The Ray Charles Singers - Here We Come-A-Caroling (1956)

Hi, friends!  I know it's been some time but Christmas is almost here so it's time to share some of my Christmas records! This is a great album to accompany you while you sing Christmas carols. All the songs are the familiar and traditional ones we grew up with. Play the album at home and sing along while decorating or for your Christmas party! Here's an idea - if you want to go Christmas caroling but don't think you have enough people, tape the album and play it while you sing along! Then it will sound like you have a whole chorus (and if you play it loud enough, it may drown out those not-so-good voices)! I hope this album gets you feeling the spirit of Christmas!

Track listing for The Ray Charles Singers - Here We Come-A-Caroling (link has been deleted. Go buy CD on Amazon):

Side A:
1. Here We Come A-Caroling
2. Silent Night
3. Deck the Halls with Boughs of Holly
4. The First Noel
5. O, Come All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fideles)
6. Lullay, Thou Little Tiny Child
7. Angels We Have Heard On High
8. What Child is This? (Greensleeves)
9. I Saw Three Ships
10. It Came Upon A Midnight Clear

Side B:
1. Bring a Torch, Jeannette, Isabelle!
2. Away In A Manger
3. Good King Wenceslas
4. O, Little Town of Bethlehem
5. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
6. We Three Kings of Orient Are
7. God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen
8. Rise Up, Shepherd, An' Foller
9. Joy to the World
10. We Wish You a Merry Christmas
11. Here We Come A-Caroling

The Ray Charles Singers - Something Special for Young Lovers (1964)

Here's one of my favorite choral groups - the Ray Charles Singers. Lately I just haven't been able to get enough of the different choral groups - there just isn't enough time in the day to listen to all the records I want to hear! Besides the fact that this record is by the Ray Charles Singers, I bought it for the cover art, and because it's by Command Records. I don't have too many of the Command Records, but I find that I'm starting to look out for these more and more. One thing I did find puzzling about this particular record is that both the cover and the label say "Stereo", but when I recorded it I didn't see that there were two different tracks. And in some of the songs, the men's voices sound kind of "distant". I'm wondering if maybe the record could have been mislabeled. Odd. Anyway, I still enjoyed this album, especially "Quiet Nights", which is one of my all-time favorite songs. And any album that has "Dominique" on it is fine by me!


1/25/2011 UPDATE: I found the problem with one of my sound settings (don't know how I changed it) and rerecorded this album. It is now in stereo, the way it's supposed to be.

Track listing for Ray Charles Singers - Something Special for Young Lovers:

Side 1:
1. This Could Be the Start of Something
2. I Left My Heart in San Francisco
3. More
4. There! I've Said It Again
5. This Is All I Ask
6. Dominique

Side 2:
1. Hello, Dolly!
2. Quiet Nights
3. Love Me With All Your Heart
4. Charade
5. What Kind of Fool Am I? (contains a skip)
6. Sweet Little Mountain Bird

The Ray Charles Singers - Winter Wonderland (1956)

The second Christmas album offering this year is an album I found in the HPB bargain bin earlier this year - for only 50 cents! I bought it for two reasons - the cover and the Ray Charles Singers. I love choral groups like this, especially the vocal arrangements. This album has some of the usual holiday songs, plus a couple I had never heard before. Here's some info from the liner notes as to who the singers and musicians are:

The Ray Charles Singers heard in this recording are Lillian Clark, Kathleen Wallace, Lois Winter, Miriam Workman, Robert Bollinger, Jerry Duane, Edwin Lindstrom, Eugene Lowell, Arthur Malvin, Alan Sokoloff, Michael Stewart, and Eugene Steck. Mr.Charles himself is heard in the solo in WHEN WINTER COMES. The outstanding musicians who accompany the vocal group are Dick Hyman, piano (especially notable are his solos in WHEN WINTER COMES A-CALLIN' and SNOWFALL); Nick Perito, accordion; Tony Mottola, guitar; Robert Rosengarden, drums; John Zimmermann, bass; and Pearl Chertock, harp. (My note - I'm sure you see some familiar names there!)

Track listing for The Ray Charles Singers - Winter Wonderland:

Side 1:
1. Winter Wonderland
2. Button Up Your Overcoat
3. June in January
4. When Winter Comes
5. Snowfall
6. I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm

Side 2:
1. Winter & Theme for Indoor Sports
2. Moonlight in Vermont
3. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
4. When Winter Comes A-Callin'
5. Jingle Bells
6. By the Fireside

The Ray Charles Singers - Songs For Latin Lovers (1965)

Here's another of the treasures I found in the HPB bargain bin, and it was the album artwork that prompted me to buy it. Of course, after listening to it, I loved it! I like this type of music - very smooth, melodic, and rhythmic. I am transported back to the mid-1960s when I listen to this - love it! This is a great album to play at your next cocktail party. And, it's the perfect album to listen to on a lazy Sunday afternoon such as today!

Track listing for The Ray Charles Singers - Songs For Latin Lovers:

Side 1:
1. Song of the Jet (Samba Do Aviao)
2. My Love, Forgive Me (Amore, Scusami)
3. Maria Elena
4. No More Blues (Chega De Saudade)
5. To You
6. Adios

Side 2:
1. Desafinado (Slightly Out of Tune)
2. You're Mine (I Ricordi Della Sera)
3. Amo, Amas, Amamus
4. Carnival (Manha De Carnaval)
5. My Guitar and My Song
6. Vaya Con Dios (May God Be With You)