Help me find this Christmas song!

December 22, 2004 2:30 PM

LongLostChristmasMusicFilter: I am trying as hard as I can to help a friend track down a specific version of this song. Please help. [MI]

The sample I linked to was performed by the Sugar Beats on this album. My friend says that definitely isn't the right version, specifically because "they're all adults in the good version. They'd have to be, to say 'presents nice' in that sultry [female] tone. Hubba hubba!"

I've tried emailing the Sugar Beats to find out more of a history behind the song. I had asked in my email if they knew who wrote the song and who first performed it. Their answers are below. Andrew Gold was their producer.

###Reply 1###

Hi Danny,

"Christmas Tree Song" is a public domain song, meaning that it was written so
long ago that no publishing company controls it. I'm not sure who performed
it originally.

Sorry I couldn't be more helpful.
Rachel
Sugar Beats Ent.

###Reply 2###

We don't know. Our only reference to the song was Andrew Gold's memory. We couldn't track down the earlier recording.

Thanks for writing,

Sherry Kondor

#############

The I wrote their producer, Andrew Gold, who wrote back to me:

###Email Start###
Well, apart from me, obviously...the only version I ever heard was on a record called The Roger Wagner Chorale (I THINK), who's group my mother was in when she was a wee lass of 26 or so....

It was a Xmas record around 1960 or 58? Just guessing. But I remembered liking the song...check it out on the internet..it may be somewhere. I seem to recall the group around a xmas tree or something on the cover.

Andrew
###Email End###

The Roger Wagner name rang some bells with my friend, but I can't find a version of the song with his name attached to it, and that's not for sure, anyway.

While I was searching , I did find this version of Yah das Ist Ein Christmas Tree by Mel Blanc on the Christmas Comedy Classics, Vol. 2 album. That's not it either.

I would really like to find this before Christmas, if possible. Can anyone help?

posted by quasistoic to media & arts (4 comments total)

May not be much help, but here's an ASCAP ACE search result:

CHRISTMAS TREE (Title Code: 330056943)
Writers:
CAVANAUGH DAVE
ROBIN SYDNEY

Performers:
BLANC M


Variations:
YAH DAS IST EIN CHRISTMAS TREE

Publishers/Administrators:
MORLEY MUSIC CO
C/O MPL COMMUNICATIONS INC
41 WEST 54TH STREET
NEW YORK , NY, 10019
Tel. [phone]
posted by icontemplate at 3:18 PM on December 22, 2004

BMI has a different search result, but I can't tell if it's the Christmas Tree Song you're looking for. It does have contact info for some of the publishers.
posted by icontemplate at 3:29 PM on December 22, 2004

Okay, I've called and left a message for Dave Bogart (who handles copyright issues) of MPL Communications, Inc., the parent company of Morley Music Co.

I was told to call back on Monday (after Christmas, of course) to get in touch with Thomas Boyles, so that I can find out about obtaining a copy of the Charles Masters version. When I called Gerald Clayton, some irate woman hung up on me.

I think if either of those leads produce anything, it will be the BMI one. Thank you again, by the way.
posted by quasistoic at 3:52 PM on December 22, 2004

The tune seems very similar to an old German (or German-American) folk song called "Schnitzelbank." (The Animaniacs did a version of it, though I first heard it on a souvenir 45 from Mader's German Restaurant in Milwaukee.)
posted by Vidiot at 9:02 PM on December 22, 2004