Shining Time Station: Tis' A Gift v2 [Soundtrack Music]

Original Broadcast 12-09-1990
"She's mean, and nasty, and selfish, and rude...!
OK, OK, OK. Now, come on. Nobody can be that bad.
Vickie can! "
_______________________________
SYNOPSIS
It's Christmas at Shining Time Station and Schemer is as scheming as ever as he campaigns to be chosen as Santa's helper for the Indian Valley Gala Holiday Pageant. A mysterious elderly stranger by the name of Mr. Nicholas visits the station and seems to know a lot about the Shining Time Station residents.
_______________________________
SOUNDTRACK
The audio of this 1990 special "Shining Time Station: 'Tis A Gift" was recorded in mono. Even though the special was eventually released on DVD, no soundtrack has ever been produced. So for all the "Shining Time" fans, here's a collection of all of the major tracks, ripped from a VHS copy recorded in 1991.
Kevin Roth, Rory Dodd, Vanéese Y. Thomas and Brian Edward O'Connor are among the artists who provide the vocal talents. The climatic track "'Tis A Gift" song by Rachel Miner and Rory Dodd conclude this Holiday special with the entire cast singing.
Due to the mixing of the original recording of this song, Rachel's initial singing is surrounded by the cast arguing.
Using special Noise Reduction techniques, I was able to reduce most of this "chatter", (but not completely) from this beautiful rendition.
UPDATE Using AI software, I was able to recover a few more tracks with minimal artifacts remaining, such as "10 A Place Unlike No Other" .
The vocal tracks are now remixed in AI stereo.
I did choose however not to produce a "complete" soundtrack since most of the userscore is just incidental organ playing. Let me know what you think.
Enjoy!
_______________________________
RUclips TRACK LIST
00:00 01 Shining Time Station [intro stereo] - Kevin Roth (00 : 31)
00:31 02 Trains From Here (00 : 49)
01:21 03 Deck the Halls [clip] - Brian Edward O'Connor (00 : 07)
01:29 04 Jingle Bells [clip] - Brian Edward O'Connor (00 : 04)
01:33 05 Over The River And Thro' The Woods [stereo remix] - Rory Dodd and Vanéese Y. Thomas (02 : 00)
03:33 06 Jingle Bells - Vanéese Y. Thomas (01 : 27)
05:01 07 Terence The Tractor Theme (00 : 24)
05:26 08 You Collected Ships Inside Bottles (00 : 39)
06:05 09 Its Christmastime At The Railway Station [stereo remix] - Rory Dodd (01 : 44)
07:50 10 A Place Unlike No Other (01 : 16)
09:07 11 The Hobo Song [stereo remix] - Kevin Roth (02 : 46)
11:53 12 Thomas Christmas Branchline Theme (01 : 07)
13:00 13 We Wish You A Merry Christmas [stereo remix] - Ringo Starr (00 : 20)
13:21 14 Tis A Gift [stereo remix] - Rachel Miner, Didi Conn, Jerome Dempsey, Mart Hulswit, Rory Dodd, Olga Felgemacher, Jonathan Freeman, and Vanéese Y. Thomas (02 : 39)
16:01 15 Shining Time Station [End Theme ext stereo] - Kevin Roth (02 : 45)
18:47 END
_________________________________
NOTES
Mr. Conductor sings a modified bar of "The Lumberjack Song" from Monty Python’s Flying Circus as he carries his Christmas tree. He adds "and I'm all right" in place of the song's original "and I'm okay".
This is the only appearance of Mr. Nicholas, Vickie, Claire and Tucker Cooper. This is Ringo Starr's last appearance as Mr. Conductor. His role would be taken over by George Carlin in the next season.
Although generally considered to be a 'special', this was the 21st and final episode of Season 1. Upon release on VHS, the Thomas stories in this episode were rearranged. "Thomas’ Christmas Party" was made the first story, while "Thomas and the Missing Christmas Tree" became the second story. As Ringo Starr never created a US version of the latter, the original UK soundtrack was used, however all dialogue including the phrase "Fat Controller" was removed.
The sped-up voice heard in Stacy's telephone conversations is actually dialogue from her and Harry from a scene in Promises Promises. (See Season 1: Promises, Promises Episode Notes).
The footage used for the opening and closing sequences were filmed at the Grand Canyon Railway in Williams, Arizona, and features their locomotive #18. Incidentally, the 18 makes a second appearance as it's whistle, a Southern Pacific six-chime, is used for Mr. Nicholas' heard-but-not-seen "Northern Star." The locomotive now resides at the Mt. Hood Railroad in Oregon.
The special was taped in Toronto, where it would remain for the rest of the series. The music video, The Hobo Song, was originally going to be cut out as the producers felt it would be too emotional for young viewers, but the final decision was made that it would be kept in as it conveyed an
important message.

[@spetragl]

LYRICS
_________________________________
"Tis A Gift" (Simple Gifts) » Rachel Miner, Rory Dodd,
‘Tis the gift to be simple, ’tis the gift to be free,
‘Tis the gift to come down where you ought to be.
And when we find yourselves in the place just right,
‘Twill be in the valley of love and delight.
‘Tis the gift to be simple, ’tis the gift to be free,
‘Tis the gift to come down where you ought to be.
And when we find yourselves in the place just right,
‘Twill be in the valley of love and delight.
When true simplicity is gained
To bow and to bend we shan’t be ashamed,
To turn, turn, will be our delight,
‘Til by turning, turning we come ’round right.
‘Tis the gift to be simple, ’tis the gift to be free,
‘Tis the gift to come down where you ought to be.
And when we find yourselves in the place just right,
‘Twill be in the valley of love and delight.
When true simplicity is gained
To bow and to bend we shan’t be ashamed,
To turn, turn, will be our delight,
‘Til by turning, turning we come ’round right.
_________________________________
"Hobo Song" » Kevin Roth
This old train's on its way to a town by the river.
You can hear the whistle blowing for many miles away.
There's an old hobo standing in a train full of letters
And presents wrapped in ribbons. Is coming Christmas Day.
Well, he sees his old town standing as the train keeps on passing.
And he thinks back to when he was loved as a boy back in his home.
And the gold on his fingers cold and bitter from winter's weather.
Just a cold lonely hobo, spending Christmas Time alone.
And only if he knew if there's angel by his side.
And only if he knew he would never be alone.
Well, he turned around to see who was standing there beside him.
Just a boy who looked a lot like him many years ago.
With a present in his hand, he smiled at that hobo
Like an angel full of wonder who somehow seemed to know.
And now he only knew if there's angel by his side.
And now he only knew the truth that he will never be alone.
Angel by his side.