Search - Bobby Helms :: Jingle Bell

Not the original recordings - but not bad.

randysrodeo.com | Austin, Texas | 02/10/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"As of this writing, Amazon lists the release date for this album as 1956. Well, Bobby Helms recorded the original "Jingle Bell Rock" hit single for Decca Records in 1957 (b/w "Captain Santa Claus"), and he released another version on Kapp Records in 1965 (b/w "The Bell That Couldn't Jingle"). But, he never recorded a Christmas album for either of those labels.



These recordings were made in 1967 for the short-lived Little Darlin' label. They're not bad at all - definitely more country-sounding than his earlier records (e.g. 'Fraulein') - but be aware that they do not include the original version of 'Jingle Bell Rock.'



Other than yet another 'Jingle Bell Rock' single in 1967 (b/w 'I Want To Go To Santa Claus Land'), Little Darlin' never released these recordings. However, the tracks have been issued repeatedly by other (mostly budget) labels, most notably as 'A Little Darlin' Christmas' (Koch, 2004). Virtually every Christmas album bearing Helms' name (Amazon lists more than a dozen) consists of the Little Darlin' sessions. This release is a digital-only version (with new cover) of those tracks."