CBID - It's Run Rudolph Run Time again

CBID is never complete as new records and CDs appear and some old rarities are discovered. This section presents interesting additions and corrections to CBID.

Today: It's Christmas time again and so we see new covers of Run Rudolph Run and more.

BLACK SORROWS (Australia)

See Volume 3, pages 1079-1080 for biographical info.

Promised Land (2:31) 1996 (live)

3 CD: Radio Waves [Head Records/Mushroom HEAD-106] ● Australia, 1996

MARCEL BONTEMPI (Germany)

Real name Marcel Sala-Keikel from Kassel. Has been around since the mid ‘90s and in the 2000s released several singles on various labels. In 2015 a CD was released containing many various recordings and demos.

Down Bound Train (3:15) 2020

45: Twi-Lite TL-006 ● 2020, Germany

Very good cover here, and Bontempi plays all the instruments himself. Great picture sleeve front and back, and it even contains a booklet where the lyrics are illustrated by Bontempi. Pretty versatile this guy.

FOO FIGHTERS (USA)

Run Rudolph Run (2:33) 2021

This fast rockin’ studio version was officially released in December 2021 on various streaming platforms. I know I have never done this before but times are changing and this, I’m afraid, will often be the new way of making songs available to the people. Last year in December they did perform it live as part of a special Christmas show for Amazon. Check it out on You Tube.
It brings the question, should we include more streaming versions? Not sure.
However, the following is also available this year:
GREGG MARTINEZ (USA): MacDaddy Christmas - Run Rudolph Run (3:28) – MacDaddy Productions. Available in Flac.

GEORGIA SATELLITES (USA)

See Volume 3, page 1210 for biographical info.

Run Rudolph Run (3:49) 1988 (live)

Various artists CD: Southern Rock Christmas [Cleopatra CLO-0093] ● 2015, USA

NORAH JONES (USA)

She was born in 1979 as Geetali Norah Shankar, in Manhattan, New York and was raised in Dallas, Texas. Known as a jazz- styled singer/pianist. Daughter of legendary sitar player Ravi Shankar. You won’t find much on the Billboard charts, but that doesn’t hide the fact that she received 2 Grammys in 2003 for Song and Record of the Year with “Don’t Know Why”. And again Record of the Year in 2005 with Ray Charles for “Here We Go Again”.

Run Rudolph Run (3:10) 2021

CD: I Dream Of Christmas [Blue Note ] ● USA, 2021

Hey, talk about laidback. Only the lyrics are left. No beat, no riffs, nothing … Jazz/pop arrangement. Pretty amazing that she actually chose to record this rockin’ tune. She probably liked the lyrics. Goode for a Berry.

LADO LESKOVAR (Yugoslavia)

As you might notice on page 1315 I was wondering if he was singing in Serbo-Croat and it turns out he was. The title for this cover was “Memfis Tenesi” (!)

BERNIE MARSDEN (UK)

Bernard John Marsden, British rock guitarist and songwriter, born in 1951. He’s been a professional musician since the early ‘70s. Famous for being a member of Whitesnake, 1978-1982; the song “Here I Go Again” from ’82 has become the bands anthem.

Back In The USA (2:30) 2021

CD: Chess [Conquest Music CD-18092] ● UK, 2021

This is the second issue of Marsden’s Inspirations Series. The first was for the three Kings, Albert, B.B. and Freddie.
On this CD above he pays tribute to his mentors on the Chess label, like Berry, Bo Diddley, Howlin Wolf, Sonny Boy, Elmore James and Muddy Waters.
However, it has always been a mystery to me why English artists decide to sing about the USA in favor of other classic rock’n’roll songs from the Berry songbook. I’m so glad I’m living in the USA sounds a bit silly in the hands of a foreigner, if you ask me.

BILL STAMPER (USA)

Let It Rock (1:50) 1965

45: Loy BS-100 ● USA, 1965 (PS)

Don’t know much here, except that he’s probably a country singer. It doesn’t say anything about where, when or what, but the record pressing plant was called Rite Record Productions Inc. and was located in Cincinnati, Ohio. The version itself is nothing to write home about and sounds pretty boring.

TY TENDER (Austria)

Real name is Fritz Weller. Born in 1943. Rock’n’Roll singer whose been active since the ‘70s. Known as an Elvis impersonator.

Little Queenie (2:58) 1993
Maybellene (2:18) 1993
Memphis, Tennessee (2:28) 1993
No Particular Place To Go (2:22) 1993
Promised Land (2:46) 1993
You Never Can Tell (3:17) 1993

CD: My Rockin’ Way [PG Records (Sounddesign)10 158] ● Germany, 1993

For some strange reason this album has passed me completely by. 17 tracks and six are Berry covers on one CD is pretty unusual. Well, except for “Promised Land” which is done the Presley way and “Memphis” the Rivers way, the rest are pretty ordinary. Good rockin versions although very predictable. He sings well and has a tight band.

Run Rudolph Run (3:49) 2012 w/The Continentals

CD: Rockin’ Christmas [Foxrocks (Mcdp International) FOXCD- ? ] ● Austria, 2012

THREE SOULS IN MY MIND (Mexico)

This rock group was formed in 1968 by Alejandro Lora (lead vocals-bass), Ernesto de Leon (lead guitar) and Carlos Hauptvogel (drums). They were enhanced on some albums by Arturo Labastida (saxophone) and Carlos Martinez (trumpet). They have had many albums released on the Raff label, 13 to be exact, and several “Greatest Hits” and “Best Of…” compilations on various labels.

Betty Jean (3:20) 1978

LP: La Devaluación [Raff RF-9044] ● Mexico, 1978

Reelin’ And Rockin’/ Sweet Little Rock And Roller / Johnny B. Goode / Bye Bye Johnny
(as “Potpurri De Rock”) (6:15) 1982

LP: Viejas Rolas De Rock [Raff RF-9108] ● Mexico, 1982

The lyrics of “Reelin’ And Rockin’” are following the 1973 Berry version. They were surely influenced by Berry. Take a listen to their “Oue Viva El Rock And Roll” from 1974. The song itself is not Berry but wait for the guitar solo !!! It was released on single (Raff RF-5039) and album in 1975 (Raff RF-9019).

STEFAN ULBRICHT (Germany)

Promised Land (2:23) 2020 (instr)

CD: Addicted To Boogie [Piano Reloaded Music] ● Germany, 2020

LUCINDA WILLIAMS (USA)

Born in 1953, Lake Charles, Louisiana. A rock, folk and country music singer/songwriter, who had her commercial breakthrough in 1998 with the Gold album “Car Wheels On A Gravel Road”. Has received several Grammy Awards and has released a string of albums.

Run Rudolph Run (3:41) 2020

LP/CD: Lu’s Jukebox Vol.5 – Have Yourself A Rockin’ Little Christmas [Highway 20 Records H-2011] ● USA, 2021

Lu's Jukebox is a six-volume series of performances recorded live at Ray Kennedy's Room & Board Studio in Nashville, starting in late 2020. Note quite sure if this is really live with an audience or just played live in the studio.

ZACH WILLIAMS (USA)

Christian/gospel rock artist from Jonesboro, Arkansas. Born in 1981.

Run Rudolph Run (2:44) 2021

CD: I Don’t Want Christmas To End [Provident /Sony Music SMV CD7761627] ● USA, 2021

Ten tracks recorded at the Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama.