The Musical Innertube - Volume 2, Number 169 - Bill Trousdale's Christmas Music Spectacular

DON

It's Christmas time, and that means it's time for music. Christmas music is as much a part of the Christmas season as tinsel and all sorts of other decorations and all the cards and all the presents. The music always plays in the background. Think about it. You're sitting around the Christmas tree. You've ripped open all the presents. There's nothing beneath the tree but wrapping paper and you're sitting back with a nice glass of eggnog or something else. And you have music playing in the background. Well, this is the podcast to use in that very circumstance because our guest today is the inimitable Bill Trousdale. Bill's been an air personality. Also, a music historian, he knows more about Pennsylvania music than anybody else I know. He's got a basement full of records and he's going to share some of those records with us today, and it all going to be Christmas themed. Merry Christmas to you, Bill.

BILL

Ho ho, ho.

DON

You got the spirit!

JOHN

The guy's real thing, absolutely.

DON

Absolutely.

BILL

Well, I  thank you for welcoming me once again. I do need to kind of correct one thing. There are several other people who probably know far more about Pennsylvania music than myself. I'm going to mention both of them up front. Phil Schwartz. He's actually an optometrist in Lancaster, is an excellent vinyl collector. And up in northeastern Pennsylvania, Eddie Collins has done quite a bit of work, and has been very, very helpful in providing me with a little bit more information about some of these Pennsylvania artists. So got to give credit where credit's due.

JOHN

Know, but you're pretty good.

BILL

Thank you at the same.

DON

Yeah, you got some chops.

BILL

Appreciate. Well, I tell. You, when it comes to holiday music, there's a particular area. Of Pennsylvania that for some reason just seems to. Bloom talents. The talents of the likes of Perry Como and Bobby Vinton and a nearby Pittsburgh, even John Davidson. This I. I think Don and I were talking about this earlier. Is kind of like the consummate. You know holiday song when you come to Christmas time. You just like must hear. This Perry Como tune called there's no place like home for the holidays.

MUSIC

BILL

And what I really like about that song is the fact that he mentions getting to Pennsylvania, Sir for some pumpkin pie. So, nothing more Christmasy than not only traveling, but getting back to Pennsylvania for that pumpkin pie.

JOHN

And I also add to that, I mean the homie element in that tune. Is one of the reasons I think it's. Is this notion of, you know, a lot of people, a lot of us, even as we speak? Getting. Buses and going all over the country. Is it the notion of having to travel a long way at very great trouble to yourself to get? Somewhere for the holidays. I think we all know where that. You know what that's like there. A real connection that that song really establishes.

BILL

Well, it's a very important. There better be pumpkin pie by the time we get home. Is really, I think the point of that Stewart. At least pump them. Well, from that same region. The guy is, well, he's known as kind of a smooth crooner. He's sung hundreds of wonderful love songs, but he's also lent him his voice to the holiday season. He's probably done half dozen. You're very familiar with. But later on in his kind of second career, he decided he was going to put a little bit more emphasis on his nationality and especially in Pennsylvania, there seems to be a very decent amount. Of people from. That have transplanted to this area. So Bob even decided to put together an album, and he actually did a tune called Santa must be Polish. Little different bent on your holiday spirit here.

JOHN

I should think that there. Could be almost an entire separate episode done on ethnic. Santa tunes, because I'm sure there are. I know there are Italian Salas and I bet you if we dug around we could find an Irish Santa too.

BILL

I I think you're probably right that the research on that is is really part of the fun of it, and I encourage anybody who comes with a thought in regard to what they're listening to today. You know, I'll do the research. It's part. Fun you. And to that end, you can also we were over in the Pittsburgh area there with Bobby Vinton from Mcconnellsburg, PA. But if we move to the other side of the state, you know there's there's another kind of ethnic group that does fairly well, especially they thought of more for the new year. But the mummers do a pretty good job in regard to striking up the band, as they say. And this is a maybe not a most familiar tune, but I don't know when it comes to general knowledge of polkas or necessarily known throughout the land. This is a tune that is kind of a kick. Because it's got a little phraseology of joy to the world. In the mistletoe Pocahontas. So before the show goes completely downhill 'cause it will. And I say that with the greatest respect to my MY2 hoes. I thought we ought to throw in a little bit of class here. There's an ensemble not, not necessarily well heard of, but very, very powerful, very, very melodic. The Philadelphia Brass Ensemble did a very, very short piece, but it's a very thrilling. And uplifting version of deck the halls. Well, bringing it back locally, there was a fellow who has actually a record that is in highly sort of in in England. From a group called the Custer's Last Band. And he did a did a tune in the 60s.

