Since today, complete versions of several of the songs on the CD are available on YouTube: White Christmas (3 versions), Let it snow, It's beginning to look a lot like christmas, and Winter wonderland.

You can listen and see them here:
https://www.youtube.com/user/BingCrosbyEnterprise/videos?view=0&sort=dd&shelf_id=0

Three versions of White Christmas, you might think? There are only two on the CD ... But check out the third version here, if you like:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOkyBqGw2Wg
I like it very much!

Last edited by frans (15/11/2019 2:57 pm)

02:441/10/1951  It's Beginning To Look Like Christmas 02:4017/11/1952  Sleigh Ride 02:095/10/1962  Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! 02:5929/5/1942  White Christmas 02:341/10/1943  I'll Be Home For Christmas 02:3327/9/1943  Jingle Bells 02:525/10/1962  Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas 02:4621/10/1963  Do You Hear What I Hear? 02:5219/3/1947  The Christmas Song 02:3611/9/1977  The Little Drummer Boy / Peace On Earth 03:2110/5/1949  The Twelve Days Of Christmas 02:275/10/1962  Winter Wonderland 02:5219/3/1947  The Christmas Song 03:0119/3/1947  White Christmas 


I think, the list above (from the great website Jazzdiscography) ist not correct.

For the new "Let It Snow" they used the 1946-version.

And "Sleigh Bells" seems to be a different version than the usual one vom Nov. 17th, 1952.

Last edited by Freddy (27/11/2019 3:33 pm)

The entry on jazzdiscography has now been updated following receipt of the CD.

That’s amazing..! Thank you, Richard. What a great start to a frosty Saturday here in Cambridgeshire!

There's a very good review of the vinyl version here.
https://www.entertainment-focus.com/music-section/music-reviews/vinyl/bing-crosby-the-london-symphony-orchestra-bing-at-christmas-vinyl-review/

Just been on a weekly visit to my local supermarket. Like many others, at one time it used to have a goodly display of CDs, but more recently it has been restricting  the space to three racks no more than three feet wide with a vertical "featured" display above. This limits them to showing something like the top ten sellers with most of the remaining stock consisting of earlier top tens that have not yet sold. Most times I hardly recognise the names of the artists shown.  But today I had a surprise. Bing was sitting in pride of place in the centre of the feature. What's he doing there? Oh, wait a minute, he IS in the top ten!

What's more, whilst I paused to take in the sight, a shopper actually took a copy and popped it in her trolley.




 

Like you, Jeremy, I NEVER watch The One Show! Just like you, I received a telephone call 15 mins before the programme started from BING magazine editor Malcolm Macfarlane (who obviously knew in advance) to give me the ‘heads up’.

There was a nice contribution from Frank Skinner, too, regarding Bing’s comedy skills.

I have to say, I’m really enjoying the new album. I’m sure it will help open the door to Bing’s output for a lot of new listeners...

I’m at Vancouver airport awaiting my flight to Sydney and can’t hook up as only for the UK.

I found about Mary Crosby being on The One Show about an hour before it was broadcast when I was checking the BBC site for Bing songs used in the last 7 days. Typically my email system was down so I couldn't bang out an email to ICC members but I phoned Jason as I guessed he might want to record it for showing at his Bing meeting on December 14. By the way, Mary will also be heard on the Good Morning Sunday show on Radio 2 on Dec. 22.

Last edited by Malcolm Macfarlane (03/12/2019 7:35 am)

I assume that all Crosby fans are pleased to see the "Bing at Christmas" CD in the charts. I realise that some people will prefer the originals but overall the new CD is a sensible and commercial way of relaunching Bing's Christmas songs to a more modern audience. Most of the reviews on Amazon UK are excellent but there are two bad ones which are reproduced below. I have just submitted a more balanced review and I'd be grateful if a few more people who have bought if from Amazon would do the same. If you don't like the CD, please keep your opinion to yourself this time. We want Bing top of the charts. 

 1.0 out of 5 stars A missed opportunity [color=#555555 !important]25 November 2019[/color] As a long time Bing Crosby fan, and member of the Bing fan club, i was really looking forward to this release. Unfortunately i'm left very disappointed as the tracks have been very badly mixed with the new orchestrations, with the vocals over produced resulting in a very harsh electronic sound. What could have been an excellent CD is basically a let down. Shame on the producers for such a missed opportunity.[color=#767676 !important]9 people found this helpful[/color]Helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Awful! [color=#555555 !important]27 November 2019[/color] Long time fan of Bing and have all his US Decca 78s and UK Brunswick's and even the most beat up Brunswick sounds better than this. Awful muddled sound with lots of added echo. I also remember the LSO long before they had to undertake projects like this to keep the wolf from the door. I shall stick with the Original recordings backed by the likes of John Scott Trotter, Paul Weston, Victor Young and many other fine musicians of the Crosby era. Those responsible for this should be ashamed, its quite awful, save your money.

Last edited by Malcolm Macfarlane (05/12/2019 1:24 pm)

I see that one of the adverse comments seems to have been removed.

Lobosco wrote:

As a fan of Bing Crosby, I would never post a bad review. Any Bing is better than no Bing!

Even if a CD cover gives incorrect track names or is badly recorded? Surely we need to be advised what to avoid? I can agree with you, David, on matters of personal taste but not when it comes to quality of reproduction/ presentation etc.
 

Richard Baker wrote:

Lobosco wrote:

As a fan of Bing Crosby, I would never post a bad review. Any Bing is better than no Bing!

Even if a CD cover gives incorrect track names or is badly recorded? Surely we need to be advised what to avoid? I can agree with you, David, on matters of personal taste but not when it comes to quality of reproduction/ presentation etc.
 

I'm not sure I would post it on Amazon unless it is a major flaw in the production of the CD. If I simply do not like the issue I would not comment.

I'm at the point in my collecting though that I rarely buy any Bing issue unless it is from Sepia or the BCE or a reputable source. Like I've said before, I miss the days of hunting flea markets and garage sales for new Bing!