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Brian W.
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| Posted: 01 November 2012 at 7:01pm | IP Logged
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Okay, gang, I'm trying to find out whether the 1970 45 of Feliz Navidad (which was RCA 74-0404, not the later pressing with a different catalog number) was mono or stereo. I believe the B-side was "The Little Drummer Boy." I'm not seeing ANY copies online that are not promos, and apparently some of the import versions had the same catalog number, so it's hard to tell.
But it did chart in Cash Box at #71 in 1970, so I know it must have been a commercial single in the US. If anyone owns that original 45, maybe they can chime in here.
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aaronk
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| Posted: 01 November 2012 at 8:14pm | IP Logged
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Here's a picture of one that clearly says "STEREO" on the label: http://www.classic45s.com/product_info.php?products_id=28206 &cPath=
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Yah Shure
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| Posted: 01 November 2012 at 9:19pm | IP Logged
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The record in that link appears to be legit, although the sleeve is not a correct match (more on that below.) I don't have an original 1970 U.S. stock copy, but there's no reason to believe it would have been in anything other than stereo, as was its corresponding DJ 45.
Even if RCA 74-0404 did manage to remain in print beyond its initial 1970 appearance, its RCA factory sleeve would have differed in subsequent years. The 1970 "Feliz"/"Little Drummer Boy" DJ 45 came in this factory sleeve. By the following Christmas ('71) the RCA factory sleeve had already changed to the white-based multicolor cartoon design with the clouds, flowers and rainbow.
The sleeve shown in the link Aaron posted above is not correct for any 74-0404 issue, as that design did not appear until April-May of 1974. "Feliz Navidad" and its original B-side had already been reissued on the red label RCA Gold Standard series by Christmas of '73.
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Brian W.
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| Posted: 01 November 2012 at 11:22pm | IP Logged
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Yah Shure wrote:
I don't have an original 1970 U.S. stock copy, but there's no reason to believe it would have been in anything other than stereo, as was its corresponding DJ 45.
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Here's a mono promo:
Feliz Navidad mono promo
It's possible the factory sleeve is not original.
Edited by Brian W. on 01 November 2012 at 11:31pm
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Brian W.
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| Posted: 01 November 2012 at 11:30pm | IP Logged
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aaronk wrote:
| Here's a picture of one that clearly says "STEREO" on the label: http://www.classic45s.com/product_info.php?products_id=28206 &cPath= |
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Aha. First photo I've seen of a 1970 commercial pressing. (And it must be rare, because the owner of the site has a note that in eight years that's the first copy he's come across.)
The catalog number referenced in the ad is for the reissue, but the label number in the photo is the original isue number. (It also says it's out of stock.)
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Yah Shure
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| Posted: 02 November 2012 at 6:57am | IP Logged
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It's more likely that the mono DJ 45 was a 1971 reservice, retaining the original catalog number. Someone had referenced this as a "1971" issue on Discogs, but did not provide any label scans: discogs.com/Jose-Feliciano-Feliz-Navidad/release/3751015. I can confirm that my 1970 DJ 45 is in stereo.
The scarcity of 74-0404 stock copies is a pretty good indication that Billboard's non-charting status is an accurate reflection of the single's lack of significant sales in 1970. Seems strange, considering the amount of airplay it received at the time (at least in the Twin Cities.) Was RCA content to let the single's airplay drive sales of the Jose Feliciano LP at the expense of the 45? Was there a pressing plant strike which may have affected stock 45 availability? Questions, questions...
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AndrewChouffi
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| Posted: 02 November 2012 at 7:53am | IP Logged
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To Yah Shure:
Oftentimes Billboard didn't chart Christmas releases on their Hot 100; sometimes they did.
I've never been able to completely figure that out. It would sometimes depend on if there was a contemporaneous Christmas chart, other times it would depend on the current Chart Manager.
Sometimes it would depend on if the record label really wanted it to be the 'current single'. For example Eagles "Please Come Home For Christmas" charted on the Hot 100 while Elton John's "Step Into Christmas" didn't.
Does anyone else have any insight or conjecture?
Andy
Edited by AndrewChouffi on 02 November 2012 at 7:53am
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Yah Shure
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| Posted: 02 November 2012 at 8:27am | IP Logged
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Andy, I was specifically referring to "Feliz Navidad," which failed to show up on any of Billboard's various singles or Christmas singles charts in 1970.
