Between 1961 and 1970, households across America delighted in an annual series of Christmas releases available exclusively through Goodyear locations. 900,000 copies of the first volume of The Great Songs of Christmas were pressed" and proved so successful that, by December 1, 1961, Goodyear ordered all advertising to stop as the album had already sold out! The following year's order was for 1.5 million albums, and 2 million the year after that. These high-quality albums not only featured the day's top artists but frequently presented songs and versions unavailable anywhere else. Now, Real Gone Music and Second Disc Records are proud to present the first new volume of The Great Songs of Christmas in nearly 50 years bringing many of those rare songs together. The Great Songs of Christmas: Classic Carols and Pop Favorites presents 20 selections (all but one never before on CD or found here in a new-to-CD edit!) primarily drawn from the original, long out-of-print LPs including special Great Songs versions of favorites from artists such as Johnny Mathis, Ray Conniff, Percy Faith, and Andre Kostelanetz; and rarities from Andre Previn, The Harry Simeone Chorale, Mahalia Jackson, and Robert Goulet and Carol Lawrence. As a special bonus, this new volume includes selections from the W.T. Grant's series of custom Christmas albums including never-on-CD songs from 60s rock titans Mark Lindsay (of Paul Revere and The Raiders) and Gary Puckett! The Second Disc's Joe Marchese has provided track-by-track liner notes for this deluxe package, which has been remastered by Vic Anesini at Sony's Battery Studios. The Great Songs of Christmas: Classic Carols and Pop Favorites promises to become a part of your family's annual Christmas tradition just like it was the first time around back in the 60s it's our most collectible holiday release yet! 1. O Come All Ye Faithful/Gesu Bambino (Edit) – Percy Faith 2. Ring Christmas Bells/The First Noel/We Wish You A Merry Christmas (Edit) – Frank DeVol & The Rainbow Strings 3. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen – Andre Previn 4. The Holly and the Ivy/We Wish You A Merry Christmas – Andre Previn 5. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing – Andre Previn 6. It Came Upon A Midnight Clear (Edit) – Andre Kostelanetz 7. The Christmas Song (Edit) – Johnny Mathis 8. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (Edit) – Ray Conniff 9. We Wish You A Merry Christmas (Edit) – Ray Conniff 10. Away in the Manger – Mahalia Jackson with Percy Faith’s Orchestra 11. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer – The Harry Simeone Chorale 12. Christmas Is – The Harry Simeone Chorale 13. The Christmas Waltz – Robert Goulet and Carol Lawrence 14. We Need a Little Christmas – Skitch Henderson 15. Christmas Medley – Peter Nero 16. O Holy Night – Gary Puckett 17. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear – Gary Puckett 18. What Child Is This – Mark Lindsay 19. O Little Town of Bethlehem – Mark Lindsay 20. Silent Night – Mark Lindsay
