Hello,
both LPs issued in 1977, but the ANAHUAC LP was totally remixed new by Jaime De Aguinaga and Bing´s voice sound even a little bit warmer than on the  LONDON LP (= L.). There are even more than the 4 alternative takes, which Colin Pugh (Alternative Bing Crosby) and Fred Reynolds (The Crosby Collection, Part. 5) have had found: Eres Tu; The Breeze And I; Spanisch Eyes; La Borrachita.
Other takes are Maria Bonita with some more parts with guitar sound (ANAHUAC= A.) or Frenesi on A. with Bing´s voice is stronger than on L. and partly he has a laughing in his voice, also Paul Smith on piano is in middle part more present. On Amapola (A.) the percussions are louder, the trumpets more in the background. Also the guitar begins later, when Bing opens the song.
The Breeze And I: Bing have a clearly warmer sound, his voice is stronger (A.), the loud breathing on early part (L.) is missing, on Spanish part are many differences, beginning with la bris (L.) or la brisa (A.) and more accentuations on Spanish parts.
Spanish Eyes: Bing´s voice is partly deeper on L., which  Ken Barnes may have criticized on Bing´s version (The Crosby Years). On A. take Bing´s voice is fresher, more melodic, especially on first part, not so deep.
La Borrachita: the two takes are nearly two different recordings, both only sung in Spanish, both with wonderful guitar sounds,but extremly different, also the mood. Bings whistle also in two different ways on both takes, with more air on L. and in higher sound on A..The L. take is very fine, but the A. take is superb, a real hammer, that you think you are in heaven.
Bing sung in most of his late concerts Cuando Calienda El Sol. Maybe Bings favourite?
---Dieter.

Last edited by Dieter (14/4/2011 4:21 pm)

"However I don't think that collectively they come up to the standards of the sequence of albums produced by Ken Barnes with the Pete Moore Orchestra, for several reasons - the choice of songs - the arrangements and quality of accompaniment -  and the effect that they had on Bing's own interpretation and performance. But I suspect that you will still like your purchase."

Richard,

I agree 100% with your comments on this LP. I would have to say it is the weakest effort from latter day Bing. Who did those arrangements? They are not really much in the theme of his "Mexican album". However, if for nothing else than that it is a very rare LP and in excellent condition I am thrilled to have it in my collection!

I have the original ANAHUAC LP issue.  And, except for what I felt was a rather weak effort on "Blue Spanish Eyes" and the last note of "Eres Tu" which was a stretch, I find it to be a very enjoyable album.  FRENESI is as good a recording as Bing made in the last 10 years of his life.  Other highlights for me were "Maria Bonita," "The Breeze and I"
Even "Amapola,"   which came in for some a pretty critical critique by Ken Barnes in The Crosby Years, I find a wonderful and unique rendering--  Green Eyes is a wonderful recording as is Besame Mucho.
Finally, "Borrachita," a sad song about a female camp follower with the Mexican army, is, to my ear, a masterpiece-guitar playing, Bing's singing, and his whistling, which captures the mood perfectly, are all top-notch.  His Spanish pronunciation is outstanding throughout-- no surprise there.  I love most of this album.  I love most of the Ken Barnes produced albums as well, but for me, "Bingo Viejo (Old Bing)" has a proud place in his later recordings.  If you have never heard it---you are missing out.

Richard, you say that Bing set these two albums up on his own. Was that because his label wouldn't or was it just something Bing wanted to do?

Thanks!

John Turner wrote:

Richard, you say that Bing set these two albums up on his own. Was that because his label wouldn't or was it just something Bing wanted to do?

Thanks!

John, It was not particularly new for Bing to act as producer for his recordings - he had been making and leasing out recordings since the end of the 1950s through his "Project" label, and though he had an agreement with UA in 1975 it would not be correct to call them "his" label.

At the time Bing had agreed to a five record deal with United Artists for recordings to be produced by Ken Barnes. Outside this agreement Bing recorded "A Southern Memoir" in January 1975 and "Bingo Viejo" later in the year whilst the UA recordings were started in February.

Bing offered his two independent albums to UA also but they were reluctant to issue them in advance of the records he had agreed with them, so he concluded a leasing agreement with British Decca, which issued them.
 

"Smuggled" ????   I would think they were just imported. 

British Decca (which had parted company from US Decca in the 1940s) usually sold in the US on their London label and it's odd that to the best of my knowledge this did not happen for these LPs. I assume they would have problems with US Decca if they formally distributed in US using the Decca trademark, but clearly channels would have existed.

I don't know what arrangements existed with Anahuac, but it was certainly officially arranged. They had access to original tapes and used alternative takes. 

If anyone has wider knowledge please come in and add suitable words of wisdom.
 

Richard Baker wrote:

If anyone has wider knowledge please come in and add suitable words of wisdom.
 

However in advance of any more informed answers I'll undertake some guesswork. Whether informed or intelligent guesswork others can decide.

Guess 1 The fact that Decca UK did not issue the LPs in North America on their London label suggests the lease from Bing only included UK (and other areas usually covered by Decca using their own label - i.e. areas where they did not conflict with Decca US).

Guess 2 Bing offered American rights to others. Why the two areas were kept apart who can tell - but presumably Anahuac were the only ones interested, and they only in Bingo Viejo. They are based in Los Angeles but specialise in Spanish language records, so it is easy to understand their choice.

Guess 3 - the fact of rights to N America being leased to Anahuac, reinforces  Guess 1 - that Decca UK did not acquire any rights to N America. 

That leaves an unanswered question - Why was A Southern Memoir not taken up by any label in N America?. Bing was still a big name and over the next year or two saw a major revival such that it might be thought that Southern Memoir would be a seller, yet on the scant evidence that I have seen copies only drifted in via a few specialist dealers or imported directly by keen fans. And I suspect that Anahuac, with their specialised product line, may have had limited sales outlets that i turn would have restricted their sales of Bingo Viejo.

Whatever the situation then surely any leasing arrangements have long since expired and absolute ownership now rests with the Crosby organisation. 
 


 

 

I just discovered "Bingo Viejo" on the Internet Archive (thank you, David L) and listened to it for the first time. I guess the garish cover had always put me off before now!

I enjoyed it much, much more than I expected. As long as you can accept the '70s feel in some of the arrangements, you're in for a treat. Who wrote the arrangements, though? Paul Smith was famous as a pianist but I'm not familiar with him writing big orchestrations like that. They are more inventive than I expected.

Hope this one gets reissued!

Last edited by tedn (24/5/2023 12:35 am)

I ordered a used copy of the album on Ebay the other day it arrived yesterday fortunately the album was in very good condition it was a Japanese edition of the London label version unfortunately i don't think Bing was in great voice for this album but i enjoyed hearing him rise to the challenge of singing Spanish at 73.

Also Elvis Presley and Bing also both recorded mediocre versions of "Hey Jude" in Elvis's case it was recorded as a rehearsal take in the studio it only got released to fill out an album.

It's a good album to own though and should be on CD in a deluxe edition with the alternative takes from the Anahauc US version. 

I also meant to say the album grows on you.