Crosby Fan World » What would be your top 3 of Bing's original studio albums?

PeterC · 17/1/2019 1:02 am

I really love Seasons. It would be in my top 3, I think.
What would your list look like?

David Lobosco · 18/1/2019 3:08 am

Great question.

Mine would be:
1. Bing Swings Whilst Bregman Swings
2. Songs I Wish I Had Sung
3. Bing & Satchmo

Ron1972 · 18/1/2019 4:10 pm

Hmm if I had to pick his 3 "Best" I might have a different list but my current top 3 would be:
1. Songs I Wish I Had Sung (The more I listen the more I'm convinced it's one of his best albums period!)
2. Fancy Meeting You Hear (I think as good as Bing is solo, he is truly in a class by himself as a duet partner!)
3. A Southern Memoir - (There are sooo many albums I would have liked to have put here but I love the arrangements on this album and think Bing is in great voice - it's one I could listen to over and over!)

My nomination for favorite album cover (should THAT be it's own topic? - El Senor Bing!)

jeremyrose · 18/1/2019 11:48 pm

My top three are all closely linked with nostalgic memories of my very early days of Crosby collecting in the early 70s. In reverse order...

3) “Bing ‘n’ Basie.” I remember my excitement at finding this on the shelves of my favourite record shop when it was first released in the UK in ‘72 or ‘73. The shop had booths where you could sit and listen to the records before you bought them.

2) “Bing Sings Whilst Bregman Swings”. This has always been one of my favourites, but I first encountered it on a Polydor LP release called, “The Special Magic of Bing Crosby”. There were no liner notes at all on the LP sleeve, and it was some time before I discovered the true provenance of the tracks.

1) “Fancy Meeting You Here”. This was the first record I played on my first (very basic) stereo
record player, and I can still remember carefully lowering the tone-arm onto the lead-in groove of the title track before rushing back to the chair which I had carefully placed exactly equidistant between the two speakers and listening to the opening chords of Billy May’s arrangement blast into the room!

Happy days...

David Lobosco · 19/1/2019 4:12 am

Ron1972 wrote:
Hmm if I had to pick his 3 "Best" I might have a different list but my current top 3 would be:
1. Songs I Wish I Had Sung (The more I listen the more I'm convinced it's one of his best albums period!)
2. Fancy Meeting You Hear (I think as good as Bing is solo, he is truly in a class by himself as a duet partner!)
3. A Southern Memoir - (There are sooo many albums I would have liked to have put here but I love the arrangements on this album and think Bing is in great voice - it's one I could listen to over and over!)

My nomination for favorite album cover (should THAT be it's own topic? - El Senor Bing!)

Crap, I forgot A Southern Memoir. A Southern Memoir and Feels Good, Feels Right are my favorite of the 70s Bing.

David Lobosco · 20/1/2019 8:50 pm

Archiefit wrote:
Don't really remember much about "Southern Memoir" but from all the hub-bub about it, I's goin' to have to give it another listen. Come to think of it, haven't heard this LP in quite a while.

Upon relistening to it, I think Feels Good Feels Right has more good recordings on it. A Southern Memoir has some clunkers on it, but it's still a good album. I think the Bingo Viejo album is my least favorite of the 70s Bing.

David Lobosco · 20/1/2019 10:55 pm

Archiefit wrote:
Not all songs on Feels Good... are gems either. My least favorite is Way We Were, maybe it's just because I can't stand Baba's original. But one of my all time favorite Bing recordings is on this album, "Nevertheless". I just love the way Bing sings this and the way the big band comes in and plays at just the right moments in between Bing's phrasing. Just perfection, this song couldn't be done any better. Also The Rose In Her Hair is another perfect song as Bing sings it on this album. The rest of the songs on the album are either very good or so-so, but the one's that are good are perfect.

Good point. You're right. I never liked The Way We Were as a song, but if I had to pick one version that was tolerable was...believe it or not - Kate Smith had a nice version of the song!

Not Bing related, but I picked up a Jack Teagarden LP - This Is Jack Teagarden on the Capitol label from 1955....GREAT ALBUM! I have a new appreciation for Teagarden now and the LP was only $1!

