Beware of abridged "John Denver & Muppets" Xmas CD!!

[DarthGonzo]

I recently discovered that an abridged (or shortened) version of the "John Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas Together" CD has apparently just been released. It lacks two songs that were once on the older CD: "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" by Denver and Rowlf and "Little Saint Nick" by the Electric Mayhem. Why these two songs are gone is beyond me, but there are two easy ways to spot this CD without reading the song list. The new CD has a clear spine and there's a photo on the back cover. The old CD had a black spine and there were no pictures on the back cover.

Be wary if you find this in stores. I spotted it at Best Buy.

[frogboy4]

Those are my two favorite songs on the whole album! That's strange!

[Janice & Mokey's Man]

Those were 2 of MY favorites, too!!

:mad:

My woman got shafted---somebody stand back!!

:mad:

[Crazy Harry]

Originally posted by Janice & Mokey's Man
My woman got shafted
Hmmm... I wonder how I could turn this into a dirty joke.

[frogboy4]

It's probably another case of Grinchy licensors. And this is Christmas music for Pete's sake. I am sure those receiving money for the songs didn't even write them. Those are a couple of songs not written by John, right?

[Janice & Mokey's Man]

Originally posted by frogboy4
Those are a couple of songs not written by John, right?

Right.

But neither were "Silent Night", "12 Days", and "We Wish"! ARRGH!

(and probably more, but I'm too tired to think much...)

[Zack the Dog]

the beach boys sing a little saint nick, but it's not their song is it?


gees these are my two favorte songs too! lets just be glad if you already have the cd. i know i am!



as Sal the Monkey would say "ahh, the jerks!"

Zack,

[frogboy4]

Yeah, they probably only had the budget to pay for a few of the songs. They probably found 12 Days. Silent Night and Deck the Halls more traditional than St Nick and Merry Little Christmas. Since the Muppet Show and this special aired, licensing fees have become much more expensive. That's why so many top artist are selling out and providing current hits for car and fast food commercials. :( tacky if you ask me, but if I were in that position - well, who could turn down that kind of money?

[Janice & Mokey's Man]

Originally posted by Crazy Harry
Hmmm... I wonder how I could turn this into a dirty joke.

:eek:

CHRIS!

:o

[anathema]

This version's been around for at least a year - my copy's dated 2001. It's also missing 'When The River Meets The Sea'. Apart from this, it's too all intents and purposes the same release - same catalog number and everything.

'Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas' is probably missing due to the same rights issue that got it excised from MFC. Dunno about the others, but the omission of the Paul Williams-penned song is very odd, all things considered!

It's still entirely possible to pick up the complete release on eBay for about the same as you'd pay in the shops, just be careful: sometimes the sellers don't realise that it's the shorter version they've got...

[MahnaMahna]

Originally posted by Janice & Mokey's Man
Right.

But neither were "Silent Night", "12 Days", and "We Wish"! ARRGH!

(and probably more, but I'm too tired to think much...)

Those are old enough that they are probably in the public domain - which means anyone can use them without paying royalties.

Mark

[Phillip Chapman]

Actually, there are three different pressings of this album on CD.

The hardest-to-find was done in 1988 by Windstar/Allegiance Records. Then Laserlight Records reissued a full version of the album, and the shorter version that everyone is talking about came out a couple years ago.

I have an extra of the original Laserlight release if anyone is looking for the complete CD.

[Crazy Harry]

Originally posted by Janice & Mokey's Man
CHRIS!
Yes?

[uncleduke]

I picked up the Laserlight version at a local Grocery store last week, It is catalog #12761 and it DOES have both of those songs on it.
It was a FRYS grocery store, which is owned by Krogers.

[Drtooth]

I saw it at Fileines or somewhere to that extent. I HAD IT, but it fell down the stairs and got all scratched. Crap! It was one of the first CD's I got too!

[towels]

It still could be a licensing issue. I imagine Silent Night, 12 days, etc. may have passed into public domain, while a Beach Boys song wouldn't have yet...

[Ol' Brown Ears]

I got stuck with that copy of the CD:mad:

[Bean Bunnysan]

If you sreach the internet you find them on other sites. But its sad they left those songs off:(

[Stryder Wolfe]

that's crazy. Those are the 2 best songs on the album, for sure...

oh well, I got a copy years ago at a gas station (of all places!!) on the way to my parents on christmas eve...I thought it was pretty fitting...it's got all the songs...was listening to little st nick this morning while I brushed my teeth as a matter of fact..

[jeremyactor]

Say, does the new copy of the CD still have the Steve's name misspelled? On my copy from 1990, it's credited as STVE WHITMIRE.

Jeremy

[SillyRed]

You can hear those missing songs on Muppet Central radio during the Christmas season!