Old Enough to Forget

My dad loved Harry Belafonte. By extension, as a kid and to this day, I love Harry Belafonte. He always seemed to be a guest on the variety shows, and there was always something serious and also whimsical about Harry Belafonte's songs. He could be funny and endearing, but he was also serious and was an activist for civil rights. All of this was, of course, alien to me. All I knew was here was a man who knew how to hold an audience in the palm of his hand and was a master at his craft. In the early '80s I discovered that one of my best friends Tony also loved Harry Belafonte, and his favourite song was "Matilda," which to me was fantastic. We would sing the song in our loudest voices, and it didn't really matter that we both loved rock and roll ... there was still room for Harry. There was always room for Harry. The records my father had I took many years ago, and then subsequently lost to water damage. Still bugs me that I didn't put those bloody boxes up off ...

This version of Belafonte's Christmas was released in 1976 by RCA Records Canada. Many of the recordings apparently date back to 1958, and this collection is the same as the 1962 reissue that added "Mary's Boy Child" to the song order. I did see the earlier version in the bin, but it was in really poor condition and, other than reversing the side order, appeared to be the same. Besides, the cover on the one I picked up looked brand new. The vinyl, while not quite as pristine, was really nice. Listening to this now, I think re-sequencing the song order to start with "Mary's Boy Child" was the right call. It's a great song, and a great way to start the album. It's too bad they didn't close the album with "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day." Then again, that would likely have meant remastering the album, and it was cheaper to relabel the sides and put the hit first. Harry Belafonte is one of those singers who can captivate you with hi...