22/7/2022 3:56 pm  #1


1939's Whistling In The Wildwood

I just uploaded a bunch of Bing's records from 1939. Some nice music in that year. Probably my favorite record from that year was the understated "Whistling In The Wildwood" which shows off Bing's whistling abilities!



 

 

22/7/2022 7:39 pm  #2


Re: 1939's Whistling In The Wildwood

Hmm... Interesting, David...

I've just had a look through Bing's 1939 output and although I know it's very subjective, there a few I would personally put above 'Whistling...' 

'Ciribiribin' was the first Bing and The Andrews Sisters track I stumbled across back in the very early seventies and it still has me grinning from ear-to-ear every time I hear it - not least because of Joe Venuti's contribution; 'An Apple For The Teacher' features the divine Connie Boswell and, for some reason, 'East Side of Heaven' has always been a very firm favourite. However, 'If I Had My Way' has to take the top spot. I've always loved Bing's rendition of this song, but it took on a special significance a few months ago when I was visiting my elderly parents down in Cornwall. My mum was born in 1934 so would, of course, have heard a lot of Bing over the airwaves as she was growing up during the war. One evening during my visit, I was doing the dishes in the kitchen after dinner and started gently singing, 'If I Had My Way' to myself. Mum came into the kitchen to make coffee and suddenly started singing along with me - word-perfectly - right to the end of the song! She had no idea how she could remember all the lyrics so clearly after so many years, but simply said, 'Well, it was Bing, wasn't it...'

I know that may all seen cloyingly sentimental, but I'm afraid I make no apology for that. After all, 'It's Bing, isn't it...' 

 

Last edited by jeremyrose (22/7/2022 7:41 pm)

 

22/7/2022 8:33 pm  #3


Re: 1939's Whistling In The Wildwood

jeremyrose wrote:

Hmm... Interesting, David...

I've just had a look through Bing's 1939 output and although I know it's very subjective, there a few I would personally put above 'Whistling...' 

'Ciribiribin' was the first Bing and The Andrews Sisters track I stumbled across back in the very early seventies and it still has me grinning from ear-to-ear every time I hear it - not least because of Joe Venuti's contribution; 'An Apple For The Teacher' features the divine Connie Boswell and, for some reason, 'East Side of Heaven' has always been a very firm favourite. However, 'If I Had My Way' has to take the top spot. I've always loved Bing's rendition of this song, but it took on a special significance a few months ago when I was visiting my elderly parents down in Cornwall. My mum was born in 1934 so would, of course, have heard a lot of Bing over the airwaves as she was growing up during the war. One evening during my visit, I was doing the dishes in the kitchen after dinner and started gently singing, 'If I Had My Way' to myself. Mum came into the kitchen to make coffee and suddenly started singing along with me - word-perfectly - right to the end of the song! She had no idea how she could remember all the lyrics so clearly after so many years, but simply said, 'Well, it was Bing, wasn't it...'

I know that may all seen cloyingly sentimental, but I'm afraid I make no apology for that. After all, 'It's Bing, isn't it...' 

 

You know I've never liked 'Ciribiribin'. I don't like the song. I didn't care for Bing and The Andrews Sisters version or Harry Jame's instrumental version. However, 'If I Had My Way" is another top favorite of mine. It was a favorite song of My Grandfathers! 

     Thread Starter
 

23/7/2022 10:57 am  #4


Re: 1939's Whistling In The Wildwood

When Gord Atkinson interviewed Bing, he said that he couldn't remember recording the "Whistling in the Wildwood". Gord had to sing it to him!

 

23/7/2022 1:29 pm  #5


Re: 1939's Whistling In The Wildwood

David, That's a Great song for Bing. It got me thinking. How many songs does Bing Whistle on? Maybe someone can compose a list? Also, love If I Had My Way. I was playing the song one day, back in good old Brooklyn when mom heard it and started crying. She told me her favorite uncle use to sing it all the time. She made me play it again and she knew all the words!

 

23/7/2022 4:36 pm  #6


Re: 1939's Whistling In The Wildwood

Blonde56 wrote:

David, That's a Great song for Bing. It got me thinking. How many songs does Bing Whistle on? Maybe someone can compose a list? Also, love If I Had My Way. I was playing the song one day, back in good old Brooklyn when mom heard it and started crying. She told me her favorite uncle use to sing it all the time. She made me play it again and she knew all the words!

Hi Carmela, and a belated welcome back to the board..!

Regarding songs on which Bing whistled, I'm pretty sure someone has compiled a list! I can't quite put my finger on who at the moment, but I'm sure Malcolm will know!

Great to hear the story about your mum and 'If I Had My Way'...

 

24/7/2022 1:04 am  #7


Re: 1939's Whistling In The Wildwood

Jeremy, Hi! Thanks for warm welcome! Maybe Malcolm can make a CD with some of the songs Bing Whistles on!

