Re : December Will Be Magic Again

[derek%sunstroke@sdsu.edu (Derek Langsford)]

Really-From: Jeff Burka <jburka@silver.ucs.indiana.edu>

>Pah.  I hate when this happens.

>A while back I heard on .gaffa 'bout the EMI Christmas album ("It's 
>Christmas" or something silly like that) which contains DWBMA.  I want this 
>song.  I don't have the box set, nor am I really likely to get it (unless I 
>find myself with the spare time to drive up to Canada and search for a decent 
>price...). With luck, the B-sides will appear on their own CDs at some point, 
>as hinted here and there.

Overseas Shopper Inc. (aka Simmons Corp, the CD sales section of the 
unreliable CDI publisher) is selling the set, mail order, for $109.95 + $20 p 
& p.  That is the best deal you can probably get from within the USA if you 
are willing to risk using this company.  As the box does not seem to be a 
limited edition anymore its supply should be reasonably assured.  Apparently 
they are shipping it from Canada hence the good price. ( I have no association 
with CDI etc apart from having a so far unfulfilled subscription to it - 8 
monthly issues in 2 years FYI :(

>People have complained about paying $150+ for the 29 songs on TWW.  I hate
>to contemplate spending $23 on an import CD that I want for only one song.
>On the other hand, I seem to recall hearing that DWBMA on the EMI thingy
>is a different version from the single/TWW version.  This, of course, gives
>the EMI CD at least a little more worth.

IMHO, the "bongos" or "Winter Snowtime Special" version as it is sometimes 
called, is quite inferior to the single version on the boxed set.  If you are 
reluctant to spend $100+ for the box set I would not buy this if it is just 
the DWBMA you want.  Save your pennies for the boxed set.  You get the vastly 
better version + 28 other "new" tracks for 5 or so times as much money. There 
are some other fun songs on the EMI "thingy" but that may be because I'm a 
Brit and they bring back memories :)  I grew up with the Slade, Wizzard, Greg 
Lake and Jona Louie Christmas songs
    
>So what do I do?  Try to find the EMI thing somewhere else for less than $23? 
>Is that likely to happen?  (I've kept my eyes open for it for ages; today
>was the first time I've actually seen the thing).

$20 is about the minimum you may find it for.  I think it is scarce especially 
now we are past Christmas.  I would save the money.  The version causes more 
distress to me than enjoyment, especially after getting the box set version - 
and is certainly not worth the $23.  I would only get it if you have to get it 
for completists sake.  There are actually limits to my fanaticism.  This was 
one of them.    

>Help!

Did it?

>Jeff

Derek - "the Heretic" ?
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Derek Langsford                 | "It could take me all my life,
Polperro->Edinburgh->San Diego  |  or it could only take a moment..."
derek@sunstroke.sdsu.edu        |                  Kate Bush, Love & Anger  
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