27/3/2020 11:09 am  #1


The 'Must Have' Bing Recordings

Apologies if this has been asked before, but what do members recommend as the 'must have' Bing recordings?

I was thinking around 5-10 CDs/LPs plus individual tracks that are essential listening for fans and those who are new to Bing's music. 

Thanks!

 

27/3/2020 5:20 pm  #2


Re: The 'Must Have' Bing Recordings

There's a boxset called Bing - His Legendary Years, which is a must with content recorded from 1931-1957 at Decca and is a 4 CD set. Another 2 cds worth owning on the merits of Christmas, are "The Voice Of Christmas", a 2 cd set hosting almost all of Bing's Christmas Decca recordings, and I Wish You A Merry Christmas, a 1962 studio Christmas album by him. Another CD I find essential is the United Artist Recordings, a 3 CD set, holding most of his post-74 recorded material. Another one is Seasons, his last studio album, because besides being essential for that reason it is also a good album. Fancy Meeting You Here is a good one too with Rosemary Clooney.

Once you get into Bing though there are set sets of CDs you really might want to get, The Chronological Bing Crosby, a 51 CD series containing all of his recording up until the first half of 1950. Then there is the Bing Crosby Through The Years sets which completes the prior series until his last 50s recordings at Decca.

As he was a movie star I must recommend a few films, Holiday Inn, Going My Way (which is a religious film but its still heartwarming), White Christmas, High Society, The Country Girl, and any of the Road To movies with Bob Hope.


Every time it rains, it rains pennies from heaven.
 

27/3/2020 6:50 pm  #3


Re: The 'Must Have' Bing Recordings

I like Mississippi (with W.C.Fields) which includes a very favourite song - Down by the River - and Swanee River and for a carefree film - Riding High - which I’ve never seen on TV.

 

27/3/2020 6:53 pm  #4


Re: The 'Must Have' Bing Recordings

I agree about "His Legendary Years" - it has a wonderfully representative selection of the recordings from the Decca years. It was issued some years ago and might be hard the find though. To some extent it's cheating because it consists of four CDs. So four of the choices already taken up.
The problem with the question is that all will have differing views and favour different time spans in Bing's recording career. And if it is not different time frames, it's songs from different genres that will come to the fore.
So I'm not going to give anything like an answer that you will regard as satisfactory, John. 
What I will do is put forward a two or three of my own top ten and leave it to others to add something.

1 "Fancy Meeting You Here" - 1958 - an album of duets with Rosemary Clooney (there was a follow up album "That Travelin' Two Beat" - 1964 - which by general consensus was not as good but I suspect if you like one you'll like the other).

2 "Bing and Satchmo" with Louis Armstrong from 1960.
The above had the benefit of stereo recordings and that enabled very good use of Billy May's band and arrangements. They still sound very good.

3 Now I'm going to cheat as well , because the next is a three CD set "The Complete United Artists Sessions", which covers all of the late recordings with the Pete Moore Orchestra produced by Ken Barnes. And it includes some extras not on the original albums.

Now you have a list of  nine or ten CDs in total but just four sets. 
I (possibly temporarily) rest. And not even covered the very early recordings, or some quite important ones from later years.

  

 

28/3/2020 11:32 am  #5


Re: The 'Must Have' Bing Recordings

Thanks everyone! Some great albums and songs there, plus movies. Stay safe everyone.

     Thread Starter
 

28/3/2020 5:46 pm  #6


Re: The 'Must Have' Bing Recordings

Welcome John and it is hard to put the finger on any particular song/album.
It depends on one’s mood as well. Sometimes listening to dramatic songs or another time some jazz or western or melancholy. Bing covered them all.
His early 1930 songs are worth obtaining - Sweet Sue,  Some of These Days, Temptation,  Thanks, Dinah etc.
Just so many good songs to choose from.
Enjoy your hunting.

 

29/3/2020 10:40 am  #7


Re: The 'Must Have' Bing Recordings

Ron Field wrote:

Welcome John and it is hard to put the finger on any particular song/album.
It depends on one’s mood as well. Sometimes listening to dramatic songs or another time some jazz or western or melancholy. Bing covered them all.
His early 1930 songs are worth obtaining - Sweet Sue, Some of These Days, Temptation, Thanks, Dinah etc.
Just so many good songs to choose from.
Enjoy your hunting.

Thank you, I am.

     Thread Starter
 

30/3/2020 3:45 pm  #8


Re: The 'Must Have' Bing Recordings

I warned I might return to this. 

Bing - "Mr Christmas" has to have full Christmas representation and "Bing Crosby - The Voice Of Christmas" a 2CD set covers all the Christmas songs and carols recorded for Decca (ie up to 1955).

But then there are a few highly desirable tracks recorded post - Decca and I suppose something of them ought to be included. My own nomination would be the Capitol album "Christmas Classics" issued in 2006*  (but much of the material has appeared on slightly differing titles). This includes a version of White Christmas with Nelson Riddle, and one of my favourites, "Christmas Dinner Country Style". (It also has the Bowie track Peace On Earth/Little Drummer Boy).

Oh, I'm sorry we're getting way over that 10 CD limit, 

But, Archiefit, several of your nominations - the very highly desirable Bing's Hollywood set - are not available as such on CD - just three were ever issued. You'd have to assemble the tracks from elsewhere. The same for "Bing Crosby Sings", but do you really like that ersatz stereo?. I think it makes things sound fuzzy and disembodied. 

(*Edited 31 March 2020 to change issue year from 2008 to 2006)

Last edited by Richard Baker (31/3/2020 11:15 am)

 

31/3/2020 10:57 am  #9


Re: The 'Must Have' Bing Recordings

Richard Baker wrote:

I warned I might return to this. 

Bing - "Mr Christmas" has to have full Christmas representation and "Bing Crosby - The Voice Of Christmas" a 2CD set covers all the Christmas songs and carols recorded for Decca (ie up to 1955).

But then there are a few highly desirable tracks recorded post - Decca and I suppose something of them ought to be included. My own nomination would be the Capitol album "Christmas Classics" issued in 2008 (but much of the material has appeared on slightly differing titles). This includes the version of White Christmas with Nelson Riddle, and one of my favourites, "Christmas Dinner Country Style". (It also has the Bowie track Peace On Earth/Little Drummer Boy).

Oh, I'm sorry we're getting way over that 10 CD limit, 

But, Archiefit, several of your nominations - the very highly desirable Bing's Hollywood set - are not available as such on CD - just three were ever issued. You'd have to assemble the tracks from elsewhere. The same for "Bing Crosby Sings", but do you really like that ersatz stereo?. I think it makes things sound fuzzy and disembodied. 

No problem, return as often as you want.

Love Bing's Christmas recordings. My mother always says that Christmas hasn't started until she hears White Christmas on the radio. 

     Thread Starter
 

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