Stepo, that's interesting that Bing's 1928 version of Ol' Man River would have reached number one had the charts existed. Am I correct in thinking that up to about 1950, the format in which music was mainly purchased was sheet music? 

Yes, Robeson was very popular over in the UK. Theatre runs in plays, films and concert appearances. Once when managing a music shop, a senior customer told me how transfixed he was on seeing Robeson at an outdoor concert over here in the 1950's. Like a singing Mount Rushmore. 

Pantelis, I must look out my copy of a Joe Bushkin LP I have which contains a couple of 1977 Norway recorded tracks from Bing. I'll be interested to see if Ol' Man River is one of them, as I'm blowed if I can remember!

 

I must look into Primary Wave because I have read of its name before and yet am uncertain as to what it is. Or if I did know, I've forgotten. I just hope I won't be too ashamed on finding out. They sound extremely Bing worthy!

I so agree, Pantelis about the music being the best in "Road to Morocco". Even though I've yet to see 'Singapore or 'Utopia, I'm familiar with their songs. Do you think 'Rio could have been the last honest to goodness "Road" film? I appreciate 'Bail had some super moments and I still enjoy it (and its lovely colour) to this day but I do think some of the original fire was dimming by that time. "Road to Hong Kong" seemed a pale photocopy compared to the best of the series - and I know we've both discussed this in the past but due to Hope and Melvyn Frank and the general passage of time, I am so relieved that "Road to the Fountain of Youth" never made it to celluloid. Of course, I  remain so sad over the reason for this. If some of us remain questioning over Joan Collins in 'Hong Kong, I don't dare guess to what our reaction would be of the boys chasing the likes of Farrah Fawcett. 

High Society is such a classic, isn't it? It has so many elements and it all fuses together so seamlessly. A real "champagne" musical as I'm certain "Gigi" must be (I've yet to see it) and "My Fair Lady" (possibly the greatest of all?). It only just made it before the fall of the studio system and Bing and Frank's unseating by Elvis and Co. 

Yes, "Holiday Inn" over the admittedly lovely, glossy looking "White Christmas" wins every time!
What's the deal over "White Christmas" being partially owned by Bing's estate? 
I didn't realise this. 

 

I think all these titles are sensible choices from Bing's filmography. 
I am assuming "King of Jazz" to be a musical treasure trove but other than a couple of brief excepts, I have yet to view it. "Road to Morocco" is of the Road films I have so far seen, easily my favourite. 
"High Society" is both my favourite Bing film and I sneakily suspect, should the day come when I finally have seen all of his films, will remain so. 

It's wonderful that the US Library of Congress undertakes this most worthy exercise. 
I know I am being naughty, here - but I'm just hoping the literal side of their preservation is far sounder than Universal's storage of all those great master recordings. Losses of course in that 2008 fire, included some originals of our man's great works. 

That's quite a major one, Stepo.
Is this missing off the online files or the CDs themselves? 

David Lobosco wrote:

I feel that Bing and Bob's personality were just too different to be close friends. They respected each other, but like people posted before they did not hang out every Sunday. A lot of books, especially after Bing and Bob both died took things said out of context to sell books. 

I am inclined to agree to an ever greater extent, David that as men, much separated them to be actual friends. I believe in admiring public figures, we sometimes want to believe that certain aspects of their public selves must form a strong part of them. From the electronic age onwards, public personalities have been able more and more as technology has refined to present a version, seemingly of their off stage selves, which in turn to degrees, often consists as part of their public performance. 

As Sinatra often said, "Now I don't care where you go, that's the dullest speech anyone ever made". 

Did the whole family perform "Sing" on the 1976 Palladium album or am I becoming agedly confused with the Christmas television special where Bing sang this with Fred and a year before on British telly with Vera Lynn? Someone please come to my memory rescue! 

