David, I thought "Just One Word of Consolation" was extremely moving and I thought the chorus singers added to the emotion of it. Sometimes I feel chorus singers can have the opposite effect but not here.
I did favour, though your first choice of "Beyond Compare". Listening to it, I was drawn to thinking how skilled Bing was in being both lightly subtle with a lyric but also emotionally involved with a distinct personality shining through. 

I'll give you a clue, Ian. Carmela left a message on the vibraphone presentation. Shhh, don't tell her but I'm looking in to her suggestion. Not sure when I'll get to it because I have a few others in the pipeline.

I was listening to some of Bing's tracks a lot these days, Again (Bing and Peggy duet), Getting to Know You, My Heart Stood Still, The Nearness of You (the recent BCE release), I 'll Be Seeing You, Nevertheless, Once in a While, With Every Breath I Take, plus due to my recent presentation I am also stuck with the Top O The Morning and Emperor Waltz tunes. 

Yes you are right they both worked for Decca at the same time, but Ian Bing and Peggy have made two albums together for Decca plus singles all of them commercially released and quite well received.

Beside the White Christmas album you mentioned, they both recorded the Road to Bali album, where she replaced Dorothy Lamour.

They also released as single Watermelon Weather" / "The Possibility's There" (1952) and Little Jack Frost Get Lost

Being also fond of their radio recordings there have been compilation albums released of radio tracks from their various shows together.

Peggy was in Capitol before and after her Decca contract that was signed in 1952 an run until 1957. It would have been nice though to see them in a concept album project similar with those he did with Rosie.

I've not long listened to Bing singing "Singing in the Rain" and "Young at Heart" and many others, both recorded in 1954 from "The Radio Years" on Crescendo, a double CD set (originally a four LP volume) compilation of his late 1940's to mid 1950's radio shows. Full orchestras sawing away  with strings in pure, magnetic tape clarity and so I would imagine originating from his Chesterfield and General Electric radio shows? 
I think this is my favourite radio period of Bing's mostly due to how wonderful the sound is during this period and then secondly, those lovely, pared down intimate radio programmes he undertook with Rosemary Clooney. 

Last edited by Ian Kerstein (12/9/2026 4:15 pm)

I listened to the CD of "The Complete Bing Crosby And The Andrews Sisters Complete Decca Recordings" again the other day excellent CD.

He Leadeth Me (L4997-A) recorded 6 May 1949.

My wife and I received a special blessing at church today for our 25th wedding aniiversary. I usually conduct the choir, but my assistant kicked me off the podium today as he knew I would have just picked hymns to fit the Bible text for the day. The choir wanted to make the day extra special for us by singing some of our favourite hymns. The conductor and the organist conspired and picked this lovely hymn for the choir to sing just before our blessing. They chose it in part because they had done a bit of research and learnt of Bing's recording.

It was cute that they thought they were one up on me as they asked, "Did you know Bing recorded this hymn?" 

How do you answer that without sounding like a "know-it-all"?

Pantelis Kavouras wrote:

Happy 25th Wedding Anniversary Aaron!!!
What a beautiful and well planned surprise from your choir. 
Sounds like a very special Sunday, may the Lord bless you and your wife, and I wish you will enjoye many happy returns of the day. 

Another fitting song, less spiritual but incredibly romantic and suitable for the occasion. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcnpbM0pIJA
 

Thank you kindly, Pantelis, for your well wishes.

You are very kind.

When I was your age, I was a bit precocious and cheeky. I probably would have sent this song to someone on their Silver Wedding Blessing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8K1zI6UjdRQ
I think I played it when my father turned 50, and here I am even older now! Precocious? My father would say: more like obnoxious.