Sleigh Ride & Other Original Hits

Leroy's Anderson's 'solo' record career began in 1950, recording his own works such as are found on this compilation. Like other compositions, his best known tune "Sleigh Ride", written in 1948, had first been recorded by Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops Orchestra, and was a minor hit around Christmas, 1949. As both an instrumental and a vocal number (Mitchell Parish added lyrics, as he did to "Fiddle-Faddle", "Serenata" , "Belle Of The Ball" and "Blue Tango"), "Sleigh Ride" went on to become a true perennial, as seasonally reliable as Christmas itself. Under his own name, by far Anderson's biggest selling tune was "Blue Tango", issued at the end of 1951 and soon a clear million-plus best seller, achieved despite numerous cover versions from the likes of Guy Lombardo, Hugo Winterhalter and Les Baxter.