Speaker

Hey.

BILL

Later on, the lead singer of this particular group got hooked up. With a class of 60 something they did a series of dances in the York area put on by Mike Lee. Was a former radio guy and worked at Q106. His name is Daddy Colson. Daddy C. And he is passed away. I would say within the last couple years, but he took the time to put together a very colorful 45. It's red wax and it's got a green label, so it looks very, very much the part. But he did a rather uplifting tune of a beach boy tune. Or we associated with The Beach Boys, a tune called Little Saint Nick. A lot of the the music that you're hearing is maybe either out of print. You may be able to find it on YouTube, but if you're a vinyl junkie such as myself, you'll probably want it on vinyl. The Keystone record collectors are the largest. Record collecting club in the countries and they get together every second Sunday of the month. They get together at Spooky Nook in Lancaster and if any of the tunes you hear you're looking for, that's a good place to go. Got a lot of cordial people, a lot of knowledgeable people, and if you're looking for something in particular. You're either gonna find it or you're gonna be given a lead as to where you're gonna get. There's an event that's been going on for the last six years, which is just kind of near and dear to my heart. Organized by. The United Churches in Harrisburg area and supported by the Central Pennsylvania Music Hall of Fame. They get various artists that are currently performing and each of them submit tunes for. Consideration to be included in an alve. This CD that they've been doing for the last six years has been called joy to the bird and I like to play a selection from the 2024 version. Is their 6th year. It is actually done by. The youth ensemble they put together, you know, basically people under the age of 18 to put together this song. I want you to think about that as you're listening to. Do they know it's Christmas? A little. Earlier I mentioned a guy of the name of Eddie Collins, who is a good friend. Guys got strong connections in the Hazleton area. His uncle was a fairly well known DJ on WARM in the Scranton area. Later went on to Philadelphia and produced a few new records known as Father Drucker. He's actually a Catholic priest now. But Eddie Collins is his nephew. And Eddie got the bug, I guess partially through him. He's also associated with a Philadelphia Broadcas pioneer broadcasters as well. But he provided me with some additional background information on this particular tune that comes out of Allentown, PA. The group is called Johnny in the High Keys came out in 1969. And for those of you who are familiar with that genre of music in the 60s where certain instrumentations. Just kind of bloomed. You might think it was a guitar, but in this era the Hammond B 3 was an integral part of dance music in in the mid 60s. You will hear throughout this song some pretty serious. Hammond B3 organ. By Johnny another interesting note about. The tune itself was penned by Joey Day and Alan Driscoll. And there's another Pennsylvania connection in that they also wrote a tune called Sugar Lady. Which was the B side of another Pennsylvania group, who did fairly fairly well in the area called the Jordan Brothers. But let's get back to the topic at hand. Johnny and the high keys. This is the Christmas game.

JOHN

I love that Hammond B3. I love that Hammond B3 to death.

BILL

Good stuff. It's got. You know, it's got well, I was gonna add another word that it was, but that it's probably not appropriate on a Christmas shirt.

Speaker

Mm.

DON

I don't. You know, balls of Holly. If I had enough.

BILL

Canonies I'd probably be able to say. But if I see it in another language it 'cause it doesn't count right? Well, another tune and I don't even really not even really sure where I found this, but somewhere in my travels I I came across A45RPM record. A big hole in the small. Record some people are familiar with them because other people had no clue as to what the heck I'm talking about. But this guy was from Bushkill, PA, and first of all, that's pretty remote. It was done in 1980. That's kind of late for my particular interest, but after all, he was from Pennsylvania. Deserves some recognition. His name is Sean Thomas. I know nothing about him. Just. He's from bushkill. And he did this song in 1987. And. If anybody out there knows anything about him, I'd I'd love to talk to him.

DON

I'm raising my hand.

JOHN

Yes.

DON

Raising my hand. Yes, Sir. In doing my research.

JOHN

Yes.

DON

To to accommodate New York playing of this song. He is Tommy Shaw of the group sticks no. And he did this as Sean Thomas with a bunch of friends as a lark. So anyway, it's Tommy Shaw slash Shawn Thomas doing this song. Escort the lark. There you go.

