MERRY CHRISTMAS, DARLING - several versions

Merry Christmas, Darling is my favorite Christmas song. Thought it would be good to post several recordings of it in one thread.

I used it for background music as I videoed my 2018 Christmas tree.


1970 version


1978 version
 
Thank you so much for posting these different takes for MCD. The ORIGINAL is the one that really does it for me, although I love the added things on the RPO especially that Richard brought his back up vocals more forward. I could never make out before what he was saying at the very end with all those beautiful beautiful sound on sound harmonies. I could finally HEAR for the the 1st time what Richard was singing when his part came in.
(Richard) "CHRIST-MUS, MER-HAR-REEE. CHRIS HIS MAS. DARRRRRRRRLEEEEEEEEEEEN!!!!!
 
I just clicked play at the same time on the links for the 1970 version and 1978 version... (click the 78 version then the 70 version) he music and backing vocals were in sync and it was like hearing a duet between a young Karen and a mature Karen!
 
Euphonic cacophony. Just played all five MCD at the same time, bottom to top, top to bottom, and just random. The results can beautiful, and disconcerting. Portions are almost hypnotizing. Just a fun thing to do on Sunday afternoon.
 
Listening to the various versions and I still remain convinced that the 1970 version is perfect.
The 1978 version is as close to perfect as possible and it made sense to re-record the song for the Portrait album,
since Karen's vocals had evolved from 1970.
 
Listening to the various versions and I still remain convinced that the 1970 version is perfect.
The 1978 version is as close to perfect as possible and it made sense to re-record the song for the Portrait album,
since Karen's vocals had evolved from 1970.

Yeah, when I hear CP in its proper sequence on my phone’s YouTube playlist (I have the cd and vinyl but I still hear the “official” audio videos that I resequenced from the special edition) it would be jarring to hear Karen’s original vocal among the new batch of songs, even if I prefer it a good deal more.
 
My favourite version.


Karen was very good at lip-synching and it's sometimes hard to tell if she was - was she doing that here on this clip from the 1978 Bruce Forsyth show in England or is she actually singing this live? If lip-synching, can I assume that the recording was done specifically for the show and wasn't one of her previous recordings, since she sings "Merry Christmas, Brucie" at the end?
 
You forgot one remix, the 1992 version that prior to the RPO version, seemed to remove that dated sound the 1970 & 78 versions have.

 
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