher note on the word "have". And of course the "Rudolph" version has the elves going "holly-jolly, holly-jolly, ohhhhh..." Both versions are really cute! I love this song!


SAT: The following year, they came out with A Classic Cartoon Christmas, Too. They threw in 4 more Rankin-Bass songs that had been on the Sony Wonder CD. But the real incentive of buying that Too disc was the inclusion of Heat Miser and Snow Miser, which even Sony didn't have on theirs!

L: Did it have the little girl singing "Blue Christmas"? I always thought that was really cute the way they used that song in the cartoon.


SAT: This was a funner album to review, as I had a lot more to say about each cut!

L: My mom used to kid me about saying "funner" and "funnest"! Yes, I know the correct terms are "more fun" and "most fun", but it's _funner_ to use the slang versions! Besides, we say "prettier" and "prettiest", "bigger" and "biggest", etc.--so why are "funner" and "funnest" not words? The English language is such a curious thing--even for those of us who speak it...



SAT: Hope you enjoyed it!

L: I did! Can't you tell?