BILL

Well, when we get back to Philly, we have to include probably one of the best sax players that ever came out of the Pennsylvania region. This tune is not necessarily a Christmas song, but it definitely has kind of a holiday feel. Margaret Whiting actually had the big hit with it, called Moonlight in Vermont. This is the Stan Getz version. Well, while I was going through my C DS, I happened to run across a name that I hadn't probably thought about since the 70s and just recall that he was a guy who always sounded seemed to be around when the holidays were around. But I hadn't really thought of him for even 2 seconds. Beyond that. But upon looking into it further, I find out this guy's from Pittsburgh. Oh really? I didn't know that John Davidson was from Pittsburgh, so we ought to play a version of the 1st. Well, by him. As we ping pong across the state, let's go back to Philly now. These guys kinda kinda came out of nowhere, but boy, when they showed up, they made a lot of noise. Their tight harmonies were reminiscent of of the kind of a Doo *** era and kind of reintroduced a whole new generation to a tight harmony sound. This is boys to men and their version of silent night. Yeah. When it comes to Crooners, Pennsylvania has done a pretty good job of coming up with a few. And this particular tune has become a standard. Turned out that it was probably one of the first records that Dean did. Ever. And it happened to be a Christmas song he did in 1952. Earliest known holiday recording done by Dean Martin, 1952. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

JOHN

You know what's great about Dean Martin is. Anytime he sings a holiday song. He sounds like. Already been there by for about four or five hours. Getting lubricated well in advance. What I. That's why I think he has some of. Best holiday spirit. On record. It always sounds like that.

BILL

His nickname was definitely the King of Cool and he definitely qualifies for. Now, whether that was helped along with the inebriation that went along with it, I I'm not going to say claim to that, but. He holds he holds a record of most streamed versions of five beloved holiday songs. It's a testament to his enduring. So if you don't get enough Dean Martin, it's your own fault. You got to look it up. You got to research. It bye golly. There's. About plenty out there to find. Well, one of the tunes that has become kind of a standard and done by many people on matter of fact, we're trying to figure out when we were gonna mention ferrani and Teicher, Franny and Tycho would be a good time to mention here because they did a very. Dual. Piano version of Winter Wonderland that was just spectacular. One you should look up. Johnny Mercer actually wrote this tune, but we're going to play it by the Paul Whiteman Orchestra, who was from Pennsylvania. And you will find that this song was covered by just dozens and dozens of people. After we play the tune, I'll run down the list of who else might have done this particular tune. Alright of. We just heard Paul Whiteman's orchestra, but there were versions recorded by Guy Lombardo, Andrew Sisters, Bob Dylan, George Strait, Tony Bennett, the carpenters, of course. Como Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, the arrive mix Elvis. Goldfrapp, Cyndi Lauper, Darlene love, Johnny Mathis. Ozzy Osbourne. Dolly Parton. Frank Sinatra. You can collect the mall and you can also throw in other variations of versions of the song, like Walking in Woman's underwear. One of my favorites, but I guess worth a mention.

JOHN

Absolutely, yeah.

BILL

Mention mentioning the unmentionables. Others next song is a favorite of Philly, even though she's from New Jersey. If we're looking for an Italian Christmas song, you might find it out of her collection. This young lady had a just a string of hits in just the silkiest. Sultry of voice. Could make any guy get a few chills going up and down his spine. Listen to. You're saying, but she was a very, very, very strong romantic. And she did a tune back in 1961, which I don't know, that got a lot of play, but for any parent who just had a baby, it was. Pretty meaningful.

JOHN

You know, a great thing about Baby's first Christmas. You can give the baby anything and it's great. You know, they're happy with anything.

DON

Give him a cracker that you always give him. It's Christmas cracker.

BILL

Yeah, just call it a Christmas cracker. Exactly. The baby will never know. To to take. A big left sweeping turn. Here I'm going to jump out of Pennsylvania just. It's a it's kind of hurts me to do this, but I remember this song from 1968 and it was kind of falls along the line of those specially tunes that come up every now and again during Christmas. It's not the singing dogs. Not that. We're going to go to. We're going to check out the lyrics. The lyrics. Yes, they did a tune called Rusty Chevrolet.

JOHN

Rusty Chevrolet from the title. You wouldn't know it was a Christmas song. Yeah, but but, but since so many people have owned or driven a rusty Chevrolet, including me. I mean the rusty. I mean, they are a part of growing up and being American, aren't they? You know, so I could just see. I could. See use that as the basis for who says that Santa Santa is. You know, in every mankind guy. He could drive around a rusty Chevrolet and do some of the deliveries. Have to be a jet powered sleigh. How does he get the reindeer in? Won't they? Won't the antlers get into the fabric inside? Do you think Don?