 

24/7/2022 5:26 am  #8


Re: 1939's Whistling In The Wildwood

Eva Posin has put together a wonderful collection on YouTube.
See (1) ALL BING CROSBY WHISTLING PARTS from his recorded songs chronologically - YouTube

 

24/7/2022 2:05 pm  #9


Re: 1939's Whistling In The Wildwood

Malcolm, Thanks! That was very enjoyable! And many of those photos I've never seen before. I also love the clip with him and Ray Bolger toward the end. Ray is dancing to Bing's whistling. I will play this for my parakeets. They love Bing especially when he whistles!

 

25/7/2022 1:52 pm  #10


Re: 1939's Whistling In The Wildwood

Lobosco wrote:

I just uploaded a bunch of Bing's records from 1939. Some nice music in that year. Probably my favorite record from that year was the understated "Whistling In The Wildwood" which shows off Bing's whistling abilities!



 

What a beautiful record to gently ease me into my musical day. It's a recording of Bing's I don't remember having heard before. It's so peaceful and Bing's whistling is a perfect accompaniment to the gentle orchestration and compliments the subject matter with such ease. As one who cannot whistle, it's always a joy to hear it done so expertly. I've never heard Bing whistling in a recording where his musical judgements on these matters are never less than perfect and superbly appropriate.

The first time I heard him whistle was on his 1940's re-recording of "Where the Blue of the Night Meets the Gold of the Day". It was on a 1971 RCA  compiation LP, "The Best of Bing". I know this is possibly an audio purist piece of purgery but whisting wise, the track sounded all the better for the album having been released in the echo-sounding reprocessed stereo, so often used during the nineteen sixties and 'seventies on mono re-releases. I'm now diving into my record cupboard to see if it's featured on anything my constant absent mind has forgotten. 

Plus it's the perfect companion piece to an archived interview radio programme with Bing I heard yesterday. In "Sounds Natural" (BBC  1976). Bing discusses his lifetime appreciation and love of nature with presenter Derek Jones. During the interview, Bing demonstrates a number of bird calls and whistles and some excerpts of his nature related song recordings are played. For BBC licence fee payers, it's available for another six days on this link:. 
 
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08x2b64

For non - BBC licence fee payers who cannot access the link's contents - or anyone who reads this after the six days have passed, feel free to send me a Private Message and we'll go from there. 

Last edited by Ian Kerstein (25/7/2022 10:42 pm)

 

25/7/2022 10:51 pm  #11


Re: 1939's Whistling In The Wildwood

Oh fantastic! I thought, other than its long wave radio "World Service",  the BBC had now encrypted all its online content to just Licence Fee subscribers. I'm delighted you managed to hear it. Should you want to "capture" it, Archiefit - I suggest you do so before the BBC take it down before it reaches the end of its current availability within the next five days. I recorded/captured it yesterday, as it's such a unique twenty-five minutes with Bing and his occasional bird whistles.

 

26/7/2022 12:29 am  #12


Re: 1939's Whistling In The Wildwood

Ian, Thanks for that. If my parakeets knew Bing shot birds they wouldn't listen to him anymore. Remember the scene in "Going My Way" when Bing does the bird sound near birdbath ? Awesome!

 

29/7/2022 9:00 am  #13


Re: 1939's Whistling In The Wildwood

I seem to recall there was a listing of Bing’s whistling recordings.
Jeremy, must ad that 1934 was a very good year,! My parents thought so..

 

30/7/2022 7:20 am  #14


Re: 1939's Whistling In The Wildwood

Ron Field wrote:

Jeremy, must ad that 1934 was a very good year,! My parents thought so..

A very good year indeed, Ron..! Hope you and Anita are both keeping well.
 

 

01/8/2022 9:56 pm  #15


Re: 1939's Whistling In The Wildwood

Blonde56 wrote:

Ian, Thanks for that. If my parakeets knew Bing shot birds they wouldn't listen to him anymore. Remember the scene in "Going My Way" when Bing does the bird sound near birdbath ? Awesome!

Oh that's so sweetly apt, Blonde 56. I'm sure you know your Parakeets more than anyone and so at least that part of spoken dialogue won't have ruffled any literal feathers.

I came across this  around a couple of weeks ago - and quite by accident on turning on the radio when settling down to sleep one night. I found it most interesting and very pleasant to hear Bing's mature, natural speaking voice, without the distraction of any visuals, audience pressures or indeed performance in this nicely relaxed and convivial conversation. He had such a pleasant timbre when speaking, was always so articulate and fluid - and devoid of any repetitive verbal ticks. I could have listened to him for many more minutes. 

Does anyone out there have any ideas where I can find or access any more audio interviews with Bing? I'm familiar with the one he recorded with Alan Dell for BBC Radio 2, three days before his final golf game but then I'm struggling. 

 

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