Ooooooh, yes please, another Bing and Rosie album would have been a wonderful tie-in for their continued world tour in 1978. A small group, swinging jazz based one with Joe Bushkin would have been wonderful. Possibly as a tribute to Fred from both of them? Fred did a hugely effective, mid-career small group jazz album with Oscar Peterson. There would certainly have been enough great songs to go at, there. Bing still sounded great in the studio with a small group, as witnessed on the final album track he was to record in America in early 1977, "Don't Get Around Anymore" with a quartet led by saxophonist Scott Hamilton.

An album with wife Kathryn would have been most interesting. She did a very sweet job in duetting live on "My Cup Runneth Over" with Bing on the Palladium album. A potential version of "True Love" would have been especially charming. 

Blonde56 wrote:

Wow! Ian! You have a way with words. You can sell anything. I can picture you on the Telly endorsing the magazine and getting flooded with new subscribers. I haven't contributed in awhile but would love to do so again in the future. Cheerio! Pip! Pip!

As ever, Carmela - your kindness knows no bounds, Thank you but I don't think I'd be asked to return to televisionland for a second selling session, as I believe these sales channels have very strictly timed slots and those of you who've had to tolerate my online ramblings on here and during Jason's meetings (every first Sunday of the month, folks!) will know they'd have to use a vaudeville crook stick to drag me off. We'll all now be eagerly awaiting your next contribution between the covers of our fabulously sparkling "Bing" magazine. 

My name is becoming ever longer, Carmela.
Yes, we're looking forward to the day but we're just going down to browse the lots, as they are ony being exhibited in London before the auction itself actually takes place on 18th December in your neck of the woods, at Sotheby's of New York. So, get your bidding paddle ready and that beautiful walnut wood grand piano we all see being played by Billy Kyle during "Now You Has Jazz" in High Society (and after filming, purchased by Bing), could be yours for its cool reserve of twenty thousand dollars.

I believe some were taken but they may have been cremated in tribute on the demise of Miss Andrews.
I seem to remember "Rum and Coca-Cola" being the B-Side of that 45rpm single. 
Very sensible in your avoidance of high heels. 
I never had the calves for them. 

Colin Bratkovich wrote:

Yes, I have all the American Brunswick originals. Warning to younger or curious collectors-if found-Make sure you use the correct needle, or you will ruin them.

Are there differing thicknesses of metal needles to play certain 78rpm pressings, Colin? 

Yes, as with many, I am quite familiar with Doris' 1950's and 1960's output but this also is now making me seek out some of her earlier recordings of the same vintage as David linked on the previous page of this thread. For so long I've enjoyed the Doris Day/André Previn 1962 "Duet" album which contains the well known, "Close Your Eyes". I always thought that one struck a differing mood for Doris but its bouncier, jazzier sensibility, ultimately makes it a far lighter affair than the wonderfully eerie, "While The Music Plays On". Along with the band, whoever was responsible for its atmospheric arrangement should be applauded in equal measure. 

Alan wrote:

According to both "The Jazz Discography Online" and Brian Rust's "The American Dance Band Discography 1917-1942", Doris Day's first recording session with Les Brown was on Nov. 29, 1940 for Okeh Records. She recorded: "(I Ain't Hep To That Step But I'll) Dig It", "Let's Be Buddies", "While The Music Plays On",
"Three At A Table For Two. As David points out, there are no recordings of Day with the Bob Crosby orchestra (not even radio airchecks, it seems). Interestingly, Vaughan Monroe did play trumpet-including on some of his band's first recordings for Bluebird. 

Goodness me, Alan. Thank you. I had no idea Doris Day's discography stretched as far back to the dawn of the 1940's. This must mean, then that counting her final (?) recordings she undertook in the mid/late-eighties for television and her "Doris Day's Best Friends" show, that her recording career lasted almost fifty years? 
I've also now learned that early on, Vaughn Monroe played the trumpet. This is one of the many reasons I so enjoy this forum. There's always something new to discover. 

Anton G.-F. wrote:

We did miss you at the last few meetings, Carmela. For those that weren't able to make the meetings, they are all available in chronological order here:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcrPMqN7tSWeE9kvGv-ZXgGsIKToLoDw0 

AGF

Thank you, Anton - this really helped in my not being able to make the most recent two.