13/12/2011 6:42 pm  #1


Sing-Along

It seems that earlier this year one of the sing-a-long albums was re-issued on vinyl by RCA!
Extraordinary!

http://www.amazon.com/Bing-Crosby-Friends-Sheets-Stereo/dp/B004KFE6KQ/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1323798793&sr=8-4


Next month Amazon UK are making the same tracks available as an MP3 download with the addition of eight 'bonus' tracks representing a rather odd and wide scattering of Bing's recordings. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Join-Bing-Gang-Along-Expanded/dp/B006DKDVDO/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1323798490&sr=1-14


So far I can see nothing about this on Amazon's US site.

There were of course three LPs in the original series, and they appeared in different guises, originally from Warner  ('Join Bing and Sing Along') and later, in 1977 on Capitol ('Crosby Classics'). This particular one was 'Join Bing And Sing Along part 1' , reissued as 'Crosby Classics Volume 2'. (My copy of the latter remains sealed and unplayed!).

A few months ago the first in the series -'33 Gang songs' was issued as a download.

They have never been among my favourites, but I know some like them. Bing enjoys himself but he is merely singing along with the band/chorus and I think he was wasting his talents.

I can't say that I like either of the new covers.  From the samples on the Amazon site the sound seems to be reasonable quality stereo.

For convenience the listing, with timings, copied from Amazon is  -

1. Shine On Harvest Moon/That's Where The Money Goes/Harrigan/Listen To The Mocking Bird     3:45        
2. Flow Gently, Sweet Afton/Believe Me If All Those Endearing Young Charms/Drink To Me Only With Thine Eyes     3:55        
3. Sweet Rosie O'Grady/My Sweetheart's The Man In The Moon/45 Minutes From Broadway/Goodbye My Lover, Goodbye     3:03        
4. When The Saints Go Marching In/Little David  On Your Harp/Joshua Fit The Battle Of Jericho/Hand Me Down My Walking Cane/Ezekiel Saw The Wheel     3:19        
5. While Strolling Through The Park/Today Is Monday/Big Rock Candy Mountain/Oh Dear, What Can The Matter Be?/Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone     3:41        
6. Annie Laurie/Loch Lomond/Bluebells Of Scotland/Comin' Thru The Rye     3:11        
7. Hello Ma Baby/The Girl I Left Behind Me/Bill Bailey Won't You Please Come Home?/Wait For The Wagon/Row Row Row Your Boat     3:27        
8. Sweet Adeline/On Top Of Old Smokey/Down In The Valley/In The Good Old Summertime     3:45        
9. This Old Man/Schnitzelbank/Pop Goes The Weasel/Careless Love     3:20        
10. Little Liza Jane/Cindy/Where Did You Get That Hat?/So Long Mary/Three Blind Mice     3:33        
11. Anchors Aweigh/Tramp Tramp Tramp/Blow The Man Down/For He's A Jolly Good Fellow     2:58        
12. Love's Old Sweet Song/Kathleen Mavoureen/Juanita     4:09    

Then the 'bonus' tracks   

13. Gone Fishin'      2:34        
14. Little Ol' Tune  3:02        
15. They Say It's Wonderful 3:03        
16. I Can't Begin To Tell You     2:51        
17. Day By Day      2:54        
18. Just For You     2:57        
19. True Love      3:10        
20. Bye Bye Blues 3:38

Last edited by Richard Baker (13/12/2011 6:43 pm)

 

15/12/2011 1:56 pm  #2


Re: Sing-Along

This is interesting news.  I am not a great fan of the Sing-along series, but can't deny that Bing sings the songs quite well, with a good quality of fun on those that where that is called for and with heart on the more sentimental examples.  I do find that, while I don't play my copies of these albums very often, I must confess that I enjoy them a bit more each time I try.  And there always seems to be one or a few of the songs that I find as more striking and worthy of a longer version on a different album, perhaps an album of old-time and folk songs.

 

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