1953- "Just A Lonely Christmas"

.....Today I wanted to take a sample from a rich post-war burst of original Christmas pop music.

.....The Moonglows were a doo-wop group that grew out of a vocalese act. (In vocalese the members of the act would imitate musical instruments using only their voices. Unless you're Bobby McFerrin or The Bobs, the results are at best a short-lived novelty concept.) Another musician brought them to the attention of DJ Alan Freed, who invited them to use his radio station's studio's to record a single, released on Freed's Champagne label.

.....At about this time, Art Sheridan of Chicago's Chance Records was in the Ohio area looking to establish a new distribution company and found himself working with Alan Freed's brother, Dave. The association led to The Moonglows signing to Chance in the fall of 1953 in order to reach a wider audience. Since their name was originally coined as a variant on Alan's nickname, 'The Moondog', Alan sat in on their writing sessions and often got writing credits regardless of of his actual contributions (as evidenced by the label image above, from the collection of Victor Pearlin).

[A moment here to acknowledge that the image of the label and the majority of the recording information here was obtained from the excellent Chance Label page of the Red Saunders Research Foundation at Clemson University. Google it. And bring a sandwich; you're gonna be there a while.]

• 02:26 "JUST A LONELY CHRISTMAS" (Harvey Fuqua)
• 02:23 b/w "HEY, SANTA CLAUS" (Harvey Fuqua)
• performed by The Moonglows
• original source: 7" Chance CH-1150 (US) November 1953
• and my source: CD ROCKIN' LITTLE CHRISTMAS MCA Records MCAD-25084 (US) 1986

[I should also point out that before being consumed by Universal Music (UNI) MCA Records was notorious for falsifying copyright dates on its products, among other information. It is almost certain that the release date for the CD was at least two years after 1986, which is probably the release date of the vinyl counterpart.]

.....In later years The Moonglows would fall into the pattern of many doo-wop groups, having numerous changes in line-ups, but their membership was unusually stable during the 1950's:

• Bobby Lester (B-side lead vocal)
• Alexander "Pete" Graves (replacing Danny Coggins before the group recorded)
• Harvey Fuqua (A-side lead vocal)
• Prentiss Barnes

.....Their first session for Chance was on September 27, 1953 at the Universal Recording Corporation Studios. The producer isn't listed on any of the zillions of compilations these songs appear on, but it was likely label founder Art Sheridan rather than his partner Ewart Abner. Four songs were recorded, two of which were released as a single in October. The other two made this single. The "orchestra" was provided by the label:

• Red Holloway on Tenor Sax
• Louis Carpenter on Piano
• Hawk Lee on Bass
• Robert Henderson on Drums

.....The Moonglows kept plugging along to little reward when the label folded a year later. Sheridan went into real estate, Abner went to the Vee-Jay label and the Moonglows went to the Chess label, where they hit instantly with "SINCERELY" and went on to fame nationally. They never lost their association with Freed and appeared in his first "Rock 'N' Roll Christmas Spectacular" concert in 1958, but split shortly afterwards. By that time they had long been in the habit of recording side projects and Fuqua briefly formed a new Moonglows with Marvin Gaye. It was about that time Fuqua married into Berry Gordy's family and perhaps inevitably he and Gaye both went to work at the Motown group of labels.

.....One word of warning to collectors: "Pete" Graves also formed a Moonglows group, albeit in 1964, and rerecorded "JUST A LONELY CHRISTMAS" other doo-wop veterans Doc Green, George Thorpe and Bearle Easton. It was released on 7" Last Nite 275 (US) 1964?1965? and b/w "BABY, PLEASE".

.....The original pair has been reissued countless times, both together and separately. Another seven-inch pressing from the mid-1970's actually has the catalog number Mello 69 and may or may not be a rerecording, seeing as how the group reunited in 1972. Other recommended sources include

.....VA LP ROCKIN' CHRISTMAS THE 50'S Rhino Records RNLP 066 (US) 1984

.....VA CD BLUE CHRISTMAS Blue Moon BMCD 5003 (US) 1994

.....Ever spy them together yourself? Mention where in the comments.