Crosby Fan World / 'White Christmas' soundtrack

**Posted by tedn** 05/12/2023 3:58 am

Over the years I've heard all sorts of different theories about why we have never gotten an official, licensed "White Christmas" soundtrack even though it seems like something that would be a big money-maker for whoever put it out.

I've read that there are issues with the rights. (Hence the business where they recorded the songs for Decca with Peggy Lee substituting for Columbia-contracted Rosemary Clooney.) I've read that the original soundtrack masters are either lost or destroyed.

But I still don't get it. They just found the soundtrack to "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" from 1966 so is it really so hard to believe there might be pristine versions of the "White Christmas" soundtrack recordings in a vault somewhere, waiting to be released?

What are the facts here? What do we actually know for sure?

**Posted by Blonde56** 10/12/2023 4:08 am

Maybe Bader should look in Bing's basement for it. He found a lot of stuff in that basement. I remember Kathryn asked if I could stay at her house years back to go through stuff in Bing's basement. I couldn't at the time because of health issues. What rotten luck.

**Posted by tedn** 10/12/2023 4:32 am

Blonde56 wrote:
Maybe Bader should look in Bing's basement for it. He found a lot of stuff in that basement.

He definitely should. Not only would it be a musical treasure to find this - it would be a goldmine for everyone involved!

**Posted by Benclink** 13/12/2023 2:55 pm

Yes, Rosemary Clooney was under contract to Coumbia so a studio soundtrack with her was not going to happen. Decca controlled the soundtrack rights. Trudy Stevens did the vocal for Vera Ellen. Gloria Wood was set to dub the vocals until Clooney intervened.

**Posted by Benclink** 13/12/2023 3:09 pm

Sorry meant post Clooney intervened for Steven's for the movie dubs and Trudy Stevens also sang on the Decca soundtrack version. Also Peggy Lee sang both vocals on Sisters...over dubbed.