David Lobosco · 21/1/2019 12:36 am

Archiefit wrote:
Jack Teagarden, ain't he the guy on Bing's radio shows of the '50's who'd say, "Is Dis Da Place?" He was a funny guy.

No Jack Teagarden appearing with Bing and Mary Martin in BIRTH OF THE BLUES (1941). They did a trio on The Waiter, The Porter, And The Upstairs Maid.

Great jazz man.

jeremyrose · 21/1/2019 12:58 am

The, “Is Dis De Place?” guy was the great jazz fiddler Joe Venuti, of Venuti and Lang fame, whose connection with Bing dates back to the time when all three were in the Whiteman band.
Without checking, I’m pretty sure that Venuti also contributed the jazz fiddle riffs on Bing and The Andrews Sisters’ “Ciribiribin”...

Last edited by jeremyrose (21/1/2019 1:00 am)

jeremyrose · 21/1/2019 1:03 am

BTW, I completely agree with Archiefit about “The Rose In Her Hair” - one of my favourite Bing tracks from ANY decade...

Graham Pascoe · 22/1/2019 7:09 am

I couldn't go past FANCY MEETING YOU HERE, SEASONS and A SOUTHERN MEMOIR.

Ron Field · 22/1/2019 10:12 am

I like some of the LP's compiled when the 33's first came available and they were compiled with selections of Bing's 1930 recordings but these may not qualify under Bing's best LP's.

David Lobosco · 22/1/2019 2:05 pm

Another good album that gets overlooked is Bing and Fred Astaire's A Couple Of Song And Dancemen". Bing sorts of takes a back seat to Fred on the album but I love their versions of "Roxy" and "How Lucky Can You Get".

Dieter · 22/1/2019 7:49 pm

No fear, here´s a sleeper!
Only some words to Joe Venuti. Chiribribin and Yodelin´n Jive was accompanied by the Joe Venuti Orchestra and the Andrews Sisters. Later recordings in 1947 are Ain´t Doin´ Bad Doin´ Nothin´ and Ida I Do.
And Venuti was a regular guest on Bing radio shows. Some extraordinary collaborations from these shows are Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy (I like the live version more than the studio version), natuarally My Honey´s Lovin´ Arms (accompanied with Satchmo, Teagarden, Toni Arden and not to forget Nick Fatool, Bing almost forget to name him), I Got Rhythm (+ Peggy Lee, Red Nichols, Ziggy Elman), Lady Be Good (with a wilde instrumental struggle between Joe´s violin and Tommy Dorsey´s trombone, and not to forget the drums of Nick Fatool).
On the Sandy Hook LP Hot Swing Fiddler are 14 instrumentals collected with Joe and the John Scott Trotter Orchestra take from the Bing´s General Electric Shows from 52/ 53. Bing didn´t sing, but heard chatting with Joe before the musical numbers. That´s very funny and every time begins with "Is this the place?" "Yes, indeed, this is the place"....
Bing and Ken Barnes planned an album with Joe Venuti, dated about summer 1978. Ken searched a guitar player, something in the way of Eddie Lang. I wished they could have done these LP. Joe was in the 70th again on the peak of his art, after the late 50th and 60th were one of his "bader" period, recorded some fine records.
Joe died on August, 14, 1978. Since late July he was serious ill (cancer).
Sometimes I thought about possible songs, I have liked to hear from this teamwork. What songs Bing, Joe and Ken would have chosen? Some remakes (Please, Dinah, My Honey´s Lovin Arms) or Lady Be Good (certainly one of Joe´s favourite songs he recorded with various artists about about all decades)?
This unrecorded album is certainly my pet album which Bing and Ken planned on the end of Bing´s carreer.

David Lobosco · 23/1/2019 3:25 pm

Dieter I agree!

That would have been a great album Bing and Joe Venuti. I heard Bing also was planning an album with Bob Hope, and an album of Noel Coward songs.

