Lobosco wrote:

Okay, the debate over remixing a song is often as heated as whether to colorize an old movie or not. Sometimes I think the remixes are ok. Yes, they are never the original, but sometimes they can be tasteful.

Here is a 2003 remix of "Happy Holidays". What do you think? Tasteful or not...
http://bingfan03.blogspot.com/2010/12/happy-holidays-remix.html

I'm only grateful that the original film 'Holiday Inn' from which this clip has been appropriated, didn't sound like that.
Perhaps there should be a new word to describe this type of 'remix'. There have been a number of remixes of Bing's later recordings - but what they actually consist of is quite literally that - remixing of different strands in the multi -track, multi segmented original recording. The artist's original concept is retained and parts of a recording not obvious at the time are 'brought up' or 'spliced in'.

Then there are overdubbings, using new orchestral or instrumental arrangements - which I suppose is what this is.  Some can be done with musical taste, discretion and integrity, and thereby remain true to the traditions of the music in question.

On the other hand some just attempt to make the original into something else entirely, losing sight of the original concepts in the process, and forcing the recording into a modern sounding straight-jacket where the beat is all and the melody and lyric relegated to second place - or worse.  I cannot imagine Bing, or Fred, or others who had artistic input into the original, liking this 'treatment' at all.