As for the publication's seemingly endless flip-flopping rationale regarding where to place Christmas singles over the years, Billboard managed to demonstrate that it was, indeed, possible to outwishy-washy even Charlie Brown.
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Brian W.
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| Posted: 02 November 2012 at 12:10pm | IP Logged
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Yes, it's very odd that it didn't show up on any Billboard chart in 1970, since it did manage a low placement in Cash Box. However, that #71 position was only for one week, then it completely dropped off the charts.
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MMathews
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| Posted: 02 November 2012 at 1:33pm | IP Logged
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I'm sure one of the Billboard / Whitburn experts can
chime in here- but i recall having a listing, compiled by
Whitburn, of the Chistmas singles charts, starting from
early 60's thru the early 70's, when they finally
discontinued it.
These were given to me as photocopies by a friend, i wish
i still had them. I saw so many classic hits on it like
"Merry Christmas Darling" and such, which explained to me
why so many were missing from the Hot 100 in those years.
For "Feliz Navidad" it seems this one became a "sleeper
hit" .. i started hearing it more and more in the late-
70's - early 80's.
MM
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Hykker
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| Posted: 02 November 2012 at 2:38pm | IP Logged
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MMathews wrote:
For "Feliz Navidad" it seems this one became a "sleeper
hit" .. i started hearing it more and more in the late-
70's - early 80's.
MM |
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Around here it was very much played in 1970 (and subsequent years).
AndrewChouffi mentioned "Step Into Christmas", which I rarely heard until the 80s, though for some reason the station I worked at in '74-75 played the B side "Ho Ho Ho (Who'd Be A Turkey At Christmas)" instead. Doubly strange since EJ was a "must add" artist around that time.
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KentT
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| Posted: 02 November 2012 at 5:32pm | IP Logged
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My stock original 45 is stereo, also my RCA Gold Standard 45 is also stereo. Mono promo does exist.
Edited by KentT on 02 November 2012 at 5:35pm
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Brian W.
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| Posted: 02 November 2012 at 8:50pm | IP Logged
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KentT wrote:
| My stock original 45 is stereo, also my RCA Gold Standard 45 is also stereo. Mono promo does exist. |
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Thanks, Kent. Both sides are stereo on the original stock 45, right?
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Paul Haney
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| Posted: 03 November 2012 at 4:26am | IP Logged
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Prior to 1963, Christmas songs were eligible for the Hot 100.
From 1963-72, it appears that Billboard's policy was to keep all Christmas songs off the Hot 100 and on the new special Christmas charts. This kept songs like "Snoopy's Christmas" by The Royal Guardsmen (#10 in Cash Box / #17 in Record World) and "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" by John Lennon (#28 RW / #36 CB) off the Hot 100.
The year 1973 is where it starts to get interesting, as the only 2 songs that made both the Hot 100 and the Christmas charts were "If We Make It Through December" by Merle Haggard and "Please, Daddy" by John Denver. Both of those are "borderline" Christmas songs at best. Perhaps they intentionally kept more "overt" Christmas songs like "Step Into Christmas" by Elton John (#56 in CB / #90 in RW) off the Hot 100 for some reason.
Staring in 1974, Billboard dropped the Christmas ranking chart in favor of a simple list of "New Christmas Selections" and a few more Christmas titles popped up on the Hot 100 from that year-on. The Christmas Hits ranking chart returned from 1983-85, however the 2 that made the Hot 100 in 1984 ("Do They Know It's Christmas?" by Band Aid and "The Greatest Gift Of All" by Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton), didn't show up at all on the special Christmas charts!
As for "Feliz Navidad" by Jose Feliciano...I find it interesting that it didn't even appear on the 15-position deep Billboard Christmas chart in 1970. Perhaps this is one of those songs that's grown more popular over time than when it was first released.
