John Denver & The Muppets

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas We Wish You A Merry Christmas

Louise Gold sang as a Muppet Performer background vocalist in 1979

Catalogue number: (45 RPM Record) PB-11767

 

Cast (all uncredited)

John Denver – as himself

Jim Henson – as Kermit The Frog, Rowlf, Dr Teeth

Frank Oz – as Miss Piggy, Animal, Fozzie Bear etc

Jerry Nelson – as Robin, Floyd etc

Richard Hunt – as Scooter, Janice etc

Dave Goelz – as Gonzo, Zoot, Beauregard etc

Also featuring The Muppet Performers – Louise Gold, Steve Whitmire, and, Kathryn Mullen

 

Production Team

 Produced by – Milton Okun, for RCA Records

 

Track Listing

Side A PB-11767-A

1. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas – John and Rowlf (John Denver and Jim Henson)

2. We Wish You A Merry Christmas – John, Miss Piggy, Animal, The Great Gonzo, Kermit, and, Floyd and the cast (John Denver, Frank Oz, Dave Goelz, Jim Henson, and, Jerry Nelson, with, Richard Hunt, Steve Whitmire, Louise Gold, and, Kathryn Mullen

 

Side B PB-11767-B

1. A Baby Just Like You – John Denver

 

 

As stated on the record itself the songs on this single are from the album John Denver And The Muppets A Christmas Together, or specifically 33 RPM record AFL1-3451, which was also produced by Milton Okun. Parts of this later turned up on the albums Christmas For Kids, and, John Denver Christmas.

 The Eight Muppeteers singing on this album were the eight main puppeteers from The Muppet Show, on which John Denver had been a guest star.

The Muppet Show Eight (Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Jerry Nelson, Richard Hunt, Dave Goelz, Steve Whitmire, Louise Gold, and, Kathryn Mullen) featured in the documentary Of Muppet And Men. They went on to puppeteer on The Great Muppet Caper, and, The Muppets Go To The Movies. Their recording credits include The Muppet Show Music Album, The Great Muppet Caper (Soundtrack Album), Favorite Songs From Jim Henson’s Muppets, Put Some Zing In Your Spring, Muppet Music Sampler, Muppet Hits 1, Muppet Hits 2, Muppet Music Mix, and, Music Mayhem And, More.

The Big Five (Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Jerry Nelson, Richard Hunt, and, Dave Goelz), plus Louise Gold represented The Muppets on The Royal Variety Performance (1977). Their recording credits include The Muppet Show Music Hall, The Muppet Show 2, and, Jim Henson Presents Silly Songs.

Jim Henson, Jerry Nelson, Richard Hunt, Dave Goelz, and, Louise Gold’s recording credits include For What It’s Worth.

Jim Henson, Jerry Nelson, Richard Hunt, Louise Gold, Steve Whitmire, and, Kathryn Mullen appeared in The All Time Get Around Sometimes Play Together Every Other Friday Night Vaudeville Show.

Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Dave Goelz, Steve Whitmire, Louise Gold, and, Kathryn Mullen  went on to puppeteer on The Dark Crystal, for which Jerry Nelson did some voice-work.

Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Dave Goelz, Steve Whitmire, and, Kathryn Mullen went on to puppeteer on Labyrinth, some of them can be seen on the documentary Inside The Labyrinth.

Jim Henson, Richard Hunt, Louise Gold, and, Steve Whitmire went on to puppeteer on Tale Of The Bunny Picnic.

Jim Henson, Jerry Nelson, and, Louise Gold’s recording credits include Jerome Kern The First 100 Years.

Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Jerry Nelson, Richard Hunt, and, Louise Gold’s recording credits include Elmo’s Lowedown Hoedown.

Frank Oz, Jerry Nelson, Richard Hunt, Dave Goelz, Louise Gold, Steve Whitmire, and, Kathryn Mullen went on to puppeteer at Jim Henson’s Memorial Service.

Frank Oz, Jerry Nelson, Dave Goelz, Steve Whitmire, and, Louise Gold went on to puppeteer on The Muppet Christmas Carol, and, Muppet Treasure Island, their recording credits include The Muppet Christmas Carol (Soundtrack Album). They also went on to take part in the documentary I Love The Muppets.

Frank Oz, Jerry Nelson, Dave Goelz, Louise Gold, Kathryn Mullen, and Steve Whitmire went on to puppeteer together on Sesame Street.

Frank Oz, Jerry Nelson, Richard Hunt, and, Louise Gold’s recording credits include Born To Add.

Dave Goelz, Louise Gold, and, Steve Whitmire went on to puppeteer on The Animal Show, on which Frank Oz did a guest puppeteering appearance.

Jerry Nelson, and, Dave Goelz went on to do voice work for the British outer-space segments of the international Fraggle Rock.

Jerry Nelson, Richard Hunt, and, Louise Gold’s recording credits include The Count’s Countdown, although there has been some debate as to whether Louise Gold actually sang on it.

Jerry Nelson, Dave Goelz, and, Louise Gold went on to puppeteer together on The Secret Life Of Toys.

Jerry Nelson, Dave Goelz, Steve Whitmire, and, Louise Gold’s recording credits include A Green And Red Christmas, on which Steve Whitmire sang Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.

Louise Gold, and, Richard Hunt went on to puppeteer together on The Ghost Of Faffner Hall

Steve Whitmire probably puppeteered on ITV’s 50 Greatest Shows.

 

Review

by Emma Shane, 13 October 2007

Probably the worst 45 single I have come across involving Louise Gold. Although the quality of the physical record doesn’t help in this respect. Actually the songs themselves are quite fun, and in a very Muppet style. However this single is something of a rarity, and all three songs can be found on the complete 13 track versions of the CD of the original LP John Denver And The Muppets A Christmas Together. And this is one occasion when wrestling with vinyl doesn’t seem to be worthwhile.

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas is a lovely song, and John Denver actually sings it rather well, perhaps not Judy Garland, but nevertheless pretty good. The only problem with it is Jim Henson singing it as Rowlf, I’m not too sure the song really suited Rowlf’s voice. If he had done it as Kermit, I think it would have been much nicer. I’m beginning to see why it was cut from some issues of the CD. To be honest I think this actually sounded much better when Steve Whitmire did it on A Green And Red Christmas.

We Wish You A Merry Christmas is one of my favourite Christmas carols anyway. I’ve always loved the song, and as sung by a cheerful bunch of Muppets, well it’s just great. Done with such verve and enthusiasm. However, playing it on a scruffy old vinyl single doesn’t do much for it. I think I’d rather hear a nice clean CD of it.

A Baby Just Like You is sweet and Christmassey if you like this sort of song, at least it would sound sweeter on a CD, rather than a battered vinyl 45.

Unless you’re a completeist when it comes to collecting recordings involving John Denver or The Muppets, this single isn’t really worth bothering with, when there are many versions of the CD around.

 

Critics Comments

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Links about John Denver & The Muppets: Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas, We Wish You A Merry Christmas

 

 

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