You might think that the phenomenon of the commentary track began with the invention of the DVD. In truth, the commentary track dates back to the invention of the laserdisc. Shows what you know. Jerk.

But even before that failed home video format, did you know there were special commentary tracks recorded for 45s? It’s true! Several record labels experimented with releasing Commentary Sides, which were meant to run at the same time as the song itself. They contained remarks about the song you were listening to by some of the musicians and composers involved with its creation.

Of course, in order to fully enjoy this feature with the technology of the time, you needed at least two record players and a friend to help you sync up the two. The time and energy involved explains why it never caught on with the general public, and it became one of the more notable “gimmick” failures in the history of the recording industry, almost as bad as Capitol Records’ disastrous “Scratch n’ Sniff Singles.”

However, such discs were produced for decades for a niche collectors’ market, and it just so happens, an eccentric uncle of mine just gifted me his collection of Commentary Sides, just in time for the holiday season. (He needs more space for his Hummels.) So I thought I would present transcriptions of commentaries from some Yuletide favorites. First up, the classic Christmas song “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus,” released in 1952.

Continue reading Christmas Carol Commentary Tracks: I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus →