The Bell That Couldn't Jingle

[TallPaulInKy]

Question.... who sings on Burt Bacharach's A&M recording of "The Bell That Couldn't Jingle". There are some who think it maybe The Blossoms with Darlene Love.

 

[Rudy]

Hello Paul. I looked through my entire booklet for the Something Big box set and it did not give vocalist credits. Given the date of the single release (1968, A&M single #1004), between the Reach Out and Make It Easy On Yourself albums, it could be just about anyone from that era. It certainly sounds different from the vocalists on those two albums and I agree the tonality does sound similar to The Blossoms (and it does make sense if Burt or A&M were trying for a hit single), but this might be one of those mysteries we'll never solve. The Blossoms appeared on Herb Alpert's "Mexican Drummer Man" single but that was maybe five years prior.

 

[dvakman]

I wish I had thought to ask Burt about this when I met him! It is a bit of a mystery.... This is one of my favorite yuletide tracks and although I prefer Burt's version, I rate Herb's very highly as well.

 

[Rudy]

I am surprised others haven't covered this one. I prefer it to a lot of the others that drone on endlessly!

 

[Rudy]

Some information on the tune. It was covered early on, after it was first written, then pretty much overlooked...

 

[dvakman]

The Anita Kerr version is quite odd, especially the fadeout...

 

[Rudy]

Tidal has several versions available. So far I've knocked off Bobby Vinton (a bit overwrought), The Belmonts (I like this one), Catherine McKinnon (cornball, bits of that lounge/Esquivel sound sprinkled throughout), Savvas Savva (sounds like someone putzing on a cheap Yamaha keyboard ), Bonnie Gene (strange...very strange...like a kid's reading a story...), Timothy Greenridge (sort of a smooth soul version), Anita Kerr Singers (ummm...OK....), and Greta Matassa & Clipper Anderson (this one borrows Herb Alpert's arrangment, even the vocal intro, with a side dish of blandness). If I had to pick a favorite from these, I'd go with The Belmonts. You can hear what Burt based his own version on, instrumentally anyway. I have not yet found the Bobby Helms version, the one I really wanted to hear. (There are at least three dozen entries for "Jingle Bell Rock" though.)

My worst fear is some recent Top 40 or modern country artist cranking up the Autotune and synths, and slaughtering it...