Dick Fry recorded “It’s Christmastime” on the studio Hammond organ of radio station CHNS , in Halifax, N.S. , circa 1948.
It’s Christmastime: Written by Johnny Moore. Having been born December 1st, this was always his favorite time of the year … and, as we approach his 101st birthday, … it still is.
One day in November, in 1947, he came home from work with the lyrics of this song written (in 15 minutes, he told me the other day) on some scrap paper … and he was no sooner in the house than he was playing the chords of the basic melody which, at that time, had no verse. Sometime in 1948, he had a friend, who could read and write music, … score the song for him. Like many of the best musicians/song writers, he is self taught and plays by ear. For many years, he and his younger brothers, Harold and Alan, were fixtures in the 30’s on “Uncle Mel’s Talent Show” that ran every
Saturday afternoon on the old C.H.N.S. (960 am) radio station in Halifax, N.S., until the early 50’s.
So, it wasn’t a problem when he asked Richard “Dick” Fry to play the song … and for the station's chief engineer, ... Cecil Landry to record the event on one of those old 16 inch metal transcription disks that same year. This then, was the first iteration of the song, done in one take, by Dick Fry on the old studio Hammond at CHNS.
I did my best to clean up the audio but there’s only so much you can do with the scratches that are in the grooves of the record … put there by various people who borrowed it, and didn’t realize, until it was damaged, that it plays from the inside out (like today’s CD’s) … so, I guess it was ahead of its time.
Back in 1949-50, the song was beautifully performed by the young ladies of the Dartmouth Girls Chorus, I believe, and the arrangement by their choral conductor was the subject of an article in the old Chronicle Herald … a big hit in those days.
I found another old tape of this song, …sung by the Moore family … with the verse, that is at least 45 years old and this is up on You Tube as well … for those of you , who, … in the past, have asked if there were lyrics to dad’s songs.
This Christmas song is as good as any of the best … with lots of harmonies and room for interpretation … so, if you see this, Mr. Benedetto, we would love to hear your arrangement.
Hear the updated version of this song :
• It’s Christmastime ......
Негізгі бет It’s Christmastime ... Dick Fry in 1948 @ C.H.N.S. radio in Halifax , Nova Scotia
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