Dieter · 24/1/2019 10:30 pm

The recording dates with Bob Hope were fixed some days after Bing´s return from Madrid in October 1977. Would have every singer a solo as on the Astaire/ Crosby Album? (Perhaps Bob singing The Grand Old Man of Music, which Bob sung at the Pasadena concert?)
Bing have had a lot of plans at the end of his life: many more concerts all around the world: Australia, Japan and perhaps even Germany, filming Road picture Nr.8 with Bob Hope in 1978 (not every Crosby fan thinks, that this would ever been a good idea), Bing´s first live appearance in German TV on early December in Saturday prime time show (Rudi Carrell), a German TV special with Caterina Valente was signed(C. V. writes about that and her two US TV-shows in one of her two autobiographies in an own chapter "Mr. C.", 4pages), Margret Dünser, who interviewed Bing, has made plans with Bing about a TV special (Bing should have sung before the scenery of various European cities some of his great hits), and, and...??? And Bing signed with Polydor, that published his last studio album Seasons, a contract about 7 albums and the reserve of 7 further albums.
Tremendous plans! The orchestration of the Buddy Cole radio takes by Pete More were planed in 1978. Because of Bing´s death this project was realized in 1979.
I´m not sure how successful the Noel Coward album would have been internationally? Coward certainly extremely popular with his witty songs and plays (Brief Encounter, Private Lives,...) in Britain. Bing, Kathrin and Rosemary Clooney even sung a Coward medley during their last concert tour (Mad Dogs and Englishmen, London Pride, Someday I´ll find you, a.o.)
Beside the planned Venuti album I have had wished Rosemary and Bing would have done a new duet album. Clooney has started 1976 again for a second time a wonderful comeback, which lasted until the end of her life. She recorded some of her finest albums, mostly for the Concord label.

Ron Field · 25/1/2019 8:55 am

This is very hard to answer. In the beginning of the LP era LP albums were compiled from a collection of records and Bing's recordings were put together - like recordings from the early/late 30's and 40's where composite records were put together.
I'm not sure when Bing's first official LP was recorded.
The first LP I had was as a 21st birthday present (last century) which was the Bing and Boswell collection on a 10" LP.

Dieter · 25/1/2019 9:11 am

So far I know "Le Bing" was Bing´s first studio LP (10 inch) in 1953, all other LPs before were samplers. La Mer I likes very much although Charles Trenet´s versions are more emotional.
And then follows the mammuth project "Bing- A Musical Autobiography" (five 12 inch LPs), that was a mixture between sampler and new recordings (with Buddy Cole) and the talkings of Bing between the tracks.
The Buddy Cole recordings for "Some Fine Old Chestnuts" were made, too, in1953. Don´t know exactly, if this LP issued before the Autobiography or later?

Last edited by Dieter (25/1/2019 9:42 am)

jeremyrose · 25/1/2019 1:14 pm

Fascinating to read about Bing’s planned recording projects which, alas, never came to be...

I have a vague recollection of a short-lived but moderately successful British close-harmony female vocal trio - in the mould of The Andrews Sisters - in the early-to-mid 70s, and I seem to remember that at one point there was talk of them collaborating with Bing. I’m afraid I can’t remember what the group was called, although I’m fairly sure that “Sisters” didn’t feature in the name.

Does anyone out there have a better memory than this old codger..?!

Malcolm Macfarlane · 25/1/2019 1:47 pm

Dieter wrote:
Bing´s first live appearance in German TV on early December in Saturday prime time show (Rudi Carrell), a German TV special with Caterina Valente was signed(C. V. writes about that and her two US TV-shows in one of her two autobiographies in an own chapter "Mr. C.", 4pages), Margret Dünser, who interviewed Bing, has made plans with Bing about a TV special (Bing should have sung before the scenery of various European cities some of his great hits)

Dieter, I'd love to know what Caterina Valente said about Bing in her book. There doesn't appear to be an English language version available.

