The Spirit of Christmas Past

~ Release by Various Artists (see all versions of this release, 1 available)

Tracklist

1▼CD
#TitleArtistRatingLength
1White Christmas
recorded in:
Los Angeles, California, United States (on 1947-03-19)
choir vocals:
Ken Darby Singers (on 1947-03-19)
lead vocals:
Bing Crosby (on 1947-03-19)
orchestra:
John Scott Trotter and His Orchestra (on 1947-03-19)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
HNH International Ltd. (not for release label use!) and UMG Recordings, Inc. (operational headquarters of Universal Music Group, based in Santa Monica, USA; read annotations)
part of:
Billboard Hot 100: 2026-01-03 (number: 16), Billboard Hot 100: 2025-12-13 (number: 19), Billboard Hot 100: 2025-12-20 (number: 19), Billboard Hot 100: 2025-12-27 (number: 20) and Billboard Hot 100: 2025-12-06 (number: 34)
recording of:
White Christmas (on 1947-03-19)
lyricist and composer:
Irving Berlin (from 1938 until 1940)
publisher:
Copyright Control (not for release label use! this is only for copyrights and publishing relationships), Irving Berlin Music Corp., Williamson Music Company and Irving Berlin Music Company (from 1940 to present)
sub-publisher:
EMI Allans Music Australia Pty Ltd, Irving Berlin Music Ltd., Universal Music Publishing Pty Ltd. (Australian subsidiary of Universal Music Publishing Group), Warner/Chappell Music Ltd. (1996–2019), Warner/Chappell Music, Hong Kong Limited (華納音樂版權香港有限公司, 1995–2019), シンコーミュージック・エンタテイメント (Shinko Music Entertainment Co., Ltd.) and ユニバーサル・ミュージック・パブリッシング Synch事業部 (Universal Music Publishing, Synch Division)
part of:
The 15th Academy Award for Best Original Song (number: 1) and Academy Award for Best Original Song (number: 1942 winner)
Bing Crosby4.23:08
2Savoy Christmas Medley
recorded in:
London (Greater London), England, United Kingdom (on 1930-06-30)
orchestra:
New Mayfair Orchestra (on 1930-06-30)
conductor:
Ray Noble (on 1930-06-30)
New Mayfair Orchestra3:28
3Christmas Carols - Vocal Gems: Intro: Once in Royal David's City / Good King Wenceslas / It Came Upon the Midnight Clear
recorded in:
London (Greater London), England, United Kingdom (in 1934-11)
bell and celesta [celeste]:
[unknown] (Special Purpose Artist – Do not add releases here, if possible.) (in 1934-11)
organ:
Berkeley Mason (in 1934-11)
choir vocals:
London Church Carol Choir (in 1934-11)
arranger:
Berkeley Mason
London Church Carol Choir4:23
4The Santa Claus Express
recorded in:
London (Greater London), England, United Kingdom (on 1935-10-23)
vocals:
Dan Donovan & chorus (Welsh jazz singer) (on 1935-10-23)
orchestra:
BBC Dance Orchestra (on 1935-10-23)
conductor:
Henry Hall (English bandleader) (on 1935-10-23)
BBC Dance Orchestra3:10
5Say It With Carols: Intro: The Mistletoe Bough / Good King Wenceslas / Little Brown Jug / God Rest Ye, Merry Gentleman / Come, Landlord, Fill the Flowing Bowl
recorded in:
London (Greater London), England, United Kingdom (in 1934-10)
solo piano:
Billy Mayerl (English pianist and composer) (in 1934-10)
Billy Mayerl2:41
6Christmas Bells at Eventide
conductor:
Ray Noble
Gracie Fields2:50
7The Fairy on the Christmas Tree
vocals:
The Three Sisters (on 1936-11-29)
orchestra:
BBC Dance Orchestra (on 1936-11-29)
conductor:
Henry Hall (English bandleader) (on 1936-11-29)
BBC Dance Orchestra2:57
8Winter Wonderland
recorded in:
London (Greater London), England, United Kingdom (on 1934-12-28)
vocals:
Alan Kane (on 1934-12-28)
orchestra:
Lew Stone & His Band (on 1934-12-28)
cover recording of:
Winter Wonderland (on 1934-12-28)
lyricist:
Richard B. Smith (wrote lyrics to “Winter Wonderland”)
composer:
Felix Bernard
publisher:
Bregman, Vocco & Conn, Inc., EMI Music (do not use as release label! this is a music publisher), Francis, Day & Hunter, Redwood Music Ltd. (Carlin), Warner Chappell Music Inc., Warner/Chappell Music Australia Pty. Ltd., WB Music Corp. (1929–2019) (until 2019-05-28) and WC Music Corp. (from 2019-05-28 to present)
Lew Stone & His Band2:58
9Santa Claus is Coming to Town
recorded in:
New York, New York, United States (on 1934-10-24)
vocals:
Tom Stacks (on 1934-10-24)
orchestra:
Harry Reser and His Orchestra (on 1934-10-24)
recording of:
Santa Claus Is Coming to Town (on 1934-10-24)
lyricist:
Haven Gillespie (in 1932)
composer:
J. Fred Coots (in 1932)
publisher:
