Motown Christmas Cuts

[RanRan79]

I love how some of you are able to pretty much keep up with everything that comes out of Motown. I am not that person. Would love to be, but I'm just not that dedicated, so kudos to those of you who are.

So here's what I know about Motown and Christmas music during the 60s and 70s:

Supremes Christmas album
Stevie Christmas album
Tempts 1st Christmas album
Miracles two Christmas albums
J5 Christmas album
Kim Weston "Wish You a Merry Christmas"
Twistin' Kings "Christmas Twist"
Marvin's "Purple Snowflakes", "I Want To Come Home For Christmas", "Christmas In the City"
Funk Bros "Winter Wonderland" [[meant for the Tempts)

This is off the top of my head. Am I missing anything? Other than some unearthing vocals from the Supremes' Christmas sessions and "Little Christmas Tree" by MJ, has there been any additional cuts released in recent years I may have missed? Anyone know of any Christmas music still in the vault?

Thanks in advance!!

[reese]

Diana Ross did a nice version of THIS CHRISTMAS in the 70s. It was initially released in the 90s on the CHRISTMAS IN THE CITY compilation but can now be found on the DIANA ROSS [[1976) expanded edition.

[RanRan79]

Diana Ross did a nice version of THIS CHRISTMAS in the 70s. It was initially released in the 90s on the CHRISTMAS IN THE CITY compilation but can now be found on the DIANA ROSS [[1976) expanded edition.

Duh! How could I forget that one? Thanks Reese? A shame that Diana never recorded [[far as we know) a Christmas album. I also have my fingers crossed that Martha and the Vandellas recorded a tune or two. I think Marvin's Christmas album would have been fantastic.

[jbpintus]

I’m not home right now so this is just from memory. I might miss a couple. But here are the cds you need to get the best version of each available Motown Christmas record.


THE MIRACLES
Christmas with the Miracles
The Season for Miracles
Our very best season [[has stereo tracks for 2/3 of the first album plus remastered tracks from most of second one - some tracks are only on the original cds so you need them too)

THE SUPREMES
Ultimate Merry Christmas 2 cds from Real Gone music. Has a lots of alternates, mono and stereo mixes and bonus tracks.
You may need THE NEVER BEFORE RELEASED MASTERS cd on the Suprmes for a couple of mixes but I’m not sure 100%.

STEVIE WONDER
20th century masters [[remasters everything including the b side and the outtake)

TEMPTATIONS
Christmas Card
Give Love at Christmas
Best of Temptations Christmas [[2001 cdi think, some tracks remastered and an outtake)

J5
Christmas Album [[for the unedited intro of « Up on the House Top »
Ultimate Christmas Collection [[remastered and bonus tracks)

FOUR TOPS
Christmas Here With You

BOYS II MEN
Christmas Interpretations

Plus a handful of various artists cds - tracks often overlap from one release to the other but there are still things exclusive to each one :
Christmas in the City
A Motown Christmas Carol [[Japanese cd)
A Motown Christmas Vol.2
The Ultimate Motown Christmas Collection
The Motown Christmas Album [[1986? With Smokey, shanice or temptations exclusive new tracks)
The 1977 ep with Christmas messages as Stevie’s are not all on cd. This included a Christmas version of Where did our love go by Stevie! Available as a download as part of Stevie’s “Additional singles and rarities” set, along other Christmas rarities by Stevie.
Stevie’s new version of “Someday at Christmas”

And not Motown but great Christmas albums by solo Diana Ross and Lionel Richie

I hope I haven’t forgotten too many.

JB

[jbpintus]

1996 for the Motown Christmas album probably not 86.
And check out Diana’s THE VERY BEST SEASON cd.

[jbpintus]

And we still miss the mono reissues of original cds which is a crying shame.
Free mono lps from the vaults!

Stevie’s SOMEDAY AT CHRISTMAS, as nearly all of his 60s albums, deserves the cd mono treatment. Same with all of mono albums not available on cd by Marvin, Smokey, Temps, Tops….

There’s a market there. Some of us NEED the mono releases
Pleeeaaase….

A dedicated thread should be open btw.
Anyone who agrees, feel free to do it before I come back home tonight
;-)

[calvin]

Not Motown but deserves a mention - Gladys Knight & The Pips did a couple:

Bless This House [re-issued on cd as "The Christmas Album"]
https://www.discogs.com/Gladys-Knight-The-Pips-Bless-This-House/release/1707828
https://www.discogs.com/Gladys-Knight-The-Pips-The-Christmas-Album/release/6992890

That Special Time of Year
https://www.discogs.com/Gladys-Knight-The-Pips-That-Special-Time-Of-Year/release/3672991

[SatansBlues]

I seem to recall a few years back that Harry W. made mention that there were a few Christmas tracks from the 60's. He didn't mention which artists.

[calvin]

There was also a Christmas cd in that series of Motown Karaoke cds. No new songs, but like the others in that series you can hear instrumental [or instrumental with backing vocals] versions of the songs, or hear the isolated lead vocals.

https://www.discogs.com/Various-Motown-Original-Artist-Karaoke-Motown-Christmas-Classics-Vol-18/release/13325907

[RanRan79]

Thanks for the info gang! I have some of the stuff mentioned from the 80s and 90s, including Diana's Christmas album. Also have the GK and Pips Christmas album. All good stuff.

Gotta find this Christmas "Where Did Our Love Go". Love me some Stevie.

[calvin]

In addition to "A Very Special Season" [1994] mentioned above:
https://www.discogs.com/Diana-Ross-A-Very-Special-Season/release/3263012

there was also, from Diana Ross:

1993 - Christmas in Vienna [with Plácido Domingo and José Carreras], on Sony
https://www.discogs.com/Pl%C3%A1cido-Domingo-Diana-Ross-Jos%C3%A9-Carreras-Christmas-In-Vienna/master/406962

1994 - Making Spirits Bright, on Hallmark [the US greeting card company, not the UK public domain label]:
https://www.discogs.com/Diana-Ross-Featuring-The-Modern-Jazz-QuartetKings-SingersLondon-Symphony-Orchestra-Making-Spirits-Br/master/1064971

I picked up used copies of these three cds on Amazon some years ago for just a few p plus postage each. They're probably still easy/cheap to buy if anyone is interested.

[benross]

Won't Be Long Before Christmas, recorded for the Disney Classics album, is available on The Never-Before-Released Masters by Diana Ross & The Supremes.

Little Miss Loser is on the group's There's A Place For Us album.