Work(s) Medley: Sing We Now of Christmas / Angels We Have Heard On High / Away In A Manger / What Child Is This? / Joy To The World
Go Tell It on the Mountain
Work(s) Medley: It Came Upon A Midnight Clear / Good King Wenceslas / We Three Kings / Villancico / Hark, The Herald Angels Sing
Work(s) Medley: Bring A Torch, Jeanette, Isabella / Lo, How A Rose E'er Blooming
Work(s) Medley: Deck The Halls / Christian Men Rejoice / Master's In The Hall / O Tannenbaum
Cantique de Noel for voice & orchestra, "O Holy Night"
The Little Drummer Boy (Carol of the Drum), carol
Work(s) Medley: Coventry Carol / Rise Up Shepherds / God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen / O Little Town Of Bethlehem / O Come Little Children
Work(s) Medley: Ding Dong / While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks By Night / The First Noel / The Friendly Beasts
Work(s) Medley: Silent Night / Adeste Fideles / A Christmas Greeting
Sales:
14 million
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14 million
Peak:
44
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Singles/Hit Songs:
The Little Drummer Boy (12/22/58) #13 US, #13 UK
Notes:
Repackaged in 1963 with new art work and retitled The Little Drummer Boy. This has become the much more popular title. The album has been rereleased multiple times with different covers and packaging.
Awards:
Sing We Now of Christmas (aka ‘The Little Drummer Boy’)
Harry Simeone Chorale
Review:
Harry Simeone “was a distinguished arranger, conductor and composer” (Wikipedia.org) who really made his mark when, in 1958, he “contracted with the 20th Century Fox Label to record a Christmas LP” (Ankeny). He was “introduced to an obscure song titled ‘Carol of the Drum’…[and] recorded the tune as The Little Drummer Boy for his album Sing We Now of Christmas” (Wikipedia.org). The song was “hailed as a modern classic, generating some 150 cover versions and global sales topping 25 million” (Ankeny).
Unfortunately, “this classic traditional Christmas album is harder and harder to find each year. It is on a label rarely-used anymore (Casablanca, originally 20th Century Fox,) features no liner notes or lyrics for sing-a-long caroling. (The cheapo Mistletoe reissue of this album does, however.) No matter; this album remains one of the most reverent, well-sung Christmas programs ever, taking in traditional carols and spirituals (from the hit title song to the beautiful O Holy Night and a Go Tell It on the Mountain that swings!) and weaving them into a near-operatic retelling of the Christmas story. The carolers who come to your door (if they still do) should sound half this good” (Pizza).
14 million
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14 million
