Having reached the end of the series, I’ve found that a Brothers fix is still required, so I naturally turned to the 1976 long-playing extravaganza that is Christmas with the Hammonds.

Colin Baker’s website has done a wonderful public service by making it available for everybody to enjoy.  If, for example, you’ve ever wondered how Paul Merroney would wrestle White Christmas to within an inch of its life, then this is the disc for you.

Without further ado, let’s jump straight in ….

Winter Wonderland, Sleigh Ride – Bill & Gwen Riley

Derek Benfield and Margaret Ashcroft favour a soft duet singing style and they also both handle individual lines with aplomb.  A very solid start.

The Holly and The Ivy – Jane Maxwell

I don’t believe I’ve ever heard Kate O’Mara sing before, so I wasn’t sure what expect.  She can certainly handle a tune and together with a tasteful string arrangement it seems that Kate was taking it very seriously.  Two out of two so far, can this good run continue?

We Need A Little Christmas – David Hammond

Robin Chadwick may be slightly flat, but how can you not love the jaunty backing track?  It’s only two minutes long, which means it doesn’t outstay its welcome.

The Christmas Story – Mary Hammond

Jean Anderson is spared the ordeal of singing as instead her track tells the story of the birth of Jesus.  You can imagine Mary telling this story to her three sons every Christmas, whether they wanted to hear it or not.  Good old Mary.

The Twelve Days of Christmas – 1: Jane 2: Bill 3: Gwen 4: April 5: All 6: Jenny 7: Ted 8: Mary 9: Brian 10: Paul 11: David 12: All

It’s tag-team time as everybody pitches in.  It gives us our first opportunity to hear the vocal talents (ahem) of Patrick O’Connell and Colin Baker, whilst it also confirms that a whole track of Jean Anderson singing might have been a step too far.

Cantique de Noel – Brian Hammond

Decades later, during The Cult of the Brothers documentary, Richard Easton still seemed to regard his major contribution to the album with fondness and a little pride.  And why not? He can hold a tune well and, as befits his character, adds a touch of gravitas to proceedings.

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas – Jenny Hammond

With only a piano accompaniment, Jennifer Wilson is a little exposed, but thanks to her breathy singing style she just about pulls it off.

Good King Wenceslas – Ted Hammond and Paul Merroney

Nice to see that Ted and Paul managed to bury the hatchet in order to contribute to this duet.  It’s fair to say that neither Patrick O’Connell or Colin Baker were blessed with angelic singing voices, so their decision to keep their tongues firmly in their cheeks was the only possible option.  It’s certainly memorable.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer – April Hammond

It’s slightly surprising that April and Paul didn’t have a duet together.  Singing is clearly not Liza Goddard’s strength, so the clip-clop backing attempts to cover some of the cracks.

White Christmas – Paul Merroney

After the delight of Good King Wenceslas, it seemed obvious that the world needed more of Colin Baker’s unique vocal talents.  Fair play to the man for sharing this track in all its grisly glory (instead of claiming that it had somehow been lost).  It’s three minutes which defy description (but once again I have a feeling Mr Baker wasn’t taking it entirely seriously, or possibly a little alcoholic refreshment had loosened him up somewhat).  The line – “may all your days be Merroney and bright” –  is sheer genius.

Good Wishes For the Season – Gwen, Bill, Jenny, Ted, Jane, Brian, April, Paul, David & Mary

This is lovely as all the cast – in character – take turns to wish the listeners the compliments of the season. Naturally enough Mary gets the last word whilst Jane (“keep the men in their place and have a fantastic time”) has the most memorable message.

A treat from start to finish, it feels a little odd to be listening to it in July, but come December I’m sure I’ll be revisiting Christmas with the Hammonds again.