EMI Allans Music Australia Pty Ltd, EMI Feist Catalog Inc., EMI Music Publishing Australia Pty Ltd (not for release label use!), EMI Music Publishing Ltd. (PRS‐affiliated), EMI United Partnership Ltd., Francis, Day & Hunter Ltd., Haven Gillespie Music Publishing, Jobete Music Co., Inc., Leo Feist Ltd, Leo Feist, Inc., SBK United Partnership and The Songwriters Guild
sub-publisher:
フジパシフィックミュージック SBK事業部 (Fujipacific Music SBK Department) and ヤマハミュージックエンタテインメントホールディングス (Yamaha Music Entertainment Holdings, Inc., holding company – do not use as release label)
Harry Reser and His Orchestra2:46
10I'll Walk Alone (Thru Every Christmas)
Dinah Shore2:51
11'Twas the Night Before Christmas
Fred Waring & His Pennsylvanians7:14
12Swingin' Them Jingle Bells
Fats Waller and His Rhythm3:02
13Coventry Carol
recorded in:
London (Greater London), England, United Kingdom (in 1938-10)
organ:
Herbert Dawson (organist) (in 1938-10)
soprano vocals:
Elisabeth Schumann (soprano) (in 1938-10)
recording of:
Coventry Carol (in 1938-10)
lyricist:
Robert Croo (16th-century lyricist of "The Coventry Carol") (in 1534)
composer:
[traditional] (special purpose artist)
part of:
Roud Folk Song Index (number: 19028)
Elisabeth Schumann2:44
14Noël
recorded in:
Paris, Île-de-France, France (in 1932-10)
organ:
Gustave Bret (in 1932-10)
tenor vocals:
Georges Thill (French tenor) (in 1932-10)
conductor:
Armand Bernard (French conductor) (in 1932-10)
Georges Thill4:09
15Sleep, My Saviour, Sleep
recorded in:
London (Greater London), England, United Kingdom (in 1932-10)
bass vocals:
Norman Allin (in 1932-10)
contralto vocals:
Muriel Brunskill (contralto) (in 1932-10)
soprano vocals:
Isobel Baillie (soprano) (in 1932-10)
tenor vocals:
Heddle Nash (tenor) (in 1932-10)
The Celebrity Quartette3:06
16Christmas Message to the Empire 1932
spoken vocals:
H.M. King George V (King of the United Kingdom) (in 1932-12)
recorded at:
Sandringham House in Norfolk, England, United Kingdom (in 1932-12)
H.M. King George V3:08
17The Christmas dinner
Max Miller2:46
18Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
recorded in:
Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States (on 1943-12-04)
producer:
Arthur Freed
vocals:
Judy Garland (on 1943-12-04)
orchestra:
M‐G‐M Studio Orchestra (on 1943-12-04)
conductor:
Georgie Stoll (on 1943-12-04)
recording of:
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (on 1943-12-04)
lyricist:
Ralph Blane (in 1943)
composer:
Hugh Martin (in 1943)
publisher:
EMI April Music Inc., EMI Feist Catalog Inc., EMI Music Publishing (do not use as a release label!), EMI Publishing, EMI United Partnership Ltd., J. Albert & Son, J. Albert & Son Pty. Ltd., Loew’s Incorporated (in 1943, in 1944) and Leo Feist, Inc. (in 1971, in 1972)
sub-publisher:
ヤマハミュージックエンタテインメントホールディングス (Yamaha Music Entertainment Holdings, Inc., holding company – do not use as release label), フジパシフィック音楽出版 SBK事業部 (Fujipacific Music Inc. SBK Division) (until 2014-12-31) and フジパシフィックミュージック SBK事業部 (Fujipacific Music SBK Department) (from 2015-01-01 to present)
part of:
Meet Me in St. Louis (1944 musical film soundtrack)
Judy Garland4.52:50
19Christmas Night In Harlem
Jack Teagarden & Johnny Mercer3:27
20Mary Had a Baby, Yes, Lord
Paul Robeson2:14
21Silent Night, Holy Night
Bing Crosby2:44
22"A Charles Dickens Christmas..."
Bransby Williams & Co.4:40
23Auld Lang Syne
bass-baritone vocals:
Peter Dawson (Australian bass-baritone / songwriter) (in 1930-06)
vocals:
Male Quartet ([unknown], Special Purpose Artist – Do not add releases here, if possible.) (in 1930-06)
orchestra:
New Mayfair Orchestra (in 1930-06)
conductor:
Ray Noble (in 1930-06)
recording of:
Auld Lang Syne (original Scots version, lyrics by Robert Burns) (in 1930-06)
lyricist:
Robert Burns (18th century Scottish poet/lyricist) (in 1788)
composer:
[traditional] (special purpose artist)
publisher:
Songs of Universal, Inc. (BMI)
part of:
Roud Folk Song Index (number: 6294)
Peter Dawson2:58

Credits

Release

manufactured in:England, United Kingdom
printed in:England, United Kingdom
design/illustration:Phil Duffy (visual designer, worked at P.D. Graphics Ltd.)
liner notes:Peter Dempsey (sleeve notes, music researcher) (in 1995)
producer:Peter Dempsey (sleeve notes, music researcher)
compiler:Peter Dempsey (sleeve notes, music researcher)