tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9650669.post7795509614873265511..comments2024-02-02T10:10:56.179-05:00Comments on A Christmas Yuleblog: Bill Huot's 2004 - 2005 - 2006 SamplersCaptainOThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12030675074503708747noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9650669.post-89583149138482275172007-03-12T23:17:00.000-04:002007-03-12T23:17:00.000-04:00Captain, it looks like Dave Chesler leaves both of...Captain, it looks like Dave Chesler leaves both of us trailing behind in his dust. 1200 CDs and 300-400 other albums and singles! And he's only interested in Christmas music! Wow!<BR/><BR/>BillAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9650669.post-18898582290044786632007-03-11T13:41:00.000-04:002007-03-11T13:41:00.000-04:00Jaci G - Thanks for the comment. It's nice to hea...Jaci G - Thanks for the comment. It's nice to hear from someone other than myself who received their comp give their opinion of it.<BR/><BR/>Bill - Thanks for all the supplemental info! Until this year, I thought my passion for Christmas music was unsurpassed. <BR/><BR/>I stand corrected!<BR/><BR/><BR/>CaptCaptainOThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12030675074503708747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9650669.post-64085038831352600352007-03-11T04:06:00.000-04:002007-03-11T04:06:00.000-04:00Captain, here are some comments supplemental to s...Captain, here are some comments supplemental to some of your comments (and to the info in my liner notes):<BR/><BR/>3.) This is not my favourite song from this Wilf Carter album, but I had already used his wonderful yodeling version of Silver Bells on my 2001 Sampler.<BR/><BR/>4.) Ditto here. Leadbelly's version is on my 1997 Sampler.<BR/><BR/>5.) Actually, this is from a different album with the same name that was also by the Seeger family but recorded for Folkways Records 22 years earlier. The re-use of the title is not lack of imagination: both albums are intended to be companions to the classic song collection that Ruth Crawford Seeger (their mother) published in 1953.<BR/><BR/>7) Thanks, Captain. I didn't know that there were two Ray Charleses. Not exactly clones, are they?<BR/><BR/>9.) Did you notice the trick to this round? Elves - are - short.<BR/><BR/>12-16.) In the context of the sampler's structure, these songs are the bedtime story and lullabies. Truth be told, a scary bedtime story should come before the lullabies and the gentle music box should be last, but that sequence did not sound as good as this. <BR/><BR/>16-20.) These songs are the dream sequence in which children bring peace to the world. "Peace on Earth" has a long history as a Christmas sentiment. Depending upon one's definition, It Came Upon a Midnight Clear might not be a Christmas song either. <BR/><BR/>23.) Not Christmas?! Then, neither is Frosty the Snowman! Nor Jingle Bells (which is all about street racing and picking up loose women.)<BR/><BR/>24.) I agree about the going on too long. I am quite willing to shorten songs for my samplers if it works better musically that way. But as with The Mistletoe Bough (which is almost 5 minutes long), this is a story ballad. I considered dropping a couple of verses from this one but I didn't want to sacrifice story for brevity.<BR/><BR/>27.) Based on the style of the rest of the album I don't think that they were drunk. I suspect that this was recorded near the end of a long studio session. In any event, I don't know how many times I heard this selection while compiling the album (easily at least 30 times) but it still never fails to bring a big smile to my face.<BR/><BR/>29.) My daughter Gillian met these guys at a folk music festival and traded a bottle of her homemade wine for their CD.<BR/><BR/>31.) The LaserLight CD includes this one, but there are three songs from the old RCA vinyl that are not on it. And they are good 'uns -- Rolf and John Denver singing Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Robin and John's When the River Meets the Sea, and Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem's great version of Little St. Nick.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9650669.post-69958173660241881932007-03-11T00:23:00.000-05:002007-03-11T00:23:00.000-05:00I am a fortunate recipient of Bill’s Samplers each...I am a fortunate recipient of Bill’s Samplers each year. The anticipation of waiting for this treat to come in the mail has become a part of our family’s holiday traditions. First thing the new CD goes on my I-Tunes. For the whole holiday season I have the choices of whole albums, current and previous years, or my own favorites pulled into a play list. As much as I like the often played versions of Christmas songs I find that before Christmas even comes I have over indulged. With Bill’s songs there is such variety that I am still happily listening well into January.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9650669.post-29398559186898305572007-03-10T14:34:00.000-05:002007-03-10T14:34:00.000-05:00Thank you, Captain, for the very kind review. I w...Thank you, Captain, for the very kind review. I was curious what you would make of my samplers since they are so different in style and intention than those that you and most of your readers compile. Based upon the answers to your interview questions, we all aim to entertain friends, relatives and colleagues with the forgotten gems from our rich heritage of Christmas music. But while most people's comps appear designed to accompany festive celebration: mine are more for active listening and quiet contemplation. <BR/><BR/>I was therefore not surprised that you were unable to find a frame of reference to review my two most recent comps -- especially the 2005 Solstice Sampler which is very purposefully not a Christmas album. But my 2004 children's-album-for-grownups is closer in spirit to the other comps that you have received, and I am pleased that you enjoyed it. <BR/><BR/>Most of my friends and relatives appreciate the products of my efforts but they cannot understand why anyone would put so much time and energy into Christmas music. Your blog site, and the sites you link to and the comps you review, help me to know that I am not alone in this strange specialty. (I suppose that means that I might still be strange, but I am not alone.)<BR/><BR/>I really enjoy introducing people to unfamiliar musical genres such as folk, folklore and historical re-creation of early music. Many/most of the selections on my samplers come from relatively new albums that are still commercially available. For that reason, I do not think it is appropriate for me to make my comps available through posting. However, I would be pleased to trade comps with other Christmas music enthusiasts, or to send my samplers to those who have shared theirs with me online. If anyone would like to trade, my e-mail address is in the liner notes that the Captain has posted.<BR/><BR/>BillAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com