Shirley & Squirrely - Christmas With

To quote from my review / posting of "A Pink Panther Christmas":

I don't particularly like kiddie Christmas albums. I never had them growing up at Christmas time and until last year, I never understood the fascination with them.

"At a Christmas party last year, a friend came up to me who received my annual Christmas compilation and began talking about Christmas music in general.

"He distinctly remembered all the Firestone albums that his mother would play repeatedly at Christmas time and wanted me to locate some of them for him. I reminded him there were around 22 volumes of the Firestone albums but he didn't care.

"'To me, that's Christmas.' he stated matter of factly.

"And there lies the secret of Christmas music. Many of your most intimate, favorite Christmas memories are forever interlinked with the Christmas music you remember as a child. That's why kiddie records like A Merry Monster Christmas and A Cabbage Patch Christmas remain for some as the most precious Christmas music of all time.

Shirley & Squirrely is the only out-and-out kiddie Christmas album I have to offer this season. This entry into the Christmas singing rodental department ranks way below the Chipmunks and the Nutty Squirrels but way above Woody The Woodchuck. The album has a country/western feel to it and you can easily hear the southern twang in the sped-up voices of the singers.

The back cover of this album tells many tales. Recorded in 1976 in Nashville, then released in 1980 on Lakeshore Records of Newport Beach, CA, it lists an address in Schaumburg, IL where you can order additional copies of this album (be still my heart) on LP, cassette, and 8-track!

Somewhere in this great land of ours - either in a shoebox at a local Salvation Army store or a landfill near you - an 8-track of this album exists!

Here it is - click at your own risk:


Shirley & Squirrely - Christmas With


Happy listening...


Capt

Comments

PDMan said…
I seem to remember reading somewhere that there were some singers on the Shirley & Squirrely things you would recognize now. The "Hey Shirley, This Is Squirrely" single (done during the "Convoy" CB radio craze) was a pretty big hit.
12/05/2006 10:46:00 AM
CaptainOT said…
PDMan - Hmmm... "Convoy" was a huge hit in 1976 and this album was recorded in 1976.

It makes me wonder if this is a rerelease and there is an original copy floating around out there.

Any ideas who the singers/players were?


Capt
12/05/2006 07:40:00 PM
PDMan said…
I heard years ago that Janie Fricke was on there - she was just a studio singer at that time. The Shirley and Squirrely stuff was originally released on GRT Records, which was owned by Dick Heard - I think he is also listed as a producer. He is best known in country circles as being the producer of many of the hits of the late Mel Street (who was also on GRT).
12/06/2006 12:37:00 AM
CaptainOT said…
WOW! Janie Fricke is originally from South Whitley, Indiana - about 1/2 hour from my front door!

Going to do a Google on GRT Records and Dick Heard!

Thanks again PD!


Capt
12/06/2006 01:02:00 AM
Anonymous said…
I can harldly believe that someone other than my 12 siblings know who "Shirley , Squirrley, and Melvin" are. I am interested in obtaining a "CD" copy of "Christmas with Shirley & Squirrley(and Melvin, too!). I have the record, but have found no one who has the ability to transfer to a "CD". My kids can harldy belive that music can come from something like a record. They have never seen a real record player. At age 12 they really have no need for those things anymore. Please let me know if you can help me out with this. jfschr@tds.net Thanks much.....farmermom04
12/27/2006 08:34:00 PM
Anonymous said…
click the link where it says "shirley & squirrely" farmermom
12/27/2006 09:44:00 PM
Anonymous said…
This is a REissue of the Original 1976 (GRT) Label album: "Christmas With Shirley & Squirrely (And Melvin Too!)". The Original is GRT #9000 and has a different cover photo. They had a previous album with the earlier 1976 hit [CB Radio craze] single: "Hey Shirley (This Is Squirrely)" on it. It is Titled: "Hey Shirley: The Album", also on GRT (# unknown). In 1981 Excelsior Records issued the album: "Shirley, Squirrely & Melvin - Live" (Excelsior # 88009).
12/13/2007 07:38:00 PM
Unknown said…
I was wondering if you still have the shirley and squirrely christmas songs and if so if I could get a copy of them from you?
you can emial me at debusk@gmail.com

I am in search of shirley and squirrely christmas as I just loved listening to these songs when I was a child and I would like to give my daughter that same experience.

Thank you
12/16/2007 10:52:00 AM
CaptainOT said…
Anon 7:38 - I must admit I'm scared that anyone knows that much on S & S (j/k)! Thanks for the additional discography on Shirley & Squirrely!


Capt
1/02/2008 03:35:00 PM
Anonymous said…
I am taking a trip down memory lane and encountered an old record of Christmas with Shirley and Squirrely. I am hoping someone can help me find this on CD. I would really like to share this particular part of my childhood with my children and record players just don't offer the sound quality that a CD does.

Thanks
2/28/2008 08:44:00 PM
CaptainOT said…
Anon - Keep checking back - Christmas is only a few months away!


Capt
8/20/2008 10:48:00 AM
Marcus said…
i gotta find this album to download....link is broken. any way i can get it from ya?
11/26/2011 02:01:00 PM
David Marriott, Jr. said…
Could you repost this? With the holidays coming up, I'd love to get a copy of this one...
11/30/2011 04:06:00 AM
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