A Tony Martin Christmas

The great singer Tony Martin did not record many Christmas records, but most of the ones he did make are unusual in their interest.

For this post - suggested by reader musicman1979 - we go back almost to the beginning of Martin's career, and continue to 1956. There are seven selections in all. They are from my collection and that of Christmas music maven Ernie Haynes, whom I thank once again.

In 1941, the Decca label had Tony record two songs by classical composers that are remarkably fine and almost unknown today. Neither were written for popular singers, but even so Martin was fully up to the challenges they present. 

"Christmas Candle" is by American composer-pianist Eleanor Remick Warren, setting a circa 1920 poem by Kate Louise Brown. The poetry is dated, but the song nonetheless is effective in Tony's committed performance.

The other side of the 78 is just as interesting. It is "Nazareth" by the 19th century French composer Charles Gounod, here with English words by Henry F. Chorley and presumably an arrangement by bandleader David Rose. This is a gorgeous melody that is seldom heard today. The vocalist again is fully engaged.

In 1947, Tony's holiday offering was much more relaxed and far better known today - the new "Christmas Song" from Mel Tormé and Robert Wells. Martin's genial performance, backed by Earle Hagen, is just right.

Moving ahead to 1954, Tony contributed a version of "Silent Night" to RCA Victor's Christmas LP To Wish You a Merry Christmas. I haven't found a singles release for this performance. For this number and all succeeding items, Henri René was the conductor. The complete Victor LP is available on my other blog, newly remastered. (It is at the end of a post devoted to the Voices of Walter Schumann.)

RCA's 1955 Christmas lineup - click to enlarge

In 1955, Victor had Tony record two new and very lively songs by famed songwriters. "Christmas in America" is just the kind of material that lyricist Sammy Cahn did well, here aided by a skillful Hal Borne melody.

Paul Francis Webster and Ben Oakland contributed "Christmas in Rio," a fun number that makes a apt companion for the Cahn-Borne song. Neither became standards, but they are well worth your time.

I hate to end on a somber note, but these numbers are presented in chronological order. The final song is the plaintive "Lonely Winter," a 1956 piece by Aaron Schroeder and Ben Weisman. It demonstrates one more aspect of Martin's versatility as a singer - from classics to torch songs, he did it all.

Thanks again to Ernie for the assistance and to musicman1979 for the idea!

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Tony Martin

Today, another memorial to a fine singer, Tony Martin, who died July 25 at age 98. We have two singles for you, one from very early in his career, the other when he was achieving some success as a recording artist.

The latter first: it is a version of "Body and Soul" released by Mercury in 1947 to coincide with the John Garfield boxing noir of the same name. It came encased in the beautiful 78 picture sleeve at right. The flip is "As Time Goes By," and the backing is by Earle Hagen, who later scored many American television shows.

Martin made a couple dozen records for Mercury in 1946 and 1947 before moving on. Earlier, he had worked for Decca and before that Brunswick, where he recorded a few sides in late 1936 and early 1938. Thankfully, Martin's mannerism of using a sudden pianissimo on high or climactic notes had not yet taken hold on these earlier recordings. They were made in Los Angeles, where Martin had begun to appear in films, marrying fellow singing actor Alice Faye in 1937.

This particular Brunswick single was issued under the name of English bandleader Ray Noble, who came to the US in 1935 to form a new band, and, like Martin, to seek Hollywood fame. Noble and Martin both appeared in Astaire-Rogers films, although not the same one. Martin was in 1936's "Follow the Fleet" and Noble was in "A Damsel in Distress" the next year. To make the circle complete, the latter film featured Burns and Allen, and Martin was the vocalist on their radio show.

The main attraction here is the first recording of one of Noble's best songs, "I Hadn't Anyone 'Till You," which sold very well. The flip is "The Moon of Manakoora," a movie song by Frank Loesser and Alfred Newman that also achieved some popularity.

The record is a good chance to hear Noble's American band. The sound is typically elegant, but must have seemed very dated even 10 years later. I haven't been able to locate the personnel for this particular date but he recorded a few days later with the following line-up: Jim Davison, George Connell, Frank Barnard (tp) George Guerette, Jack Madden (tb) Herb Mason (cl,bcl,as,fl) Ted Davison, Howard Campbell (cl,ts) Vern Kahanen (as) Johnny Burt (p) Red McGarvey (g) Cliff Timms, Cliff Cadman, Jack Neilson (vln) Joe Niosi (b) Bill Harty (d) Reefe McGarvey (tymp).

Although he is not celebrated as an important vocalist, Martin's virile yet romantic approach was ahead of its time and he ought to be seen as an influence on better remembered singers such as Dean Martin and the many other straightforward baritones who appeared in the postwar era.

FYI - My other blog  (Big 10-Inch Record) has two Tony Martin posts. I have newly reuploaded his Mercury LP, "Dreamland Rendezvous", and he also appears with Kathryn Grayson in a recording of "The Desert Song".