Dieter · 25/1/2019 7:55 pm

Hello Malcolm, I will email you a complete translation of the 4 pages of Valente´s book "Bonjour Katrin!" , issued 1985 (in my unperfect English- sorry!), probably next week.
Caterina Valente lives today in Switzerland and celebrated on January, 14. her 88th birthday and didn´t work since many years in showbiz. Mrs. Valente stayed ever a follower of Bing (as Udo Jürgens, who is dead now) and never forget him. In every TV memories (as on 80th birthday) she rememered on their common appearances and short clips were shown.
Also Udo Jürgens (Griechischer Wein/ Come Share The Wine) mentioned in nearly every interview on TV or papers and in his autobiography, that Bing sung one of his greatest hits. And- I belive it was Jürgens´ 80th birthday TV honor- he told about that and then the complete 4 min. recording of Bing was played on TV, illustrated with some photos of old Bing and the concentrated listening audience, because Bing never sung this song live. As the record ended the whole audience stand up and applauded one minuite (or more?) and Mr. Jürgens have had a glance in his eyes. I think, I have told this story earlier on board? Maybe Bing would have sung this song in German concerts, because he seems to make in any way compliments to every country or town, on which he appeared.
Back to Mrs. Valente´s book. An excerpt from the beginning of the chapter:
Mister C. In Hollywood I have had made a very beautiful show with Bing Crosby, one of the greatest singer of showbusiness. He was the man, who have made us the last nasty days of war tolerable. We tried ever to listen the British broadcasts, and because he sung there frequently, we have heard Bing Crosby and have learned to love him.
Everyman can imagine my delight, as I heard, that just Bing Crosby wished me for a TV special. Bing didn´t made regular shows, but only one every year. It was something like a personality show, on which I should dance, sing, play guitar and make sketches.
[...] But now back to Hollywood and the Bing Crosby show. Jean Adler was similiar nervous as I, because we both met Bing the first time. I had a first meeting with the producer, the director, the bandleader, the arranger, the correpetieur and the Big Boss, Mister C., as all named him.
Crosby was the first, who came! This was something particular for such a big star. But that´s Bing. I have asked me, why I was as "guest of the show" the only, who was present from all the artists, and it was declared promptly. Bing appreciated me higly, and therefore he wished to talk with me about all parts of the show. I feeled I am in heaven, as I heard I should sing a lot of songs together with Bing. My fear at the beginning wished off by Nick Vanoff, who I known a long time and who was a good friend of me. Nick have had produced all Perry-Como-Shows and even The Hollywood Palaces. First time I am given, that for a show ten days long rehearsels were made. This is for America extraordinary much. But this was a special, and this should get the best show of the year. And I think this show was it indeed.
The joy to work with Mister C. is indiscribable. He is the kindness in person. And that, what was exceptional for me on Bing, that he was the first present and the last, who leaves the rehearsels room. I think such fine as in this show I was never before presentet. [...]
So far in the words of Caterina Valente.

Last edited by Dieter (25/1/2019 8:01 pm)

Malcolm Macfarlane · 26/1/2019 6:28 am

Many thanks, Dieter.

Ron1972 · 28/1/2019 1:42 am

My guess is the "Bing Crosby Show" from November 1963. She was a guest and Nick Vanoff was the producer.

Malcolm Macfarlane · 28/1/2019 7:01 am

She also appeared with him on the Hollywood Palace.

Dieter · 28/1/2019 9:27 am

Yes, it´s the 1963 TV special with Buddy Ebsen, The Young Americans and Andre Previn. Certainly one of Bing´s best and most aesthetics TV shows (others are e.g. Cooling It from 1970).
Valente and Bing sung together a fine "Language of Love" medley and they duetting in various languages (Spanish, Italian, Japanese, Yiddish, French, German and I believe "Never On Sunday" in Greece). Valente have had an international carreer, beginning in Germany, but made shows and concerts in USA (12 times with Perry Como, Danny Kaye, Sammy Davis, Dean Martin, some with Carroll Burnett, long time Las Vegas, a.o.), Italy, Spain, France, Netherlands, Japan and she ever sung songs in the language of the guest country. Valente speaks (and sings) 6 or 7 languages perfectly.
1965 she appeared the second time with Bing on Hollywood Palace with a medley of 5 songs taken from the Fancy Meeting You album.

Last edited by Dieter (28/1/2019 9:31 am)

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What would be your top 3 of Bing's original studio albums?

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