C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S

This recording is a merge muddle of two recordings (or two takes) Arnold made of the track that are approximately the same length so not to merge by title/artist alone (too late!)

1. a 1949 version that appeared on the first pressing of the RCA Victor single, scanning (at least) as e714df01-319c-4ab3-b1bc-f9149eb8130a
2. a 1950 version that appeared on the *second* pressing of the same single and then mostly disappeared, identifiable by c28bd7cc-c7f0-435c-bd66-a071ba4d0952

The good news is that the two recordings sound very different, and immediately: the intros feature either solo guitar or (why not) organ, and the vocals begin differently. And, generally it seems that the 1949 version became a classic, and the 1950 version died (your ears might help explain why).

One more key point: finding that second pressing, or even mentions of it, beyond compilations like this one with detailed credits, has not proven easy, and so it is unclear whether the credit should go to Arnold solo or with his band. But the artist credit on this "recording" should be considered generally wrong.

Anyway, if you have one of these recordings, give it a listen and/or a picard scan, and redirect it to the correct recording, that this muddle may die an orphan!

(PS: Where there is mess there must be more mess, so why not a third try in 1962, fortunately absent here as it is a different length.)