DON

I think that this song actually sounds a lot like Grandma got run over by a reindeer, which is another one of my stupid songs that I'm glad, Bill, that you didn't include along with the singing dogs and the Jingle. Ones that I I as you did prob. Played once too often on the radio.

BILL

Yeah, the the intention here is to kind of go. People would not normally expect to go to. They're gonna. They're gonna hear that those other crazy things elsewhere. Right. We don't have to do that here.

DON

Different. Were exceptional.

BILL

Speaking of novelty tunes, I I kind of enjoyed the back story of this because when we when you hear this song, you're gonna immediately think of Alvin and the Chipmunks. But before Alvin and the Chipmunks, there were two guys who sounded like Alvin and the Chipmunks called Ken. Corky. And they had a hit record in 1959. Hit Christmas record called nothing for Christmas.

JOHN

I've gotten nothing for Christmas before.

DON

Well, I care.

BILL

She'd go a little further. You know you're going to get. Pennsylvania Anthracite claim to fame. This is it.

JOHN

Yeah, look, I if anyone goes to Centralia, they'll you know it'll light a flame in their heart. You go. It's still burning, right centrally is. Burning is not.

BILL

I believe so, yeah.

DON

I think we'll be burning forever, John. It will be burning forever.

BILL

Yeah. So who would have thought? Two guys been in McKinney and Corky put together this nothing for Christmas. Actually wrote several songs for Elvis Presley and in the process of writing songs for Elvis Presley. Obviously they did pretty well. Made a couple bucks, but long about 1964, there was a Pennsylvania. Duo of two identical twins, who really had a thing for Elvis and they did a tomb called. I want Elvis for Christmas.

JOHN

I mean, why not, right?

DON

Yeah.

JOHN

I mean, you've how many teddy bears? How many? Albums and books and bottles of perfume. I. Really, how many can you get?

BILL

Yeah, a teenage girl.

Speaker

Oh no.

BILL

Mean, of course.

JOHN

Sure.

BILL

What else could they possibly need? Well, we had quite a debate as to whose version of this next song we ought to play. But for the sake of maybe some sanity, we thought we'd play it by somebody who? Internationally known as well as nationally known.

Speaker

Was.

BILL

Not from Pennsylvania, but. The writer of this particular tune was his name was Donald Yetter Gardner. I know that's a name that comes floating right up to the top of your mind, but he was born in Portland, PA. Not even sure where that is. And he passed away in 2004. But his greatest claim to fame was this particular tune he wrote for Christmas called all I want for Christmas is my 2 front teeth.

DON

And again, we did have a debate about whose version to play. Spike Jones and his city Slickers came out with the first version of that in 1938, I think, or something like that. That went to #1 when it came out back in the. I don't know if Jimmy Buffett went to number one with his version, but his version is a little more sane, little more like you can sit down with a nice cocktail and enjoy it, right?

BILL

Oh.

DON

Bill.

BILL

I think that's a wonderful, wonderful analogy. But if you want a little pop and a hiss in a in a wolf.

Speaker

Or soul or.

BILL

Whatever that would go along with the Spike Jones tune, it's there for you. Yeah.

Speaker

Well.

BILL

Speaking of cocktails and chilling out a little bit, we play a portion of this. Less brown and his band of renown big band Sound. Very, very warm sounding. And when Les Brown gets a hold of a tune and arrangement, he makes the most of it. Has become a holiday favorite for many and in the kind of the classical vein. Here's a bit of a Nutcracker.

DON

I would be.

BILL

Amazed if I did not include this lady who is considered the godmother of gospel. Her music is affected probably more rock and rollers than anyone in Pennsylvania music history. There are others, but she's right up there at the top. Given serious acclaims during her induction into the Rock Hall of Fame in Cleveland. Sister Rosetta tharp. Yeah, wonderful version of white Christmas.

DON

And again, it's kind of weird to think, but Sister Rosetta was one of the first musicians and a gospel musician at that to employ the electric guitar. It just really kind of floors me. She plays wonderfully and she sings wonderfully. And. And you're right that that's much. Much more of an inspiration to rock and rollers of this age to get behind that electric guitar and start playing.

JOHN

Singing there's that great BBC tape that somebody found about 20 years ago of her doing a show outside. She's standing on. A. A train station platform playing to an audience across the train tracks and it's live and she's playing her guitar and sounding just like 1,000,000 bucks. Mean. I think John's really right that it's in a way, she she deserves a lot of credit for starting something.

BILL

Absolutely. There definitely is. I learned this from a another artist in the area. Informed me and I was not aware of this at the time. Is one of the those history plaques of Pennsylvania. Up about her. About sister Rosette Tharp in and around the Philly area. Be in line with the thoughts of.

JOHN

Keep.

BILL

Gospel music locally. We had two groups. Now we had a lot more than two groups, but two of them that did very, very well in spreading the gospel across the country. This one group actually had a a summer camp, bringing in kids from the Philadelphia area and where they could hang around and learn about Christ, sing some songs. The Jacobs brothers, they did dozens and dozens of songs, but. A gift of love is the version we're running here today. Jacob's brothers. Did very, very well in this area in the gospel vain, which apparently may be difficult to. So if you're into gospel music, you may want to see if you can get your vinyl your hands on this vinyl version. Of come on. Ring those bells by the couriers. Well, you may recall at the top of the show, we had to play Perry Como because he's from Pennsylvania. Did the consummate Pennsylvania coming home song with no place like home for the holidays? But you know Al Martino. From. He had the same type of. Idea. But he was more dogmatic about it, he says. I will be home for Christmas. Been waiting for this smooth. Well, we did have boys to men earlier, but this group is out of New Jersey. They capitalized on the gamble and Huff sound in 1971. Other groups have done this. I think the temptations to the version of this as well, but Christmas just ain't Christmas. Do our version by the ebony's. You know, actually ebony's are a pretty good example of hope for the holidays because I believe that group was formed while they were in prison. And they got together and they started singing. And once they got out, they started singing in the streets and gambling up picked them. And so there's definitely hope in their lives. They were able to change them. This particular tune also kind of branches off into the significance of rock'n'roll. That was a term coined by Alan Freed, who was born in Pennsylvania and was considered the. The leading founder of rock'n'roll with his. Foreign ad in Cleveland. He collaborated with a guy by the name of Harvey. And he did a version of Justice, a lonely Christmas, back in 1953. You gotta get Bill Haley on because he's from Chester, PA, and we're gonna borrow 2, and there's probably made famous by Brenda Lee, but.

Speaker

We're.

BILL

Gonna give Bill Haley a shot of rockin around that Christmas tree.

DON

And Bill, I gotta tell you, the Phil Spector Christmas album has got to be one of the old time greatest Christmas albums ever produced.

BILL

I'm glad you said that 'cause. If you weren't, I was about ready to say that this album is probably one of the greatest all time Christmas album. Phil Spector put his magic touch on this, and when you're talking about the crystals who were from Philly? Phil Spector just had a way of creating that wall of sound. That was so indicative of his early tunes, but when you get to the crystals and this Christmas album, a parade of the wooden soldiers is exposed rather well and they March in order as ordered by the crystals. Well, when it comes to the stylistics, they've been warming many a heart and keeping romance alive in in many a relationship for many, many years. Russell Tompkins of the Stylistics. Was fortunate. Just probably about a month ago to see him perform. Locally, there definitely a memorable show. So with all the stylistic hits, this is maybe not as a familiar tune by the stylistics, but it definitely features the golden voice of Russell Tompkins Junior. Called when you get love. It's Christmas all year long.

JOHN

Well, you know when you love somebody, that is the best gift to give for. So I think that last song was really great and now here's Don to introduce us to our final tune on this episode is wonderful, Wonderful Christmas special.

DON

This is like the handoffs that we used to do in radio. Yeah, bill. Thanks so much for being with us today and for bringing Christmas, Pennsylvania style. I'm sure everybody, like I said, can sit back, relax, turn on our podcast and listen with comfort as they down the eggnog or or whatever beverage of their choice. Why don't you do? Give us a little something here to to take us off. From from Philly, when you think of Philly and you think of female singers, you got to think of this woman and you got to think of of the fine music that she's put out. And this is one of the songs that she's done for the holidays.

BILL

Absolutely. And you know there, there's still some debate and I haven't gotten this cleared up in my mind. To her, she was actually born. In Philly now I have had some sources say she was born in Harrisburg and moved to Philly and to eliminate confusion, she just claims Philly is her hometown. But bottom line is whether she was born in Harrisburg or. Is claiming Philly. She's got a voice to stand the test of time, especially olagzyn.

DON

Merry Christmas, bill.

JOHN

Merry Christmas, my man.

Speaker

Ho, ho, ho, hey, hey, hey.