Edited by Paul Haney on 03 November 2012 at 4:29am
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jimct
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| Posted: 03 November 2012 at 6:50am | IP Logged
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I can locate just 3 US stations that charted "Feliz Navidad", ever - all in
1970. Both WCFL Chicago and WCOL Columbus, OH listed it as an
"uncharted extra", for the weeks of 12/14 & 12/21. Only KGB San Diego
actually gave it a "number" for its 3 weeks on: 12/7 #30; 12/14 #27;
12/21 #14. This info appears to strongly support Paul Haney's
assessment that it simply didn't have enough reported airplay to show
up on ANY BB chart in 1970, and strongly grew in holiday
airplay/popularity in subsequent years. That is quite unusual. My only
possible explanation for this would be that just a few months after he'd
hit with "Light My Fire", Feliciano was invited by Ernie Harwell (who,
strangely was both the Tigers play-by-play guy AND the team's
"Anthem booker!") to sing the National Anthem, for Game 5 of the 1968
World Series, in Detroit, vs. St. Louis (This live version even charted on
BB.) Meaning no disrespect, but as was his wont at this time, Jose
performed it with that "unique, Feliciano musical interpretation". It
caused an uproar. I believe it was the first time EVER that a person
didn't do the anthem "straight", at a major event. In several later
interviews, Feliciano has cited that specific incident as creating "radio
hostlity/blackballing" for his later 45 releases. Up until mid-1971,
several of his later 45s did chart, but barely. Who knows, but perhaps
just 2 years later, in 1970, it still may have been "too soon" for radio to
forgive/forget him. But, over time, it's likely that both most
listeners/radio folks had simply forgotten and/or moved on from the
whole 1968 anthem incident. So when RCA subsequently re-serviced
"Feliz Navidad" in later holiday seasons, PDs & MDs likely listened to it
with a more open mind, and giving it some Christmas spins. Now I can't
confirm/deny Feliciano's take on this incident being the "real" reason
for his later airplay woes or not, but, given the "strangely slow start" for
Feliz Navidad on radio, it is least worth pondering. Because I can't recall
another instance where the MORE "DOA" a career was perceived to be,
the BETTER chance there was to get a song of his airplay! (Perhaps Gary
Mack, or someone else in radio back then, can share any
memories/opinions they may have on this.) Lastly, I decided to do a
similar check for the two most popular new-in-1970 Christmas songs
that I recall hearing back then. "Merry Christmas Darling" by the
Carpenters, and "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" by the Jackson 5.
Both appeared on the surveys of at least 10 different Top 40 stations,
almost always with a number, and both songs reached the Top 10 on at
least two of these stations each.
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Hykker
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| Posted: 03 November 2012 at 7:17am | IP Logged
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As I said earlier, the song got considerable airplay at least in Boston/northern New England. WRKO played it almost in power rotation, we played it at the small market AM I was a part timer at too. How was Billboard's Christmas chart compiled? Sales? Airplay? How many stations reported airplay of Christmas songs if they didn't include them on their weekly survey?
While Jim's theory may have some merit, I also wonder just how available the single was in stores. For years the only copy I had was a (mono) promo, didn't find the stereo reissue single until the mid-ish 70s. I can't think of anyone I knew who had a stock single of this song.
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Brian W.
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| Posted: 03 November 2012 at 8:53am | IP Logged
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It didn't chart in Record World, either, according to the new Whitburn book. (Unless it's in the new Record World "bubbling under" book.)
Randy Price, the Cash Box chart guy, says he's fairly sure that Cash Box was still completely sales-based in 1970, while we know Record World incorporated airplay and so did Billboard for at least positions 51-100 during that time period. So the airplay factor could account for its minor showing in Cash Box and not the other magazines.
Edited by Brian W. on 03 November 2012 at 8:54am
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KentT
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| Posted: 03 November 2012 at 9:48am | IP Logged
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Brian W,
Both sides were Stereo on the original Stock 45 single.
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Paul Haney
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| Posted: 04 November 2012 at 3:30am | IP Logged
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Brian W. wrote:
| It didn't chart in Record World, either, according to the new Whitburn book. (Unless it's in the new Record World "bubbling under" book.) |
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Nope. It didn't even "bubble under" in Record World (and that chart was 50 positions at the time)!
BTW, we are putting the finishing touches on the new #101-150 book and should have it in stock by the middle of December.
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Paul C
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| Posted: 05 November 2012 at 12:32pm | IP Logged
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The following is plagiarized from the liner notes to the Rhino CD, Billboard's Greatest Christmas Hits 1955-Present, which was released in 1989:
"From 1955 through 1962, Billboard charted Christmas singles on their Hot 100 (pop singles) charts. From 1963 through 1973, Billboard published a Christmas Singles chart and did not show Christmas singles on the "Hot 100," charting them only on the special Christmas chart. Billboard again charted Christmas singles on the Hot 100 from 1974 through 1982. From 1983 through 1985, Billboard resumed publication of the Christmas Singles chart and simultaneously charted some Christmas singles on the Hot 100. In 1986, the Christmas Singles chart was dropped."
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Topic: Jose Feliciano Feliz Navidad - 45 stereo?
